BANGALORE SAHODAYA QUESTION PAPER (2021-22)

ENGLISH (CORE) (Code – 301)

CLASS XII
Date: 30.10.2021
Time allowed: 90 minutes. Maximum Marks: 40

General Instructions:
1. The Question Paper contains THREE sections.
2. Section A- READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per specific
instructions for each question.
3. Section B- WRITING SKILLS has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C- LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific
instructions for the section.
5. All questions carry equal marks.
6. There is no negative marking.

SECTION - A- READING
I. Read the passage given below.
1. My granddaughter visited last weekend, and while she was here, I asked if she had her
brother’s new address, as I had a parcel to post. She scrolled through her phone, and I
marvelled again at the convenience of technology. A phone, not an address book? While I’m
not entirely techno-illiterate- I type, after all, on a laptop- I find it hard to grasp the changes
that happen so quickly.

2. “Here Gran,” said Carly when she found the address. I’ll write it down for you.”

3. “Will you put it in my address book?” I asked, pointing at the phone table in the hall. They
probably don’t have phone tables anymore, I mused. Carly picked up the well-worn address
book and looked inside, a curious expression on her face. “There is hardly any room left to
write numbers,” she said with a laugh as she wrote what I needed in the margin. “And it’s full
of names you have scratched out.”

4. “Well, dear, those are people who have passed on,” I explained.

5. “Dead?” asked Carly.

6. “Dead,” I echoed. “I can’t press ‘delete’ so I just scratch out the names.”

7. After Carly left, I picked up my address book and took it into the living room with a cup of
tea. I flipped the pages to the beginning and found a date, 1955. That’s a lot of years, I
thought, and while I never considered this book as being sad, I never looked at it as anything
more than a place to store information. But, upon opening the pages I could see the stories it
presented- a repository of lives lived and lost, marriages, births, friendships, and changes.

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 8. I am 91 years old, and I have outlived all my siblings. Two sisters and five brothers, with a
history of where they lived and how to contact them, neatly written and then scratched out as
they succumbed to whatever ailment that took them to the next world.

9. I remember how Jay and I fretted when our daughter, who was 18 then, decided to move to
an apartment in New York. My husband took a trip a few months later to make sure she was
OK and phoned home with the proclamation that “no daughter of his was going to live in
such a rat-infested dive!” I am sure the rats were an exaggeration, but West 11th Street was
scratched off the page and a new apartment was found, along with a little monthly allowance
from home to make it work.

10. Turning the pages, I find my best friend, June, who died three years ago but whom I miss
every day still. We had such fun when we were younger and living in Vancouver, British
Columbia (Address 1). When she moved to Salt Spring Island (Address 2), I wasn’t sure how
I would get along without her. That move is a smudge in my book; perhaps I cried as I wrote
her new address. I certainly remember feeling bereft.

11. My handwriting is a little shakier than the bold strokes that marked the addresses I included
60 years ago (oh my, has it really been that long?), but the stories are as vivid.

12. I close the book and feel the well-worn leather cover. A smartphone is convenient- I keep
thinking I should buy one if my grandchildren will have the patience to teach me- but it can’t
replace the memories held in these pages.
- by Patrica Gould
Source: The Globe and Mail- December 2016

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions.

Q1. Select the option that cannot be regarded as an appropriate analysis of the passage.

A. ‘The Joys of Keeping an Address Book’ is a suitable title for the passage.
B. The passage reveals the writer’s love for journaling.
C. The content reveals her emotional attachment to certain episodes of her past.
D. The pages of her address book rekindled the joys of her past.

Q2. In the digital era, an Address Book is defined as the software that enables the user to store
contact details and make a calendar of events in a secure way. How are the ‘manually maintained’
Address Books different? What can we infer from the passage?

1. The passage makes it evident that it is an extremely complex and cumbersome process.
2. One may not be able to store every important information/ contact detail as it takes a lot of
time.
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 3. They store not just information but also emotions, thereby becoming a repository of events
and vivid stories
4. The ‘manually maintained’ Address Books give an account of noticeable changes, like
handwriting.

A. 1 and 3
B. 2 and 4
C. 2 and 3
D. 3 and 4

Q3. “While I’m not entirely techno-illiterate…. I find it hard to grasp the changes.”
The line indicates the author’s _______________.

A. sense of regret for not befriending technology.

B. dismay at her inability to adapt to the changes brought by technology.
C. acceptance of her inability to comprehend the marvels of technology.
D. lack of interest in welcoming technology.

Q4. Select the option that suitably completes the given dialogue as per the account given in
paragraph 7.

Author: “Dead,” I echoed. “I can’t press ‘delete’, so I just scratch out the names.”
Carly: “__________________________________________________________.”

A. Oh, that’s so sad.

B. Alas! I fail to understand this.
C. Really! I feel this is an outdated style of writing.
D. Well, you need to stop this immediately.

Q5. Select the correct inference with reference to the following:

That move is a smudge in my book….

A. The smudge reminded the author of her attempt to scratch out her friend’s Address 2
B. The smudge was due to the tears of joy that trickled down her cheeks as she wrote
about June.
C. The smudge reminded the author of the day when June had moved to Address 2.
D. The smudge was due to the tears that dropped when the author entered the date of
June’s demise.

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Q6. Identify the quote that summarises the author’s feeling as she flipped the pages of her
address book.

A. Together is my favourite place to be.

B. Family is like music. Some high notes, some low notes but always a beautiful melody.
C. Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
D. Let’s take a walk down the memory lane and meet each other all over again.

Q7. From the passage, we can infer that the author was ______________ in storing information.

1. Meticulous
2. Systematic
3. Inept
4. Oafish
5. Patient

A. Only 1
B. 1 ,2 and 5
C. All except 3
D. 2, 4 and 5

Q8. “Well dear, those are people who’ve passed on.” Choose the option that can replace the phrasal
verb ‘passed on’.

A. Passed up
B. Passed by
C. Passed away
D. Passed around

Q9. The author started writing in the ‘well-worn’ address book at the age of______.

A. 29
B. 31
C. 35
D. 41

Q10. Select the option that cannot replace the word ‘bereft’. Paragraph 10

A. bereaved
B. separated
C. isolated
D. betrayed

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II. Read the passage given below :
1. English proficiency in government-run schools is often a challenge for students, especially
since many schools use the local language to impart education. English phonics is arbitrary
and challenging for students who are not exposed to English in their daily lives. Also, there
are issues caused by teacher shortages and teachers’ English proficiency. The Annual Status
of Education Report (ASER) demonstrates that Grade V students in rural India are unable to
comprehend Grade II-level text. Over time the effects get compounded. This leads to poor
grades, dropouts and unemployability.

2. Here is a graphic to state the findings of the eighth All India Educational Survey (AIES) by
Department of Educational Surveys and Data Processing, NCERT.

English, as a medium of
instruction is used only
15.49% 21.8% schools
in
schools at at the upper
primary level primary stage

33.06%
28.73%
schools at the
schools at the
higher
secondary
secondary
stage
stage

3. To address the challenge, English Helper (EH), an EdTech company founded by Venkat
Srinivasan, a Boston based social entrepreneur and cognitive scientist, launched the
‘RightToRead’ programme using an AI platform ‘ReadToMe’ to facilitate multisensory
reading and comprehension. The goal has been to ensure students receive the basic
programme free-of-cost while improving their reading, comprehension and spoken skills. The
EdTech has partnered with Intel and Amazon Web Services to provide the software to
government-run schools and support students in over 25000 schools. The programme is
presently operational in 330 districts across 27 states and 3 Union Territories. The
programme is estimated to achieve a footprint of more than 1,00,000 schools by 2021. It has
reached schools in Africa, Asia and Central America.

4. The programme integrates with the existing curriculum, wherein software enables the reading
of school textbooks. Teachers can download the ‘ReadToMe’ Android App on
phones/laptops and link their device to the screen to teach the students. Post the programme,
there seems to have been 20-40% improvement in reading and comprehension.

5. To address the English language gaps in government-run schools, Learning Matters, another
EdTech entity, has come to the fore, using AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP). The

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 Bangalore-based EdTech uses Tara, an interactive, personalized teacher assistant to make
English learning interactive for students. A price point of Rs100 per student per month makes
it an economically viable initiative. They believe that ‘learning loss and regression’ is a
‘mean beast to tackle’ and in government schools the problem is more acute.

6. To learn with the virtual voice teacher, learners need Alexa device or smart phones. The
voice teacher repeats lessons, converses with learners, asks questions, provides feedback and
corrects grammatical mistakes just as a human conversation partner would. This helps the
students learn in a natural way, at their pace and with repeated practice to gain proficiency.
A non-judgemental learning environment is created.
Source: www.educationtimes.com

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions by
choosing the correct option.

Q11. Which of the following can be considered as the most appropriate title for the given passage?

A. Blueprint for Education Policies

B. Students must enhance their ability to think critically
C. AI to help students learn English and gain proficiency
D. AI and Training Programmes to strengthen School Teachers’ Language Base

Q12. Soham, a student of Class 12 decides to scan the passage and make notes on the aims and
objectives of the ‘RightToRead’ programme.

Aims and Objectives of RightToRead programme

1. To address lack of English proficiency among students in government-run schools

2. To facilitate multisensory reading and comprehension skills
3. Addressing poor learning outcomes in early school years
4. _________________________________________________________
Select the option that is affiliated to the points /notes made by Soham.

A. Development of sociological imagination through stories

B. To help students understand the importance of learning and assessment
C. Enhancing foundational numeracy skills among students of government-run schools
D. Improving English literacy among K-12 learners through large scale technology interventions

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Q13. Select the option that displays the correct Cause-Consequence relationship.
OPTION CAUSE CONSEQUENCE
A. Students in early school years are not Acquisition of the English language for
exposed to English in their daily lives. government school students in early
school years is difficult.

B. English proficiency among students in Many schools use local/regional

government schools is a challenge. language to impart education.

C. The founder of EdTech company EnglishHelper provides software to

EnglishHelper is a social entrepreneur. government-run schools in India.
D. The ‘RightToRead’ programme has The AI platform ‘ReadToMe’ provides
brought about 20-40% improvement in consistent exposure that enables students
reading and comprehension skills. to learn English phonics.

Q14. Identify the option that accurately depicts the All-India Educational Survey result.
A. The % of students who focus on English language acquisition is the maximum in early school
years.
B. English is a medium of instruction in less than 35% government schools in Southern India.
C. It is evident that an appreciable % of government-run schools use English as a medium of
instruction.
D. The % of government-run schools that use English as a medium of instruction is the highest for
senior students.

Q15. Pick out the option that is not substantiated by information given in paragraphs 4 and 5.
A. Learning Matters’ virtual voice teacher ‘Tara’ is revolutionizing the way students learn in India.
B. ‘Tara’ is a simple interface to use as it requires only 3G connection to function effectively.
C. ‘Tara’ requires a smart phone or a voice platform like Amazon’s Alexa to function effectively.
D. ‘Tara’, built on AI, creates an immersive and non-judgemental learning environment.

Q16. ‘Learning loss and regression’ is a mean beast to tackle. The idea conveyed here is
that_________.
A. it is a beast of burden.
B. it is difficult to deal with
C. it is unworthy
D. it is ineffective
Q17. Read the two statements given below and select the option that explains them.
1. This, in turn, leads to poor grades, dropouts and unemployability.
2. EdTech companies like EnglishHelper and Learning Matters are implementing tech-driven
programmes in government-run schools.
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 A. (1) is the consequence and (2) is the problem.
B. (1) is true in case of schools in rural areas and (2) is an ineffective initiative.
C. (2) is the solution to a problem and (1) is the consequence of the same problem.
D. (2) is the cause of a problem and (1) is the consequence of the same problem.

Q18. The ‘ReadToMe’ programme has proved to be a successful initiative. Do you agree?
A. Yes, because it has partnered with Intel and Amazon Web Services.
B. No, because the operating procedure is cumbersome.
C. No, because the programme integrates curriculum which is not age-appropriate.
D. Yes, presently it has reached schools in Asia, Africa and Central America.

SECTION B- WRITING

III. Answer any four out of the five questions given, with reference to the context below.
The CCA (Co-Curricular Activities) Department of APS Public School, Bangalore has planned to
organize a cultural program as a part of the Art Integrated Project. The school will work on this
project in collaboration with the paired state, that is, Uttarakhand. The objective is to help students
gain an understanding of the cultures, customs, rituals and celebrations linked to the Dusshera
festival. Write a notice to be displayed on the notice board inviting students to participate in the
event. You are Diya/ Deepak, Secretary, CCA Department.

Q.19 Select the appropriate title/ heading for the notice.

A. Co-Curricular Activities- Exhibition
B. Exhibition of knowledge
C. Cultural Program
D. Sharing knowledge
Q20. Select the option that can be considered as the most accurate opening for this notice.
A. I take this opportunity to inform all the students about the upcoming cultural program.
B. Considering the need for integration of art in learning, we have decided to organize a cultural
program.
C. All the students and staff members are hereby informed that a cultural program is going to be
organized by the school next month.
D. The CCA department wishes to welcome you all in the upcoming cultural program.
Q21. Select the option with the information point(s) that is/are not essential component(s) of the
body of the notice.
1. Information about the program
2. Day, Date, Time and Venue
3. Information about the customs and rituals observed during the festival.
4. Target Audience

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 5. Urging students to participate
6. Details regarding registration for the event

A. 1 and 5
B. Only 3
C. 2 and 4
D. 4 and 6

Q22. Conclude the notice by filling the blanks.

1. _______________________. 2.________________________.

A. 1. Attendance is mandatory. 2. Stay Prepared.

B. 1. Inconvenience regretted. 2. For more details, contact the
undersigned.
C. 1. Co-operate with team 2. Interested students may register
members. participation with the
undersigned.
D. 1. Attendance is mandatory. 2. For more details, contact the
undersigned.

Q23. Would the notice reflect the designation of the authorized signatory?
A. Yes, because it is the Issuing Authority as well.
B. No, the signature is enough.
C. Yes, because it makes it formal.
D. No, the content of the letter makes it clear.

IV. Attempt any six of the seven questions given, with reference to the context below.
Students of Class 12 were divided into 4 teams namely P, Q, R and S. After completing the
literature text ‘The Last Lesson’, the teacher assigned an activity to the students to help them
understand the importance of the three-language formula in education. Students discussed the facts,
pros and cons on the three- language formula in government-aided and English medium schools in
the respective Breakout Rooms. Finally, they drafted letters to the editor of a national daily
expressing their opinion on this matter.

Q24. Identify the team that has drafted the Receiver’s Address appropriately.

Team P The Editor

National Daily
Bangalore

Team Q The Editor of the National Daily

M G Road
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 Bangalore- 560001

Team R The Editor

The Times of India
M G Road
Bangalore- 560001
Team S The Editor of
The Times of India
M G Road
Bangalore-560001

A. Team P
B. Team Q
C. Team R
D. Team S
Q25.Following are the subject lines drafted by the teams. Select the most appropriate subject.
Team P Subject: The National Education Policy 2020
Team Q Subject: Understanding the diversity of opinions on Language
Team R Subject: Education in Early Years- bird’s eye view
Team S Subject: Pros and Cons of the Three-Language Formula in
Schools

A. Team P
B. Team Q
C. Team R
D. Team S
Q26. Select the team that has considered cohesion, relevance and fluency of ideas while organising
the content of the letter to the editor.

Team P Introduction of Self- Stating the purpose- Expansion of facts about

the three- language formula in early years of schooling- suggestions
for addressing the debate on the matter- highlighting the diverse
opinions, of people regarding the proposition- discussing the
advantages – complimentary close

Team Q Introduction of Self- Stating the purpose – Expansion of facts about

the three-language formula in early years of schooling- highlighting
the advantages of imparting education in the mother tongue/ native
language/regional language to students up to Class 5- discussing the
aspects that remain unclear- emphasising upon the need to spell out

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 the future course of action- Concluding on a note of hope-
complimentary close

Team R Introduction of Self- Stating the need to address the debate on three-
language formula as stated in NEP 2020- Discuss the aspects that
remain unclear- Focussing on the choice of students and parents in
this matter- Complimentary close
Team S Introduction of Self- Stating the importance of language in
Foundational Literacy- Discussing the pros and cons of the language
policy with respect to government schools- Stating the real purpose
of drafting the letter- asking for a clear view on future course of
action- requesting the Editor to spell out the details at the earliest-
Complimentary close

A. Team P
B. Team Q
C. Team R
D. Team S
Q27. Here is a list of the advantages of the three-language formula as put forth by the teams.
Select the option that should not be included in the letter.
A. Education imparted in mother tongue/ native language will help kindle interest in learning in
the early stages.
B. It will help in decreasing the rate of dropouts and increasing the percentage of enrolment in
primary schools.
C. By not giving any choice, it will end the confusion of learners who use two or more
languages at home.
D. It will help in the development of foundational numeracy skills.
Q28. This is how the four teams concluded their letters. Select the team that has understood the
purpose of drafting a letter on this subject.

Team P- On a Team Q-With a

note of hope warning

Team S- Stating
Team R- the difficulties
Expressing in the
doubt implementation
of the policy

A. Team P

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 B. Team Q
C. Team R
D. Team S

Q29. The subscription should read as follows:

A. Your’s faithfully
B. Yours’ sincerely
C. Yours sincerely
D. Yours obediently

Q30. What should be the tone of this letter?

1. Personal
2. Formal
3. Thoughtful
4. Criticizing
5. Respectful

A. 1 and 2
B. Only 2
C. 3 and 4
D. 2, 3 and 5
SECTION C- LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections: V, VI, VII, VIII, IX. There are a total of 30 questions in the
section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.

V. Read the given extract and attempt the questions that follow:
They looked like little flags floating everywhere in the school-room, hung from the rod at the top of
our desks. You ought to have seen how everyone set to work, and how quiet it was! The only sound
was the scratching of the pens over the paper. Once some beetles flew in; but nobody paid any
attention to them, not even the littlest ones, who worked right on tracing their fish-hooks, as if that
was French, too. On the roof the pigeons cooed very low, and I thought to myself, “Will they make
them sing in German, even the pigeons?”

Q31.What looked like flags floating everywhere in the classroom?

A. Books on History of France

B. Books on French Grammar
C. New Copies for writing
D. Artwork depicting the culture of France

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Q32.They looked like flags because________________.

A. they showed the map of France and aroused the spirit of patriotism in the students.
B. they were in blue, white and red colour symbolising the values of nobility, equality and
brotherhood
C. ‘Viva La France!’ was written on them in beautiful, round handwriting to show
allegiance to motherland.
D. France, Alsace, France, Alsace’ was written on them to convey the idea that the
Alsatians belonged to France.

Q33. Through the given extract, Alphonse Daudet appeals to which of the following series of
values?
A. resolve patriotism devotion

B. tolerance capability compassion

C. morality sympathy brotherhood

D. service sympathy kindness

Q34.What inference can be drawn from the last line of the given extract?

Inference 1: It is a sarcastic comment from the author to highlight Linguistic Chauvinism of the
the colonial powers.
Inference 2: It projects the supremacy of colonial powers that affects the people and the
surroundings.

A. Inference 1 is right but Inference 2 is wrong.

B. Inference 2 is right but inference 1 is wrong.
C. Both the inferences are right.
D. Both the inferences are wrong.

Q35.Based on your understanding of the extract, choose the interpretation which is not appropriate.

A. The atmosphere of the classroom was grim and solemn.

B. The students worked with devotion to show the love for their language,
C. The lines depict the pathos of the situation - the agony of losing one’s language.
D. The scene illustrates the human tendency to procrastinate.

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VI. Read the extract given and answer the questions that follow:

I jumped with everything I had. But the jump made no difference. The water was still around me. I
looked for ropes, ladders, water wings. Nothing but water. A mass of yellow water held me. Stark
terror took an even deeper hold on me, like a great charge of electricity. I shook and trembled with
fright. My arms wouldn’t move. My legs wouldn’t move. I tried to call for help, to call for mother.
Nothing happened.

And then, strangely, there was light. I was coming out of the awful yellow water. At least my eyes
were. My nose was almost out too.
Then I started down a third time. I sucked for air and got water. The yellowish light was going out.
Then all effort ceased. I relaxed.

Q.36 P, Q, R and S, four students of Class 12 answered a test based on the account stated above.

They were expected to mark True (T) and False (F) against the given statements/ inferences.
Identify the student who got all the answers correct.

S. No Statements P* Q* R* S*

1. The author made attempts to save himself. T T T T

2. Electric shock struck him when he was in the pool. F F T T

3. The author cried for help, but finally no one came to his F T T F
rescue.

4. The word ‘Stark ’in the given context means T F F T

absolute and severe.

A. Student P
B. Student Q
C. Student R
D. Student S

Q37. “Then all efforts ceased. I relaxed.” What were the indicators that made him feel so?
1. His legs felt limp.
2. A blackness swept over his brain.
3. It wiped out fear; it wiped out terror.
4. His toes felt the tiles at the bottom of the pool.
5. He landed down in a sitting position
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 A. 1, 3 and 4
B. 1, 2 and 3
C. 2, 3 and 4
D. 3, 4 and 5

Q38. “But the jump made no difference.” Complete the concept map by choosing the relevant
reason.
he was a small boy of
ten or eleven.
Douglas tried to jump upwards but
it made no difference
because_________.

A. he wasn’t jumping with strength.

B. his strategy was not right.
C. he was losing his consciousness.
D. he was thrown into the deep end of the pool.

Q39. Identify the figure of speech employed in the line ‘Stark terror took an even deeper hold on
me, like a charge of electricity.’

A. Metaphor
B. Simile
C. Transferred Epithet
D. Synecdoche

Q40. Read the statement and the reasons. Select the most appropriate option.

Statement: The yellowish light was going out.

Reason 1: Douglas was gradually losing his consciousness.

Reason 2: Douglas was going down the third time and in a terrified state he just saw dark water
around him even though the water of the pool was clear.

A. Only Reason 1 is right.

B. Only Reason 2 is right.
C. Both the reasons are right but not for the given context.
D. Both the reasons can be inferred from the given context.
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VII. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

What I want should not be

confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about.
I want no truck with death.
If we are not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and threatening ourselves with
death.

Q41. The line ‘Life is what it is about’ means_______________.

Inference 1: Life is an ongoing process and thus, it is all about being up and doing.
Inference 2: We should reflect upon the stagnation of activities.

A. Only inference 1 is right.

B. Only inference 2 is relevant in this context.
C. Both the explanations are accurate for the given line.
D. Both the inferences are wrong.

Q42. All the inferences stated below are right, EXCEPT.

A. ‘Total inactivity’ implies a phase of complete stagnation.

B. The poet advocates the idea of ‘total inactivity’.
C. The poet’s message should not be confused with death or a state of complete dormancy.
D. Man is caught in a rat race of materialism and is responsible for his own doing.

Q43. Complete the lines given below by choosing the most appropriate option:

Man, with a single-minded vision, has hurtled towards 1. ________________________. He has

threatened himself with 2. _______________ by not understanding the need for reflecting upon the
consequences of his actions.
A. 1. destruction 2. incessant suffering
B. 1. progress and development 2. death
C. 1. war 2. defeat
D. 1. materialism and sacrifice 2. insanity

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Q44.The expression ‘keeping our lives moving’ is a comment on______________.

A. Man’s desire for war and victory.

B. Need to promote peace and brotherhood.
C. Modern man’s mechanical and busy life
D. Absurdity of war and damage to nature.

Q45.The tone of the poet is ________________.

A. Sarcastic
B. Appreciative
C. Disheartening
D. Earnest

VIII. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

But that’s the reason, he said, and my friends all agreed. Everything points to it, they claimed. My
stamp collecting, for example; that’s a ‘temporary refuge from reality.’ Well, maybe, but my
grandfather didn’t need any refuge from reality; things were pretty nice and peaceful in his day,
from all I hear, and he started my collection. It is a nice collection too, blocks of four of practically
every U.S issue, first day covers, and so on. President Roosevelt collected stamps too, you know.

Q46.Who is referred to as ‘he’ in the first line of the extract?

A. Sam Wesley
B. Sam Weiner
C. Sam Wynter
D. Sam Warren

Q47. What is the meaning of ‘blocks of four’?

A. It refers to the four First Day Covers that the narrator found in his grandfather’s collection.
B. It refers to the new stamp on the First Day Cover that bears the postmark.
C. It refers to the blocks of four or more stamps that are not separated.
D. It refers to the blocks of four postcards that are collected by philatelists.

Q48. ‘But that’s the reason, he said, and all my friends agreed.’ Choose the best option to explain
the given statement.

Statement 1: Charley claimed that he had been to the third level of the Grand Central Station.
Statement 2: His psychiatrist friend explained that it was a ‘waking-dream wish fulfillment.’

A. If Statement 1 is the assertion made by Charley, statement 2 is the diagnosis done by his
friend.

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 B. If Statement 2 is the solution offered by the psychiatrist, statement 1 is the dilemma
expressed by Charley.
C. Both the statements are unrelated in the given context.
D. Statement 1 is true but statement 2 is false.

Q49. Who is referred to as ‘you’ in the last line of the extract?

A. Charley’s wife
B. Charley’s Psychiatrist
C. The other friends of Charley
D. The readers

Q50.Choose the statement that does not pertain to the textual evidence provided.
A. Charley, a 31year old man represents the modern man who lived in the world of war,
worries and insecurities.
B. Charley believed in the explanation given by his psychiatrist friend that he was
‘unhappy’.
C. According to Charley, stamp collection was his hobby and not an attempt to escape from
his reality.
D. According to his friend, Charley’s interest in stamp collection was a ‘temporary
refuge from reality’.

IX. Attempt the following.

Q51.The villagers were present for the last lesson in French ____________.

1. to express their solidarity and love for their mother tongue.

2. as it was their way of thanking M. Hamel for his forty years of faithful service.
3. because they were sorry that they had not given importance to the learning of their language.
4. they had faith in M. Hamel’s promise of guarding their language

A. 1and 2
B. 1, 2 and 3
C. 2, 3 and 4
D. 2 and 4

Q52. Read the statements given below and choose the appropriate option.

Statement 1: Saheb’s family left Bangladesh and came to India.

Statement 2: Saheb is no longer his own master.
A. If Statement 1 is the problem, Statement 2 is the cause.
B. If Statement 1 is the effect, Statement 2 is the cause.
C. Both the statements are the effects of a common cause.
D. Both the statements are the effects of independent causes.
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Q53. The poem Keeping Quiet begins on a note of_________.

A. meditation and introspection

B. noisy outburst
C. sadness
D. celebration

Q54.Which line from the poem My Mother at Sixty-Six accurately conveys the idea expressed in
the given quote?

A. ‘And realised with pain that she was as old as she

looked.’
B. ‘And felt that old familiar ache, my childhood fear,
but all I said was, see you soon Amma’
C. ‘I saw my mother doze, open-mouthed, her face
ashen like that of a corpse’
D. ‘Looked out at young trees sprinting, merry children
spilling.’

Q55. Which phrase/ line best describes the children, living in the slum, as malnourished?

A. like bottle bits on stone

B. his eyes live in a dream
C. Far, far from rivers, capes
D. wear skins peeped through by bones.

Q56. Select the option that shows the incorrect match between the lines and poetic devices.

Option Phrase/ line Poetic Device

1. His eyes live in a dream Synecdoche
2. The paper- Metaphor, Enjambment
seeming boy with rat’s eyes
3. Surely Shakespeare is wicked Alliteration, Metonymy
4. Civilised dome riding all cities Pun
A. Option 1
B. Option 2
C. Option 3
D. Option 4

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Q57.In the lines ‘Run azure on gold sands, and let their tongues
Run naked into books…
The verb ‘Run’ conveys the idea of___________.

A. illumination gained in the lap of Nature.

B. liberation from social injustice and class inequalities
C. freedom from classroom learning
D. realisation of the dream of squirrel’s game

Q58. Holding ‘The World’ in his hand made Charley realise that he had been transported
1. ______ 2. __________.
A. 1. in time 2. and space
B. 1.to new corridors 2.and staircases
C. 1. to 1849 2. to the third level
D. 1. to 1894, 2. the library

Q59. “I?” she repeated blankly. “But never have I!”

“It is easy enough,” he said impatiently.

What was she asked to do?

A. She was asked to wash the white man using a sterilized towel.
B. She was asked if she could throw the white man back into the sea.
C. She was asked to give anesthetic to the injured, unconscious man.
D. She was asked to clean the wound that made the soldier bleed.

Q60. ‘His terror infected her.’

Sadao’s terror is a reflection of __________.

A. his diffidence and inability to deal with problems in life

B. the fact that he was not able to rise above narrow prejudices
C. his concern for self-preservation as he lived in Japan- an absolute state
D. his inner conflict between patriotism and humanity

***All the Best***

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