Amity International School

Sample Paper (2020-21)

ENGLISH CORE
CLASS XII
Maximum Marks: 80 Time Allowed: 3 hours

General Instructions:
（i) This paper is divided into two parts : A and B. Both the parts are compulsory.
（ii) Separate instructions are given with each part and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions very
carefully and follow them faithfully.
（iii) Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

PART A （40 )

READING COMPREHENSION （20 )

1. Read the passage given below: （10 )

1.All of Earth's oceans share one thing in common: plastic pollution. Discarded plastic bags, cups,
and bottles make their way into the sea. Today, it seems that no part of the ocean is safe from plastic
trash. In recent years, oceanographers have searched in vain for a pristine marine environment.
2. Plastic harms wildlife and introduces dangerous chemicals into marine ecosystems-communities
of organisms interacting with their surroundings. Once plastic enters the environment, it lasts a
long time.
3. When people litter, things like plastic bags, bottles, straws, foam beverage cups get carried to the sea
by winds and waterways. About 80 per cent of ocean plastic originates on land. The rest comes from
marine industries such as shipping and fishing.
4. In 2015, engineer Jenna Jambeck at the University of Georgia and other researchers calculated that
at least 8 million tons of plastic trash is swept into the ocean from coasts every year. That's the
equivalent of a full garbage truck of plastic being dumped into the sea every minute. If current
Trends in plastic production and disposal continue, that figure will double by 2025. A report
published by the World Economic Forum last year predicts that by 2050, ocean plastic will outweigh
all the fish in the sea.
5. In today's world, plastic is everywhere. It's found in shoes, clothing, household items, electronics,
and more. There are different types of plastics, but one thing they all have in common in that they're
made of polymers-large molecules made up of repeating units. Their chemical structure gives them
a lot of advantages: they’re cheap and easy to manufacture, lightweight, water-resistant, durable,
and can be molded into nearly any shape.
6. Unfortunately, some of the properties that make plastics great for consumer goods also make them
a problem pollutant. Plastic's durability comes in part from the fact that unlike paper or wood, it
doesn't biodegrade, or break down naturally. Instead it just fragments, or breaks into tiny pieces
over time. These tiny pieces, known as microplastic, can potentially stick around for hundreds or
perhaps even thousands of years.
7. Another problem with plastics is the other chemicals they contain, like dyes and flame retardants.
When plastic isn't disposed of properly, these additives end up in the environment. Plastic also
tends to absorb harmful chemicals from its surroundings."It's like a sponge for persistent organic
pollutants."
8. One of the biggest impacts of plastic pollution is its effect on sea life. Seals, sea turtles, and even
whales can become entangled in plastic netting. They can starve to death if the plastic restricts their
ability to move or eat. Or the plastic can cut into the animals' skin, causing wounds that develop
severe infections.
9. Sea turtles eat plastic bags and soda-can rings, which resemble jellyfish, their favourite food.
Seabirds eat bottle caps or chunks of foam cups. Plastic pieces may make an animal feel full,so it
doesn't eat enough real food to get the nutrients it needs. Plastic can also block an animal's digestive
system, making it unable to eat.
10. Plastic and its associated pollutants can even make it into our own food supply. Scientists found
plastic in the guts of fish and shell fish samples purchased at the markets in California and
Indonesia. In organisms that people eat whole, such as sardines and oysters, that means we're
eating plastic too. In larger fish, chemicals from plastic may seep into their muscles and other tissues
that people consume.
11. One way to keep the ocean cleaner and healthier is through cleanup efforts. A lot of plastic waste
caught in ocean currents eventually washes up on beaches. Removing it can prevent it from blowing
out to sea again. Beach clean-up is ocean clean-up.
12. Clean-up efforts can't reach every corner of the ocean or track down every bit of microplastic. That
means it's critical to cut down on the amount of plastic that reaches the sea in the first place.
Scientists are working towards new materials that are safer for the environment. For examples,
Jambeck and her colleagues are currently testing a new polymer that breaks down more easily in
seawater.
13. "Individual actions make a big difference," says Jambeck. Disposing of plastic properly for recycling
or trash collection is a key step. “And simple things like reusable water bottles, mugs, and bags
really cut down on waste," she says. Skipping straws or using paper ones helps too. Ocean pollution
can seem overwhelming, but it's something everyone can help address. This is a problem we can
really do something about.

On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer any ten of the questions given
below by choosing the most appropriate option:
（1X10=10 )
a) Percentage of ocean plastic that originates from land is:
i) 20%
ii) 50%
iii) 80%
iv) 25%

b) In which year did Jenna Jambeck and other researchers calculate that at least 8 million tons
of plastic trash is swept into ocean every year?
i) 2018
ii) 2015
iii) 2005
iv) 2010

c) Plastic is not biodegradable because it is made up of:

i) low atomic particles.
ii) tiny particles.
iii) strong big particles.
iv) large molecule polymers.

d) Sea turtles eat:

i) plastic bottles.
ii) plastic bags and soda-can rings.
iii) bottle caps.
iv) chunks of foam cups.

e) Scientists bought fish and shell-fish for examination at markets in:

i ) China and Russia.
ii) Pakistan and Afghanistan.
iii) California and Indonesia.
iv) Australia and Brazil.

f) The component which is common to all plastic products is:

i) Harmful chemicals.
ii) Polymers.
iii) Molecules.
iv) Microplastic.

g) Spot the incorrect statement:

i) Scientists are working on the possibility of finding a new kind of polymer that breaks down
easily in water.
ii)Ways of disposal of plastic is irrelevant if beach cleanup is done regularly in wake of sea
pollution.
iii) Using reusable water bottles, mugs, and bags really cut down on plastic waste.
iv) Skipping straws or using paper ones helps limit generation of plastic waste.

h) In which of the following sentences, the usage of the word 'pristine' is most accurate?
i) The pristine political party has made tax reforms consumer friendly.
ii) I looked out of my window and found a pristine bird weaving its nest in my backyard.
iii) After dropping the phone from such a big height, getting it changed to its pristine stage was
an impossible task.
iv) The family's beautiful villa is kept in pristine conditions for visitors.

i) By the year _________ there will be more plastic in the seas, oceans than all the fish put together.
（i) 2050
（ii) 2035
（iii) 2025
（iv) 2060

j) Which word/phrase from the extract means the same as "to explore unsuccessfully"?
i)Through cleanup efforts.
ii) Blowing out.
iii)Outweigh.
iv) Searched in vain.

k) Which word from the extract means opposite to '"inconstant/unsteady"?

i) Persistent.)
ii) Overwhelming.
iii) Step into.
iv) Potentially.

2. Observe the following data carefully:

Each day, most of us depend on caffeine to wake up and be ready for the day to cope up with the fast
pacing life. Consumption of caffeine is an ancient habit. In fact, this natural stimulant is one of the
most commonly consumed beverages in the world. Though caffeine is known for its ill effects on
health, it's one of the best sources to provide us with that extra "energy" that makes us get going.
Many of us rely on caffeine to stay alert and improve concentration. Despite of all these apparent
benefits, the quantity of caffeine intake should be kept under check. Adults are still considered safe
to have a dose of caffeine, adolescents and young adults should be very cautious while consuming
it. So the bottom line lies with the fact "when is it safe to start the consumption of caffeine" and
“how much to consume". If we're careful enough to keep in mind these two questions, we shall
definitely be awarded with the title 'Conscious Consumer' of caffeine.
of consumers

On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer any ten of the given eleven
questions by choosing the most appropriate option: (1X10)
（a) Which age group has the highest consumption for soft drinks?
(i)Ages 13-17
（ii) Ages 2-5
（iv)All the age groups mentioned above

（b) Which beverage is the least popular among the teenagers ?

(i)Coffee
(ii) Tea
（iii) Soft drinks
（iv) Energy drinks

（c) Which age group children, as per the data, have the best habits as far as beverages are concerned ?
（i) Ages 13-17
（ii)Ages 2-5
（iii) Ages 6-12
（iv)None of the above

（d) Which beverage contains the most amount of caffeine ?

(i) Coffee
（ii) Tea
（iii) Energy drinks
（iv) Soft drinks

（e) Which beverage is least popular among age group 6-12?

（i) Tea
（ii)Coffee
（iii) Soft drinks
（iv) Energy drinks

（f) Which beverage is most popular among all the age groups put together?
（i)Tea
（ii) Coffee
（iii) Soft drinks
（iv)Energy drinks

（g)Which beverage is the least popular among all the age groups ?
（i)Tea
（ii) Coffee
（iii) Soft drinks
（iv) Energy drinks

（h) What does caffeine do to our brain?

（i) Fatigue
（ii) Headaches
（iii) Induces sleep
（iv) Brings alertness

（i) Caffeine intake is not advised

（i)if your blood pressure level is within normal range.
（ii) if your blood pressure level is low.
（iii) if your blood pressure tends to be on the higher side.
（iv) None of the above.

（j) Which of the following doesn't influence the caffeine content in a beverage?
（i)Processing time
(ii) Brewing time.
（iii) The shelf life.
（iv) None of the above.

（k) The key to consume caffeine in our daily life:

（i) In moderation.
（ii) As per the market promotions.
（iii) Addiction.
（iv) No consumption at all
 LITERATURE （20 )
3.Refer to the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. Attempt any two of the three given extracts.
（4+4=8)
(A)Under an ancient arrangement, the Champaran peasants were sharecroppers. Rajkumar Shukla we
one of them He was illiterate but resolute. He had come to the Congress session to complain about the
injustice of the landlord system in Bihar, and somebody had probably said, “Speak to Gandhi.”
Questions:
（a) What do you understand of the term 'sharecroppers'?
（i) Owner of the land.
（ii) A farmer who gives a part of the crop as rent to the owner of that piece of land that he
cultivates.
（iii) The tenant of the land.
（iv) The middle man who works as a link between the landlord and the tenant.

（b) Champaran is a place in the state of_________________?

（i) Bengal
（ii) Bihar
（iii) Gujarat
（iv) Uttar Pradesh

（c)Where did Rajkumar Shukla meet Mahatma Gandhi for the first time ?
（i) In 1917, in Calcutta.
（ii) In 1916, at his Ashram.
（iii) In 1916, in Lucknow.
（iv) In 1917, in Champaran.

（d) Find the word that means the same as 'resolute'.

（i) Upright
（ii) Genuine
（iii) Determined
（iv) Indecisive

（B) The world had, of course, never been very kind to him, so it gave him unwanted joy to think ill of it
in this way. It became a cherished pastime of his, during many dreary ploddings, to think of people
he knew who had let themselves be caught in the dangerous snare, and of others who were still
circling around the bait.

Questions:
（a) Who does 'him' refer to in the extract?
（i)The author.
（ii)The rattrap seller
(iii) The old man
（iv) None of the above.

（b) Why has the world never been kind to 'him'?

（i) Because his job was petty and he was poor.
（ii) Because he didn't have a home.
（iii) Because he was a thief and a beggar.
（iv) Because he was unsuccessful in life.

（c) Why does the protagonist like to think ill about the world?
（i) He's a pessimistic person.
（ii) He's not a kind-hearted person.
（iii) He gave back to the world what he received from it.
（iv) He never cared about people around him.

（d) What are the baits being offered to the people by life ?
（i) A good meal.
（ii) A beautiful home
(iii) Expensive possessions
(iv) All of the above

(C)To make sure, I walked over to a newsboy and glanced at the stack of papers at his feet. It was The
World; and The World hasn't been published for years. The lead story said something about President Cleveland. I've
found that front page since, in the Public Library files, and it was printed June 11, 1894.
I turned toward the ticket windows knowing that here on the third level at Grand Central- I could buy tickets that would
take Louisa and me anywhere in the United States we wanted to go. In the year 1894. And I wanted two tickets to
Galesburg, Illinois.

Questions:
（a) Who does 'I' refer to in the above extract ?
（i) Sam
（ii) Charley
（iii) Charley's wife
（iv) None of the above

（b)'The World', the news about President Cleveland-what do they hint at ?

（i) The narrator used to like to read newspaper.
（ii) The narrator fantasizes about the things related to the past.
（iii) The narrator wants to escape to a world that was unaffected by the two world wars.
（iv) The narrator has issues with his power of memory.

（c) Why does the year 1894 hold so much importance in the lesson ?
（i) The year represents the time without miseries and insecurities.
（ii) The narrator reminisces the memories of that year.
（iii) The narrator feels like travelling back in time to have an unusual experience.
（iv) The family ties used to be very strong during that time.

（d) Why does the narrator resort to wishful day-dreaming and want to travel back in time?
（i) This shows his tendency of escapism.
（ii) This shows discontentment with the present times.
（iii) This shows the narrator can't keep up with the pace of the modern life.
（iv) This shows that the narrator needs counselling.

4. Read the extracts given below and briefly answer the questions that follow. (4x1=4 )
When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.
Questions:
（a) Who is the aunt afraid of ?
（i)The tigers.
（ii) Her husband.
（iii)The death.
（iv)None of the above.

（b) What do the tigers represent here?

（i)Fearlessness and freedom.
（ii) Size and strength.
（iii) Pack mentality.
（iv) Violent nature.

（c)What does Aunt Jennifer long for?

（i) Becoming an designer.
(ii) Having a constraint free married life.
（iii) Conducting a research on tigers.
（iv) Living in woods.

（d) Name the figure of speech used in the second line.

（i) Alliteration
（ii) Hyperbole
（iii) Metaphor
（iv) Symbolism

Or

It would be an exotic moment

without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.

Questions:
（a) Which 'exotic moment' does the poet refer to ?
（i) a moment of complete silence and introspection.
（ii) a moment of spirituality.
（iii) a moment of rest and recoup.
（iv) a moment of entertainment.

（b) Poetic device used in lines 3 and 4:

（i) simile
（ii) alliteration
（iii) metaphor
（iv) assonance

（c) The 'sudden strangeness' will instill a sense of within us:

（i) brotherhood
（ii) mutual understanding
（iii) unity
（iv) all of the above

（d) What message do you get from the given extract ?

（i) Pause, self analyse and act wisely!
（ii)Take a break, pause and enjoy!
（iii) Pause, rest and restart!
（iv) Stop, look around and refresh!

5.Answer the following questions. Attempt any eight out of the given ten questions: （8x1=8 )
i) What is the meaning of 'Waking dream wish fulfillment"?
a) a pleasant wish that makes one forget the present
b) a pleasant wish that takes one to the future
c) a pleasant wish which inspires to work
d) a pleasant wish that makes one forget the present

ii)Why did the General not pass orders to arrest Dr. Sadao for giving shelter to an American soldier?
a) because he trusted him
b) because he needed him
c) General was not in good health and needed his services
d) None
iii) Why did Jo think that Roger Skunk was better off with the new smell?
a) because she was able to bear him now
b) she was able to be with him now
c) because of pleasant smell now people were able to be friends with him
d) All these

iv) How did Mr. Lamb use the apples?

a) made jam
b) made pickle
c) earned money
d) he used to make jelly with them

v) What do the marching soldiers under the windows represent?

a) The Dawn of Prussia in the defeat of French people
b) The defeat of Prussia
c) The victory of French
d) None of these

vi) How is Mukesh's attitude different from that of his family?

a) Being daring and determined
b) Being a fighter
c) Being a coward
d) Not clear

vii) What plan did Douglas make to learn swimming?

a) Planned to get an instructor
b) Planned to swim more
 c) Planned to watch swimmers
d) Planned to jump

viii) What does the metaphor Rattrap in the lesson signify?

a) Humans
b) Thieves
c) Attractions
d) Human greed and distractions

ix) What do Catacombs signify?

a) underground cemetery showing irrelevance of the map hanging on the wall of the classroom
b) irrelevance of the classroom
c) irrelevance of the school
d) irrelevance of the children

x) From where has the poem A Thing Of Beauty been taken?

a) From Keats work- Endymion- A poetic Romance
b) Ode to a Nightingale
c) Ode on Melancholy
d) Ode on Indolence

Part B (40 )
Writing
6. Attempt any one of the following:

You plan to sell your flat. Draft a suitable advertisement in about 50 words for the classified columns of a national daily.
 OR

Your school is organising a two - day Integration Camp at Carmel Convent school, Mehrauli involving children with
special needs. There will be a wide range of cultural activities. As the Cultural Secretary of the school, draft a notice
inviting names of participants from senior classes. (3)

7. Attempt any one of the following:

You are opening a state -of-art medical clinic in the poshest area of your city. Draft a formal invitation for its
inauguration.

OR

You have been invited to be the chief guest at a public function. However, due to certain reasons you are unable to
attend the same. Draft a suitable reply. (3)

8. Attempt any one of the following:

The newspaper headlines, repeatedly, announce the upward swing in the cases of ghastly crimes against women.
Express your anguish in a letter to the editor with a rejoinder to the authorities to take immediate steps to curb the
menace.

OR

You read an advertisement of a tech start- up company looking for a software engineer. Respond to the advertisement
offering your candidature for it. (5)

9. Attempt any one of the following:

evaluation, using appropriate format and fluency, appropriacy of style and
tone
Come November and your city gets engulfed in a thick cloud of toxic haze. Write an article in about 120-150 words
highlighting the disastrous consequences of this on public health.

 Causes of pollution
 Effects of pollution
 Children and senior citizens vulnerable
 Safety measures
 OR

You are Kiran Rao, a staff reporter of Hindustan Times, Delhi. You visited the site of a pile-up on the six lane Taj
Expressway. Write a report for your newspaper in 120-150 words. (5)

 Construction debris
 Road block
 Inconvenience caused
 Danger of accidents

Literature ( 24 )
10. Attempt any Five out of the six questions given below in 30-40 words each: ( 2x5=10 )

(i) Why do you think Aunt Jennifer has created animals that are so different from her own character?
(ii) How did Gandhi teach a lesson of self-reliance to the people of Champaran?
(iii) “What a thunderclap these words were to me!” When and why did Franz say this?
(iv) What is ironical about Saheb’s name ?
(v) Why did Douglas have an aversion to water ?
(vi) What symbol from nature does the poet invoke to say that there is life under apparent stillness ?

11. Attempt any Two out of the three questions given below in 30-40 words each:
( 2x2=4 )
(i) Why did Charley wish to go to Galesburg?
(ii) What was the significance of the rubber ring that McLeery was carrying?
(iii) How did Mr. Lamb spend his time?
12.Attempt any one of the following questions in 120-150 words:
Do you agree with the oft repeated statement that man is a social animal? Justify it in relation to the story ‘The Rattrap’.
OR
Why is the Champaran episode written in golden letters in the history of Indian freedom movement?
( 5 )

13.Attempt any one of the following questions in 120-150 words:

While hatred against a member of the enemy race is a common occurrence, what makes Dr. Sadao rise above narrow
prejudice?
OR
What was the plot line of the story narrated by Jack to his daughter?
( 5)
AIS, Saket