TERM II (2021-22)

ENGLISH – CORE
CLASS-XI
Time allowed: 2 Hrs. Maximum
Marks: 40
General Instructions:
1. The Question Paper contains THREE sections-READING, WRITING and
LITERATURE.
2. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
3. SECTION A – READING (13 marks)
1. Read the passage given below:
(1) I had emerged relatively unscathed from the encounter with Mr Mckim in his office, but it was
unfortunately not my last encounter with the Principal. In my next year at school, I came across Dr
Gruening, a highly educated, refined gentleman who had come from Germany just before World War II.
To a bunch of fourteen-year-old students, however, he was a weak and incompetent man who could be
taken full advantage of. His classes were always an opportunity for us to fool around and have fun at his
expense. I myself was an active participant in this mockery although I did not dislike Dr Gruening. On his
part, Dr Gruening magnanimously ignored most of our pranks until one day when he lost his temper and
sent me to Mr Mckim.

(2) Dr Gruening's note led me once again to the chair in Mr Mckim's office. Recognition dawned on his
face when he saw me and I began to pray hopefully. Consulting my record, he looked puzzled as if he did
not expect to see what he had just seen. I had maintained such good grades but had so many discipline
marks against me. After much thought, he said, "Ask your father to come and see me." I felt ill. The next
day, I was again at the office, this time with my father. Seeing that my father was determined to keep me
in the school, Mr Mckim gave a fairly reasonable sentence. I was to report to him forty-five minutes
before school every morning for the next month and read 'Great Expectations'. My detention was a great
joke to all the other students who had heard the news but I myself enjoyed the book very much.
(3) About a week later, Dr Gruening brought a stack of papers into the classroom. The class proceeded
as usual but at the end of the lesson, everyone started crowding around Dr Gruening, asking questions. I
had no idea what was going on until later when someone came up to me and whispered, "We took a copy
of Gruening's examination. We're working on the answers but make sure you get enough wrong." The
next day, the papers were discreetly passed to me. After much deliberation, I put the copy in my drawer
without looking at it and continued to study my German.
(4) The day of the examination came and went. I did fairly well while those who had participated
unfairly and unjustly did excellently. After class, Dr Gruening asked me to see him. To my surprise, he
told me he was disappointed in me since it was an easy examination and it was obvious that I had not
studied. Frustrated, I blurted that I had studied very hard and that it had not been an easy examination.
Realizing that I might have said too much, I mumbled an apology and waited for him to dismiss me. He
pondered for a long time and then said, "Yes, it was not an easy examination. You studied hard; I know.
You did what you should have done."
(5) The next day, Dr Gruening came up with his own method of retaliation and announced that there
would be another examination in two days. The results this time were more realistic. I did about the same,
while the others did considerably worse. From that day on, everyone paid full attention in Dr Gruening's
class.
 Based on your understanding of the passage, answer ANY EIGHT questions from the nine given
below.
1x8
i. Why do you think the writer said he had 'emerged relatively unscathed' after seeing the Principal?

ii. Frame a sentence with the word 'magnanimously' (paragraph 1). iii. Quote the five-word
phrase in paragraph 2 that tells us the Principal remembered the writer.
iv. Explain clearly why Mr Mckim was 'puzzled' (paragraph 2)
v. What was the real reason behind the students' behaviour around Dr Gruening?
vi. Why do you think one of the classmates told the writer to 'get enough wrong' (paragraph 3)?
vii. Explain in your own words who were those who did 'excellently' (paragraph 4). viii. 'Realizing
that I might have said too much ...' (paragraph 4) What was the writer afraid of?
ix. Quote the eight-word phrase in the last paragraph that suggests Dr Gruening knew the class had
cheated except for the writer.
2. Read the following passage carefully:
A product profile is a general description of a product. Based on the style of presentation, the amount of
detail it contains can vary. The product profile details what the product is and how it will appeal to the
consumer. The objective is to determine what makes the product attractive to the consumer. This is an
important analysis that will help in the marketing of the product.
Mass marketing is a technical term that refers to the selling of a product on a large scale. It involves
products that are produced in large quantities. There may be minor differences in localized markets. The
mass marketing strategy ignores these. Mass marketing appeals to the whole market with a single offer or
strategy. This is done by broadcasting a message that will reach the largest number of consumers possible.
Mass marketing uses the mass media to get their message across. Radio, television and newspapers are the
usual vehicles employed. With the advent of social media, strategies are now also devised to take
advantage of this new avenue. Exposure to a product is maximized by reaching the largest audience
possible. This often directly correlates to a larger number of sales.
Mass marketing focuses on high sales and low prices. This is just the opposite of Niche marketing.
Niche marketing targets a very specific segment of the market. It involves specialized services or goods
with few or no competitors.
Mass marketing came into existence in the 1920s when mass radio came into use. The mass radio,
broadcasting to huge audiences nationwide gave corporations an opportunity to appeal to a wide variety of
potential customers. Before this, the strategy of marketing was what may be called variety marketing. In
this strategy, different methods were used to appeal to different sections of society most often according to
geographical location. In order to appeal to and persuade a wide audience, this had to change. Over the
years, mass marketing has developed into a world-wide multi-billion-dollar industry.
Things which are perceived as necessary or essential are subjected to mass marketing. To further increase
profits, these products are often touted as durable goods when oftentimes they are made of substandard
materials. This affects the longevity of the product. This practice of planned obsolescence ensures future
sales opportunities by preventing the market from becoming saturated with high-quality, long-lasting
goods.
One of the biggest benefits of mass marketing is that the target audience is broad. This translates to a
higher number of successful sales. Drop in sales in some areas may be offset by sales in other areas. This
helps overcome potential losses. Another positive factor is that production costs are lowered by mass
production. Marketing research and advertising costs too are lowered. Mass marketing campaigns also
benefit due to the magnitude of appeal to larger audiences.
Mass marketing also has its disadvantages. It attempts to appeal to the entire consumer population instead
of focusing on a particular niche of consumers. The strength of the product and business can affect
performance. The strength of the competition too has a bearing on the performance. Another factor is that
overexposure can make consumers grow tired of seeing a business's name and products everywhere. One
factor that is inevitable in mass marketing is heavy advertising costs. It is expensive to establish brands
and keep them in the public eye. Often, competition is stiff. Besides, to stay ahead of the competition, high
innovation and market research costs have to be incurred.
i. On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it using headings and sub-headings.
Use recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. Supply an appropriate title to it.
3
ii. Write a summary of the above passage in 50 words. 2

SECTION B – WRITING & GRAMMAR (12 marks)

3. You are the Director of National Agriculture Organisation, Jaipur. You have to make people all over
Rajasthan state aware of the necessity of conserving water and also how to do it. Design a suitable poster
to be published in the newspapers as well as being put up in the prominent places in different towns of
Rajasthan.
3 4. Attempt ANY ONE of the following questions:
5
i. As the Head Boy/Girl of your school, write a letter to the Principal requesting him to arrange programs
of career counselling for the students of classes XI and XII. Request him to invite experts from several
professions to speak to the students and to give insights and information. (120 words)
ii. “Academic excellence is the only requirement for a successful career.” Write a debate in 120-150
words either for or against the motion.
5. Read the questions given below carefully:
2
Direction: Transform the following sentence into Passive Voice:
i. We should not encourage indiscipline.
(a) Indiscipline should not encouraged by us.
(b) Indiscipline could not be encouraged by us.
(c) Indiscipline should not be encouraged by us.
(d) It is us who should not encourage indiscipline.

Direction: Correct the following into Complex Sentence:

ii. With your permission I will go away.
(a) If you permit me, I will go.
(b) If you permits me, I will go away.
(c) I will go away after you away me.
(d) If you permit me, I will go away.
3
Page
 6. Choose the correct option from the given questions:
2
i. The rain was pouring down in torrents but there wasn’t ………….. wind.
(a) a few (b) little (c) much (d) fewer
ii. When we go to dinner at a friend’s house, we ………….. take a small gift.
(a) ought to (b) mustn’t (c) need to (d) used to

SECTION C – LITERATURE (15 marks)

7. Attempt ANY TWO of the three questions given below, within 40 words each.
2x2
i. What do you understand by the Green Movement?
ii. What troubled the author at Darchen?
iii. What advice did Mrs Fitzgerald give to Mrs Pearson?
8. Attempt ANY ONE of the two questions given below, within 60 words.
3
i. The poem ‘The Voice of the Rain,’ has a conversational tone throughout. Who are the two
participants? Is there any advantage of this method?
ii. With reference to the poem ‘Childhood’, comment on the hypocrisy that the adults exhibit with
regard to love.
9. Answer ANY TWO of the following in 120-150 words each.
4x2
i. Draw a comparison between the system of education in old British schools from the play ‘The
Browning Version’ and German Schools in the chapter ‘Albert Einstein at School.’

ii. “For doctors, the duty towards the patients is foremost, irrespective of their own personal matters.”
Discuss with reference to the Chapter, ‘Birth’.
iii. How was Nick Middleton’s experience of Hor a stark contrast to the accounts he had read of the
earlier travellers?