DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL - BOPAL, AHMEDABAD

ENGLISH BOOKLET

CLASS-XII

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WRITING SKILLS

SHORT COMPOSITIONS

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENT

1. Mukta Parikh of 218, Green Villas, Chandigarh wants to sell her flat as she is going
abroad. Draft an advertisement to be published in The Hindu under classified columns.

2. You have lost your wallet in the park adjoining the Vikas Puri Market. Write an
advertisement for the „Lost and Found‟ column of a local daily.

3. Your younger brother aged 5 has been missing for the last three days. Draft an
advertisement in not more than 50 words for the Missing Persons column of a local
newspaper. You are Ram/Rama. Contact number 931070000.

NOTICE

1. You are Sahar, the Head Girl of DPSGV, Ghaziabad. Write a notice informing
students about a poster competition to be held in your school. Invent all the necessary
details.
2. You are Rahul /Rashmi. As President of the Literary Club of your school; you have
organised an inter-school debate competition on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee
celebrations of your school. Write a notice in about 50 words, informing the students
of your school about the competition.

3. You are Abhinav/Alka. You have planned a 2-week course to be arranged to help the
children of your housing society called “Renaissance Housing Society” at Mysore to
acquire Spoken English Skills. As the Secretary of the Society, prepare a notice for
the Society‟s notice board stating the objective of the course, giving necessary details
of the course and requesting the children of the society to join the course. (Word
limit:50)

INVITATIONS AND REPLIES

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 1. Mr. and Mrs. S.P. Jain of 27, Jigar Colony, Chandigarh have decided to organize a
party to celebrate the selection of their son Siddharth Jain in the Civil Services 2016.
Draft a formal invitation including all the necessary details.

2. You are Nidhi Grover, the Secretary of the English Literary Society of your school.
The society is holding an inter-school debate on the topic ‘Cable TV is a boon to the
younger generation’. Write a formal invitation to Dr. Misha Ojha, eminent
educationist to preside over the function. You are a student of Manav Bharati Public
School, Bhopal and the function is to be held on 25 January, 2015 at 9:30 a.m.

3. Xaviers Convent, Chakeri, Kanpur is celebrating its Annual Prize Distribution

Function on 14 August. As Vidya Pandit, Principal of the school, draft an invitation,
in not more than 50 words to be sent to the parents and guests.

4. Mr. and Mrs. Verma received an invitation from Xaviers Convent to attend the
Annual Prize Distribution Function on 14 August. As they have prior engagement
they will not be able to attend the function. Draft their reply in about 50 words.

LETTER WRITING

JOB APPLICATION

1. You are Varun/Varuna, a resident of M-204, Block-C, Dilshad Garden, MBA from
Amity University; you come across an advertisement in Times of India published by
ICICI Bank, New Delhi. Write an application for the post of Business Development
Manager for the giving your complete bio-data.
2. You are Prem/Parul of 16, TT Nagar, Bhopal. You would like to apply for the post of
Marketing Manager in a reputed firm in Mumbai. Write a letter to the Public
Relations Officer, Chantac Enterprises, Mumbai, applying for the job. Write the letter
in 125-150 words giving your biodata.
3. Bal Vidya Public School, Bhilai, urgently requires a post-graduate teacher to teach
political science for which they have placed an advertisement in The Bhilai Express.
You are Sanjay/Sanjana Sharma from 21, Vasant Marg, Bhilai. Draft a letter
including a CV, applying for the advertised post. (120 – 150 words)

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

1. Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper, complaining about the noise pollution in
the city. You are Sarthak living at house no. B-110, DLF City Phase 1, Gurgaon,
Haryana.
2. Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper, complaining about the bad condition of
water supply in your locality. You are Prabhu Dayal living at H-19 Dayal Bagh
Colony, New Delhi.

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 3. Suppose you are an educationist and feel strongly about the flaws in the existing
system of education. You feel that the system neglects the talent and skills of the
students and is restricted to classroom teaching. Write a letter to the editor of an
English newspaper making a case for education beyond classroom teaching. Sign
yourself as Dr. Amit Verma. (120-150 words)

LONG COMPOSITION

Article Writing

1. You are Satish/Shweta working in an NGO which is working for the uplift of socio-
economic conditions of child labourers by counselling their parents and helping
children to go to school. You find it appalling that many people in educated society
want the practice of child labour to continue. Write an article on the “Role of
Educated Society in Curbing Child Labour”. (120– 150 words.)

2. Write an article in 120-150 words on „The Role of Youth in National Development‟ to

be published in your school magazine. You are Mumtaz/Mohd. Azam of XII Std.,
Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, Delhi.

3. Last week as you were coming back from school you happened to see a huge plastic
bag full of leftovers of food being flung into the middle of the road from a speeding
car. You wondered how people can be so devoid of civic sense. Write an article in
120-150 words on why we lack civic sense and how civic sense can be inculcated in
children at a very young age. You are Shiva/Shamini.

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TEXT BOOK AND LONG READING TEXT

POETRY
MY MOTHER AT SIXTY-SIX

Kamala Das
Short Answer Questions (30-40 words)

1. How does she describe her mother?

2. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
3. Why are the young trees described as 'sprinting'?
4. How has the poetess portrayed her mother as when she was beside her?

5. Why did the poetess look outside her car?

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Long answer Question (120-150 words):

What does the poet want to convey through the poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-six‟?

AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM IN A SLUM

- Stephen Spender

Short Answer Questions (30-40 words)

1. What change does the poet hope for in the lives of the slum children?

2. „History is theirs whose language is the sun‟. Explain.

3. What is that these children inherit from their parents? What does it signify?

4. How has the poet described the colour of the wall and why?

5. Explain „Open handed map, awarding the world its world‟.

Long answer Question (120-150 words):

1. What does the world of the slum children comprise of? How is it different from the
world that they see or study about in maps?

A THING OF BEAUTY -- John Keats

Short Answer Questions (30-40 words)

1. What according to Keats are the things that cause suffering and pain?
2. Why does the poet say „mighty dead‟?
3. How do we wreathe a flowery band?
4. Why do human beings suffer or what depresses the human soul?
5. What does Keats mean by the „grandeur of doom‟?

Long answer Question (120-150 words):

1. According to Keats, what spreads the pall of despondence over our dark spirits? How is it
removed?

AUNT JENNIFER'S TIGERS

- Adrienne Rich

1. Explain „The tigers in the panel proud and unafraid.‟

2. Is the society in any way affected by Aunt Jennifer‟s death?

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 3. What character traits of Aunt Jennifer‟s come to light in the poem?

4. How are Aunt Jennifer‟s Tigers totally different from her own character?

5. Why is uncle‟s wedding band heavy on Jennifer‟s hand?

Long answer Question (120-150 words):

Do you sympathize with Aunt Jennifer? Comment on the poet‟s attitude towards Aunt
Jennifer.

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PROSE
THE LAST LESSON

-Alphonse Daudet

Short answer Questions (30-40 words)

1. What change did the order from Berlin cause in the school that day?

2. “When a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they
have the keys to their prison.” What could this mean?
3. How did Franz‟s feelings about M. Hamel and the school change?
4. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?

Long answer Questions (120-150 words):

1. What did the French teacher tell his students in his last French lesson? What impact
did it have on them? Why?
2. How different from usual was the atmosphere at school on the day of the last lesson?
3. Everybody during the last lesson is filled with regret. Comment.

LOST SPRING

- Anees Jung

Short answer Questions (30-40 words)

1.How does the author reason the barefoot tradition of the rag pickers?

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2.What does the story the man from Udipi told the author tell about the blindness to traditions
and religious stigma?

3.How is Seemapuri both near and far away from Delhi?

4.Food is more important for survival than an identity. How is this statement true in the lives
of the rag pickers in Seemapuri?

Long answer Questions (120-150 words):

1. What is the condition of the children working in the glass furnaces of Firozabad?

2. The bangle-makers of Ferozabad make beautiful bangles and make everyone happy
but they live and die in squalor. Elaborate.

3. Why did Saheb become a ragpicker? What did he look for in the garbage dumps?

DEEP WATER
-William Douglas

Short answer Questions (30-40 words)

1. Why did mother warn Douglas against River Yakima?

2. How did the incident at the YMCA pool affect Douglas?

3. When Douglas realised that he was sinking, how did he plan to save himself?

4. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire?

Long answer Questions (120-150 words):

1. „All we have to fear is fear itself‟ says Roosevelt. Explain

2. How did the instructor make W. Douglas a perfect swimmer? How did Douglas
satisfy himself?

3. Describe all the details of the‟ misadventure‟. How did the fear haunt him for years
after the „misadventure‟ at the Y.M.C.A. pool?

INDIGO

- Louis Fischer

Short answer Questions (30-40 words)

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1. Describe the efforts made by Shukla for bringing Gandhiji to Champaran.
2. What strategy Gandhiji followed in removing the problems of sharecroppers?
3. What was the important lesson taught by Gandhiji to his disciples?

4. What made Gandhiji urge the departure of the British?

Long answer Questions (120-150 words):

1. Why did Gandiji consider freedom from fear more important than legal injustice for
the poor peasants of Champaran?
2. Give a brief account of the reception that Gandhiji got in Mothihari.
3. How did the peasants learn courage?

THE ENEMY

-Pearl S. Buck

Short answer Questions (30-40 words)

1. How did Hanna show her human side to the wounded man after the operation?

2. Why was not Dr. Sadao sent along with the Japanese troops though he was such a
good surgeon?

3. Why did the messenger‟s visit frighten Hana?

4. How did the servant express their displeasure?

Long answer Questions (120-150 words):

1. How did Dr. Sadao rise above narrow prejudices of race and country to help a human
being in need?

2. Describe the difficulties faced by Dr. Sadao when he decided to help the enemy
soldier.

3. Draw a character sketch of the old General in the lesson, „The Enemy‟.

SHOULD WIZARD HIT MOMMY?

By John Updike

Short answer Questions (30-40 words)

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 1. How did the wizard help Roger Skunk?
2. How did Roger Skunk‟s Mommy react when he went home smelling of roses?
3. How did the Skunk‟s mother get him his old smell back?
4. Who is Jo? How has she changed in the past two years?

Long answer Questions (120-150 words):

1. A child‟s standpoint invariably is different from that of an adult. Justify the statement
with reference to the story, Should Wizard Hit Mommy.

2. How does Jo want the story to end and why?

3. Why did Jo disapprove of Jack‟s ending of the story of Roger Skunk? How did she
want it to end?

‘ON THE FACE OF IT’

-Susan Hill

Short answer Questions (30-40 words)

1. Who is Derry? What self-opinion does he hold?

2. How does Lamb try to remove the baseless fears of Derry?

3. Comment on the moral value of the play?

4. “I‟m not afraid. People are afraid of me,” says Derry. What do people think on seeing
his face? How do they react then?

Long answer Questions (120-150 words):

1. 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
behavior that the person expects from others?

2. What is the attitude of Mr. Lamb to the small boy who comes to the garden?

3. Comment on the appropriateness of the title.

EVANS TRIES AN O’LEVEL

-Colin Dexter

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Short answer Questions (30-40 words)

1.What kind of a person Evans was?

2. What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of the examination?

3. Why was the sigh of relief short lived after the examination?

4. What helped the prison officers track Evans?

Long answer Questions (120-150 words):

1. What precautions were taken by the prison authorities to ensure that the German exam
was conducted smoothly and also under strict security?

2. Who was Mc Leery? What is his role in the story?

3. In spite of the precautions taken by the Governor, Evans was able to escape. How do
you think he was able to do it?

THE THIRD LEVEL

-Jack Finney
Short answer Questions (30-40 words)

1. What convinced Charley that he had reached the third level at Grand Central Station
and not the second level?

2. How does Charley, the narrator describe the third level at Grand Central Station?

3. Why did Charley suspect that Sam had gone to Galesburg?

4. How does Charley describe Galesburg as it used to be in 1894?

Long answer Questions (120-150 words):

1. How did Charley reach the third level of Grand Central? How was it different from
the other levels?

2. Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why?

3. What made Charley believe that he was actually standing at the third level?

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