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SET – A
VIDHYALAKSHMI SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL (CBSE)
Chennangkuppam
PRE MID TERM EXAMINATION
Date: 26.04.2023 Marks: 80
(2023-2024)
Time: 3 Hrs. SUBJECT : ENGLISH CORE - 301 Grade: XII

SECTION A : READING SKILLS (22 Marks)

1. Read the following passage: 12 m
1. The youth is a dynamo, an ocean, an inexhaustible reservoir of
energy. But this energy cannot be kept caged in prison. Its basic
nature is to flow, to express itself. Youth energy on the basis of the
nature of its expression can be divided into four categories.

2. The vast majority of the youth today is with the establishment, whose
formula of life is learning, earning, burning, and enjoying. It means
learning to operate modern devices and employ them to earn the
maximum amount of wealth to the point of burning the natural
resources of the earth, as well as yourself out, and then enjoying your
own funeral. This category of youth is intelligent, skillful, and
hardworking but it lacks insight and foresight. They are self-indulgent
and any sense of moral code of conduct is alien to their nature.
Neither are they able to see in-depth, to find out whether there is a
deeper meaning and purpose to their human life nor have they the
capacity to look beyond the tips of their nose to find out the
consequences of their way and approach, where it is leading them
to. They are the ends of themselves and enjoyment is the motto of
their life.

3.The second category of youth in nature and approach is the same but
it is less privileged and less qualified and skilled; it has lesser
opportunities for earning and enjoying. Such youth may be incited to
be against the establishment. This opposition takes various forms.
When it is well-organized and systemic it may take the form of
political opposition and even go to the extent of expressing itself in
unjust ways. When the opposition is not so intense and organized, it
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remains contended with giving verbal expression to its resentment

periodically. The youth of the above two categories need to be
shown the right path to positively channelize their energy.

4.The third section of youth is a sober and thoughtful class of people,

which objectively observes and studies the phenomenon of the
development of the world. These youths find that man in his insatiable
thirst for consumption has become blind and lost the sense of
distinction between milk and blood. Today the man in his mad rush for
exploitation is sucking the blood of Mother Earth; leading to their
destruction and is thereby digging his own grave. This responsible
category of young people is looking for an alternative mode of
development based on cooperation between man and man. This
development based on mutual love, friendship, and harmony is not
only sustainable but leads to endless prosperity mutually. To bring
about his natural revolution from the death movement to the life
movement is the aim of this group.

5. The fourth and most vital group of youth which is going to steer
humanity into the third millennium and act as the pioneer for the
future development of planetary life is engaged in evolving a new
way of life and releasing a new principle of global consciousness
through fundamental research in the science of life. The science of
life is a new branch of knowledge that takes the whole man into
account without dividing him into subjective and objective halves of
spirituality and physicality and does not treat him either as a refined
(thinking) animal or an ethereal entity, having its base in some other
non-physical world. It rather recognises man as a basic unit of
conscious life that has got immense, practically inexhaustible,
possibilities and potentialities for evolution, development, and
growth. As per the Vedic formula, man is the microcosmos and his
fullest flowering and enfoldment lies in his identification with the
cosmos.
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On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the

following questions: (12 marks)
(a) Which trait is lacking in the youth that is dexterous with modern
devices? (1)
(b) Which category of youth supports the view that man’s growth lies in
his identification with the cosmos and on what basis? (2)
(c) Which of the following options accurately describes the third
category of youth?
(1)
1. Intelligent and skillful 2. Thoughtful and observant
3. Less intelligent and skillful 4. Problem solver and caring
(i) 1 and 3 (ii) 2 and 4 (iii) 3 and 4 (iv) 1 and
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(d) The thoughtful class of people wants cooperation between ….. (1)
(e) Which two categories of youth need to be shown the right path to
help them channel their energy and why?
(2)
(f) Which option represents the CORRECT traits of the fourth group of
youth? (1)
(i) Intelligent, hardworking and haughty
(ii) Privileged, qualified and vile
(iii) Pioneer, futurist and refined
(iv) Skilled, ethereal and lethargic

(g) How does the dissatisfied youth express itself? (1)

(h) In how many categories can youth energy be divided into and on
what basis?
(2)
(i) Which word in the passage means the same as ‘important’? (para 5)
(1)

2. Read the passage given below: 10 marks

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1.Do you know the difference between a submarine and a

submersible? A submarine is a watercraft that is capable of
independent operation under the sea. Submarines do not require
support ships because submarines can renew their air and power
supplies independently. Submersibles also submerge and operate
underwater, but they need the support of a larger vessel.
Submersibles cannot renew their air and power supplies without
support. For this reason, submersibles are usually smaller and
cannot spend as much time underwater as submarines.

2.The first documented submersible was constructed in 1620 by

Cornelius Drebbel. It was powered by rowing oars underwater. In
1648 Bishop John Wilkins wrote, “It may be of great advantages
against a Navy of enemies, who by this may be undermined in the
water and blown up.” Over one-hundred years later, the first
military submarine was ready to be deployed.

3.The Turtle was the world’s first submarine used in combat. Designed
by David Bushnell in 1775, it was deployed by the Continental Army
during the American Revolutionary War.

4. Another notable submarine originally designed for war was Julius H.

Kroehl’s Sub Marine Explorer. Built between 1863 and 1866, this
submarine was created for the North during the American Civil War
but the war ended before it went into use. After the war, it was used
commercially to harvest pearls in Panamanian waters during the late
1860s. Unfortunately, the dangers of decompression sickness (a
condition that occurs when divers rise to the water’s surface too
quickly) were not understood. While experimenting with the Sub
Marine Explorer in 1867, Kroehl himself perished from
decompression sickness. In 1869 a new engineer put the Sub
Marine Explorer back to the task of harvesting pearls. Tragically, use
of the Sub Marine Explorer was discontinued after the entire crew
died from decompression sickness.
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5. Submarine use increased greatly during World War I. Due to

innovations in engineering, such as a dual power system using both
diesel and electric sources, submarines had finally developed into
effective war machines like the U-Boat.

6. Modern submarines are now powered by a nuclear reactor. The

nuclear reactor generates a tremendous amount of power which
allows submarines to operate at high speeds for long durations. The
only factor limiting the amount of time that an advanced submarine can
remain submerged is the amount of food and water that it can carry.

On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer

the following questions: 10 m
(i) For what purpose were submersibles originally designed and why
are they smaller than the submarines? (2)
(ii) Why was the Sub Marine Explorer originally created? (1)
a. To assist the North in the Civil War
b. To harvest pearls
c. To explore undersea
d. To experiment with decompression sickness
(iii) Which is most likely to limit how long a modern submarine can
remain submerged?
(1)
a. The amount of fuel in the submarine
b. The air supply in the submarine
c. The amount of food and water aboard the submarine
d. There is no limit to the amount of time a modern submarine can
remain submerged
(iv) State if the statement is true or false. (1)
U-Boats were powered by both diesel and battery.
(v) What did you learn about Turtle as per the above passage? (2)
(vi) Which of the following best describes why the author most likely
wrote this text? (1)
a. To entertain his audience with stories about submarines
b. To educate his readers about how submarines work
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c. To inform his readers about the evolution of submarines

d. To convince his audience to purchase a submarine

(vii) Which does not describe a way in which submersibles are different
from submarines? (1)
a. Submersibles are usually smaller than submarines.
b. Submersibles are not capable of independent operation.
c. Submersibles can usually spend more time underwater than
submarines.
d. Submersibles cannot independently renew their air and power
supplies.
(viii) The word in the passage that means the same as ‘Combat’ from
paragraph 3 is ………….. (1)

SECTION B : CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS (18 Marks)

3. Attempt ANY ONE of the two, in about 50 words. 4 marks
a.You are secretary of the History Club of Veda School. Draft a notice
in not more than 50 words informing students of a proposed visit to
some important historical sites in your city. Invent necessary details.

b. As Sports Secretary of BSR Public School, Mysore, draft a notice in

not more than 50 words for your school notice board informing the
students about the sale of old sports goods of your school. You are
Rima / Ramesh. Invent necessary details.

4. Attempt ANY ONE of the two, in about 50 words. 4 marks

a.You are the student editor of Bapuji Public School, Gwalior. Write out
a Notice in not more than 50 words inviting names of those who
would like to give articles, stories, cartoons etc. for the school
magazine. Invent necessary details.
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b.Your school has decided to organize a fete in the school playground

on 10th and 11th June 2023. As the Cultural Secretary of the school
write a notice about it. Invent necessary details.

5. Attempt ANY ONE of the two, in about 120 – 150 words. 5 marks
a. Legacy Book Trust organised a week-long book fair at Anna
Grounds, Chennai. You visited the fair and bought a few books. You
were pleased with the arrangements, the enthusiasm of the visitors
and the fact that books have not yet lost their relevance in the world
of the Internet. Write a letter in 120 – 150 words to the editor of a
local newspaper to express your feelings. You are Brinda / Bheem,
1/22, Vadapalani, Chennai.

b. You are Ronit/Ronita, resident of C-49, Shivam Society, Karelibaug,

Baroda. You find participation of children in various reality shows on
T.V. a form of child exploitation. Write a letter to the editor of a
national daily showing your concern about various forms of child
exploitation prevalent in Educated, Urban society giving some
suggestions to curtail it.

6. Attempt ANY ONE of the two, in about 120 – 150 words. 5 marks
a. History Society of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Trimulgerry sent a group of
students to visit a place of historical interest. You, Adiba / Farooq,
were its leader. Write a report for the school newsletter on the tour,
describing the place, its history, how you reached there and all that
you have learned.

b. All daughters of India have put those to shame who do not love a girl
child. If they are given education, encouragement and proper training,
the daughters can bring name, fame and support to the family. Write
an article in 150 – 200 words on ‘Save and Love a Girl Child’. You are
Mrinal / Mrinalini.

SECTION B : LITERATURE TEXTBOOK AND SUPPLEMENTARY

READING TEXT (40 Marks)
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7. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE
of the two, given. 6 marks
A. No, in country money, the country scale of gain,
The requisite lift of spirit has never been found,
Or so the voice of the country seems to complain,
I can’t help owning the great relief it would be
To put these people at one stroke out of their pain.
And then next day as I come back into the sane,
I wonder how I should like you to come to me
And offer to put me gently out of my pain.
(i) The ‘country money’ contextually here refers to ….
(a) money kept aside for the rural development.
(b) wealth accumulated by the whole country.
(c) meagre income earned by the countryside people.
(d) riches collected by the ancestral farmers over time.
(ii) Pick the option that mentions elements justifying monetary aspect as
the ‘requisite lift of spirit’.
1. confidence 2. ego 3. self-esteem 4. status 5. fame
(a) 1, 2, 4 (b) 2, 4, 5 (c) 1, 3, 4 (d) 1, 3, 5
(iii) Choose the correct option with respect to the two statements given
below.
Statement 1: The poet is agitated and depressed.
Statement 2: The poet realizes the futility of his thought about giving up.
(a) Statement 1 can be inferred but Statement 2 cannot be inferred.
(b) Statement 1 cannot be inferred but Statement 2 can be inferred.
(c) Statement 1 and Statement 2 can be inferred.
(d) Statement 1 and Statement 2 cannot be inferred.
(iv) Choose the option that correctly paraphrases the given lines from
the above extract.
“I can’t help owning the great relief it would be
To put these people at one stroke out of their pain.”
(a) The poet wants to kill the impoverished people.
(b) The poet feels that death is better than living such a miserable life.
(c) The poet wants to eliminate poverty from the society.
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(d) The poet states that it is important that these people become rich.
(v) What is the figures of speech in the line, “Or so the voice of the
country seems to complain,”?
(vi) Name the poem and the poet of the above extract.
B. The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead,
Or if ever aside a moment, then out of sorts
At having the landscape marred with the artless paint
Of signs that with N turned wrong and S turned wrong…
(i) The polished traffic in the first refers to the
(a) sophisticated city dwellers in their vehicles.
(b) shiny cars that the poet sees on the road.
(c) extremely affluent people living in the neighbourhood.
(d) civilized manner in which traffic is coordinated.
(ii) ‘The urban and educated people have their minds ahead.’ Choose
the option suggesting the correct meaning behind this line.

1 The people are well-educated 2 The people are concentrating

and knowledgeable about the
condition of the poor.
3 The people are preoccupied
only by the thoughts of their lives
and nothing else.
on the road that is ahead in order
to drive safely.
4 The people are focused on their
goal of bettering the country.

(a) Option 1 (b) Option 2 (c) Option 3 (d) Option 4

(iii) What do the urban rich feel about the S and N signs that have been
painted wrong?
(a) Tolerant (b) Amused (c) Sympathetic (d) Annoyed
(iv) The passers-by find the sign artless but the landscape
___________. (a) animated (b) aesthetic (c) amusing
(d) ancient
(v) What is the figures of speech used in the line, “The polished traffic
passed with a mind ahead,”?
(vi) What is the figures of speech used in the line, “Of signs that with N
turned wrong and S turned wrong …”?
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8. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE
of the two, given. 4 marks
A. Sadao stopped, Hana at his side, and turned the man’s head. They
saw the face. ‘A white man!’ Hana whispered. Yes, it was a white
man.
(i) What did Sadao see when he turned the face of the man?
a. Man with yellow hair b. Man with yellow beard
c. Man showing signs of being tortured d. All of these
(ii) In what state was the white man lying?
a. Unconscious b. Dead c. Sleeping d. Drunk
(iii) Which part of the body of the young man had a wound?
a. Left side of upper back b. Hand and chest
c. Both the legs d. Right side of the lower back

(iv) To which of these did the white man belong to……?

a. US Army b. US Navy
c. Japanese Army d. Japanese Navy

B. Have you ever been there? It’s a wonderful town still, with big old
frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees whose branches
meet overhead and roof the streets. And in 1894, summer evenings
were twice
as long, and people sat out on their lawns, the men smoking cigars and
talking quietly, the women waving palm-leaf fans, with the fire-flies all
around, in a peaceful world. To be back there with the First World War
still twenty years off, and World War II over forty years in the future... I
wanted two tickets for that.

(i) Who does ‘you’ refer to?

(a) Charley’s psychiatrist, Sam Weiner b) Charley’s wife, Louisa
(c) The reader
(d) Nobody in particular, it is a figure of speech.
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(ii) Choose the option that best describes the society represented in the
above extract.
(a) content, peace-loving (b) leisurely, sentimental
(c) orthodox, upper class (d) comfortable, ancient

(iii) Imagine that the city of Galesburg is hosting a series of conferences

and workshops. In which of the following conferences or workshops are
you least likely to find the description of Galesburg given in the above
extract?
(a) Gorgeous Galesburg: Archiving a Tourist Paradise
(b) Welcome to the home you deserve: Galesburg Realtors
(c) Re-imagining a Warless Future: Technology for Peace
(d) The Woman Question: The world of women at home
(iv) “tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the
streets” is NOT an example of ……
(i) imagery (ii) metaphor (iii) alliteration (iv) anachronism
(a) Options (i) and (ii) (b) Options (i) and (iii)
(c) Options (ii) and (iii) (d) Options (ii) and (iv)

9. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE
of the two, given. 6 marks

Barring the office boys and a couple of clerks, everybody else at the
Studios radiated leisure, a pre-requisite for poetry. Most of them wore
khadi and worshipped Gandhiji but beyond that, they had not the
faintest appreciation for the political thought of any kind. Naturally, they
were all averse to the term ‘Communism’. A communist was a godless
man-he had no filial or conjugal love; he had no compunction about
killing his own parents or his children; he was always out to cause and
spread unrest and violence among innocent and ignorant people. Such
notions, which prevailed everywhere else in South India at that time
also, naturally, floated about vaguely among the khadi-clad poets of
Gemini Studios. Evidence of it was soon forthcoming.
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(i) Pick the option that uses the same figure of speech as ‘A communist
is a godless man.’
(a) She is as determined as Gandhi when it is a fight against injustice.
(b) She is a Gandhi when she raises her voice against ‘hinsa’ or
violence. (c) She, like Gandhi, feels that the earth is crying for
deliverance.
(d) She lives a life of opulence and calls herself a follower of Gandhi.

(ii) Based on the extract, choose the correct option with reference to the
two statements given below.
Statement 1: At Gemini Studios, the poets had a profound knowledge of
Communists.
Statement 2: Communists were responsible for anarchy and discontent
in the country.
(a) Statement 1 is true but Statement 2 is false.
(b) Statement 1 is false but Statement 2 is true.
(c) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 cannot be inferred.
(d) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 can be inferred.

(iii) Why do you think leisure is a prerequisite for poetry?

(a) Poetry means freedom of expression.
(b) One can enjoy poetry when there’s free time.
(c) In order to write poetry, one needs free time.
(d) Poetry means freedom from work.

(iv) Asoka Mitran says that leisure is a pre-requisite for poetry. He says
this because poets ……
(a) need to relax for a period of time before composing lines.
(b) maintain a leisured pace in all tasks they do.
(c) are creative and need to have free time to weave their thoughts.
(d) begin poetic compositions in rushed way and end in a relaxed
manner.
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(v) Who was the only person at Gemini Studios who did not wear Khadi
clothes?
(vi) “Evidence of it was soon forthcoming.” What was that?

B. But Champaran did not begin as an act of defiance. It grew out of an

attempt to alleviate the distress of large numbers of poor peasants. This
was the typical Gandhi pattern — his politics were intertwined with the
practical, day-to-day problems of the millions. His was not a loyalty to
abstractions; it was a loyalty to living, human beings. In everything
Gandhi did, moreover, he tried to mould a new free Indian who could
stand on his own feet and thus make India free.
(i) Choose the option listing the sentence that is the most appropriate
example of an ‘act of defiance’, from the following:
She picked up the telephone terrified of what was about to come. She
could hear nobody on the other side. Meanwhile, there was a thud at
the door loud enough to scare her. Curious as she was, she wanted to
open it as soon as possible. Her mother tried to stop her several times,
but she went ahead, nevertheless.
(a) She picked up the telephone terrified of what was about to come.
(b) Meanwhile, there was a thud at the door loud enough to scare her.
(c) Curious as she was, she wanted to open it as soon as possible.
(d) Her mother tried to stop her several times but she went ahead
nevertheless.
(ii) Choose the correct option with reference to the two statements
given below.
Statement 1: His was not a loyalty to abstractions; it was a loyalty to
living, human beings.
Statement 2: Gandhi was a humanitarian at heart.
(a) Statement 1 is the cause of Statement 2.
(b) Statement 2 is the effect of Statement 1.
(c) Statement 2 can be inferred from Statement 1.
(d) Statement 1 and Statement 2 are independent of each other.
(iii) The given extract DOES NOT talk about …
(a) details of the daily problems faced by human beings.
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(b) efforts to relieve suffering of the common people.

(c) the reason for the occurrence of Champaran.
(d) Gandhi’s principles in the field of politics.
(iv) Which option showcases an example of action (A) -result (R), from
the passage?
A=defiance
A= free Indians
(1) R= poorR= free India
peasants

(2)

(3) A= A=
freedefiance
India
R=defiance
R= free Indians
(4)

(a) Option 1 (b) Option 2 (c) Option 3 (d) Option 4

(v) Who was the person who instigated Gandhiji to come to
Champaran?
(vi) How much time did Gandhiji stay in Champaran on the whole to
solve the problems of the peasants?
10. Answer any five of the following six questions, in about 40 –
50 words. 5 x 2 = 10
i. Gandhi was a lawyer himself. Examine how his professional
expertise helped in Champaran.
ii. How did the invention of German synthetic indigo affect the
peasant - landlord relationship in Champaran ?
iii. Why was the English poet who visited Gemini Studios as baffled
as his audience?
iv. The boss of Gemini Studios had nothing to do with Spender’s
poetry but not with his ‘God that failed’. Explain.
v. What is the party in power keeping from the rural poor of the
roadside stand?
vi. What is the childish longing that the poet refers to? Why is it vain?

11. Answer any two of the following three questions, in about

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40 – 50 words. 2x2=4
i. Why did the booking clerk refuse to accept the money?
ii. Why had Hana to wash the wounded man herself?
iii. Why was Dr. Sadao not sent to the battlefield?

12. Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions in about 120-
150 words. 5 marks
i. Through this poem, Frost underlines his sympathy for the rural
people in opposition to the uncaring capitalistic elite. Justify.
ii. Write a brief summary of the poem, “A Roadside Stand”.
13. Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions in about 120-
150 words. 5 marks
i. 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?
ii. How did Charley reach the third level of Grand Central? How was
it different from the other levels?
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