ANSWERS

SECTION A
Reading Skills 

1. (A) (c) Grief does not spare anyone

Explanation: The writer makes the point that grief is universal, and
everyone has to overcome grief and pain at some point in their lives.
Hence, option (c) is the right answer.
(B) (c) Mourning rituals are being discarded
Explanation: ‘Contention’ refers to someone’s argument or cause
of worry regarding something. Here, the writer is unhappy with
the way mourning rituals are being discarded in India. Hence,
option (c) is the right answer.
(C) As per the writer, the best people to cope with loss are the ones
belonging to a strict mourning culture because mourning makes it
easy for the brain to accept that the loss has actually happened.
It helps a person to overcome his pain by reliving it through
lamenting.
(D) has moved on quickly.
(E) (d) Make changes in life to cope with the loss
Explanation: The writer is referring to the changes a person needs
to make in his or her lifestyle to cope with the loss of a friend or
loved one. He is not referring to funeral arrangements, mourning
rituals or understanding the meaning of death. Hence, option (d) is
the right answer.
(F) The writer uses the phrase ‘feeling of numbness’ to express that
when a person experiences a loss of his loved one, his body, mind
and soul is not ready to accept it. His emotions get so disturbed
that he doesn’t even feel alive for a period of time.
(G) The other kinds of loses that a person may face in his life are
divorces, loss of a relationship with a close one, family feud, best
friend tiffs, failure in exams, poor performance in a competition,
losing after several trials, etc.
(H) The better way of coping with a loss is definitely acceptance.
Ignorance may work only for a few hours or days but it keeps the
guilt alive always. However, once you accept the loss, you move on
forever.

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 (I) (b) (2), (3) and (5)
Explanation: The headlines (1) and (4) are relevant in the context
of the passage because it talks about the importance of grieving
and also the process to follow. On the other hand, (2) is irrelevant
because it is not about grieving for the first time only. (3) is also
not relevant because the passage does not train you to mourn. (5)
is also an irrelevant phrase because it does not agree with the
seriousness of the passage. Hence, option (b) is the right answer.
2. (A) The writer wants to justify the name of a ‘test’ match as the schedule
for it is of about five days long, which is really a test for both the sides
to perform for so long. ‘Gruelling’ refers to an activity that is very
tiring or demanding.
(B) (a) Deaths
Explanation: An obituary is a small piece of news related to a
person’s death which is published in a newspaper. The column in
which such news appears is called the obituary column.
(D) (a) One Day Internationals (ODIs) became popular and the Cricket
World Cup was played in this format.
Explanation: The passage states that One Day Internationals
(ODIs) are a 20th century development. Hence, option (c) is the
right answer.
(E) (b) Name
Explanation: ‘Christening’ refers to the act of giving a name to
a person or object. In this case, it refers to giving Ashes its name.
Hence, option (b) is the right answer.
(F) From the table, it is evident that Australia has the most number
of wins from the year 1975 to 2015. The have dominated the game
and especially the World Cups since its inception. This is clear
from the data given in the table.
(G) Christened.
(H) True
Explanation: The given title is appropriate because the passage
gives us a brief history of the evolution of cricket as a popular
sport.

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 SECTION B
Grammar and Writing

3.
GREEN APARTMENTS, BHOPAL

NOTICE

21st March, 20XX

Meeting Regarding COVID-19 Precautions

This is to inform all the members of the Green Apartments society that
a meeting has been organised by the Society Secretary to discuss the
ways to control the spread of the pandemic as it is at its peak currently.
The details of the meeting are given below:
Date/Time: 25th March, 20XX, 4 p.m.
Venue: General Hall
XYZ
(Society Secretary)
OR

SUNRISE PUBLIC SCHOOL, SURAT

NOTICE
14th February 20XX
Free Books for Need Students
This is to inform all the students that Sarvodaya Education Society, a
charitable trust, will distribute free books to under-privileged children
of the school. Those who want free books, may write the name of the
books with their names and grade, and drop the list in the boxes kept
outside the Principal’s office. For further enquiries, please contact the
undersigned.
Navtej/Navita
(Head boy/ Head girl)

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4.
Mrs. & Mr. Anwar Rizvi
request the pleasure of your company on the auspicious occasion of the
marriage of their daughter
Aman Rizvi
with
Zakir Shahzad
(Son of Mrs. & Mr. Shahzad Rehman)
On Sunday,23rd December, 20XX at 9:00 p.m.
At their residence
Brent Wood Estate, Circular Road, Luknow
As per programme
• Reception of Barat 8:00 p.m.
• Nikah ceremony 11:00 p.m.
• Dinner 9:00 p.m.
RSVP With best Compliments from
Adil/Sameena Rizvi  All Relatives & friends
Ph: 9816XXXXXX

OR

12, Kaveri Kunj

Kamla Nagar
Agra
5th April, 20XX
Dear Mayank,
I, along with five of my classmates, have decided to go on a picnic to Keetham Lake
on 12th April, 20XX.
So, I invite you to join us on the picnic. Make sure to arrive at my home before 10 am
in the morning on
that day.
Yours affectionately
Preet Singh

5. A-150
Mount Road
Chennai
26th April, 20XX
The Manager
Sundaram Westside
Chennai
Subject: Application for the post of Manager (Accounts)
Sir/ Ma’am,

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In response to your advertisement in ‘The Chennai Times’ dated 24th April,
20XX, I wish to be considered for the position mentioned above. I feel my
qualifications and experience are good enough to enable me to discharge
my duties. I herewith attach the attested copies of my certificates and my
complete bio-data. If given a chance, I assure you that I shall discharge
my duties with utmost honesty.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Tapas / Tapasya Verma
Encl.: Bio-data
BIO-DATA
Name : Tapas/Tapasya Verma

Father’s Name : Mr. Jagdish Verma

Address : A-150, Mount Road, Chennai

Date of Birth : 23rd December, 1991

Educational Qualifications : (i) CA in 20XX

(ii) M. Com. (Accounts) in 20XX from St. Stephens,
Chennai
(iii) B. Com. (Hons.) in 20XX from St. Stephens,
Chennai

Experience : Senior Accountant in Geet Ltd. Anand, Chennai

Salary Ex-pected : 90,000 p.m. + perks

Marital Status : Unmarried

Languages known : Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu

References : (i) Dr. H.C. Smith, H.O.D. Accountancy, St. Stephens,

Chennai 9897xxxxxx
(ii) Mrs. Anjula Singh, Senior HR, Geet Ltd, Chennai
9891xxxxxx

OR
It is now easier than ever to have an access to internet and all the information
hidden in that mysterious web. But as much freeing this idea sounds like,
it is equally dangerous for children, especially the young developing minds
who are not mature enough to decide what is right or wrong.
At present, it isn’t uncommon to see children as young as three years,
staring numbly on the smartphone or tablet screens that their parents
give them in order to make them sit silently and stay occupied. This easy

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access to dopamine rush at an early age makes the brain only wanting for
more. In short, kids get addicted to such treatments and throw tantrums
when their demands aren’t met. It is important to regulate screen
time for children, because it is now impossible to keep them away from
technological advancements. It is the parents’ duty to ensure that their
kids’ brain development is healthy.
OR
Content
• Covering Letter
• Reference to the advertisement
•Conveying suitability for the position-CSR (Head) / CSR Manager (as
advertised)
• Submission of application
Bio data as separate enclosure
• Profile of self
•Educational Qualifications (include advertised requirements)
•Work experience/s (if relevant)- include as it is a senior post
• References
Any other relevant information
Explanation:
12/B, Lodhi Road
Hyderabad
..............................................
7th September, 20XX
The HR Head
Credit Sage Pvt. Ltd,
Nashik
Subject: Application for the post of a CSR Head
Sir/Ma’am,
In response to your advertisement in the Hyderbad Times, dated
5th September, 20XX for the post of a CSR Head, I hereby offer my
candidature for the same. I believe that my skills and qualifications match
your requirements.

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I have been working for Telenox Software, Hyderabad from last five years
as a CSR Manager. I have worked with many NGOs and led many CSR
projects in the company with the ‘Plantable Stationary’ being my latest
initiative for the company. I believe if given the opportunity, I will be able
to prove my capabilities to you practically.
For your reference, I am enclosing my detailed resume along with the
letter.
Sincerely,
Minu Sen
Encl.: Bio-data

BIO-DATA
Name: Minu Sen
Father’s Name: Mr. Akash Sen
Date of Birth: 17th October, 19XX
Address: 12/B, Lodhi Road, Hyderabad
Hobbies: Reading, Music, and Sports
Languages Known: Hindi, English, and German
Nationality: Indian
Educational
Qualifications: Masters in Sociology, St. Hopkins, Hyderabad Certificate in effective
communication skills
Experience: Worked as a CSR Manager – Telenox Software, Hyderabad for five years.
Expected Salary: Negotiable
References: (1) Mr. Sunit Pandit (HOD), St. Hopkins, Hyderabad
(2) Mrs. Tanya Roy, HRM, Telenox Software, Hyderabad

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 SECTION C
Literature
6.
GANDHIAN PHILOSOPHY IN PRESENT TIMES
By Reema / Raj
The world today is battling wars, conflicts and struggle for power, money
and many more material things. It is high time we need Mahatma
Gandhi’s ideology and philosophy more than ever before.
In the times when leadership has lost its essence, it is imperative that we
remind ourselves of the greatest personalities of the millennium. Bapu
was a man ahead of his times: where others fought battles with weapons,
inflicting misery and death upon innocent people, he was a warrior of a
different kind. He led the biggest battle and yet did not lift any weapon.
His world was based on honesty and he believed in the moral universe.
That is the kind of philosophy that the world needs today, a philosophy
where truth is the only force, and ‘Satyagraha’ the only weapon..
We live in times where strife and struggle for power dominate with
an absolute disregard for humanity and humane qualities. We are the
torchbearers of the future, and so must embrace the Gandhian way of
life, where honesty, equality and ahimsa become an integral part of your
life.

OR
Teacher’s Day Celebrations
By Navtej/Navita, Class XII - B

The school celebrated Teacher’s Day on 5th of September, 20XX. All the teachers were
our honoured guests. The students from Class IX to XII organised the entire day’s pro-
gram for the teachers. First of all, the teachers were welcomed with a rose and a small
gift. The hall was decorated with banners and posters having various quotes on teach-
ers. Then, there was a little surprise for the teachers as the students themselves played
the roles of their favourite teacher. This was followed by the dance performances, skits
and singing for the teachers. The teachers and the students were treated to a special
meal from a famous hotel of the city.

7. (A) The poem begins with an epigram, which is ‘a short witty statement
in verse or prose which may be complementary, satiric or aphoristic’.
(B) True
Explanation: ‘To pass into nothingness’ means to become extinct.
The poet is suggesting that a thing of beauty will never fade away
but will live eternally.

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 (C) (d) Metaphor
Explanation: The poetic device is a metaphor as the calm and
quiet of the bower is equated with the calm offered by beauty. A
metaphor is a figure of speech in which, one thing is described in
terms of another. Hence, option (d) is the correct answer. Options
(a), (b) and (c) are incorrect since they are not the devices used in
this line.
(D) lead a healthy and wholesome life.
(E) happiness/ joy
(F) (d) Passes into nothingness
Explanation: Keats tells us that a thing of beauty will give us
eternal joy, sleep full of sweet dreams and health and quiet
breathing. But he does not say that it (d) passes into nothingness.
Hence, option (d) is the right answer.
OR

(A) The familiar ache is of the poet is one from her childhood in which
the poet used to fear losing her mother. The same ache has returned
to her now in a new way.
(B) (b) Alliteration
Explanation: Alliteration is defined as a figure of speech in which
consonants at the beginning of words or stressed syllables are
repeated. The repetition of the initial /f/ sound indicates that this
is alliteration. Hence, option (b) is the correct answer. Options (a),
(c) and (d) are incorrect as they are not the poetic devices used in
this line.
(C) False
Explanation: The poet smiled because she was sad to leave her
mother, but she did not want to leave on a sad note.
(E) Childhood fear
(F) Sadness/sorrow
8. (A)  One example of this would be the depleting forest cover which has
led to an increase in conflicts between human beings and wildlife.
(B) (d) After 23:59
Explanation: According to the extract, human beings appeared
barely a few seconds on the geological clock. Since humans
appeared late in the geological history of earth, it can be inferred
that they appeared a few seconds to midnight. This places them at
nearly midnight or after 23:59 hours. Therefore, option (d) is the

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 correct answer. Options (a), (b) and (c) are incorrect as they are not
to be found in the extract.
(C) The author means to say that human beings have only arrived
on Earth relatively recently, but have affected or altered natural
processes significantly by harnessing natural resources for their
own ends.
(D) Global warming
OR

(A) Obsessed
(B) No, the Maharaja was not hunting tigers for sport. Rather, he only
wanted to kill a hundred tigers to disprove the prophecy about his
death.
(C) The writer has employed irony in the extract when he says that
the king would give up hunting tigers if he could get his hands on
the hundredth one.
(D) (b) The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
Explanation: If the Tiger King lived in the present time, his tiger
hunt would violate the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. So, this
points to option (b) as the correct option. Options (a), (c) and (d)
are not the correct answer because those acts are responsible for
the forest and the environment, not wildlife.
9. (A) (a) because it was his last day and this idea was on his mind.
Explanation: When one thing leads to another, it means the
speaker has no plan but is talking about things that come to his
mind. Hence, option (a) is the correct answer. Options (b), (c) and
(d) are incorrect because they are nowhere in the passage.
(B) (b) liberated
Explanation: Options (a), (c) and (d) are synonyms of ‘enslaved’.
So, they are incorrect while option (b) means ‘free’. Hence, it is the
correct answer.
(C) Analogy
Explanation: The writer compares a prison to a subjugated Alsace
and language as the key that opens the prison. Therefore, the
correct answer is analogy.
(D) Die / perish
(E) Franz was able to understand the lesson well that day because he
was listening to M. Hamel with complete attention. He was also

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 stunned by the fact that this would be his last French lesson, and
that made him engrossed in what he was learning.
(F) M. Hamel was a thorough patriot who loved everything about
his country. The same patriotism comes through when he calls the
French language the most beautiful in the whole world.
OR

(A) incredulous.
(B) We know that the author is unconvinced that Mukesh’s aspiration
will come true because she says his dream looms like a ‘mirage’ in
the dusty reality of the town.
(C) (d) Firozabad has emerged as a nascent producer of bangles in the
country.
Explanation: ‘Nascent’ means ‘budding’. Firozabad is not just a
budding producer of bangles in the country but an already famous
one. This points to option (d) as the correct answer. Options (a),
(b) and (c) are true according to the extract and so not the correct
answers.
(D) (c) majority of the population in Firozabad is involved in bangle-
making.
Explanation: ‘Every other house’ indicates that a majority of the
population in Firozabad is involved in bangle making. Therefore,
option (c) is the correct answer. Options (a), (b) and (d) cannot be
accurately inferred from the extract. Hence, they are incorrect.
(E) One reason why the law curtailing child labour has not been
enforced in Firozabad could be that child labour in the bangle
making industry must be a long standing norm or tradition.
(F) The word ‘slog’ refers to working hard at something. The author
says that children have to slog throughout the day, and the work
conditions often make them go blind.
10. (i) People gravitated towards Gandhi for different reasons. First, there
were people like Rajkumar Shukla who saw Gandhi as a problem-
solver. Then there were people from Motihari who heard that
Gandhi was fighting for their cause, so they came to support him.
(ii) Douglas’s says that since he was acquainted with sheer terror, he
appreciates life. According to him, there is peace in death and there
is terror only in fear of death.
(iii) Edla recognised that the peddler was scared rather than embarrassed
when he refused her father’s invitation. She also intervened on the

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 peddler’s behalf to allow him to stay for Christmas Eve. That’s
because she was a kind and compassionate person.
(iv) Aunt Jennifer comes across as a helpless woman who is not able to
overcome the oppression she feels in her married life. The reader
feels sympathy and concern on reading about her. At the same
time, the reader feels admiration for her and her steadfast will and
determination, which she expresses through her art.
(v) V.S. Naipaul believed that people were wounded by interviews and
lost a part of themselves. Rudyard Kipling held a condemnatory
attitude towards interviews. He refused to be interviewed because
he believed that interviews were immoral and a crime, and so one
ought to be punished for it.
(vi) 
The author remarked so because an outward lethargy is
characteristic of a poet as he/she writes poetry at leisure. It can
be inferred that barring the lawyer, everyone else was a poet at
Gemini Studios.
11. (i) Children are extremely observant and love the hustle and bustle
of life. An Indian bazaar with its myriad attractions give children
a lot of joy from the sheer variety of activities and things one can
observe.
(ii) According to Mr. Lamb, a person himself/herself decided the limits
of one’s world. That is why he keeps asking Derry to see what is out
there, to see nature, the bees, and ignore the people who stare at
him.
(iii) 
We know that Hana’s thoughts and actions regarding Tom were
in discord because she comes forward to his help even after being
repulsed by him. When the servants refuse to clean him, Hana
takes up the responsibility on herself. Similarly, even though she
feels disgusted at the soldier’s sight, she cannot help feeling sorry
on seeing the torture marks on his body.
12. (A) Ronald,
I thought I’d write to you. I don’t suppose you’d remember little
Adrienne. She is my niece (Helen’s daughter), and was about six
or so when she used to visit us. It turns out that she has become
a poet. I am so proud of her. That’s not the reason I am writing to
you. She has written about me! I am surprised too. Well, you are
also mentioned once in the poem though I can’t say it is a very
flattering picture. So, the poem brought back memories which I
wanted to erase. But it’s better you hear it from me than from

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 others. I hate being married to you. It is not the chores, mind you.
I would happily put up with them. It is you. You were obnoxious,
cruel and manipulative. Your ideas of how women should live their
lives were and are outdated. I didn’t have the language to tell you
back then. I do now. It’s such a relief to be able to tell you this.
Your unhappy wife,
Jennifer
(B) 
Yes, Pablo Neruda was a pacifist. There are several points which
prove this. The first one is that Neruda’s central message in the
poem is to appeal to all of humanity to pause speech and action,
in order to reflect and introspect in silence and stillness. Further
evidence lies in the reference to stop flailing our ‘arms’. This
carries the sense of the physical movement of human arms, as
well the international movement of arms and ammunition which
fuel various wars happening the world over. Finally, Neruda also
exhibits his anti-war stance when he points to one of the effects
of silent introspection. He says that those who declare war on the
environment, those who start wars for the availability of fuel (gas),
and those who start wars with fire, all will have to pause during
these moments of silence and stillness, and move peacefully with
the rest of humanity.
13. (A) Charley stepped into the third level and noticed that the place was
smaller, the booths were wooden, and a man in green eyeshades
and long black sleeve protectors sat in one of them. He was the
cash clerk. When Charley looked around, he saw brass spittoons.
He noticed a man pull a gold watch from his pocket. The man was
wearing a derby hat, a black button suit with small lapels, and a
big black handlebar moustache. In fact, all the men had facial hair
– sideburns, moustaches and beards. The women were dressed in
leg-of-mutton blouses and skirts. He noticed the train was a steam
engine and the newspaper boy was selling ‘The World’, a newspaper
that was not published anymore.
(B) 30th April
8: 30 pm
Dear Diary,
I read an excerpt called 'We Too Are Human Beings' from Bama's
autobiography 'Karukku'. It had a huge impact on me because I
came to understand how deeply ingrained the system of caste is in
India. Untouchability is a huge problem in India. It was a result

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 of the caste system in which certain castes were considered to be
superior to others. There is no scientific basis for untouchability. All
human beings are equal no matter in which class, caste and country
they are born in. Untouchability is illegal in India now. Tamil Dalit
writer Bama writes in her autobiography, ‘Karukku’ about how she
came across untouchability as a child. One day while returning from
school, she spotted a man from her community walking in a strange
way with a packet of vadais. The man then handed over the packet
deferentially to the landlord. She found this funny having not seen
something like this before. Then when her brother explained the
reason why, she was angered. Bama took her brother’s advice and
studied very well to become a famous writer who used her voice to
draw attention to the problem of untouchability. In this way, she
does not only address the problem of caste but also how it can be
overcome. She is a true role model shows for students like me.
Yours truly,
Xyz

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