Class XII English Max.

Marks : 80
Time : 3hrs
SECTION A – READING : 22 MARKS
SET A

ANSWERS

Q.1

i) a) 1 is correct 2 is incorrect

ii) d) the stamina of the climber

iii) c) a and b both are correct

iv) d) they know about the place they live in

v) d) all of the above
vi) c) it prepares future mountaineers for what they’re going to deal with
vii) c) they are always face to face with death

viii) It is to get to the top of a high mountain, which, in the past has withstood all
attempts to conquer it.
ix)Other scientists, explorers and expeditionists utilize the fruits of their
observations. Thus, every unsuccessful expedition contributes to the success of
later expeditions. useful knowledge about the death-dealing weather which they
had to encounter in the vicinity of the summit.
x)They can scale less ambitious heights, rest their weary limbs under a quiet
shelter and feast their eyes on the distant landscape. In the company of friends,
they can enjoy an outing near a waterfall or cross into the next Valley with
haversacks full of provisions dangling from their shoulders.
xi) will vary
xii) companion

Q.2

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i) These planets are called gas giants because they are made up of gas and ice.
ii) There are violent wind storms that circle around Jupiter. The most famous
storm is called the Great Red Spot.

iii) Jupiter is bigger than three hundred Earths! Saturn is smaller though, at only
ninety-five times the size of Earth.

iv) The twenty-seven moons it has orbit from top to bottom, instead of left to
right like our moon.
v) It has an inner heat source, just like Earth.

vi) c) hydrogen and helium

vii) c) includes Pluto

viii) a) 63

ix) d) it’s blue colour

x) c) 1930

SECTION C- LITERATURE (40 marks)

7.A i) b) things of beauty

ii) a) never passes into nothingness.

iii) b) It is a quiet and shady place.
iv) We need all these things so that we can enjoy the things of beauty
v) The name of the poem is ‘A Thing of Beauty and its poet is John Keats
vi) a b b c

B) i) b) man's indiscriminate exploitation of nature for his vested interest

ii) a) He must take care of himself and realize the harm caused by his tireless
efforts

iii) b) The image of suffering

iv) not to destruct nature

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 v) man will see his suffering and take rest. He will not destruct the nature

vi) alliteration

8. A i) Who does “you” refer to in these lines?

a) The Tiger King

ii) Why did the astrologer say that he must be very careful with the hundredth
tiger?
c) because he would be killed by the hundredth tiger
iii) Why did the astrologer say that he would set fire to his astrology books?
b) because he was confident about his prediction
iv) Kalki
B)i) Identify the figure of speech used that conveys the growing/developing nature
of the Grand Central station?
a) metaphor

ii) Why does the writer talk about the tunnels to Times Square and Central Park?

d) Grand Central is ever growing

iii) What is it that Charley did not disclose to his friend?

a) Grand Central is an exit- a way of escape

iv) Why didn‘t Charley disclose ‘that idea’ to his psychiatrist?

b) psychiatrist wouldn‘t believe him

9. A)

i) The expression, “families have sent generations working around furnaces”

signifies that-
b) all members of the family were into same profession since generations
ii) The word ‘mirage’ means the same as
b) certainty
iii) What function does the glass-blowing industry of Firozabad do?

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 d) It works to mould glass and make colourful bangles of it

iv) Who is the author of ‘Lost Spring’?

d) Anees Jung

v) ‘I will learn to drive a car’: What does this statement imply?

vi) Which city is the center of India’s glass making industry?

B)

i) Why did the nine feet deep pool seemed ninety to Douglas?
a) because he was afraid of the water and didn’t know swimming
ii) The expression “I imagined I would bob to the surface like a cork” implies that-
c) though Douglas was frightened he was not out of his wits
iii) Choose the word from the given options which means to ‘make a quick, short
movement up and down.’
c) bob
iv) The above extract has been taken from _____
d) Deep Water

v) Where did the given event take place?

Swimming pool.

vi) ‘It seemed a long way down: What was the author referring to?
His journey to the bottom

10.
i)
Ans: The abilities of Subbu were:
1. Subbu was seemed to be happy all the time and could make anyone
happy.

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 2. He had a good sense of directions and idea which helped the film
making easy into his direction.
3. He was a good poet and novelist. He was a good actor too.
4. He used to help and had a loving nature.

ii. Ans: Most celebrity writers despise being interviewed because they look at

interviews as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives. They feel that it

diminishes them. They feel that they are wounded by interviews and lose a part

of themselves. They consider interviews immoral and a crime, and an unwanted

and unwelcome interruption in their personal life.

iii. Ans: The only occasion when Sophie got to see Danny Casey in person was

when the family went to watch United on Saturday. Sophie, her father and little

Derek went down near the goal. Geoff went with his mates higher up. United won

two-nil. Her idol Casey drove in the second goal. She saw the Irish genius going

round two big defenders on the edge of penalty area. He beat the hesitant goal

keeper from a dozen yards. Sophie glowed with pride. She was very happy.

iv. Ans:The parting words express the poet’s optimism. These words console the
mother that she would soon visit her again. She smiles to conceal her fear and
pain of separation from her mother and gives her ageing mother an assurance of
survival.

v. Ans:The poet refers to the tireless longing of the stall owners for some car to
stop by and give them an opportunity to make some money. But they wait in vain
because the cars just pass by without thinking of the hope and longing of the sad
faces peeping from the windows. If at all they stop, it is to ask the way or to take
turn.

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vi. Ans:Aunt Jennifer created tigers that are fearless and confident. They are the
opposite of what Aunt Jennifer is in reality. In fact, through her creations, she
wants to express her longing for being confident and strong. The poet, through
this difference, wants to emphasize the impact of the oppression on women in a
male-dominated society.

11. Answer ANY TWO out of THREE questions in 40 to 50 words(2x2=4)

i. Ans: With Students on Ice, he offers the future generation of policy-makers a

life-changing experience at an age when they’re ready to absorb, learn, and most
importantly, act. Geoff Green focuses on providing them with inspiring
educational opportunities that will help them foster a new understanding and
respect for our planet.
ii. Ans:In order to avoid the cutting of her hair, Zitkala-Sa, crept up the stairs and
hid herself under a bed in a corner place in an open room. But she was found out
and dragged out. She tried to resist by kicking and scratching wildly. She was
carried downstairs and tied to a chair. Her long thick hair was shingled.
iii. Ans:While coming back home from school, Bama passed through the
marketplace. There were many spectacular sights which distracted Bama. She
watched performing monkey, a man pedaling for many days, peddlers selling
fruits, snakes, etc. coffee shops, fruit tree, huntergypsy, wild lemurs in cages and
leaders of political parties giving speeches, puppet shows and street plays. All this
mesmerized Bama. She got engrossed in all these things and used to take long to
reach home.

12. Answer ANY ONE out of TWO questions in 120 to 150 words:(1X5=5)

A ).Ans: The story entertains us by providing glimpses into human nature and how

people react to various situations. The actions of the peddler after stealing thirty

kronor are quite amusing. The reactions of the blacksmiths to the tramp’s request

for shelter show how casual and indifferent human beings can be.

The U-turn in the ironmaster’s attitude towards the stranger reveal how selfish

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and ignorant human beings can be. Mistaking the vagabond for his old regimental

comrade, whom he thinks he has run across unexpectedly, he asks the stranger to

accompany him home and spend Christmas with them. When the stranger refuses

to go with him, the ironmaster sends his daughter. With her better persuasive

power she makes him follow her.

The ironmaster is annoyed on seeing the stranger in broad daylight. But instead of

realising his own mistake, he puts the blame on the man. He talks of handing him

over to the sheriff. The metaphor of the world being a rattrap saves the situation

for the tramp, but the ironmaster wants to turn him out. His daughter’s

comments are quite entertaining and philosophical. She wants the tramp to enjoy

a day of peace. Secondly, she does not want to chase away a person whom they

had invited home and had promised Christmas cheer.

B)Ans: When Gandhiji reached Champaran, he came to know that the arable
areas of Champaran were divided into large estates owned by British landlords. As
per the long-term contract, these sharecroppers were supposed to grow indigo
on 15% of the land and give it as rent. But due to the advent of synthetic indigo in
Germany, landlords got the compensation agreement signed by these peasants,
who later on felt cheated.Gandhiji’s first triumph in the form of civil disobedience
at Motihari laid the foundations of the Indian Independence Movement. No
doubt this brought a good result for sharecroppers in the form of a committee
through which 25% of the money was given by the landlords. Gandhiji taught the
lesson of unity and courage to the sharecroppers. His refusal to keep his friend
Andrews at Champaran to help him, emphasized the importance of self-reliance
for him. He trained the peasants to be self-reliant and not to be dependent on
others.Thus, self-reliance, Indian Independence and help to sharecroppers were
all tied together.

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13. Answer ANY ONE out of TWO questions in 120 to 150 words (1X5=5)

A)Ans: Dr. Sadao was a skilled surgeon and a famous scientist. His excellence in
his professional field was evident from the fact that the General had full faith in
him as regards his health. Dr. Sadao was devoted to his work and to the cause of
the needy. When he saw the American soldier in a wounded condition, he was
torn between the natural human instinct to save his life and treat him or as a
patriot hand him over to the police. Dr. Sadao saved the life of the man as per his
professional ethics as he could not leave a person to die. It was his duty to save
the life of a person as a doctor. At this point of time, when Dr. Sadao saw this
dying man, his spirit of humanity surpassed everything else and so he saved one
life irrespective of any colour, caste or creed.

B) Ans: The title of the story ‘On the Face of It’ seems to be very appropriate. The
idiom ‘On the Face of It’ means from appearance alone or apparently. In the play,
Derry is frustrated and has lost self¬esteem due to people’s attitude to him.
Everyone thought that his burnt face was terrible and he was handicapped.
Similar was Mr. Lamb’s case. He had lost one leg in a bomb explosion. Apparently
both Mr. Lamb and Derry had deformities. But Mr. Lamb enabled Derry to have
faith in himself and look at the bright side of things and to learn to live with his
deformity.

Their physical handicap was an apparent thing for them as well as for the world.
But the most significant thing is the strength of one’s soul. Mr. Lamb was a
mentally strong person who handled his own handicap and loneliness very
effectively. He became instrumental in Derry change his views about himself and
his deformity and start taking things positively. The play deals with the
acceptance of the fact that things are not always as they appear, i.e. physical
handicap has nothing to do with the mental strength and positive attitude to life.