Time Allowed : 3 Hours Maximum Marks : 80 General Instructions : 1 2 Q) ‘The Question Paper contains THREE sections-READING, WRITING and LITERATURE. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part. SECTION-A READING SKILLS (20 MARKS) Read the passage given below. (om) Torrential rains and swollen rivers have caused chaos across central and eastern Europe, while a massive heat wave in southern Europe has helped reduce the Portuguese wood land to tinder, Tens of thousands of people face a massive relief operation as the extent of the devastation slowly becomes clear. The death toll continues to mount steadily across the continent. The latest estimate puts the number since mid August, 2005 at over 150. “Unfortunately, we are expecting the number of victims to rise by the hour,” said Romanian interior minister Vasile Blaga. Though the heat wave persists in Portugal and Spain, forest fires in Portugal have been brought under control. By August 26, 2005, the waters began to recede across Germany and the Czech Republic, the countries hardest hit by the floods. The situation also improved in Croatia, Austria, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary and Slovenia. But some areas of Switzerland and Germany remained on alert. Huge damages were reported from all over Europe. Thousands of people had to be evacuated from their homes. Many villages were abandoned in Portugal, while helicopters were used in Switzerland and Austria to airlift people from flooded houses and landslides. The floods worst impact was along the Danube, Morava and Elbe rivers and their tributaries. Dresden in Germany was one of the hardest hit. Germany puts the damages at around US $14 billion, but the German state of Saxony alone puts its own costs at around US $16 billion. Austria quotes a clean up bill of US $2 billion, and the ‘Czech Republic US $3 billion. But all these figures are speculative. What is disturbing is that relief operations appear stretched. In Germany, only US $200 per adult is currently available from both the EU and the government. The reason behind the bedlam is the jet stream, high-speed winds usually found just below the tropopause, which drives the depressions and fronts that affect the weather. Usually found between 7,620 metres (in) and ‘13.716(m) altitude, it flows eastwards at speeds up to 200 m per hour around the Earth. It is formed when cold air(2) from the Arctic meets warm air from the tropics. Because the jet stream fluctuates, its track makes huge differences to the weather. ‘This year it positioned around Europe locking high pressure over southwest Europe which in its turn is responsible for creating intense drought in some parts and deluges of rain in other parts. While many blame global warming for the disaster, some scientists are reluctant to draw a direct link. “We are linking these events to climate change... There are also other things happening building up of the land, bad land use plans, bad fire prevention in the south... But all the factors together are more and more exacerbated by global warming” explains Martin Hiller spokesperson for Worldwide Fund for Nature Malcolm Haylock of the University of East Anglia the UK, is more dithering. You can say that due to the Earth getting warmer there will be on an average more extreme events but you can't attribute any specific event to climate change. Despite growing consensus about global warming, it is hard to find long-term trends in rainfall that would have direct effect on the droughts and floods. Some experts believe the North Atlantic Oscillation climate system has caused a drift towards drier conditions in southern Europe and more rainfall in the north during winters; its effects during summers are not as clear. Answer the following questions, based on the passage above. ‘The narrator states “all these figures are speculative”, What is he talking about? Q) Which country had the forest fire under control despite the heat wave? q) ‘There was a bedlam in carrying out the relief operations. Provide evidence from the text to prove this. (2) Whit is the reason for the mayhem? q) “But all the factors together are more and more exacerbated by global warming” meaning : a) A. Global warming combined with the other factors made little difference. B. Global warming slowed down the impact of other factors. C. Global warming was the root cause of the other factors. D. Global warming made all the factors turn worse. “Despite growing consensus about global warming;'what is the growing consensus referred here? (1) |. Which of the following statements is false? q) A. Torrential rains and swollen rivers have caused chaos across central and Eastern Europe. B. _InGermany, only US $200 per adult is currently available from both the EU and the government. C. Many villages were abandoned in Spain during the flood. D. The floods worst impact was along the Danube, Morava and Elbe rivers and their tributaries. “deluges of rain” means . Q A. short period of rain B. _ heavy rain coming down at the same time C. little episodes of rain D. frequent rainq@) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) ”) Read the following text. (12m) By the time Michael Phelps, the world famous swimmer, finished at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics, having come out of retirement, he had bagged five gold medals. This was one short of the six overall medals India has won in 70 years since independence. But put the swimmer’s four Olympics together, since Athens 2004, and he has 28 medals, including 23 gold. India has 23 medals in total since 1948. ‘This comparison was cited often after India bagged a disappointing two medals in Rio, a slide since London 2012 when it won - by its standards, a record - six medals. When seen in comparison to India’s overall size and population, we have the lowest number of medals per capital. India has never played the football world cup, has won a single individual gold medal at the Olympics and has had only a handful of people ranked No. 1 in their sport. The country’s only worthwhile success has come in a sport played by just a dozen nations. If we take into account the country’s sporting achievements since independence, the successes seem limited considering all disciplines except cricket - Olympic sports and others like chess, squash, racing, etc. In many, participation has not been credit-worthy. Gymnast Dipa Karmarkar, who finished fourth in the vault at Rio, and Dipika Pallikal, who got into the top 10 ranking in women’s squash in 2012, were significant achievements for Indian sportswomen. Yet - and cruelly so - they were no big achievements in the world of sport. But why is India so poor in sports? Football is a craze in Bengal, Goa and Kerala, then why is the Indian football team ranked no. 97 in the World? Over the years, experts and fans have offered several reasons to explain our lack of success : hereditary characteristics, poverty (therefore lack of nutrition), social divisions and an absence of sporting culture. Hereditary characteristics are used to explain why we do well in sports that do not require high athletic ability, speed and strength. Like cricket, billiards, chess, archery, shooting and tennis doubles (as opposed to singles which requires the entire court to be covered). But the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese share relatively the same height and physicality as Indians - China won 27 gold medals in Rio. If poverty were the reason, then it becomes difficult to explain the success of nations like Jamaica (11 medals in Rio, for example, and Usain Bolt), Ethiopia (8) and Kenya (14) in athletics. Lack of sporting as their ticket culture may be one reason. For generations, Indians have felt the need to focus on academic to a better life. Many schools and colleges do not have sports programmes, grounds or facilities. Politics, administration and corruption are a few obstacles responsible for robbing aspiring athletes of success in their fields. Scandals, scams and abuse of power have weakened several associations. But there are reasons why we are collectively feeling optimistic post London 2012. A bunch of non-governmental organisations are trying (and succeeding) to fill the gaps that administrations have left behind, in providing funds to promising athletes. There is a change in mindset too. Parents are now able to allow their children to focus on sports, believing it to be a genuine career choice. Successful champions(8) are investing in the growth of talent. Be it Geet Sethi, Viswanathan Anand, Prakash Padukone or P. Gopi Chand, they are bringing their star appeal and expertise to back their chosen sport. Leagues have started among many sporting disciplines, which, if continued and successful, are bound to create talent pools in the years to come, besides being financially rewarding. ‘The growth of cricket, since the 1983 World Cup, through the business sense of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and thanks to the marketability of Sachin Tendulkar and M.S. Dhoni, among others, has seen the sport grow in small towns. Class and caste distinctions are less visible in cities, making sport more widely accessible. India’s growing economic strength is helping too ~ corporate giants as well as new businessmen are investing money and technology in sports businesses. Answer the following questions based on the above passage. vi. vii. What is ironic about the medals won by Michael Phelps at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics? (2) Is it justifiable to say India’s non-performance in the international sporting world is attributed to its poverty and hereditary characteristics? (2) India’s best performance in the Olympics was at ; () India has never played () A. in Olympics B. in Cricket World Cup C. in Football World Cup D. individual sports “The country’s only worthwhile success has come in a sport played by just a dozen nations” Which sport is the author referring to? a ‘The Indian states like Kerala, West Bengal and Goa are known for , ( A. their craze for football B. their craze for chess “The country’s only worthwhile success has come in a sport played by just a dozen nations” Which sport is the author referring to? qa) ‘The Indian states like Kerala, West Bengal and Goa are known for E q) A. their craze for football B. their craze for chess C. their craze for hockey D. their craze for wrestling Citing evidence from the text, provide how NGOs are helping fill the gap for athletes and upcoming athletes. Q) i. A few obstacles hindering aspiring athletes are . ) A. administration B. _ politics C. corruption D. alloftheseix. Which of the words in the para 7 means talented? () » A. Promising B. Genuine C. Expertise D. Appeal SECTION-B CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS (18 MARKS) Attempt ANY ONE of the two, in about 50 words. (4) You are Praveen /Prabha. As the Secretary, Science Club of your school, write a notice informing students about an Inter-School Science Exhibition and encouraging them to participate in it. OR You are Pradeep/Asha. As President of the Dramatic Club of your school, you have organised an inter- school competition in one-act plays on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee celebrations of your school. Write a notice, informing the students of your school about this proposed event. Attempt ANY ONE of the two, in about 50 words. (4) Your parents have completed 25 years of happy married life. Invite your aunt, living in Hyderabad, to join you in the silver jubilee celebration of their marriage at your residence. OR You are Manoj/Mini. You have been invited to attend a birthday party of your closest friend. Respond to this invitation, accepting it. Attempt ANY ONE of the two, in about 120-150 words. (5) Read the advertisement given below and write a letter applying for the job. Also give your detailed resume to be sent along with the letter. You are Praveen Kumar of 95, HAL Colony, Bangalore. Applications are invited for the post of Junior Engineer. The candidate must have at least a diploma in Civil Engineering from a recognised institute, He should have at least 3 years experience of field work. Salary commensurate with qualification and experience. Apply to the Manager, Parsva Constructions Ltd., 24, Sector 10, Mysore, within 10 days, with detailed resume. OR Recently you travelled from Bangalore city to Vasco in Vasco Express. To your dismay, you found that the coach was infested with cockroaches. Write a letter to the Editor, “The Hindu’ drawing the attention of theii, iii. iv. General Manager, Southern Railways, to the prevailing unhygienic conditions and asking for remedial action. You are Saroj/Saran, 5/31 Bangalore Cantt., Bangalore. Attempt ANY ONE of the two, about in 120-150 words. (5) India is standing at the threshold of joining the developed nations but that is not possible till we achieve complete literacy in the country. The contribution of students may be very significant in achieving our goals. Write an article on “The Role of the Students in Removing Illiteracy? OR Recently your school held a seminar on Conservation of Water as a part of World Water Day celebrations. As the School Pupil Leader of Maryland School, Gurgaon, write a report for a local daily. Sign as Pritham/ Preeti. SECTION-C LITERATURE TEXTBOOK AND SUPPLEMENTARY READING TEXT (40 MARKS) Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. © ‘Those who prepare green wars, wars with gas, wars with fire, victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothes and walk about with their brothers ~ in the shade, doing nothing. Name of the poet. qa A. John Keats B. Kamala Das C. Pablo Neruda D. Adrienne Rich ‘Whaat does the poet mean by green wars? a “victory with no survivors” means a) A. Celebration of war B. The war won with a lot of gain C. War won with loss from both sides D. War won with the help of soldiers ‘Whaat does the poet want from the lovers of the war ? a) ‘The stanza has been taken from the poem : @ A. ARoadside Stand B. A Thing of Beauty C. Aunt Jennifer's Tigers D. Keeping Quiet Whaat literary device is used in the line? a) ‘victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothesand walk about with their brothers’ OR When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie. Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by. ‘The tigers in the panel that she made Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid. Why are Aunt Jennifer's hands terrified? a) ‘A. Dueto the ordeals and hardships she has had to face being in a patriarchal society. B. Due to old age, her hands were shaking. C. Due to the terror she spread while alive. D, Due to her own insecurities. Why did she make the tigers? q) A. Because she wanted the tiger's design in the embroidery. B. Because she has created tigers which are symbols of confidence and fearlessness as she wants to be like them. C. Because tigers will take care of the bad people. D. Because tigers were lucky for Aunt Jennifer. How are the tigers that Aunt Jennifer created? () “ringed with ordeals” signifies a) A. The ring on her hands B. The burden of marriage and patriarchy C. Aunt Jennifer’s happy life D. The tiger Do you think Aunt Jennifer will be able to escape the oppressive society she lives in? Why? a) Name the poet of ‘Aunt Jennifer's Tigers. a) Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. (6) 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 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.vi. ‘The notion of prevailed everywhere else in South India among the khadi-clad poets of the studio. 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 about 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. Why do you think leisure is a pre-requisite for poetry? A. Poetry means freedom of expression. B. One can enjoy poetry when there’ free time. C. Inorder to write poetry, one needs free time. D. Poetry means freedom from work. Asokamitran 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 What do you mean by the term ‘averse’ as used in the above extract? 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 livesa life of opulence and calls herself a follower of Gandhi. OR a) qa) qa) qa) qa) qa) “It is queer that things have gone downhill with him as badly as that,’ said the daughter. “Last night I did not think there was anything about him to show that he had once been an educated man.” “You must have patience, my little girl” said the father. “As soon as he gets clean and dressed up, you will see something different. Last night he was naturally embarrassed. The tramp manners will fall away from him with the tramp clothes.”Why did the daughter say things are queer? ) A. Because their guest didn’t look like an educated man. B. Because their guest didn't interact with them. C. Because their guest asked money from them. D. Because their guest didn't eat the food they offered. ii, How did the father react to his daughter's doubts? () A. The father said he will confront their guest. B. The father said as soon as he gets clean and dressed up, her doubts will be gone. C. The father scolded his daughter for doubting his old friend. D. The father was just as confused as his daughter. According to the father, their guest was ) iv. Which of the words in the passage means ‘demeanour? QQ) A. Queer B. Educated C. Patience D. Manners ¥. Whois ‘he’ in the given extract? q) vi. “Things have gone downhill’ means_. Q) A. to be removed completely B. to gradually become worse C. to get better with age D. tobe terminally ill 9. Read the given extract and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. @) A. At midnight when the town slept in peace, the dewan and his aged wife dragged the tiger into the car and shoved it into the seat. The dewan himself drove the car straight to the forest where the Maharaja was hunting. When they reached the forest the tiger launched its satyagraha and refused to get out of the car. The dewan was thoroughly exhausted in his efforts to haul the beast out of the car and push it down to the ground. On the following day, the same old tiger wandered into the Maharaja's presence and stood as if in humble supplication, “Master, what do you command of me?” It was with boundless joy that the Maharaja took careful aim at the beast. The tiger fell in a crumpled heap. ‘What happened when the dewan and his wife reached the forest? qa) A. They hunted the tiger. B. The tiger protested and refused to get out of the car. C. The tiger ate the dewan and his aged wife. D. They were waiting for the king to come and appreciate them. ii. Select the option that lists the dewan’s attitude. qa) a. Desperate b. Submissive c. Servile d. Dishonourable e. Flattering A. b,candd B. a,dande Cc. abandc D. c.dandeWhat actually happened with the tiger? a) Why did the dewan and his aged wife take the tiger to the forest? ql) OR Will the West Antarctic ice sheet melt entirely? Will the Gulf Stream Ocean current be disrupted? Will it be the end of the world as we know it? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, Antarctica is a crucial element in this debate - not just because it’s the only place in the world, which has never sustained a human population and therefore remains relatively ‘pristine’ in this respect; but more importantly, because it holds in its ice-cores half-million-year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of ice. What does “Maybe. Maybe not” indicate? a) A. Suspicion B. Foretelling C. Uncertainty D. Pristine ii, Synonym of perfect is_- q) A. crucial B. sustained C. disrupted D. pristine iii, Antarctica holds importance because i) iv. What is the significance of the questions asked by the narrator? a) 10. Answer ANY FIVE of the following six questions, in about 40-50 words. (5 x2=10) i. Whatare the difficulties that Aunt Jennifer faced in her life? ii, Which two incidents in Douglas early life made him scared of water? What does the writer mean when she says, ‘Saheb is no longer his own master’? iv. How, according to Neruda, can keeping quiet change our attitude to life? vy. Why have the poor farmers put up a new shed on the edge of the highway? vi. Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others? 11. Answer ANY TWO of the following three questions, in about 40-50 words. (2x2=4) i. What did Derry’s mother think of Mr Lamb? ii, What was the second thing that happened in the afternoon? Why did this frighten the doctor's wife, Hana too much? iii. Why did the Maharaja ban tiger hunting in the state? 12. Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 120-150 words. (5) A. Given his temperament, Edla’s father would have failed in reforming the peddler. How did Edla succeed?OR The prose selections, Deep Water and Indigo, bring out the importance of overcoming fear, in order to be able to lead our lives successfully. Imagine yourself to be a motivational speaker who has to address high school students. Write this address in 120 - 150 words elaborating on occurrences from the two texts to inspire your audience and to convince them about the importance of overcoming fear. You may begin like this ... Good morning, students! We all know what it’ like to be afraid. Fear is our body's natural response to a perceived threat or danger. But when ... Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 120-150 words. (5) What was Charley’s strange experience at the Grand Central Station? OR 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? Imagine yourself to be a motivational speaker who has to address high school students. Write this address in 120 - 150 words elaborating on occurrences from the two texts to inspire your audience and to convince them about the importance of overcoming fear. ‘You may begin like this ... Good morning, students! We all know what it’ like to be afraid. Fear is our body’s natural response to a perceived threat or danger. But when Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 120-150 words. (5) What was Charley's strange experience at the Grand Central Station? OR 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?Si 10) SOLUTIONS 1. i. The natural disasters like floods and heatwave have led to major destruction in major European countries. Countries that were affected provided their estimate costs for the clean-up cost, which was what the narrator was talking about when he stated, “all these figures are speculative: The ‘figures refer to the amount of money required. Portugal il, ‘There was a bedlam in carrying out the rescue ‘operations because of the jt stream, high speed winds that are causing havoc. These fluctuations inthe jt streams then results in huge differences in the weather, thereby creating “intense drought in some parts and deluges of rain in other parts, i. Jet stream, high-speed winds usually found just below the tropopause affects the weather causing the mayhem, ¥. _D. Global warming made all the factors turn worse. vi That global warming is responsible for these extreme vil. C. Many villages were abandoned in Spain during the flood. Vili. B. heavy rain coming down atthe same time 2. i. Theworld-tamous swimmer Michael Phelps won 5 gold medalsat the 2016 Rio Olympics, that too, after coming ‘out of retirement. Ironically, the number of gold medals won bya single individual (Phelps) in a single Olympics is almost the same as the number of medals won by a country (India) ‘over a period of 70 years. i. No, we cannot say it is because of poverty or hereditary characteristics. This is because if we blame poverty, there are also poorer countries ike Africa that still manage to achieve great success. And if we talk about hereditary characteristics, the Chinese and Koreans have the same build as Indians but they still fare much better in sports So, itis not justifiable. London iw. C. in Football World Cup Cricket vi A. their craze for football vii, The 7th paragraph talks of how “a bunch of non- {governmental organisations are trying (and succeeding) to fill the gaps that administrations have left behind, in providing funds to promising athletes. This has also led ‘parents tobe more welcoming in allowing their children to Pursue sports as a career and not only focus on academics vill, D. all ofthese ix. C. Expertise 3A, ‘XYZ PUBLIC SCHOOL NOTICE 29 April, 200 Inter-School Science Exhibition Our school is organising an Inter School Science Exhibition on 10th April, 20x at 10a.m.in school auditorium, Students from class VIII to XIl are requested to prepare models on any scientific theme and participate inthe vent For further query contact the undersigned. Praveen Singh (Secretary, Science Clb) oR B NBA PUBLICSCHOOI, PATNA NOTICE 7 September, 20x Inter-School One-Act Play Competition Our school is organising an Inter School One-Act play competition on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee celebrations of our school, to beheld on September 20, 20% inthe open ar theatre of our school. Competition is open for clases V-X. Interested students can give their names to their class teacher by the 10% of September, 200%. For Further information, please contact the undersigned Asha Jain (President, Dramatic Club)AL Miss Kavya Sharma Requests the pleasure of your company at the grand dinner party to celebrate the momentous and auspicious day on which my parents complete 25 years of marital bliss. Please come and grace the occasion of her parents Mr Deepak and Jaya Sharma’s Silver Jubilee Wedding Anniversary on Saturday, June 23, 200% 8:00 PM onwards ater residence : 39, Udampur Colony, Hyderabad -28 RSVP. Kavya Sharma 981020«%%x OR B12, Raja Nagar Moradabad 154 July, 200 Dear Raj, | fee! honoured to be invited to attend your 25% birthday. Please accept my wishes on this auspicious occasion. It will be great to bea part of the fun and frolic and meet all our friends. hereby confirm my presence. Looking forward to be there With best wishes Yours Mano} 95, HAL Colony Bangalore 24 July, 20% ‘The Manager Parsva Constructions Le. 24, Sector 10 Mysore Subject: Application forthe Post of Junior Engineer Sis, ‘This sin response to your advertisement in The Times of India on 20 July 20xx for the post of junior engineer. hhave worked for 2 years with TDI in Delhi as an Assistant Engineer and 2 years with DLF in Bangalore asa Junior Engineer. Iam a dedicated and hard working individual, who takes his work seriously. Ifselected, I assure you that Iwill give my hundred percent and work to your full satisfaction. Ihave studied in ITT Kharagpur and hold diploma and a degree in Civil Engineering. I have enclosed my bio-data for your consideration. ‘Thank you Yours faithfully Praveen Kumar Enclosed 1. Bio-data 2. Testimonials (2)BIO-DATA 1. Name Praveen Kumar 2 Age 38 years 3. Date of Birth 29 July, 1984 4 Address 95, HAL colony, Bangalore 5. Gender Male 6. Marital Status Single 7. Educational Qualification ‘S.No. | Examination | Yearof passing | Percentage Tastitute 1.__ | AISSE (Class XII) 1997 85% [DAV School 2. [BSe. 72000. 39% [DU 3. [Diploma Gil E. 2002 75% [UT ‘4. [Degree- CE. 2008 77% [WT 8. Professional Experience S.No. Post Held No. of Years Reasons 1, [Assistant Engineer (TDI) [2004-2005 Better Salary 2. [Junior Engineer (DLF) [2005-2006 Better Prospects 9. Hobbies ‘Travelling, Painting, reading 10. Current Salary Rs. 3,50,000 per annum 11, Expected Salary Negotiable 12, E-mail praveen.kumar@yahoo.com, 13, References ‘Mr. Gyan Prakash Dubey, Sr. Manager, TDI, 985150000. ‘Mr. Piyush Ganguly, General manager, DLF, 9781%x%%«x. ‘OR 5/31, Bangalore Cantt Bangalore - 21 4 March, 205%. ‘The Editor ‘The Hindu Bangalore -42 ‘Subject: Unhygienic Condition of Railways Sir, ‘Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, | would like to draw the atention of the General Manager, Southern Railways, to the prevailing unhygienic conditions ofthe Southern Railways. [ regret to inform you that recently, during my travel to Vasco in Vasco Express, 1 came across extremely tunhygienic conditions inside the train, The coaches were infested with cockroaches. As we al now, cockroaches carry bacteria that is harmful for humans as they contaminate the food. Small children fear such insects, due to which people suffer much inconvenience during thei journeys. Cockroach infested coaches is just one of the issues of concern. A co-passenger of mine found an insect in his food tray provided by the railway pantry. Apart from this, the toilets in the train were extremely dirty as well. | would request the authorities to look into the matter at the earliest and put stricter rules in place. They must ensure the use of insecticides at regular intervals so as to maintain proper hygiene levels inthe trains. Also, proper cleanliness and hygiene practices will reduce the risk of further infestation. ‘Thank you Yours sincerely Saran Singh 6. A. The Role ofthe Students in Removing Illiteracy by Rajiv Citizens of a country are its wealth. They can contribute a lot towards the development of a nation. Ifthe citizens are literate then this wealth becomes more precise and accurate. (Our country is standing at the threshold of joining the developed nations. But it is only possible when we achieve ‘complete literacy. Our government has launched a variety of plans to remove illiteracy. But, above all, isthe role of students in this direction, which may bring a significantchange. Considering that charity begins at home, students can offer to teach the children of their domestic helpers or they can go to different localities in groups and teach the underprivileged. Stadents can organise educational camps also or use street plays to show the importance of education, ‘They can even goto diferent schools to inspite other students and encourage them to ‘each one teach one! In this way, students can contribute a lot towards eradicating literacy. OR B. Seminar on Water Conservation Awareness ‘by Preeti Manoor, Pupil Leader, ‘Maryland School Gurgaon, 9 March, 20x : Maryland School, Gurgaon held 4 seminar on conservation of water. The fll day seminar ‘was a part of the World Water Day celebration and was hheld in the school auditorium. Students of class-XI from neighbouring schools of the zone were also invited to participate in the seminar. Ms. Amla Ruia, a Mumbai based water conservationist, who was the Chief Guest, presided over the event. ‘The seminar began with a street play, performed by the students of the host school, on the need for water conservation. Issues, such as scarcity of water, water pollution, climate change were raised inthe street play. Later representatives of @ Mumbai based NGO, Swades Foundation, shared some easy methods to conserve water both at home and outside, Ms. Amla Ruia shared with the participants the seminar some traditional water harvesting techniques. She encouraged students to create awareness about restoring water so that the future generations learn to save water and lead a sustainable life. The seminar ended with the Principal expressing her gratitude towards the speakers for enlightening those present atthe seminar. She also vowed to adopt various water conservation techniques for the school from them on 7. A. C.PabloNeruda ii, The wars which exploit the green wealth of nature by deforestation iii. C, War won with loss from both sides ix. The poet wants them to put on ‘new clothes’ Le, to adopt a new approach towards ie. v. D. Keeping Quiet vi. Personification OR i. A. Dueto the ordeals and hardships she has had to face being in a patriarchal society iB. Because she has created tigers which ae symbols of confidence and fearlessness as she wants to be like them. ii, Proud and unafraid iv. B. The burden of marriage and patriarchy No, because even after her death, the society will suppress woman, vi. Adrienne Rich 8. A. Lcommunism iD. Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 can be inferred. lil, C. In order to write poetry, one needs fre time. iv. C. are creative and need to have free time to weave their thoughts % ‘Averse’ means having a very strong dislike for something ‘vi. B. She is a Gandhi when she raises her voice against “hinsa’ oF violence. oR B. 4A. Because their guest didnt look like an educated, iB. The father sad as soon as he gets clean and dressed, up, her doubts will be gone. fil, embarrassed ix. D. Manners \. The rattrap peddler vi. B. to gradually become worse 9. A. iL Bi The tiger protested and refused to get out of the car. iL A bcandd fil, The tiger did not actually die, It had fainted due to the sound of the bullet. i. The fear oflosing ob and income made the dewan and. his wife take the tiger to the forest. OR BL iC. Uncertainty iD. pristine iii, ittels us about the past, present and future ofthe Earth iv. The questions asked by the narrator signifies the deep concern of the narrator for the world and its environment, 10. i. Aunt Jennifer was oppressed by rules laid down by hher domineering husband, Her life was overburdened by the demands and duties of her married life and the patriarchal society. lacked self-expression. Although old and weak, she hhad to face the ordeals of her oppressive marriage al er life, there was no escape from her husband. fi, The very first incident was the one at the beach with his father when Douglas was three or four years old. A wave had knocked him over and engulfed him in it completely. “The next incident was at YMCA when an eighteen year old boy threw Douglas into the swimming pool. iil. “The writer meant that till Saheb was aragpickerhe was a carefree boy, who would work and had time for himself, But from the time he joined the tea stall he started working under somebody else and had to follow what his master ‘would say, Thus he had no time for himself and was no longer his own master. ix. Silence will give us time to think, to introspect, evaluate ‘our actions and act more responsible. According to Neruda, this s how keeping quiet can change our attitude towards life. ¥. The poor farmers have set up a new shed on the edge of the highway because they hoped the city people who ‘commute on that road, will take pity on them and buy things from them. This will get the poor farmers some money. vi. A lawyer used to be a part of the Story Department at the Gemini Studios. Though, as legal adviser, he was supposed tobe involved in legal matters, his crazy yet stupid. idea led tothe end of an actress’ career. Due to this, he was referred to as the illegal advisor, by the people.11. i. Derry’s mother did not have a good impression of ‘Mr. Lamb for she thought that he was not a good man, She did not want Derry to get acquainted with him or see him for any purpose. ‘The messenger came to Dr Sadao to inform him that the old General was in pain again and needed his care. Hana hhad thought that the servants had betrayed them and the ‘messenger had come to arrest Dr. Sadao for sheltering the ‘American, an enemy soldier. iii, ‘There were various reasons because of which the Maharaja banned tiger hunting in the state of Pratibandapuram. He vowed to hunt and kill hundred tigers to prove the astrologer wrong who predicted that a tiger would be the cause of his death. However, the tiger population ofis kingdom was quickly diminishing because of the Maharaj hunting spree. This is why he did not want anyone else to hunt or kill tigers. 12, A. The peddler, who has never been treated with kindness and compassion, first comes across it when the lonely crofter welcomes him into his house. Next, tis the ironmaster and his daughter Edla, who are seen showing compassion towards the weary peddler. Although, the fronmaster expresses concern towards him only until he realises that he has mistaken the peddler for an old and close friend, Edla’ attitude towards men and matters is different from her father’ attitude. The ironmaster behaves rudely with the peddler and questions him about his dishonest bbchaviour, he even threatens to inform the sheriff about the peddler’s actions as he does not want the vagabond in his hhouse anymore. However, Edla empathises with the tired and dishevelled looking peddler She invites him to celebrate Christmas with them and enjoy the Christmas feast. She is ‘more persuasive than her father; she seems firm yet polite in her approach when she insists that he should stay with them foraslong ashe wants. She asked him to keep her father’s suit, ‘which is given to him to wear and invites him to come back next year for Christmas. The peddler used to be someone with a grudge against the world. However, compassion and understanding shown by Eda transform this selfish thief {ntoa man with conscience. He not only returns the crofter’s money, but also leaves a letter and a gift a rattrap, for Eda. In the letter he thanks Eda for treating him like a true gentleman, with great honour and respect and assures her that he shall change his old ways. This shows that kindness pays, rudeness never. The peddller was not bad at heart but only a victim of his circumstances. oR B. Good morning students! We all knov what it’ like to be afraid. Fear is our body's natural response toa perceived threat or danger. But when wwe are too afraid of everything and let them dominate us it will hinder us, from achieving our true potential. We can learn valuable lessons from the lives of people we learn about. Fear is a strange force that immobilizes us and prevents us from progressing. In the text, ‘Deep Water, we can observe this in the case of William Douglas. Because Douglas is paralysed by his earlier traumatic experiences in the water, he is unable to lead a normal life and cannot go fishing, canoeing, etc. Similarly. the case ofthe struggle of Champarans peasants, this can also be observed. Due to fear of the Britshers, the peasants of Champaran couldnt take a stand for their rights. They needed to devise a plan in order to work on their fears. They were able to gather around the courthouse in Motihar, by taking steps to overcome their fear. Learning to overcome one’s fear requires lot of persistence, gritand determination it took Douglas months toovercome his fear while he trained with a coach and finally he was able to overcome his fear of the water and learn swimming. Silay it took one year forthe peasants of Champaran to get justice. Sometimes itis extremely hard to fight one’ fear fn one’ oven. So, we can take assistance and support from others and fight united. Only when the people were united in Champaran, they were able to challenge the government and fight for justice. But once they were able to overcome their fear, they were able to live thei ifeto the fllest. We should all take inspiration from these stories and live ‘our lives to the fllest without fear. 13, A. One night, while in a hurry to catch a subway train from the Grand Central Staton, Charley took a path which led him to the third level of Grand Central Station. On arriving there, he encountered something, which appeared ‘outright strange to him. The information booth was made of wood, the lights were open flame galight and therefore dim. ‘There where old fashioned railway engines, men and women, {nol fashioned clothes carrying old fashioned accessories, such asthe gold pocket watch. There were bras spittoons ‘nthe floors. By now Charley had an inkling that the path had brought him tothe past. In order to confirm his doubt Ihe decided to check the newspaper. The newspaper was “The ‘world’ and the date on it read June, 11,1894. Publication ‘of the same had been stopped hundred years ago. When ‘Charley went to buy two tickets to Galesberg,Hlinois, the clerk refused to sell him ticketsbecause he didnot recognise the new currency, which Charley was offering. on B. Theattitude ofthe General in the matte ofthe enemy soldier was strange and unusual. He always portrayed himself as the most patriotic and dutiful General there could ever be. However, when Dr. Sadao told him about treating the American soldier the General didnot get Dr. Sadao arrested for treason. He needed the highly skilled ‘surgeon for his own survival. This makes it evident that the General was a self absorbed man, who was concerned only about himself The fact that he offered to get the American soldier killed by his private assassins, that too as secretly as, possible, shows the inhuman side ofthe General. Dr Sadao ‘waited fr three consecutive nights fr the assassins to show up at his house and do their job, but they did not come. Late, the General admited to have forgotten all about the ‘enemy soldier and the assassins whom he was supposed to send to get rid of the American, because be was distressed by his own pain. Once again, it proves the self-absorbed nature of the General. Ii also dereliction of duty to quite nestenton the Generals part because e put himself above his country’s safety.