DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, UDAIPUR

SESSION 20223-24
ANNUAL EXAMINATION (SAMPLE PAPER)
CLASS- XI, ENGLISH CORE (301)
TIME: 3 HRS. MAX. MARKS: 80

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:
1. THE QUESTION PAPER CONTAINS THREE SECTIONS-READING, WRITING
AND LITERATURE.
2. ATTEMPT QUESTIONS BASED ON SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR EACH PART.
SECTION A (READING)
Q.1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: (1x10=10)
1. Panchayati Raj goes a long way in accomplishing community participation and
empowering the marginalized and vulnerable in the hinterland through grassroots
administrative institutions.
2. Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) play a predominant role in the delegation of power
and resources to villages. The role of PRIs acquires crucial significance in the
attainment of cherished ideals of good governance including Gram Swaraj and
localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
3. Mahatma Gandhi deserves special mention for conceptualizing Panchayat Raj in
India. He envisioned panchayats as a small self-sufficient republic that entails total
participation of the people and equal opportunities for all.
4. The 1993 amendment has proved to be a catalyst in bringing more than 14.5 lakh
women into leadership roles in the country’s local governance. At present as many as
20 states have 50% seats reserved for women in their PRIs. States such as Karnataka
are giving the much-needed impetus to women into governance with more than 50%
women representation in PRIs. Since ages, the prerogative of men in politics and
governance is slowly and steadily changing at the grassroots and women are at the
forefront making their way in a field from which they have historically been excluded.
To top it all, while the Covid crisis had disproportionate impact on women, in terms
of increased vulnerability to job and income losses, and heightened burden of care
work, women have shined through as being the first responders in their roles as
frontline health workers, and local leaders in PRIs and Self-Help Groups.
5. Panchayat Palli in Jammu was selected for the Panchayati Raj Diwas event this year
and an exhibition showcasing latest innovations was put up enabling farmers,
sarpanchs and village heads to advance their income and their produce.
6. The need and demand for good governance is fuelled with the rapid expansion of the
economy as well as the growing awareness for proclamation of rights by the populace.
PRI engagement is possibly the only existing mechanism to accomplish large-scale
community participation and empower the marginalised and vulnerable, particularly
women, children, and the poor. While the centre and the state government are
together implementing various development programmes, it all boils down to PRIs to
have a definite mandate for realization of the goal towards improving the quality of
life in rural areas. To sum up in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “When the Panchayat
Raj is established, public opinion will do what violence can never do.”
On the basis of your reading of the passage answer the questions given below.
(1) Panchayati Raj Institutions have been formed for
 (i) assigning excess power to villages
(ii) assigning power and resources to villages
(iii) taking away power and resources from villages
(iv) converting villages into metropolitan cities
(2) According to para-3, which of the options most appropriately describes the impact
of Covid crisis on women in villages?
(i) drastic fall in job opportunities
(ii) increased stress of care work
(iii) outshined as first responders in roles as frontline health workers
(iv) All the above
(3) Select the most suitable title for the above passage
(i) Gandhi's vision for PRIs
(ii) Role of Women in PRIs
(iii) Flag Bearers of Participative Democracy
(iv) Central government Vs PRIs
(4) Statement-A: Panchayat Palli in Jammu was selected for the Panchayati Raj Diwas
event this year.
Statement-R: Exhibition showcasing latest innovations was put up to advance
their income and their produce.
(i) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(ii) Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
(iii) A is true but R is false.
(iv) A is false but R is true.
(5) Select the option that conveys the opposite of ‘catalyst’.
(i) proclamation (ii) vulnerable
(iii) fuelled (iv) mandate
(6) Find the word from the passage which means ‘inhabitants’.
(i) Soon (ii) Eventually
(iii) Treating (iv) Irritable
(7) In what way did Mahatma Gandhi try to attain localization of SDGs while
conceptualizing Panchayat Raj in India?
(8) Comment on the role of women in the country’s local governance after the
amendment of 1993.
(9) List two reasons for the requirement of good governance.
(10) What do you understand about Gandhi's belief as given in the last paragraph?
Q.2. Read the passage given below: (1x8=8)
1. Over the last five years, more companies have been actively looking for intern profiles,
according to a 2018-19 survey by an online internship and training platform. This
 survey reveals that India had 80% more internship applications — with 2.2 million
applications received in 2018 compared to 1.27 million in the year before. The trend
was partly due to more industries looking to have fresh minds and ideas on existing
projects for better productivity. What was originally seen as a western concept, getting
an internship before plunging into the job market, is fast gaining momentum at Indian
workplaces.
2. According to the survey data, India’s National Capital Region has been the top
provider of internships, with a total of 35% internship opportunities, followed by
Mumbai and Bengaluru at 20% and 15%, This includes opportunities in startups,
MNCs and even government entities. The survey also revealed popular fields to find
internships in (Fig 1). There has been growing awareness among the students about
the intern profiles sought by hiring companies that often look for people with real-
time experience in management than B-school masters.

3. The stipend has been an important factor influencing the choice of internships. The
survey data reveals that the average stipend offered to interns was recorded as Rs.
7000 while the maximum stipend went up to Rs. 85,000. According to statistics, a
greater number of people considered virtual internships than in-office internships.
Virtual internships got three times more applications than in-office, since a large
chunk of students were the ones already enrolled in various courses, or preferred
working from home.
4. Internship portals have sprung up in the last three to four years and many of them
already report healthy traffic per month. Reports suggest that on an average, an
internship portal company has around 200,000-plus students and some 8,000
companies registered on it. It gets around two lakh visits online every month. The
Managing Director of a leading executive search firm says that though these web
platforms are working as an effective bridge between the industry and students, most
established companies are still reluctant to take too many interns on board for
obvious reasons.
On the basis of your reading of the passage answer the following questions.
(1) Select the option that displays the true statement with reference to fig 1.
(i) Internships for Engineering and Management are the top two
favourites.
(ii) Design and Architecture internships are significantly more popular
than Others.
(iii) Internships for Media and Others have nearly equal popularity
percentage.
 (iv) Management internships popularity is more than twice that for
media.
(2) The survey statistics mention the average stipend, indicating that
(i) 50% interns were offered Rs. 85,000.
(ii) Rs. 7000 was the lowest and Rs. 85,000 was the highest.
(iii) Most interns were offered around Rs. 7000.
(iv) no intern was more than Rs. 7000.
(3) The phrase ‘healthy traffic’ refers to the
(i) Updates from the portals about health and road safety.
(ii) Statistics about adherence to traffic rules by the portals.
(iii) Sizeable number of visitors to the portal per month.
(iv) Monthly data about the health of internship applicants.
(4) Select the correct inference with reference to the following:
Over the last five years, more companies have been actively looking for
intern profiles…
(i) The past five years have seen active applications by interns to
several companies.
(ii) The activity for intern profiling by the companies has reached a
gradual downslide over the past five years.
(iii) There were lesser companies searching for intern profiles earlier, as
compared to those in the recent five years.
(iv) Several companies have initiated intern profiling five times a year in
the recent past.
(5) Select the central idea of the paragraph.
(i) Process of registering for internships.
(ii) Knowing more about internships.
(iii) Do’s and Dont’s for an internship interview.
(iv) Start-ups and internships.
(6) List one reason why application for virtual training is three times more
than in-office internship.
(7) Why are established companies reluctant to take too many interns on
board?

(8) Replace the underline word with one word similar in meaning from the
extract.
The company has had a successful year and hope to maintain its impetus
by introducing new products.
Q.3. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow. (5+3=8)
 1. How does television affect our lives? It can be very helpful to people who carefully
choose the shows that they watch. Television can increase our knowledge of the
outside world; there are high quality programmes that help us understand many
fields of study, science, medicine, the different arts and so on. Moreover, television
benefits very old people, who can’t leave the house, as well as patients in hospitals. It
also offers non-native speakers the advantage of daily informal language practice.
They can increase their vocabulary and practise listening.
2. On the other hand, there are several serious disadvantages of television. Of course, it
provides us with a pleasant way to relax and spend our free time, but in some
countries people watch television for an average of six hours or more a day. Many
children stare at the TV screen for more hours a day than they spend on anything else,
including studying and sleeping. It’s clear that TV has a powerful influence on their
lives and that its influence is often negative.
3. Recent studies show that after only thirty seconds of television viewing, a person’s
brain ‘relaxes’ the same way that it does just before the person falls asleep. Another
effect of television on the human brain is that it seems to cause poor concentration.
Children who view a lot of television can often concentrate on a subject for only fifteen
to twenty minutes. They can pay attention only for the amount of time between
commercials.
4. Another disadvantage is that television often causes people to become dissatisfied
with their own lives. Real life does not seem so exciting to these people. To many
people, television becomes more real than reality and their own lives seem boring.
Also many people get upset or depressed when they can’t solve problems in real life
as quickly as television actors seem to.
5. Before a child is fourteen years old, he or she views eleven thousand murders on the
TV. He or she begins to believe that there is nothing strange about fights, killings and
other kinds of violence. Many studies show that people become more violent after
viewing certain programmes. They may even do the things that they see in a violent
show.
(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it using headings
and subheadings. Use recognisable abbreviations and a format you consider suitable.
Also, supply a title to it.
(b) Write a summary of the passage in not more than 80 words using the notes made.
SECTION B (Grammar & Writing Skills)
Q.4. Replace the underlined phrases with clauses. (1X4=4)
1. Do you know his place of birth?
2. In his absence, the thieves looted his house.
3. The asking price is high for a dilapidated house.
4. I am surprised at your question.
Q.5. Each sentence is divided into four parts. There is an error in one part. Find the error and
write the correct sentence and underline the correction made. (1X3=3)
1. When not / used all spare/ equipments/ should be put away.
2. Heavy clothings are/ essential/ if one is not to die/ from exposure to the cold.
3. Unfortunately there is/ a loss of /communications/ between me and my parents.
Q.6. Municipal Authority of your city has decided to put up posters to aware people about
importance of voting. Design a poster for the same in about 50 words. (3)
OR
On behalf of Social and Cultural Club of your school design a poster in about 50 words
to be put in school campus and major pathways to highlight the importance of festivals
in our lives.
Q.7. Draft a matrimonial advertisement in about 50 words to find a suitable match for your
brother who is working as an engineer in Bangalore. Include all necessary details.
(3)
OR
You are a choreographer. You are starting your classes in the month of February. Draft
a suitable advertisement for it in 50 words.
Q.8. Your school is conducting a special assembly on the topic ‘Health is Wealth’. As
Cultural Secretary of your school write your speech in 120-150 words. (5)
OR
You are the President in the student council of your school. You have to read out a
speech on the occasion of the Republic Day. Write your speech in 120-150 words.
Q.9. Your school is organising a debate competition on the topic, ‘Life in countryside is
better’. Write your debate either for or against the motion in 120-150 words. (5)
OR
Legal Literacy Club is organising a debate on the topic, ‘Peaceful protests achieve
nothing'. Write your debate either for or against the motion in 120-150 words.
SECTION C (LITERATURE)
Q.10. Read ANY ONE of the extracts and answer the questions that follow. (1X3=3)
(A) When did my childhood go?
Was it the day I ceased to be eleven,
Was it the time I realised that Hell and Heaven,
Could not be found in Geography,
And therefore could not be,
Was that the day!
1. Choose the correct option after reading the statements given below.
(A) Hell and Heaven are imaginary concepts.
(B) Geography does not study about imaginative places.
(i) (A) is true and (B) is false
(ii) (A) is false and (B) is true
(iii) Both (A) and (B) are false
(iv) Both (A) and (B) are true
2. What change has occurred in the life of the poet?
(i) He has excelled in Geography
 (ii) He has become rational
(iii) He will attain the age of 11
(iv) none of the above
3. Name the poetic device used in the extract that is same as in, ‘The sun smiled
down on us’.
OR
(B) Silence surrounds us. I would have
Him prodigal, returning to
His father's house, the home he knew,
1. Choose the correct option after reading the statements given below.
(A) The father wants his son to return.
(B) The son is prodigal.
(i) (A) is true and (B) is false
(ii) (A) is false and (B) is true
(iii) Both (A) and (B) are false
(iv) Both (A) and (B) are true
2. What sort of ‘silence’ is father talking about in the extract?
(i) endangered the companionship existing between father and son
(ii) robbed them of friendship and warmth
(iii) brought them a little closer
(iv) all of the above
3. Identify the phrase in the extract that uses same poetic device as in, ‘furrow follow free’.
Also name the poetic device.
Q.11. Read ANY ONE of the extracts and answer the questions that follow. (1X3=3)
(A) For the first time in human history, there is a growing worldwide consciousness
that the earth itself is a living organism — an enormous being of which we are
parts. It has its own metabolic needs and vital processes which need to be
respected and preserved. The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining
health. We have begun to realise our ethical obligations to be good stewards of the
planet and responsible trustees of the legacy to future generations
1. How can earth be a living organism?
(i) it has its metabolic needs
(ii) human beings are part of this enormous being
(iii) it has its processes like humans
(iv) all of the above
2. The expression, “good stewards of the planet” refers to ____________
(i) we have to take care of the planet
(ii) we need to be good drivers
 (iii)to use maximum resources of the planet
(iv)none of the above
3. Complete the analogy given below.
Moral: Ethical :: Inheritance : ___________
OR
(B) From the gently rolling hills of Ravu, the short cut took us across vast open plains with
nothing in them except a few gazelles that would look up from nibbling the arid pastures and
frown before bounding away into the void. Further on, where the plains became more stony
than grassy, a great herd of wild ass came into view. Tsetan told us we were approaching
them long before they appeared. “Kyang,” he said, pointing towards a far-off pall of dust.
When we drew near, I could see the herd galloping en masse, wheeling and turning in tight
formation as if they were practising manoeuvres on some predetermined course. Plumes of
dust billowed into the crisp, clean air.
1. The expression, “before bounding away into the void” means that _________
(i) the gazelles ran helter-skelter
(ii) they didn’t like being disturbed
(iii) they leapt and vanished into nothingness
(iv) they got startled
2. Tsetan could predict the presence of wild ass long before they could be seen by_________
(i) hearing their call
(ii) observing a great cloud of dust
(iii)hearing them galloping
(iv)seeing the leader of their herd
3. Complete the analogy given below.
Swell: ________:: Drills : Manoeuvres
Q.12. Read ANY ONE of the extracts and answer the questions that follow. (1X4=4)
(A) “Don’t fret, mother, I’ll not run away.” Down in the kitchen he drank the tea which
she gave him.
Overwrought as he was, he knew he could not snatch even an hour’s sleep if he went
home. He knew, too, that the case here would demand all his attention. A queer
lethargy of spirit came upon him. He decided to remain until everything was over.
1. In the statement: ‘Don’t fret, mother, I’ll not run away’, what is the meaning of ‘run
away’?
(i) going back to the kitchen
(ii) going back to the hospital
(iii) going back to sleep
(iv) going back home
2. By the expression, “overwrought as he was……”, the author means_____
(i) excited (ii) stressed
 (iii)delighted (iv)laid back
3. Why does a queer lethargy of spirit come upon the doctor?
4. Replace the underline word with one word similar in meaning from the extract.
For those of us who worry about ways in which modern technology distances us from
understanding this programme was a revelation.
OR
(B) Well on,
Account of customary choice
If His Majesty rejoice, in being a Melon,
That’s OK with us, for who are we to say
1. What is referred by ‘customary choice’?
(i) a habit of the royal family
(ii) a custom in their kingdom
(iii) the popular voice wanted this
(iv) the crazy man forced them to declare melon as king
2. Based on your understanding of the stanza, which statement is TRUE?
(i) In customary choice, the common people don’t matter
(ii) In customary choice, the noblemen don’t matter
(iii) In customary choice, the royal family doesn’t matter
(iv) All of the above
3. Replace the underline word with one word similar in meaning from the extract.
Intermediate skiers will be happy in the vast amount of long red runs, idealfor improving
your skiing.
4. What is suggested about the common man by the phrase, ‘for who are we to say’?
Q.13. Answer any TWO in about 30-40 words each. (3X2=6)
1. A trigger to memories make you feel nostalgic. How is this true in case of Shirley
Toulson?
2. How is the tree transformed during the bird’s visit in ‘The Laburnum Top’?
3. What role industries have to play in the era of respomsibility?
Q.14. Answer any ONE in about 30-40 words each. (3)
1. What is the thing and why it is the easiest to forget? (The Address)
2. How has irony been beautifully embedded in the poem, ‘The Tale of Melon City’?
Explain briefly with the help of examples.
Q.15. Answer any ONE questions in 120-150 words. (6)
1. ‘A grandparent has silver in their hair and gold in their heart’, how has this been
brought out in ‘The Portrait of a Lady’?
 2. The goal of life is living in agreement with nature but man is not ready to agree,
forcing nature to be furious. Justify this on the basis of your reading of the
chapters ‘We’re Not Afraid to Die….’ and ‘Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues’.
Q.16. Answer any ONE questions in 120-150 words. (6)
1. After returning the horse Aram and Mourad were upset but satisfied. They shared
their feelings in their conversation. On the basis of your understanding of the story,
The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse’ write the conversation/ dialogue between
Aram and Mourad in this situation in about 120-150 words.
2. The family members of Mrs. Pearson changed after that day and behaved properly
with her. Mrs. Fitzgerald visited again after a couple of days and asked Mrs. Pearson
about her family life. Write Mrs. Pearson’s reply in 120-150 words.