PRUDENCE SCHOOL DWARKA 22

FINAL EXAMINATION
SESSION: 2023-2024

QUESTION PAPER
SUBJECT: ENGLISH-CORE (301)
SET 1
Name:________________ Maximum Marks: 80
Name and Signature of Invigilator:_________________
Roll Number: ___________________

Date and Day of Examination: 5 February 2024, Monday

TIME ALLOWED: 3 HOURS

DO NOT OPEN THE BOOKLET UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO DO SO

*Kindly read the Instructions carefully!
*Kindly write the SET number in your answer script!
*Kindly check that this question paper consists of 16 questions and 8 pages.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1. The question paper is divided into 4 sections - A, B, C and D
2. All questions are compulsory to attempt.
3. Section A – (Comprehension)This section consists of 2 passages and 1 question on note making. This
section is of 26 Marks
4. Section B - (Grammar) This section consists of 2 questions of 3 marks each.
5. Section C – (Writing) This section consists of 2 questions of 3 marks each and 2 questions of 5 marks
each.
6. Section D – (Literature) This section has 7 questions based on literature.
7. There is no overall choice. However, an internal choice has been provided in section D. You have to
attempt only ONE of the choices in such questions.
8. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
9. Take care of grammar, spelling mistakes, handwriting, etc. as these also carry marks respectively.

Signature of the Student: _______________

ALL THE BEST!



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 SECTION A(Reading)
1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow it: 10
(i) Ghost nets aren’t supernatural, but they are legitimately scary. A ghost net is a fishing net that’s been lost or
abandoned in the ocean. They are one particularly appalling part of the global ghost fishing problem, which
includes fishing gear abandoned in the water. Any net or line left in the ocean can pose a threat to marine life. Just
because a net is no longer used by fishers doesn’t mean it stops working. These nets continue to trap everything in
their path, presenting a major problem for the health of our oceans and marine life.
(ii) Ghost nets entangle sea turtles, dolphins and porpoises, birds, sharks, seals and more, apart from catching fish.
The nets keep animals from moving freely, cause injuries and keep mammals and birds from rising to the surface
for air. Since hundreds of animals can be caught in a single net, this threat is monumental. The ghost nets harm
coral reefs too—breaking corals, exposing them to disease and even blocking the reefs from needed sunlight.
(iii) Ghost nets are also a major contributor to the ocean plastics’ crisis. Most modern nets are made of nylon or
other plastic compounds that can last for centuries. According to a 2018 study in Scientific Reports, ghost nets
make up at least 46 percent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Those abandoned fishing lines and nets that do
breakdown never go away; they just become smaller pieces of plastic. Marine animals mistake this microplastic
for food and eat it, which can harm internal organs, keep them from eating and expose them to toxic chemicals.
(iv) Exorcising ghost nets from our oceans will require commitment, cooperation and innovation. Many groups
are working to remove ghost nets from the sea and are collaborating with local fishers and governments around
the world to identify target areas and remove as many nets as possible. In 2015, a single World Wildlife Fund for
Nature (WWF)-led mission in the Baltic Sea hauled up 268 tons of nets, ropes and other material.
(v) To stop these nets from becoming ghosts in the first place, conservation organisations advocate for fishing
gear that can be traced to its owner so anyone dumping nets can be fined and refundable deposits on nets to
encourage returning or recycling rather than littering. Tools like sonar reflectors that can make ghost nets easier to
find and working with small-scale fisheries to develop more sustainable fishing gear and practices are other
suggestions. It is only by attacking this problem from all sides, together with conservation partners, fishers and
supporters, can we banish ghost nets and protect our oceans.
(437 words)
Adapted from - https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/our-oceans-are-haunted-by-ghost-nets-why-that-s scary-
and-what-we-can-do—24
On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer the given questions respectively.
(1) Complete the sentence by choosing an appropriate option. 1
Ghost nets have been named so because they:
a) cause much harm to the marine life.
b) are functional though not in use by fishers.
c) are not owned by anyone.
d) act as a snare for all animals in oceans.

(2) Comment on the writer’s reference to the ghost nets in paragraph one, as a health problem for the oceans. 1

(3) List the two ways being entangled in a ghost net is likely to impact a walrus. 1
(Clue: Think about the type of animal a walrus is)

(4) Select the option that conveys the opposite of ‘negligible’, from words used in paragraph two. 1
a) unimpressive
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b) monumental
c) exposing
d) threat

(5) The writer would agree with the given statements based on paragraph three, EXCEPT: 1
a) Most ghost nets take a few years to completely disintegrate.
b) Ghost nets contribute to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
c) Most ghost nets provide nutrition to marine animals, upon disintegration.
d) Ghost nets can curtail freedom of marine animals.

(6) Some records share that fishing nets used to be made of common rope using natural fibres, prior to the 1960s.
Based on your understanding of paragraph three, list one major advantage that these had over the fishing nets
being used in present times. 1

(7) Why is it fair to say that commitment and innovation have to go hand-in-hand to rid the oceans of ghost nets? 1

(8) Complete the given sentence with an appropriate inference, with respect to the following: 1
The writer quotes the example of the WWF-led mission in the Baltic Sea (Paragraph 4), in order to ______.

(9) How can the solutions, suggested in paragraph five, best be described? 1
a) practical
b) presentable
c) popular
d) prejudiced

(10) Select the most suitable title for the above passage. 1
a) The Scary Side of Ghost Nets
b) Ghost Nets – A Result of Human Dominance
c) Ghost Nets – A Menace to Marine Life
d) Ways to Tackle the Problem of Ghost Nets

2. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow it: 8
(i) It is generally accepted that leadership development should be a part of the education system's responsibility
for preparing individuals to participate in a democratic and progressive society. Many schools, colleges and
universities, across nations, provide their students with leadership courses, curricular programs and co-curricular
programs that are designed to develop students’ formal knowledge about leadership as well as opportunities and
experiences to develop students as leaders and actually practise leadership. Yet, only a handful of studies have
sought to understand leader development from the students’ point of view, with students describing their own
experiences and what they learned from them in their own words.
(ii) A 2014 descriptive study sought to understand student leadership with research through key events via the
following research questions:
Research Question 1: What key events do student leaders in college, report as significantly impacting their
development as a leader?

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Research Question 2: What lessons do student leaders in college, report learning as a result of the key events
they have experienced?
Research Question 3: Are certain key events more likely to be linked to particular lessons?
Approximately 130 students were contacted and the 72 interested, were interviewed. Two members of the
research team were present for each 15–45-minute interview. One member served as the primary interviewer
while the second ran the audio equipment. The results for lessons learned (Table 1), were varied, but there were a
few that were frequently quoted.
Table 1
Lessons Learned Responses
Identity
Self Identity 58
Leadership Identity 54
Professionalism 30
Balancing roles 19
Individual competencies
Delegation 17
Decision making 15
Adaptability/Flexibility 38
Resilience/Hard 18
Work/Persistence 36
Taking Initiative 29
Accountability/Responsibility 27
Big Picture 18
Learning to teach/Learn
Support Systems 36
Developing and using support 28
systems
Being a support system 59
Working with others 26
Communication 21
Teamwork 32
Conflict 17
Diversity 30
Inspiring and motivating others
Others working with others 55
Getting the job done 34
Task Skills
Environment
(iii) This study described the rich array of leadership lessons that students are learning through their experiences.
It revealed that student leaders are learning foundational leadership skills and competencies that have positively
impacted how to accomplish work, how to work with others and how to be both supported by and support others.
(295 words)
Adapted from-
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
264696744_Key_Events_in_Student_Leaders'_Lives_and_Lessons_Learned_from_Them
On the basis of the understanding of the passage, answer the following questions respectively:
(1) Does the following statement agree with the information given in paragraph 1? 1

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The researcher believes that educational institutions have ideal resources to study impact of leadership skills on
young adults.
Select from the following:
True - if the statement agrees with the information
False - if the statement contradicts the information
Not Given - if there is no information on this

(2) Do you think the researchers of the study aimed to change the students’ outlook towards the development of
leadership skills, directly or indirectly? Support your answer with reference to the text. 1

(3) Complete the sentence based on the following statement. 1

More than 50% of the identified student respondents were keen to participate in the 2014 study.
We can say this because ______________.

(4) The lessons for ‘Individual competencies’ had a range of responses. Give one reason why having the least
number of responses for ‘Decision Making’, is a matter that needs attention. 1

(5) Based on the reading of the text, state a point to challenge the given statement. 1
When theoretical knowledge about leadership suffices, it is a waste of funds by educational organisations, to
organise leadership camps and programmes.

(6) Complete the sentence appropriately with one/ two words. 1

In the context of “Working with Others” in Table 1, the lesson of ‘Conflict’ refers to _______________.

(7) Complete the given sentence by selecting the most appropriate option. 1
The 2014 study attempts to understand student leadership by focussing on ____________.
a) experiences that shaped students’ overall personality.
b) lessons gained by students as they grew up.
c) relationship of key events with particular lessons.
d) students in leadership roles.

(8) Select the option that displays the key event designed with “Balancing Roles” (Table 1) as the objective. 1
a) Students will be able to debate the issue at hand, with different teams.
b) Students will be able to manage the responsibilities of a mentor, planner researcher and presenter.
c) Students will be able to surmount minor problems and focus on the final goal.
d) Students will be able to explain concepts and clarify them for peers.

3. Read the passage given below: 8

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making a difference to how legal work is done, but it isn’t the threat it is made
out to be. AI is making impressive progress and shaking up things all over the world today. The assumption
that advancements in technology and artificial intelligence will render any profession defunct is just that, an
assumption and a false one. The only purpose this assumption serves is creating mass panic and hostility
towards embracing technology that is meant to make our lives easier.

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 Let us understand what this means explicitly for the legal world. The ambit of AI includes recognizing human
speech and objects, making decisions based on data, and translating languages. Tasks that can be defined as
‘search-and-find’ type can be performed by AI.
Introducing AI to this profession will primarily be for the purpose of automating mundane, tedious tasks that
require negligible human intelligence. The kind of artificial intelligence that is employed by industries in the
current scene, when extended to the law will enable quicker services at a lower price. AI is meant to automate
a number of tasks that take up precious working hours lawyers could be devoted to tasks that require
discerning, empathy, and trust- qualities that cannot be replicated by even the most sophisticated form of AI.
The legal profession is one of the oldest professions in the world. Thriving over 1000 years; trust, judgement,
and diligence are the pillars of this profession. The most important pillar is the relationship of trust between a
lawyer and clients, which can only be achieved through human connection and interaction.
While artificial intelligence can be useful in scanning and organizing documents pertaining to a case, it cannot
perform higher-level tasks such as sharp decision making, relationship-building with valuable clients and
writing legal briefs, advising clients, and appearing in court. These are over and above the realm of
computerization.
The smooth proceeding of a case is not possible without sound legal research. While presenting cases lawyers
need to assimilate information in the form of legal research by referring to a number of relevant cases to find
those that will favour their client’s motion. Lawyers are even required to thoroughly know the opposing stand
and supporting legal arguments they can expect to prepare a watertight defence strategy. AI, software that
operates on natural language enables electronic discovery of information relevant to a case, contract reviews,
and automation generation of legal documents.
AI utilizes big-data analytics which enables visualization of case data. It also allows for creation of a map of
the cases which were cited in previous cases and their resulting verdicts, as per the website Towards Data
Science. The probability of a positive outcome of a case can be predicted by leveraging predictive analytics
with machine learning. This is advantageous to firms as they can determine the return on investment in
litigation and whether an agreement or arbitration should be considered.
(i) On the basis of your reading of the passage, make notes using headings and sub-headings. Use
recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary (minimum four) 5
(ii) Make a summary of the above passage in not more than 80 words using the notes made and also
suggest a suitable title. 3

SECTION B (Grammar)
4. Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs given in the brackets: 3
(i) It ________________ (rain) since morning.
(ii) Look! Smoke __________ (come) out of the window.
(iii) She found that the milk ___________ (boil) over.

5. Re-order the following words or phrases into meaningful sentences. 3

(i) age/ to/ the/ under/ of/ Children/ are not permitted/ eighteen/ drive
(ii) on the platform/ vendors with/ were/ wares/ their/ selling/ flowers/ sweet-smelling/ the
(iii) few/ had/ only been a/ rain/ minutes/ he/ since/ had walked/ It/ outside/ it began to/ when

SECTION C (Writing)
6. Principal, Sunrise Global School, Agra requires a receptionist for her school. Draft a suitable advertisement in
about 50 words to be published in the classified columns of a national newspaper giving all the necessary
details of qualifications and experience required in the receptionist. 3

7. You are the President of WICCI which is organising a health conclave focusing on women’s health. Draft a
poster creating awareness about the event. 3

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8. You are Ali/Alia, Head girl / Head boy of your school. You are deeply disturbed by the rising cases of
aggressive behaviour of students in your school. You decide to speak during the morning assembly
about it. Write a speech on ‘Indiscipline in Schools’ in 150-200 words.
5

9. “Academic excellence is the only requirement for a successful career.” Write a debate either for or
against the motion in 120-150 words.
5

SECTION D (Literature)
10. Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow it: 3
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!
(i) When does the poet realize that his childhood has gone?
(ii) Why is the age of eleven so important for the poet?
(iii) When did the poet know that ‘hell’ and ‘heaven’ are imaginary concepts?

11. Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow it: 3
Hor was a grim, miserable place. There was no vegetation whatsoever, just dust and rocks, liberally scattered
with years of accumulated refuse, which was unfortunate given that the town sat on the shore of Lake
Manasarovar, Tibet’s most venerated stretch of water. Ancient Hindu and Buddhist cosmology pinpoints
Manasarovar as the source of four great Indian rivers: the Indus, the Ganges, the Sutlej and the
Brahmaputra. Actually only the Sutlej flows from the lake, but the headwaters of the others all rise nearby on
the flanks of Mount Kailash.
(i) What kind of place is Hor?
(ii) What does the word ‘accumulated’ mean?
(iii) Manasarovar is the source of ___________.

12. Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow it: 4
His thoughts were heavy, muddled. The episode he had witnessed at Cardiff station still obsessed him
morbidly. He thought of Bramwell, foolishly devoted to a woman who deceived him sordidly, of Edward Page,
bound to the shrewish Blodwen, of Denny, living unhappily, apart from his wife. His reason told him that all
these marriages were dismal failures.
(i) Who is ‘He’ in the extract?
(ii) Answer in a single line: What was his view about marriages of his acquaintances?
(iii) What was Andrew Manson by profession?
(iv) What does the word ‘Morbidly’ mean?

13. Answer any TWO questions out of the following in 40 – 50 words. 3+3=6
(i) Everybody including the sparrows mourned the grandmother’s death. Elaborate.

(ii) The story ‘We’re Not Afraid to Die’ has a lesson ‘optimism helps to endure direst stress’. Do you
agree? Why/Why not?

(iii) “Curse of the Pharaoh”, joked a guard nervously. What is the curse and why did the guard say so?

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 (iv) How is the tree transformed during the bird’s visit? Write the line that shows this transformation.
(v) Natural elements such as air and rain make no discrimination and bless everyone equally. Comment
on class distinction and inequality, which is totally a human creation.

14. Answer any ONE question out of the following in 40 – 50 words. 3

(i) Why did Einstein want to get a medical certificate?

(ii) In the story ‘The Address’, why did the old possessions of the narrator lose their value?

(iii) What tricks did the narrator play to intensify Ranga’s interest in Ratna?

15. Answer any ONE question out of the following in 120 – 150 words. 6
(i) Man is ‘‘the eye of the landscape’’ says Francois Cheng. Discuss this concept on the basis of reading
‘Landscape of the soul’.

(ii) Imagine you are Howard Carter. You were fortunate to find King Tut’s tomb intact. Describe what
you saw in the burial chamber. Describe King Tut’s coffins and their contents.

(iii) Gradually the author and the grandmother saw less of each other and their friendship was broken.
Was the distancing deliberate or due to the demands of the situation? Elaborate.

16. Answer any ONE question out of the following in 120 – 150 words. 6
(i) Contrast the character of the narrator’s mother and Mrs Dorling.

(ii) “We had been famous for our honesty for something like eleven centuries,” the narrator describes his
family in these words. Do you think it is possible to remain honest in modern times?

(iii) ‘The Tale of Melon City’ consists of a series of humorous incidents. Describe the events that led to the
hanging of the king by his own order.
______________________________________________________________________________________________

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