SAINIK SCHOOL GOALPARA

HOMEWORK FOR SUMMER VACATION

SESSION: 2024-25
CLASS : XI (ENGLISH)

TEXTBOOKS

A PHOTOGRAPH

SAQ (40-50 words)

1. What do you infer from the line : “The sea holiday was her past, mine is her laughter.”
2. “Its silence silences.” Elaborate.
3. What does the poetess mean by ‘their terribly transient feet’?
4. Explain the phrase "laboured ease of loss".
LAQs (100-120 words)

5. How does the poem explore the theme of nostalgia and the passage of time
6. Analyze the use of language and literary devices in the poem.
THE LABURNUM TOP
SAQ (40-50 words)
7. How does Hughes use sound devices such as alliteration and onomatopoeia to
enhance the poem's imagery
8. Explain the phrase “barred face identity mask”.
9. Why does the poet say, “It is the engine of her family”?
10. How does the poet describe the goldfinch?
LAQs (100-120 words)
11. Analyze the relationship between the bird and the tree in the poem

12. What philosophical or existential questions does the poem raise about life, nature, and
existence
THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY
SAQ (40-50 words)
13. Give a description of Khushwant Singh’s grandmother according to his earliest memory
of her.
14. Khushwant Singh said about his grandmother: “She could never have been pretty, but
she was always beautiful.” Explain.
15. “When people are pious and good, even nature mourns their death.” Justify with
reference to ‘The Portrait of a Lady’.
16. How did the grandmother receive the narrator when he returned from abroad and how
did it affect her?
17. The narrator’s grandmother looked like a ‘winter landscape in the mountains’.
Comment.
LAQs (100-120 words)
18. Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother.

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19. Draw a character sketch of Khuswant Singh’s grandmother.

THE SUMMER OF THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE HORSE

SAQ (40-50 words)

20. What do you think induced the boys to return the horse to its owner?
21. What are the unique traits of the Garoghlanian tribe?
22. Why was Aram delighted and frightened at the same time when he saw his cousin
Mourad on a beautiful white horse?
23. Why did John Byro say that if he did not know their parents, he would swear that it was
his horse.
LAQs (100-120 words)

24. Compare and Contrast the characters of Mourad and Aram.

25. The narrator mentioned ‘a crazy streak’ running in his family. Which two characters
showed this streak in their behaviour and words? Write briefly about them showing how
they could be called crazy.

PROTFOLIO

Dear Student
As per the CBSE guidelines, a Portfolio for assessment of speaking has to be created
by you. A detailed set of instructions is given below for the making of the Portfolio. Kindly
follow the instructions carefully. Be creative, think, plan and see your ideas unfolding on
paper.

To make the Portfolio, use a separate file/folder. Cover it well and give a creative title. Use
A4 size sheets in the file. Research on the topic, organise the information & ideas before
writing. (Word Limit- 800-1000)

Topic : Climate Change

□ Page 1 – Cover Page

□ Page 2- Acknowledgement

□ Page 3- Contents

□ Page 4- Essay on the given topic (The essay must include the following)
a. Brief introduction
b. Comparison – Rise in temperature/global warming (last five decades)
c. Causes behind Climate Change
d. Initiatives taken by different nations including India to deal with climate change
e. Solutions
f. Your Role
g. Conclusion

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BOOK REVIEW :

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