ISC English Language Previous Year Question Paper 2011 Solved for Class 12
Question 1.
Write a composition (in approximately 450-500 words) on any one of the following subjects [30]
(You are reminded that you will be rewarded for orderly and coherent presentation of material, use of appropriate style and general accuracy of spelling, punctuation and grammar.)
(a) ‘Advancement in Science and Technology has made life more convenient and comfortable’. Describe ‘one day’ in the life of a common man, highlighting the significance of the above statement.
(b) ‘The joys and challenges of adolescence’. Explore the theme by referring to your own experiences.
(c) Inspiration.
(d) ‘The end justifies the means’. Argue for or against the proposition.
(e) ‘We fight for our rights but forget our duties’. Bring out the implication of this statement giving your own views.
(f) (i) Write an original story which has for its ending :
……………………. I said to myself, “Truth indeed is stranger than fiction’’.
OR
(ii) Write an original story entitled : ‘The Secret’.
Answers:
(a) Its 21st century-a day starts with toothpaste and brush not with dust of limestone. – other aspects of science which have made our life convenient – common things of technology- electricity – TV, Computer, AC, Mobile phones, print – newspapers and magazines, books vehicles – cars, buses, trains, motor bikes – how all these help in making life smoother. (Narrative is important. Should not be in first person narrative.)
(b) What is adolescence – its significance – its problems and benefits – attitude towards life during this period, how the youngsters are treated by others – the characteristic features of this period – adamant, high spirited, emotional, gullible, motivated – How these qualities and follies should be utilised and dealt with.
(c) Inspiration – Its merits – how it helps – (give examples of from your own life) – how it leads to victory – cause behind all great achievements.
(d) For – The result justifies everything – How our aim is achieved is not significant – present day scenario-what you achieve at the days’ end is more important – ethical values insignificant – fools think about the method and not the end – examples – reinforcement of the view.
Against Its not the end but how the aim is achieved, is more important – Ethical and moral values – present day rat race is a result of the loss of these ethical values – sense of responsibility – (Instances of the countiy, taking decision) – Reinstate your views.
(e) We fight but forget our duties – inspired and instigated by others – not being aware of the issue – unaware of the true reason – fighting for rights without being aware of what we are fighting for – too much engrossed in it – neglecting our moral duties – this leads to moral degradation.
(f) (i) We had often seen him moving from one platform to another. He was always in rags. He had a steel trunk lying in one corner. We used to think what would there be in that trunk which the old man guarded so carefully. One day the man had a severe heart attack and died. People assembled round his dead body. Soon a young man came there. Weeping bitterly he, claimed that the old man was his father. Now that he had died his dead body and the trunk belonged to him. Nobody objected to it. But within the minutes, finding a suitable opportunity the young man made away with the trunk. When the young man who had claimed to be the old man’s son had disappeared a well dressed middle-aged man came there. With his eyes bent in shame he said, that the old man was his father and he was his only son. We could not help saying that truth is indeed stranger than fiction.
Question 2.
The Interact Club of your school held a week literacy campaign recently. As a member of the club, write a report for the school magazine in about 300 words on the activities undertaken by the club members during the campaign. Use the notes given below. You may include other relevant details.
Announcement about the campaign in the morning assembly – purpose of the campaign – banners and posters made – visit to a slum – interaction between members of the club and the children of the slum – books, notebooks and stationery distributed – children taught in groups – food packets distributed – response from learners. [20]
Answers:
Successful Literacy Campaign:
As secretary of the Interact Club of our school, it is my privilege to report about the literacy campaign arranged by our school during last month. Our respected Principal announced about the literacy campaign in the morning assembly. The purpose of this campaign was to bring awakening among the slum children and to encourage them to join schools and acquire the benefits of education. Accordingly, we made arrangements and went to the nearby slum area, which was considered to be the most backward.
The members of the club were divided into separate groups. One such group was assigned the duty to make the banners and posters for the purpose. We interacted with the children of the slum area and tried to be acquainted with their problems.
It was revealed that most of the children worked in different shops to earn some money for their families and hence the habit of going to school was never encouraged by their parents also. The children seemed quite eager to be regular school goes if they were given the chance.
We found that they were too poor to buy the necessary’ books, notebooks and stationery. So we distributed the needed books and notebooks and encouraged them to go to school and explained to them the benefits of education.
Next, the members of another group took the responsibility of teaching the students. The children were divided into separate groups and different members were assigned the duty to teach them. They were also provided inter food packets. We received a very amiable and welcoming response from the slum children. They assured us that they would continue to study hard. They would work hard and become educated citizens of the country. Their parents too felt obliged and thanked us. In short, it was a very successful campaign.
Question 3.
Answer sections (a), (b) and (c). [10]
(a) In each of the following items, sentence A is complete, while sentence B is not.
Complete sentence B, making it as similar in meaning as possible to sentence A.
Write down sentence B in each case.
Example : (0)
(A) : Everyone knows that Ram is brave.
(B) : There is no one
Answer : (0) There is no one who does not know that Ram is brave.
(1)
(A) : Those who are honest are trusted by all,
(B) : The ……………………………………..
(2)
(A) ; Kusum is not as intelligent as her brother Kabir.
(B) ; ‘Kabir ……………………………………..
(3)
(A) : There were many problems in the beginning, all the saine it has been a successful event.
(B) : Not withstanding the ……………………………………..
(4)
(A) : She was in a hum’ and I was in a hum’ too.
(B) : She was in a hurry and so ……………………………………..
(5)
(A) : Mr. Kapoor taught us western music in school.
(B) : We were ……………………………………..
(6)
(A) : I am sorry I am unable to accompany you.
(B) : I regret my ……………………………………..
(7)
(A) : Smoking can cause damage to ‘our health,
(B) : Your health ……………………………………..
(8)
(A) : The prices of food grains have increased due to hoarding.
(B) : Hoarding has led ……………………………………..
(9)
(A) : Not many people listen to the radio these days.
(B) : Few ……………………………………..
(10)
(A) : Arun is fat, ‘vet he runs fast,
(B) : In spite ……………………………………..
(b) Fill in each blank with a suitable word. (Do not write the sentence): [5]
(1) This is ___________ all means the better book.
(2) The robbers broke _________ the house in the middle of the night.
(3) The kitchen was infested ____________ rats.
(4) During hic vacations. LHC students will be bus preparing ____________ the examinations.
(5) The workers toiled ____________ dawn to dusk.
(6) I take ____________ all that I said about him as I realise I had been wrong.
(7) He returned to his country ____________ ten long years.
(8) Ravi distributed the chocolates ____________ his cousins.
(9) The workers said they would call ____________ the strike if their demands were met.
(10) The old man passed ____________ in his sleep.
(c) Fill in each blank with the appropriate form of the word given in brackets. (Do not write the sentences) : [5]
(1) We ____________ (be) all, the caretakers of this earth.
(2) He need not go to the doctor as his fever ____________ (subside).
(3) The plane landed at Bangalore only two hours after ____________ (take) off from Delhi.
(4) As soon as the teacher entered the class, the students ____________ (stand) up to wish her.
(5) The river Ganga : ____________ (has) its origin in the Himalayas.
(6) The patient ____________ (die) before the doctor arrived.
(7) The joys and sorrows of life ____________ (weave) together.
(8) David ____________ (exercise) regularly when he was in college.
(9) Avoid ____________ (eat) junk food in order to remain healthy.
(10) Let me know as soon as they ____________ (finish).
Answers:
(a) (1) The honest are trusted by all.
(2) Kabir is more intelligent than his sister Kusum.
(3) Notwithstanding the many problems in the beginning, it has been a successful event.
(4) She was in a hurry and so was I.
(5) We were taught western music in school by Mr Kapoor.
(6) I regret my inability to accompany you.
(7) Your health can be damaged by smoking.
(8) Hoarding has led to an increase in the prices of food grains.
(9) Few people today listen to the radio.
(10) Inspite of being fat, Arun runs fast.
(b)
(1) by (2) into (3) with (4) for (5) from (6) back (7) after (8) among (9) off (10) away
(c)
(1) are (2) has subsided (3) taking (4) stood (5) has (6) had died (7) are woven (8) exercised (9) eating (10) finish
Question 4.
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:-
(1) The boy found the kites from Japan hidden in a dark passage of the house. Snehamoy helped him take out the kites from the box,Jifting each delicately by its staff, and spread them out on the courtyard.
(2) They fixed the day of celebration for Biswakarma- the god of machines to be their kite-flying day. But first, they’d have to be ready with rolls of line to fly the kites, lines sharpened with a coating of finely ground glass to cut those of their rivals. A suitable field must be found, one with a good view of the horizon and free of trees to prevent the lines getting tangled up in the branches. Their hearts pounded at the thought of a kite-fight. Like a sensible teacher, Snehamoy sat the boy down with his exercise book. ‘If each kite takes five hundred feet of line to fly, how many feet would twenty kites take ?’ he asked the boy. The boy frowned. ‘Only five hundred feet for each kite ! What if they get tangled with others during a fight and keep circling away needing more and more ?’
(3) The two spent a whole afternoon asking neighbours for empty glass bottles. Snehamoy’s aunt smashed them in her kitchen, then ground the shards in a pestle, pricking her thumb in the process. Glue was added to the glass granules, and a touch of vermilion dye to have the lines stand out against the blue sky and the clouds After returning from school, Snehamoy joined the boy in stringing lines from one end of their courtyard to another. Then, like workers, they wrapped their palms in soft cotton cloth, took lavish dips in the pail of abrasive, and went from one end of a line to another, carefully applying a uniform layer over it. In the end, they sat back in the kitchen and admired the brilliant maze turning their courtyard into a field of red pepper.
(4) For days, pedalling to and fro from school, Snehamoy heard the village buzzing with the impending kite-fight. Rival groups of boys formed teams and were spurred on bv a shopkeeper who was offering his regular kites free to anyone who was willing to brave the foreign invasion. Yet on the day of the grand contest, as the first of the Japanese kites came out of the box and heaved by its flyers, went up over the school building, there was a pall of silence. It was a giant Baromon, crashing the helmet of a samurai warrior between its teeth. Scarlet and ochre, it hung still, face up, refused to be cowed by the stiff breeze.
(5) Standing in a circle with the boys, Snehamoy strung the kites, gaze fixed on the sky. Like characters in a play, they made their appearance one by one. The Tsugara whirred like an airplane through a clever loop fixed on its back. The crowd went into a roar over the kabuki faces, which floated in the sky like stained glass windows lit by the afternoon sun. Soon the lines were crossing and tangling up the kites with a steady stream of taunts spurring on the flyers. The boy reached inside the kite box and scooped out more. Instantly the field buzzed with humming and whistling kites shaped as cicadas, gnats, dragonflies and dancing carps. It felt like a carnival and drew the crowd’s applause.
[Adapted from: The Japanese Wife – Kunal Basil]
(a) (0 Use each of the following words as used in the passage in a sentence of your own . construction so as to bring out its meaning very clearly. Using the word in a context very similar to the passage will be penalised. [5]
(1) field ………… (line 5)
(2) horizon ………… (line 7)
(3) rival ………… (line 22)
(4) contest ………… (line 24)
(5) scooped ………… (line 33)
(ii) For each of the words given below, write a sentence of at least 10 words using the word unchanged in form, but with a different meaning from that it carries in the passage: [4]
(1) staff (line 2)
(2) line (line 5)
(3) ground (line 14)
(4) uniform (line 19)
(iii) Explain, in the context of the passage in not more than two sentences of your own, the meaning of each of the following expressions taken from the passage (merely using phrases will not do). [4]
(1) ………… have the lines stand out against the blue sky and the clouds, (lines 15-16)
(2) ………… the brilliant maze turning their courtyard into a field of red pepper, (lines 20)
(3) ………… were spurred on by a shopkeeper who was offering his regular kites free to anyone who was willing to brave the foreign invasion (lines 22- 24).
(4) It felt like a carnival and drew the crowd’s applause, (line 35)
(b) Answer the following questions in your own words as briefly as possible :
(i) Where did the boy find the kites ? [1]
(ii) How did Snehamoy and the boy decide how much line each kite would need ? [2]
(iii) What effect did the impending kite-fight have on the villagers ? [2]
(iv) Describe the first kite which was heaved into the sky. [1]
(v) How did the kites flown by Snehamoy and the boy add to the atmosphere of joy and brightness ? [1]
(c) In not more than 100 words of your own, describe the arrangements made by Snehamoy and his companion before the kite-fight. (Failure to keep within the word limit will be penalised.) [10]
Answers:
(a) (i) (1) field-Farmers were working in the field.
(2) horizon – At sunset the horizon appears to be merged with the sky and the sea.
(3) rival – The two football teams – Mohanbagan and Eastbengal have always been rival teams.
(4) contest – In the beauty contest much of flood light is used to create an effect of grandeur.
(5) scooped – Children scooped the delicious icecream from the cup and enjoyed tasting it.
(ii) (1) Staff – His name was not found in the list of staff members.
(2) Line – He drew a straight line.
(3) Ground – In the time of flood, the people living on the ground floor, rushed climbing the stairs to reach the top floor.
(4) Uniform – A policeman in uniform must not forget his duty and responsibility as a government servant.
(iii) 1. The reel of hard starched strings will roll in the hand as the kite flies higher and higher to keep the string taut.
2. While the kite flying strings coated with different stuff and colours were displayed for diyingup in the couftyard, it appeared to be a colourful maze with small pepperlike beads.
3. In the competiton of flying kites, the boys formed different rival groups among themselves and they were enthusiastically joined by the shopkeeper who was too zealous to supply more and more kites free of cost to the boys who were competing to pull down the kites of their rivals.
4. The sky wore a festive and colourful look being dotted with kites of different shapes, sizes and colours to arrest people’s applause.
(b) (i) The boy found the kites hidden in a dark passage of the house.
(ii) Snehamoy and the boy sat with an exercise book and calculated how much line each kite needed. Snehamoy suggested five hundred feet for each kite, but the boy suggested that more line was needed for the twenty kites.
(iii) The villagers were quite excited about the kite fighting. Rival groups of boys formed teams and they were encouraged by a local shopkeeper who was offering his regular kites for free to stop the invasion of the Japanese kites.
(iv) The first kite was a giant Baromon, crushing the helmet of a Samurai warrior between its teeth. Searlet and ochre, it hung still face up, refused to be cowed by the stiff breeze.
(v) The field buzzed with humming and whistling kites shaped as cicadas, gnats dragonflies and dancing carps. These felt like a carnival and drew the crowd’s applause.
(c) Snehamoy and the boy calculated how much line they would need for the kites to fly. They collected empty bottles and got them ground. Glue was added to the glass granules to make paste for the line. A touch of vermilion was added too, to make the line visible in the sky. Together, they strung lines in their courtyard. Like workers they wrapped their palms in soft cotton cloth, took lavish dips in the abrasive mix and went from one end of a line to another, carefully applying a uniform layer on the line. They got a lot of praise from the crowd.