Candidates must write the set SET-

ROLL NO. name on the answer-book.

General Instructions:
(1. The Question Paper contains 80 EXTACT BASED Questions

SUBJECT: ENGLISH CORE

CLASS: XII SESSION
20 24 -25

Read the extracts given below and answ er the questions

Q1) But now it was all so still! I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being
seen; but, of course, that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning. Through the
window I saw my classmates, already in their places, and M. Hamel walking up and down with his
terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had to open the door and go in before everybody. You can
imagine how I blushed and how frightened I was. But nothing happened. M. Hamel saw me and said
very kindly, “Go to your place quickly, little Franz. We were beginning without you.” (4 )

i. What is the mental state of speaker here?

a) Scared and reddened b) Ecstatic and reddened c) Tiresome and ecstatic d)

None of these

ii. What was Franz banking on to enter the class as he was late?

a) M. Hamel’s teaching on the blackboard b) commotion in the class c)

Hauser helping him sneak in d) to quietly walk in when everyone was
preoccupied with participles

iii. What is the phrasal verb 'Count on' mean here?

A. Enumerate B. Misreckon C. Estimate D.

Hindsight a) A, C b) B, C c) B,
D d) A, D

iv. Explain “but nothing

happened”.
a) M. Hamel did not ask any questions on
participles b) M. Hamel scold
him
c) M. Hamel made him stand outside the
classroom d) Instead of
scolding Franz M. Hamel put him at ease

Q2) Once some beetles flew in; but nobody paid any attention to them, not even the littlest ones,
who worked right on tracing their fish-hooks, as if that was French, too. On the roof the pigeons
cooed very low, and I thought to myself, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”

i) The last sentence of the extract

36
 reflects (a) extreme
linguistic chauvinism of Germans (b) racial prejudice of Germans

(c) submissive nature of people of France (d) inclusiveness of French culture

ii) Identify the literary device used in – On the roof the pigeons cooed very low, and I
thought to myself, ― Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”

(a) Simile (b) Irony (c) Metaphor (d) Onomatopoeia

iii) Which among the following is TRUE?

(a) Small children got distracted from the lessons when some beetles flew
in. (b) M Hamel delivered a speech on the futility of
war. (c) Franz recited the rule
for participle without any error

(d) The mother tongue was as natural to the people of Alsace as cooing is to the
pigeons

iv) Through the above lines the writer conveys Franz‘s

(a) enthusiasm to learn a new language (b) anxiety about the imposition of a new
language

c) indifference to a foreign language (d) concern about pigeon

3) After months of knowing him, I ask him his name. “Saheb- e-Alam,” he announces. He does not
know what it means. If he knew its meaning — lord of the universe — he would have a hard time
believing it. Unaware of what his name represents, he roams the streets with his friends, an army of
barefoot boys who appear like the morning birds and disappear at noon. Over the months, I have
come to recognise each of them

i) The author asks the name of Saheb after months of knowing him. This suggests that ….

a. She does not care about barefoot rag-pickers who live in a slum dwelling

b. She has been waiting for the right opportunity c. Names are insignificant for her
as she is more interested in their problems & their solutions d. It is difficult for her to
remember so many names together.

ii) Which of the following is not rightly matched?

a. Name of Saheb- e-alam : irony b. An army of barefoot boys:

Anaphora c. Boys who appear like morning
birds : Simile d. I ask him his name : Alliteration

iii) The author‘s interaction with these children reflects her ….

(1) Empathy (2) Professionalism (3) Cleverness (4 ) Compassion

a. Only 2 b. Only 1& 3 c. Only 1& 4 d. Only 2, 3 & 4

iv) From the story it can be inferred that street children

1. Cannot afford appropriate footwear that they can wear

2. Wear footwear only when they are discarded by others

3. Wear appropriate footwear when going to work

4. Wear appropriate footwear when going to play

36
 a) 1& 2 b) 1&3 c) 1&4 d) 2&4

4 ) Their fathers are as tired as they are. They talk endlessly in a spiral that moves from poverty to
apathy to greed and to injustice. Listening to them, I see two distinct worlds— one of the family,
caught in a web of poverty, burdened by the stigma of caste in which they are born; the other a
vicious circle of the sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of law, the bureaucrats
and the politicians. Together they have imposed the baggage on the child that he cannot put down.
Before he is aware, he accepts it as naturally as his father. To do anything else would mean to dare.
And daring is not part of his growing up

. i. “Their Fathers are as tired as they are” which figure of speech is used in this statement

a) Metaphor b) Simile c) Alliteration d)

Repetition

II) ii. What does the term “Apathy” imply

A. A state without emotions B. A state without enthusiasm

C. A state without zeal D. A state with zest

a) Both A & C b) A, B, C c) A, B, D d) Both A

& B

iii. Why doesn’t any bangle makers dare to speak against the bureaucrats?

a) For they don’t want to waste their time

b) For daring is not the part for growing up

c) For they are illiterate and backward

d) For they don’t have enough time and money

iv. “The Stigma of caste in which they are born” this implies that

a) Smirch and stain b) Taint and

cachet c)
Accolade and Smirch d) Cachet and stain

5) And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it has acquired the proportions
of a fine art. Garbage to them is gold. It is their daily bread, a roof over their heads, even if it is a
leaking roof. But for a child it is even more. “I sometimes find a rupee, even a ten-rupee note,”
Saheb says, his eyes lighting up. When you can find a silver coin in a heap of garbage, you don’t
stop scrounging, for there is hope of finding more. It seems that for children, garbage has a
meaning different from what it means to their parents. For the children it is wrapped in wonder, for
the elders it is a means of survival.

i. “I sometimes find a rupee, even a ten- rupee in a heap of garbage,” which term describes Saheb’s
state of mind most accurately

a) Optimistic and keep searching for in greed b) Confident and just searches for his
happiness

c) Becomes happy and tries to find more wonders from the garbage d) Keeps searching the
silver coin

ii. Choose the statement which is NOT TRUE about the rag-pickers in
Seemapuri a) Children are equally involved in rag picking as
their parents

b) The rag-pickers settle down in a place permanently

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 c) Rag picking has accomplished itself as a skill and form of art

d) Rag-pickers lives in unsteady shanties in the outskirts of Delhi

iii. Garbage to the rag pickers is

a) money b) daily bread, a roof over their heads c) gold d)

silver

iv. What makes the narrator calls rag picking a fine art?

a) For it take brain to pick rag b) For it take skills to pick

rag

c) For it takes acumen to pick rags d) All of these

6) The experience had a deep meaning for me, as only those who have known stark terror and
conquered it can appreciate. In death there is peace. There is terror only in the fear of death, as
Roosevelt knew when he said, “All we have to fear is fear itself.” Because I had experienced both the
sensation of dying and the terror that fear of it can produce, the will to live somehow grew in
intensity. At last I felt released — free to walk the trails and climb the peaks and to brush aside fear.

i. “ In death there is peace” choose the correct option with reference to the above

a) That quietus must be rejoice b) That quietus is more tranquil than

existence c) That quietus is excruciating d) That quietus gives
more torment than tranquillity

ii. The phrasal verb 'Brush aside' refer to

a) Entice and allure b) Spurn and shun

c) Commemorate and reminisce d) Controvert and disregard

iii. “All we have to fear is fear itself”. What does the narrator learn from President Roosevelt
statement?

a) To bedeck the fear b) To affright the

fear c) To dispel the
fear d) To impede the fear

iv. “ I had experienced both the sensation of dying and terror that fear of it can produce,” which of
the following idioms might describe the above statement

a) “Strike trepidation into the heart” b) “On cloud

nine” c) “At one fell
swoop” d) “Head over heels”

7) My introduction to the [Link]. swimming pool revived unpleasant memories and stirred childish
fears. But in a little while I gathered confidence. I paddled with my new water wings, watching the
other boys and trying to learn by aping them. I did these two or three times on different days and
was just beginning to feel at ease in the water when the misadventure happened

i. Choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given below

Statement 1: the author’s father laughed to mock his son's inability to swim

Statement 2: the author wanted to swim just to prove his father that he can
swim a) Statement 1is true but statement 2 is false b)
Statement 1is false but statement 2 is true

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c) Both statement 1and statement 2 is cannot be inferred d) Both statement 1and statement 2
is inferred

ii. The misadventure that took place right after the author felt comfortable was that

a) The author slipped and fell into the swimming

pool b) A bully toasted him
into the pool for the sake of fun c)
His coaching forget to teach him how to handle deep Water

d) His father couldn’t help him from drowning into the water

iii. The chap that threw him into the pool was just for the sake of fun. Choose option
mentioning the personality traits of this chap

1. Persuasive 2. Irresponsible 3. Domineering 4 . Manipulative 5.

Callous

a) 1, 2, 4 b) 2, 4 , 5 c) 2, 3, 5 d) 1, 3, 5

iv. What does the word ‘ape’ mean in the context?

a) Emulate b) Primate c) Prototype d) None of these

8) The belt went through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. He held on to the end of the rope,
and we went back and forth, back and forth across the pool, hour after hour, day after day, week
after week. On each trip across the pool a bit of the panic seized me. Each time the instructor
relaxed his hold on the rope and I went under, some of the old terror returned and my legs froze. It
was three months before the tension began to slack.

i. “A ‘pulley’ that ran on an overhead cable”. What light does the given line
throw a) An apparatus with a wheel b) An
apparatus with a rope c) An apparatus without
wheel d) A apparatus with a wheel and a rope

ii. The statement “Back and forth, across the pool” shows that

a) Budging from one locus to another b) Virtuous and sinful

c) Sophisticated and decisiveness d) Ascending and soaring

iii. 'Tension began to slack' this implies that

a) Stress unfolded ebbing b) Stress unfolded increasing

c) Stress started decreasing d) Stress started intensifying

iv. ‘Panic seized me' refers to

a) Emancipating with joy b) Swivet clutched

him c) Spooked the same as
blithe d) Jocose allusion

9) Since you have been so nice to me all the long as if I was a captain I want to be nice to you, in
return as if I was a real captain- for I do not want you to be embarrassed at this Christmas season
by a thief ;but you can give back the money to the old man on the roadside who has the money
pouch hanging on the window frame as a bait for poor wanderers.

36
 The rat trap is a Christmas Present from a rat who would have been caught in this world rattrap if
he had not been raised to captain because in that way he got power to clear himself
Written with friendship 
and high regard
Captain von stahle

i) Which of the following cannot be attributed to the peddler according to the above extract

1. indebtedness b)Reform c) self-pity d) self-awareness

ii) Why did the peddler gift a rat trap as a Christmas Present?
1. It was all the peddler had that he could give away, and represented his turn to honesty
2. It symbolised his successful escape from Entrapment as he returned the stolen money
3. it served as a reminder for Edla to be wary of the dangerous temptations of the world
4. it was a practical and convenient present that the lady of the house could effectively use

III) The word frame has been used to indicate a rigid structure that surrounds something such as a
picture, door or Window pane. There are other meanings of frame too.
Choose the option that does not list the meaning of frame
1) a person's body with reference to its size or built.
2) a single complete picture in a series forming a cinema television or video film.
3) the triangular structure for positioning the red balls in snooker
4 ) that fits a container or hole ; a lid 

a) (1) b) (2) c( 3) d(4 ) 

iv) This communication Includes

1. A promise 2) regret 3) an apology 4 ) shame

A) Only 4 b) only 1 c) 1& 3 d) 2 & 4

v) “ The rat trap is a Christmas Present from a rat who would have been caught in this world rattrap”

Two literary devices mentioned in the above line are __________________ &
________________

Vi) Complete the analogy by finding the word from the extract
Penurious : poor :: abashed : _______________________

10 ) The old man was just as generous with his confidences as with his porridge and tobacco. The
guest was informed at once that in his days of prosperity his host had been a crofter at Ramsjö
Ironworks and had worked on the land. Now that he was no longer able to do day labour, it was his
cow which supported him. Yes, that bossy was
extraordinary.
i )Who is the old man being
mentioned ?
(a) The protagonist (b) The crofter (c) The ironmaster (d) None of the
above

(ii) Who is a crofter? (a) A person involved

in art and craft work. (b) A person who works on a rented farmland. (c)
An ironsmith. (d) A person who deals with all kinds of metal
products.

iii) Choose the characteristics that are the most relevant for the old person.
(A) Clever and confident (B) Kind,
hospitable (C) Friendly, frank and
honest (E) frail and unhealthy
(D) Resolute and rigid (F) hesitant and loner

(a) Both (D) and (E) (b) (B) and (F) c) (B) and (C) (d) (A) and (D)

iv) A spirit of ___________________ underlies the extract.

36
 (a) loneliness and longing (b) insufficiency and
incompetency (d) loyalty and love
(c) treachery and trauma

11) Under an ancient arrangement, the Champaran peasants were sharecroppers, Rajkumar Shukla
was one of them. He was illiterate but resolute. He had come to the Congress session to complain
about the injustice of the landlord system in Bihar, and somebody had probably said, "Speak to
Gandhi".

i) Who was Rajkumar Shukla ?

(a) A Landlord (b) A sharecropper (c ) A congressman (d) Gandhiji's assistant

(ii) The ancient arrangement' refers to ______________

(a) giving the land on

lease
(b) landlord sharing a part of the crop with the
farmer (c) farmer sharing a
part of the crop he cultivates with the owner of the
land (d) agreement that allows the landlord to lease the
land to multiple tenants

(iii) Which of the following sentences is in relation with ‘the Champaran peasants were
sharecroppers'?
(a) The farmers preferred working at someone else's land.

(b) The farmers were given a choice to work independently.

(c) The farmers were leading a life of slavery.

(d) The farmers were happy as they didn't have to shed money on buying or renting the land.

iv) Why was Gandhi the right person to speak to about the problems of sharecroppers?

a) Gandhiji could relate to the problems farmers were facing.

b) Gandhiji wanted to secure justice for the oppressed.
c) Gandhiji was the leading lawyer of his times.
d) Gandhiji wanted to gain popularity.

12) But Champaran did not begin as an act of defiance. It grew out of an attempt to alleviate the
distress of large numbers of poor peasants. . This was the typical Gandhi pattern- his politics were
intertwined with the practical, day- to- day problems of the millions. His was not a loyalty to
abstractions; it was a loyalty to living human beings. In everything Gandhiji did, moreover, he tried
to mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own feet and thus, make India free.

i). Which typical Gandhiji pattern is talked about in the extract?

a) Gandhiji never defied any rule or break any law.

b) He followed ‘Satyagrah’
c) He wanted to motivate the peasants.
d) Gandhiji wanted to show the might of sharecroppers
Ii ) Choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given below.

Statement 1: His was not a loyalty to abstractions; it was a loyalty to living, human
beings. Statement 2: Gandhiji was a humanitarian at heart.

(a) Statement 1is the cause of Statement 2

(b) Statement 2 is the effect of Statement 1.

(c) Statement 2 can be inferred from Statement 1.

(d) Statement 1and Statement 2 are independent of each other

36
iii). The given extract DOES NOT talk about:

(a) details of the daily problems faced by human beings.

(b) efforts to relieve suffering of the common people.

(c) the reason for the occurrence of Champaran.

d) Gandhiji's principles in the field of

politics. Iv )
Which option showcases an example of action (A) -result (R), from the passage?

(1) A= defiance, R= poor peasants (2) A= free Indians, R= free

India (3) A= free India, R= defiance (4 ) A= defiance,
R= free Indians

a) Option 1 b) Option 2 c) Option 3 d) Option 4

13) His success in films overshadowed and dwarfed his literary achievements- or so his critics felt.
He composed several truly original ‘story poems' in folk refrain and diction and also wrote a
sprawling novel Thillana Mohanambal with dozens of very deftly etched characters. He quite
successfully recreated the mood and manner of the Devadasis of the early 20 th century. He was an
amazing actor he never aspired to the lead roles - but whatever subsidiary role he played in any of
the films, he performed better than the supposed main players. He had a genuine love for anyone he
came across and his house was a permanent residence for for dozens of near and far relations and
acquaintances.

i). Which of these statements is NOT TRUE about

Subbu? (a) His literary
accomplishments stole the limelight from his
films. (b) He was a gifted poet and writer
and his literary works were noteworthy. (c) He was
selfless in nature and was empathetic towards
others. d) He never hankered after lead
roles and performed minor roles in films.

ii) The word 'sprawling' has been used with the word 'novel'. Pick the option with which the
word 'sprawling' CANNOT be used

(A) metropolis (B) handwriting (C) campus D) portrait

. iii). The phrase 'deftly etched' shows that Subbu

(A) created the roles delicately. (B) was skilful in creating the
characters (C) pondered beyond necessity about the characters (D) gave
very little thought to the characters.

iv). Pick the option that best describes Subbu according to the extract.

(1) benevolent (2) powerful (3)

accomplished (4 ) witty (5) generous
(6) temperamental

(a) 4 ,5&6 (b) 2,3&4 c) 1,3 & 5 (D) 3,4 &6

14 ) Barring the office boys and a couple of clerks, everybody else at the studio 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 grant 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

36
 i. 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 Gandhi when she raises her
(b) She is a voice against hinsa' or
violence.
(c) She, like Gandhi, feels that the earth is crying for
deliverance. (d) She lives a life of opulence
and calls herself a follower of Gandhi.

ii ) 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 1is true but Statement 2 is
false. (B) Statement 1is
false but Statement 2 is
true. c) (Both Statement
1and Statement 2 cannot be
inferred. (D) Both Statement 1and
Statement 2 can be inferred.

iii) Why do you think leisure is a pre-requisite for poetry?

(A) Poetry means freedom of expression.

(B) One can enjoy poetry when there's free time.

(C) In order to write poetry, one needs free

time.. (D) Poetry means
freedom from work

Iv Another word that can be considered for ‘barring” is

a) Excluding b) including c) to be a part of d) none of the above

15) Saul Bellow, who has consented to be interviewed on several occasions, nevertheless
once described interviews as being like thumbprints on his windpipe. Yet despite the
drawbacks of the interview, it is a supremely serviceable medium of communication. “These
days more than at any other time, our most vivid Impressions of our contemporaries are
through interviews,” Denis Bran has written. “Almost everything of moment reaches us
through one man asking questions of another. because of this interview holds a position of
unprecedented power and influence.”

i). Denis Brian states that the interviewer occupies a position of power and influence
as_________________

(A) everything reaches us through one man asking questions of another.

(B) the interview is a supremely serviceable medium of communication.

(C) our most vivid impressions of our contemporaries are through interviews.

(D) interviews are like thumbprints on the interviewee's windpipe.

ii). The use of the word "serviceable" implies that interviews are

(a) significant. (b) powerful. (c) advanced. (d) useful.

. iii) According to Christopher Silvester, the interview can be "in its highest form, a source of truth".
Choose the option that does NOT enable this.

36
(A) An interview allows for discovery of new knowledge about the interviewee and / or the subject
being discussed. (B) An
interview enables the interviewer to probe deeply, seek clarifications, and confirm understandings.

(C) An interview represents an opportunity to open doors to experiences that may not otherwise

find a voice.

(D) An interview requires the interviewer to have in- depth prior knowledge of the interviewer and
the subject.

iv). What do you understand by the expression "Thumbprints on his windpipes"?

(A) creating excessive pressure on throat

(B) creating excessive pressure on vocal chords

(C) creating excessive pressure and tension for someone

(D) none

16) She reports her husband as saying to the reporters, 'Why do I refuse to be interviewed? Because
it is immoral It is a crime, just as much of a crime as an offence against my person as an assault,
and just as much merits punishment.

i). Who is 'She' referred to in the above lines?

(a) Caroline b) Caroll (C) Alice d) Christopher

. ii). Who is 'her husband"?

(A) Saul Bellow b) H. G. Wells c) Rudyard Kipling d) Joseph Stalin

. iii). Whose interview 'her husband' had taken?

a) H G Wells (B) Mark Twain (C) Joseph Stalin d) Lewis Caroll

.iv. How did her husband' perceive interview as?

(A) He disliked interviews (B) He perceived it as an assault

(C) For him interview' is a crime D) All of these

17) "She thinks money grows on trees, don't she, Dad?’ said little Derek, hanging on the back of his
father's chair. Their mother sighed. Sophie watched her back stooped over the sink and wondered at
the incongruity of the delicate bow which fastened her apron strings. The delicate-seeming bow and
the crooked back. The evening had already blacked in the windows and the small room was steamy
from the stove and cluttered with the heavy-breathing man in his vest at the table and the dirty
washing piled up in the corner. Sophie felt a tightening in her throat. She went to look for her
brother Geoff.

.i. Choose the correct option about Sophie's parents based on the extract given above.

(A) Sophie's parents' marriage was an example of harmony and affection.

(B) Sophie's relationship with her parents was warm and friendly.

(C) Sophie's mother was subdued while her father was detached.

(D) Sophie and her brother didn't like to stay with their parents.

.ii).Choose the option that supports the contention coming through Derek's dialogue She thinks
grows on trees, don't she, Dad?".

36
(A) Derek thought his sister to be unreasonable at times.

(B) Derek had no faith in Sophie's abilities to open a boutique.

(C) Derek thought of his sister as someone who was not realistic.

(D) Derek was not at all happy about Sophie's habit of day dreaming

iii) It could be inferred that Sophie’s Mother was fatigued and burdened. Choose the option listing
the elements that form the basis of this inference

1) Her sigh 2) her delicate bow 3) her apron’s strings 4 ) her crooked back
a) 1,2 b) 3,4 c) 2,3 d) 1,4
iv) “ Sophie felt a tightening in her throat” Pick the option that lists Sophie’s feeling in this context

1)Anxious 2) annoyed 3) uneasy 4 ) terrified

a) Option 1,3 b) option 2,3 c) option 1, 4 d) option 2,4

18) On Saturday they made their weekly pilgrimage to watch United. Sophie and her father and
Derek went down near the goal- Geoff, as always, went with his mates higher up. United won two-
nil and Casey drove in the second goal, a blend of innocence and Irish genius, going round the two
big defenders on the edge of the penalty area, with her father screaming for him to pass, and
beating the hesitant goalkeeper from a dozen yards. Sophie glowed with pride. Afterwards, Geoff
was ecstatic.

i). Their visit to the match was like a 'weekly pilgrimage' refers to:

(A) strong bond as a family. B) love for a fixed routine

(C) similar feelings of devotion. (D) excitement for the match.

ii) . Based on the following statements, choose the correct option.

Assertion: "Geoff, as always, went with his mates higher up."

Reason 1: Geoff was not very close to his family and lived in his own world.

Reason 2: Geoff was rude and indifferent towards everyone around him and didn't care about

at all.

(A) Reason 1and Reason 2 both can be inferred from the assertion.

(B) Reason 1can be inferred but Reason 2 cannot be inferred from the assertion.

(C) Reason I cannot be inferred but Reason 2 can be inferred.

(D) Reason 1and Reason 2 both cannot be inferred.

. iii) . “Sophie glowed with pride.” Her pride is the result of

(A) belonging to a region where everyone thought of Danny as a hero.

(B) watching her father cheer and support Danny.

(C) The information she gathered from her brother, about Danny.

(D) being an avid fan and her sense of closeness with Danny.

iv) Choose the option listing the situation in which one would be ‘ecstatic.’

Scenario 1Going to an old age home and listening to their past stories.

Scenario 2 Being seated next to your favourite pop singer during a short flight.

Scenario 3 Going to a pet show and losing your dog there

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Scenario 4 Coming home and finding that there are 11messages from your Principal in your Email
box.

a) Scenario 1 b) Scenario 2 c) Scenario 3 d) Scenario 4

19) ‘When I leave,’ Sophie said, coming home from school, ‘I’m going to have a boutique.’ Jansie
linking arms with her along the street; looked doubtful. ‘Takes money,
Soaf something like that.’ ‘I’ll find it,’ Sophie said, staring far down the street. ‘Take you a long time
to save that much.’ ‘Well I’ll be manager then- - yes, of course.... to begin with, Till I’ve got enough.
But anyway, I know just how it’s all going to look.’ ‘They wouldn’t make you manager straight off
Soaf’ ‘I’ll be Mary Quant,’ Sophie said. I’ll be a natural. They’ll see it from the start. I’ll have the most
amazing shop this city’s ever seen.’ Jansie, knowing they were both earmarked for the biscuit
factory, became melancholy. She wished Sophie wouldn’t say these things.

.i) Select the option which is best fit to Sophie and Jansie in the extract.

(a) Sophie : day dreamer, Jansie : pragmatist (b)

Sophie : down to earth, Jansie : status-pro

(c) Sophie : mature, Jansie : ambitious

(d) Sophie : smart, Jansie : timid

ii. Which of the following would NOT be the example of satire used in the extract?

(a) ‘_____ Well I’ll be the manager

then...’ (b)
‘_____ I’ll be Mary
Quant...’
(c) ‘_____ they were both earmarked for the biscuit
factory’ (d) ‘_____ looked
doubtful...’
iii) Identify the textual clue (phrase) that allows the reader to infer that Jansie
is empathetic towards her friend Sophie

a) She wished Sophie wouldn’t say these things b) Takes money,

Soaf c) wouldn’t make you manager
straight off d) a long time to save that much

iv. Sophie and Jansie are discussing _____ in the extract.

(a) About the Mary Quant b) About overcoming the struggle of their
life (c) About the future plan (d) About the biscuit factory

20 ) Now we will count to twelve and we will all

keep still For once on
the face of the
Earth let’s
not speak in any
language,
let’s stop for one
second,
and not move our arms so
much.
It would be an exotic
moment
without rush, without

36
engines, we
would all be together in a sudden strangeness.

i) The poet counts upto twelve as a countdown to

a) lift arms b) speak in different

languages c) be without
engines d) stop all activities

ii) The poet appeals to the people that they should

I) Keep quiet II) not move III) hold celebrations IV) not hibernate

a) Only II b) I & II c) only I d) I & IV

iii) The benefits of keeping quiet include

1)Harmony 2) Non violence 3) brotherhood 4 ) introspection

a) 1& 2 b) 2& 4 c) 1,2 & 3 d) 1,2,3 & 4

iv)The word ‘exotic in the extract most nearly means

a) Unique b) luxurious c) rich d) illusive

21) If we were not so single-minded

about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.

i) What do you think is the mood of the poet in the above

extract ? a) Gloomy, cynical b)
reflective and inspired c)
introspective , aware d) critical , demotivated

ii) What might the huge silence signify?

a) Melancholy b) discomfort c) understanding d) flexibility

iii) According to the poet ,who or what is to be blamed for the condition of threatening
ourselves with death ?

a) Stressful life b) keeping quiet c) lack of understanding d) state of

confusion

iv) Pick the option that completes the given sentence suitably as per the extract

Threatening ourselves with death………….

1)feeds on the fear of death 2) challenges finiteness of life

3Keeps us rushing through life 4 ) makes us restless and impatient

a) All except 1 b) All except 2 c) All except 3 d) All except

4

36
 22 ) “….. I looked again at her
Wan pale as
late winter‘s moon And felt that old familiar
ache, My childhood fear, But all I
said was, see you soon, Amma”

i) Choose the option that displays the same literary device as given in the above extract: “pale
as late winter‘s moon”

a) I wandered lonely as a
cloud b)
She likes the flowers that
bloom c)
I had the same feeling as he
had d)
none of the above

ii) The pain of separation is expressed both _________________and ________________in the

poem

a) Physically, mentally b) emotionally,

verbally c) literally,
metaphorically d) metaphorically, visibly

iii) The poem ‘My Mother at Sixty Six’ is a_____________ poem

a) Political b) confessional c) traditional d) cultural

nd
iv) The poetic thought used in 2 line is

a) Simile b) imagery c) assonance d) all of these

23) Driving from my parent’s home to Cochin last

Friday morning, I saw my
mother, beside
me, doze, open mouthed, her
face ashen like
that of a corpse and realized with
pain that she was as old as
she looked but
soon put that thought away….

(i) Choose the option that best applies to the given extract

1. a conversation 2. an argument 3. a piece of

advice 4 . a strategy 5. a
recollection 6. a suggestion

a) 1, 3 & 6 b) 2, 4 & 5 c) Only 5 d) Only 1

ii) Choose the book title that perfectly describes the condition of the poet’s mother.

Title 1 Title 2 Title 3 Title 4

36
You’re only old once! The Gift of Years — By Somewhere Towards The Book You Wish
— By Dr. Seuss Joan Chittister the end — By Diana Your Parents Had Read
Athill — By Philippa Perry

(a) Title 1 (b) Title 2 (c) Title 3 (d) Title 4

iii) Choose the option that applies correctly to the two statements given below.

Assertion: The poet wards off the thought of her mother getting old
quickly. Reason: The poet didn’t want to confront the inevitability of fate
that was to dawn upon her mother.

(a) Assertion can be inferred but the Reason cannot be

inferred. (b) Assertion cannot be inferred but the Reason can be
inferred. (c) Both Assertion and
Reason can be
inferred. (d) Both
Assertion and Reason cannot be inferred.

(Iv) Choose the option that displays the same literary device as in the given lines of the extract.

her face ashen like that of a corpse…

(a) Just as I had this thought, she appeared and… (b) My

thoughts were as heavy as lead that evening when … (c) I think
like everyone else
who…
(d) I like to think aloud when

24 ) Some shape of beauty moves away the pall From our dark
spirits. Such the sun, the moon, Trees old, and young, sprouting a
shady boon. For simple sheep; and such are
daffodils With the green world they live in; and clear
rills That for themselves a cooling covert
make Gainst the hot season; the mid forest
brake, Rich with a
sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;

i) Pick the option that matches the words / phrases with the literary device.

/ Word/ phrase Literary device

1. simple sheep A. imagery

2. gloomy days B. metaphor

3. bower quiet C. symbolism

D. transferred epithet

a) 1- C, 2-D, 3-B b) 1-B, 2-A, 3-

D c) 1-D, 2-B, 3-
C d) 1- C, 2-A, 3-B

36
 ii) The pall refers to

a) Shelter b)
Happiness c)
Sadness d) A dark cloud

iii) “The green world they live in‘ refers to

a) The trees old and young b) Rills c)

The background of the daffodils d) Cooling coverts

iv) What sprouts a shady boon for sheep?

a) Cave b) Hills c) Rills

d) Trees

25) Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing A

flowery band to bind us to the earth, Spite of
despondence, of the inhuman dearth Of noble
natures, of the gloomy days, Of all the unhealthy
and o‘er- darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,

i). Based on the poem, choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given below.

Statement 1: The earth without the beautiful things is a place full of despair and
unpleasantness. Statement 2: The ornate band created by human beings; ushers hope in their
lives.

a) Statement 1is true but Statement 2 is

false. b) Statement 1is
false but Statement 2 is
true. c) Both Statement
1and Statement 2 can be
inferred. d) Both
Statement 1and Statement 2 cannot be inferred.

ii) In which of the following options can the underlined words be replaced with “despondence‘?

a) The man paced about the room showing restlessness.

b) A chat with a close friend can take away our blues.

c) I was in jitters, seeing the boy trapped in the trench.

d) Being dogged is what led him to negotiate the challenges

iii) . “Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing A flowery band to bind us to the earth” –We tie
ourselves to the Earth with _____.

a) life b) band of flowers c) gloom d) beautiful things

iv) Which of the following phrases have the poetic device expressed in “leaping
lizard”? a) inhuman dearth b)
gloomy days c) over
darkened ways d) noble natures d) noble natures

26) And such too is the grandeur of the dooms We

have imagined for the mighty dead; All lovely tales that we
have heard or read; An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven‘s brink

i) . The phrase immortal drink refers

to a) blessings

36
of our ancestors. b) the teachings of
nature. c) a life- giving
force. d) the beauty of heaven.

ii) . An endless fountain of immortal

drink, Pouring unto
us from the heaven‘s brink –

Which of the following literary devices is not employed in these lines

a) Metaphor b) Simile c) Imagery d)

Hyperbole

iii) Pick the option that uses the same literary device as the “mighty dead‘.

a) sleepless nights b) deafening

silence c) glaring
lights d) time is a thief

iv) . Pick the quote that matches best with— “And such too is the grandeur of the dooms we have
imagined for the mighty d ead’

a) In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the
rustle of a
w ing.
b) W hen a great man dies, for years the light he leaves behind him,
lies on the paths of
men.
c) Endings are not alw ays bad, most times they ‘re just
beginnings in disguise. d) Cow ards die
many times before their death; the valiant never taste of death but once.

27) It is in the news that all these pitiful kin Are to be

bought out and mercifully gathered in To live in villages, next to
the theatre and the store, Where they won‘t have to think for
themselves anymore, While greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts of
prey, Swarm over their lives enforcing benefits

i) . The word ‘kin‘ in the phrase pitiful kin points out the fact that the poor people are
our a Relatives b] Fellow human beings C] Blood brothers d]
none of the above

ii) the irony in the word mercifully is

a] It‘s a totally merciless act b] the selfish city dwellers are being
merciful C] for once the government is doing its job
correctly d] Both B and C

.iii) The figures of speech used in ‘greedy good doers‘ is

A] Alliteration and Oxymoron B] Oxymoron and

metaphor C] alliteration and transferred epithet D] Oxymoron
and personification

iv) . The imagery in “beneficent beast of prey” is that of

A] An animal being hunted B] A predator hunting its

prey C] The government hunting the poor D]
All the above

36
28) 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”

i) .Which word in the stanza shows the unparalleled sufferings of the aunt?

a) Prance b) Ordeal c) Terrified d) Dead

ii) The figure of speech in “The massive weight of Uncle‘s wedding band”

a) Oxymoron b) hyperbole c) metaphor d) synecdoche

iii) In the poem, art has been used as

a) a symbol of marriage b) The institution of

marriage c) The reality of
life d) A medium of escape from reality.

iv) The word “Aunt without a name shows that ________________

a) She is dead b) she has lost her

identity c) She has become a
slave d) she has been universally accepted as Aunt

29) Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her wool Find even
the ivory needle hard to pull. The massive weight of Uncle’s
wedding band Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand.

i) A word which cannot be considered a synonym of massive

a) huge b) enormous c) dwarfed d) Giant

ii) The tigers in the above poem symbolize

1. Splendor 2. Strength 3. Threat 4 . Ferociousness 5. Chaos 6.

Weakness

a) 4 &5 b) 3&4 c) 1&2 d)

2&6

iii) What is the rhyming scheme of the extract?

a) Aabbcc……………. B) ababab….. c) aaaabbbb………. D) free verse

Iv What is the meaning of the word, ‘fluttering’?

(a) The falling of

raindrops
(b) The palpitations of one’s
heart
(c) Moving unsteadily and irregularly with
trembling (d) The swift
movements of one’s hand

30) Sometimes I think Grand Central is growing like a tree, pushing out new corridors and
staircases like roots. There’s probably a long tunnel that nobody knows about feeling its way
under the city right now, on its way to Times Square, and maybe another to Central Park. And
may be — because for so many people through the years Grand Central has been an exit, a
way of escape — maybe that’s how the tunnel I got into... But I never told my psychiatrist
friend about that idea

36
i) Identify the figure of speech used that conveys the growing/developing nature of the
Grand Central
station?
a. Metaphor b simile C. synecdoche d.
transferred epithet

ii) Why does the writer talk about the tunnels to Times Square and Central Park?

A. To tell us that these two places are in New York. B. Both these places are
accessible C. These are exits of Grand Central D. Grand Central is ever
growing

iii) The development of the station seems to be inconspicuous. How do we know?

A. Growing like branches of tree B. Can accommodate any number of

passengers C. New tunnels are being developed without causing
disturbance D. a third level to the station is
added

Iv Why didn‘t Charley disclose ‗that idea‟ to his psychiatrist?

A. Psychiatrist wouldn‘t maintain its

secrecy B. Psychiatrist
wouldn‘t believe
him C. Psychiatrist
would want to visit the third
level D. Psychiatrist
would convey to the presidents of railroads

31) Have you ever been there? It’s a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge
lawns, and tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the streets. And in
1894 , summer evenings were twice as long, and people sat out on their lawns, the men
smoking cigars and talking quietly, the women waving palmleaf fans, with the fire-flies all
around, in a peaceful world. To be back there with the First World War still twenty years off,
and World War II over forty years in the future... I wanted two tickets for that.

(a) Who does ‘you’ refer to?

(i) Charley’s psychiatrist, Sam Weiner (ii) Charley’s wife,

Louisa iii) The
reader (iv) Nobody in particular, it is a figure of speech.

(b) Choose the option that best describes the society represented in the above
extract. (i) content, peace-loving ii) leisurely,
sentimental (iii) orthodox, upper
class (iv) comfortable, ancient

C (c) Imagine that the city of Galesburg is hosting a series of conferences and workshops. In
which of the following conferences or workshops are you least likely to find the description of
Galesburg given in the above extract?

36
i) Gorgeous Galesburg: Archiving a Tourist
Paradise (ii) Welcome to the
home you deserve: Galesburg
Realtors (iii) Re-imagining a
Warless Future: Technology for
Peace (iv) The
Woman Question: The world of women at home

(d) “tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the streets” is NOT an
example of

I. imagery II. Metaphor III. Alliteration IV. anaphora

(i) Options I. and II. (ii) Options I. and III. (iii) Options II. and III. (iv) Options II. and
IV.

32 The Maharaja‘s anxiety reached a fever pitch when there remained just one tiger to achieve
his tally of a hundred. He had this one thought during the day and the same dream at night. By
this time the tiger farms had run dry even in his father-in-Iaw‘s kingdom. It became impossible
to locate tigers anywhere. Yet only one more was needed. If he could kill just that one single
beast, the Maharaja would have no fears left. He could give up tiger hunting altogether.

i) 1. Which of the following does not imply the same meaning as implied by “fever pitch‘
in the extract?

a. Extreme impatience b. Extreme

excitement c. Extreme
fever d. Extreme Magnitude

ii) By this time the tiger farms had run dry even in his father-in-Iaw‘s kingdom. Which of
the following sentences carry the same meaning as conveyed by this sentence?

a. Now tigers in his father in law‘s kingdom had no water to drink.

b. Now tigers in his father in law‘s kingdom were living in dry land.

c. Now tigers in his father in law‘s kingdom did not want to bathe.

d. Now his father in law‘s kingdom did not have any tiger.

iii) . Which of the following words as used in the extract imply “forever‘?

a. Tally b. Altogether c. Even d. single

iv )Which of the following options is correct in respect to the statements given

below? Statement 1: By killing tigers the maharaja wanted to be without
fear. Statement 2: Maharaja wanted to stop hunting the
tigers. a. Statement 1can be inferred and
statement 2 cannot be inferred b. Statement 2
can be inferred and statement 1cannot be inferred.
c. Both statements are
false. d.
Both statements can be inferred

36
 33) The Maharaja and the dewan held deliberations over this issue. As a result, a telegram
was despatched forthwith to a famous British Company of jewellers in Calcutta. ‘Send
samples of expensive diamond rings of different designs.’ Some fifty rings arrived. The
Maharaja sent the whole lot to the British officer’s good lady. The king and the minister
expected the duraisani to choose one or two rings and send the rest back Within no
time at all, the duraisani sent her reply: ‘Thank you very much for your gifts.’In two
days, a bill for three lakh of rupees came from the British jewellers. The Maharaja was
happy that though he had lost three lakh of rupees, he had managed to retain his
kingdom.

i) the narrator’s purpose of using the phrase ‘good lady’ in this extract.

a) To impress the lady of the British officer b) Because she was a

British c) She had been kind to him d)
She had done charity for his people

ii. Select the option that best describes the comment written in the telegram.

A) Send some samples of expensive diamond

rings. (b) Send samples
of expensive diamond rings of different
designs. (c) Thank you very much
for your
gifts. (d) A
bill for three lakh rupees is provided.

iii. Which of the following is a comment on the given extract?

(a) Irony (b) Satire (c) Comic (d)

Detective iv. State the reason why the Maharaja was called
the Tiger King.

a) he made killing tigers a mission of his life b) he was born in the hour of tiger

c) He killed many tigers singlehandedly d) he died because of a tiger

34 ) For a sun worshipping South Indian like myself two weeks in a place where ninety per
cent of the Earth’s total ice volumes are stored is a chilling prospect (not just for circulatory
and metabolic functions, but also for the imagination). It’s like walking into a giant ping gong
ball devoid of any human markers — no trees, billboards, buildings. You lose all earthly sense
of perspective and time here. The visual scale ranges from the microscopic to the mighty;
midges and mites to blue whales and icebergs as big as countries (the largest recorded was
the size of Belgium). Days go on and on and on in surreal 24 hour austral summer light, and a
ubiquitous silence, interrupted only by the occasional avalanche or calving ice sheet,
consecrates the place. It’s an immersion that will force you to place yourself in the context of
the earth’s geological history. And for humans, the prognosis isn’t good

i) Complete the sentence appropriately, with reference to the extract. The narrator spend
_____ days in and around Antarctica.

a) 24 b) 14 c)12 d) 16

Which of the following would be the literary device used in “It’s like walking into a giant ping-
pong ball”?

36
(a) Transferred epithet (b) Metaphor (c) Alliteration (d)
Simile

iii. Select
the most suitable title for the given extract

. (a) Students on Ice (b) A Journey to

Antarctica (c) 24 hour journey
(d) A journey to Alien land

Iv A word from the passage which means ‘very strange’

a) Surreal b) ubiquitous c) consecrates d) prognosis

35 ) Students on Ice, the programme I was working with on the Sokalskiy, aims to do exactly
this by taking high school students the ends of the world and providing them with inspiring
educational opportunities which will help them foster a new understanding and respect for
our planet. It's been in operation for six years now, headed by Canadian Geoff Green, who got
tired of carting celebrities and retired, rich, curiosity-seekers who could only 'give' back in a
limited way. With Students on lce he offers the future generation of policy-makers a life-
changing experience at an age when they're ready to absorb, learn, and most importantly, act.

(i) "Students on Ice" is a/an.......... headed by Geoff Green. Select the option to fill in the
blank correctly.

(a) blog (b) expedition (c) company (d) movement

(ii) Choose the option that marks the ODD ONE OUT based on your reading of the above
extract.

(a) Sumit donates 10% of his monthly income to the environment-friendly NGOs.

(b) Manmeet and her twin plant a new plant on their birthday every year.

c) Vivek invests in eco-friendly cosmetics that are packaged in plastic containers.

(d) Afsana plans to device a machine that recycles the biodegradable wastes from home.

iii) Pick the option that characterizes the celebrities based on your understanding of the
extract.

1. overachiever 2. Zealous 3. Miserly 4 . impassive

(a) Options 1&2 (b) Options 3&4 c) Options 1&3 (d) Options 2 & 4

(iv) Choose the option that lists the reasons for Green's programme.

1. Making youngsters realize the current ecological reality of the planet.

2. Provoking the youth to think about the future earnestly.

3. Giving a chance of exploring the north pole to the young

36
 generation 4 .Providing travel opportunities to students that were
unfortunate

(a) Options 1&2 b) Options 1&3 c) Options 1& 3 d) Options 2

& 4

36) I cried aloud, shaking my head all the while until I felt the cold blades of the scissors
against my neck, and heard them gnaw off one of my thick braids. Then I lost my spirit. Since
the day I was taken from my mother I had suffered extreme indignities. People had stared at
me. I had been tossed about in the air like a wooden puppet. And now my long hair was
shingled like a coward's! In my anguish I moaned for my mother, but no one came to comfort
me. Not a soul reasoned quietly with me, as my own mother used to do; for now I was only
one of many little animals driven by a herder.

i. Then I lost my spirit. Choose the option that DOES NOT refer to
spirit. 1. resolve 2. energy 3.
determination 4 . indifference 5.
enthusiasm 6. will power a. 1,
2 and 5 b. 2, 4 and 6 c. 3, 4 and 6 d. 1, 3 and
6 ii. Choose the correct option with reference to the two statements
given below.

Statement 1The author had been subjected to humiliation when she was separated from her
mother.
Statement 2 Nobody was able to ease her distress and empathise with
her. a. Statement 1is false but Statement 2 is
true. b. Both Statement 1and
Statement 2 cannot be inferred from the
passage. c. Statement 1is true but Statement 2
is false. D Both Statement
1and Statement 2 can be inferred from the passage.

iii. Which of the following describes the tone of the given

extract? a. Amiable b. Jovial c.
Dismal d. Resentful iv. In her community, ________ hair
was worn by mourners and cowards wore ________. a. Short; Shingled b.
Long; Short c. Shingled; Long d. Shingled; Short

37 When I heard this, I didn’t want to laugh any more, I felt terribly sad. How could they believe
that it was disgusting if one of us held that package in his hands, even though the vadai had
been wrapped first in a banana leaf, and then parcelled in paper? I felt so provoked and angry
that I wanted to touch those wretched vadais myself straightaway. Why should we fetch and
carry for these people, I wondered. Such an important elder of ours goes meekly to the shops
to fetch snacks and hands them reverently, bowing and shrinking, to this fellow who just sits
there and stiffs them into his mouth. The thought of it infuriated me.

i. The elder handing snacks reverently, bowing and shrinking to the fellow indicates that the
‘fellow’ was

1. Condescending. 2. Unassuming. 3 submissive.

4 disdainful. 5. aggressive
6domineering .
a) 2, 3 and 6 b) 1, 4 and 5 c) 1, 4 and 6 d)
2, 3 and 4

ii) ii. Pick an idiom that DOES NOT describe how the author felt about this
incident.
a) at the end of one’s tether b) be in a blackmood c) up in

36
arms d) throw up one’s hands 

iii. Based on the given context, choose the option that illustrates when a person can be
provoked, out of the examples given below

1. The employees organised a peaceful protest outside the

firm. 2. The manager ill-treated one of the employees
and wrongfully terminated him. 3. The employees wrote a letter of
complaint against the manager. 4 . The director of the firm
scheduled a meeting for reconciliation.

a) Option 1 b) Option 2 c) Option 3 d) Option4

4
iv The given extract DOES NOT talk
about a)
author’s realisation of her misconception. b)elders being ill-treated in her
society . c)the haughtiness of the ‘fellow’. d) how the author was
enraged.

38) The man moaned with pain in his stupor but he did not awaken. “The best thing that we
could do would be to put him back in the sea,” Sadao said, answering himself. Now that the
bleeding was stopped for the moment he stood up and dusted the sand from his hands. “Yes,
undoubtedly that would be best,” Hana said steadily. But she continued to stare down at the
motionless man. “If we sheltered a white man in our house we should be arrested and if we
turned him over as a prisoner, he would certainly die,” Sadao said. “The kindest thing would be
to put him back into the sea,” Hana said. But neither of them moved. They were staring with
curious repulsion upon the inert figure. 

.i) In which of the following options can the underlined words NOT be replaced with ‘stupor’?

a) She hung up the phone feeling as though she had woken up from a slumber. b)
The manager complained about the employee’s sluggishness. c) He
seemed to be in a trance when the doctor called upon him last week. d)
Seeing him in a daze, the lawyer decided not to place him in the witness box.

ii) ii. Pick the option that best describes Sadao and Hana in the
passage. a) Sadao: scrupulous Hana: wary b) Sadao: daring Hana:
prudent ) c)Sadao: prudent Hana: suspicious d) Sadao: wary Hana:
daring 

iii)The situation described in the extract can be called ____________

a) Proposition b) suggestion c) dead end d) predicament

iv) Choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given below.

Statement 1: Sadao and Hana cared about the soldier but were worried about the
consequences of being
considerate.
Statement 2: Sadao and Hana wanted to shirk their responsibilities of looking after an
injured soldier, who could be an
American.
a) Statement 1is true but Statement 2 is false. b) Statement 1is false but Statement 2
is true. c) Both Statement 1and Statement 2 are true. d) Both Statement 1and
Statement 2 are false

39) She had the bottle and some cotton in her hand. "But how shall I do it?" she asked.
"Simply saturate the cotton and hold it near his nostrils," Sadao replied without delaying for

36
one moment the intricate detail of his work. "When he breathes badly move it away a little."
She crouched close to the sleeping face of the young American. It was a piteously thin face,
she thought, and the lips were twisted. The man was suffering whether he knew it or not.
Watching him, she wondered if the stories they heard sometimes of the sufferings of
prisoners were true. They came like flickers of rumour, told by word of mouth and always
contradicted. In the newspapers the reports were always that wherever the Japanese armies
went the people received them gladly, with cries of joy at their liberation.

i) In the given extract, Hana experiences a bit of __________ for the young American. .
a)compassion b). contempt c). hope d). rage

ii) Which of these questions does Hana start reflecting on in the extract? 

A. Why did men like the young American choose to fight? 

B. What should she and her husband do about the enemy? 

C. Is the Japanese army actually emerging victorious or is it all fake news?

D. How different was the reality of prisoners from what she was led to believe?

iii) What changes Hana's perception of the young American? 

A. reading stories about the 'enemy' as a prisoner of war

B. seeing the 'enemy' as an actual person in front of her

C. wondering if she herself is more American than Japanese

D. realising that the war against America is not an honourable one

iv) 4 . How do Hana and Sadao react to the situation of the wounded man?

A. Hana is confused about it but Sadao is confident about it.

B. Hana is suspicious about it but Sadao is accepting of it.

C. Hana is disturbed by it and Sadao is disappointed by it.

D. Hana is disgusted by it and Sadao is conflicted about it.

4 0) MR LAMB: Look, boy, look.... what do you see?

DERRY: Just....grass and stuff. Weeds.

MR LAMB: Some call them weeds. If you like, then.... a weed garden, that. There’s fruit and
there are flowers, and trees and herbs. All sorts. But over there.... weeds. I grow weeds there.
Why is one green, growing plant called a weed and another ‘flower’? Where’s the difference.
It’s all life.... growing. Same as you and me.

DERRY: We’re not the same.

MR LAMB: I’m old. You’re young. You’ve got a burned face, I’ve got a tin leg. Not important.
You’re standing there.... I’m sitting here. Where’s the difference? 

36
 i) . Like the play, the given extract is a study in contrasts. What does Mr. Lamb seek to do
by bringing up distinctions?

a) To explain that weeds are important and should be valued and cared for as much as
flowers. 

b) To emphasize that distinctions are made by man to serve specific purposes and
uses.

c) To highlight that labels are arbitrary and essentially reflect a common life
experience. 

d) To remind Derry that the only difference that matters is that of attitude and
experience. 

ii) How would you descried Derry’s tone when he says “We ‘re not the same

a) angry b) perplexed c) gloomy d) practical

iii) . Look at the given Titles of books. In which of the following are you NOT likely to find Mr.
Lamb’s words as given in the extract?

i) Life Hacks ii) Weeds iii) The Art of being Human iv) The Power of Now

a) Options (i) and (iii) b) Options (i) and (iv)

c) Options ii) and iv ) d) Options (ii) and (iii)

iv. Which of the following represents Mr. Lamb’s analysis of flowers and weeds?

a) Comparison is an act of violence against the self.

b) If you have a garden in your library, everything will be complete.

c) One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist.

d) The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff.

4 1) “For a moment I thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. It was so
warm, so bright! The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods; and in the open field back
of the sawmill the Prussian soldiers were drilling. It was all much more tempting than the rule
for participles, but I had the strength to resist, and hurried off to school.”

i. The thought of staying away from school was …………., but Franz had the …….to run to school.
(Fill in the blanks with suitable words)

ii. List some descriptions that are characteristic of rustic life. (anyone) iii. Did the day turn out
to be warm and bright as Franz had felt? Why so?

iv. Franz hurried his way to school because …………….

[Link] would be questioned on

participles. b. M
Hamel was about to take the last French
lesson c. The Prussian soldiers
would take over Alsace shortly. d.
He was already late to
school. v.
How is the presence of an oppressor conveyed here?

36
 vi. The opening line of the extract highlights the _____________ nature of Franz.

4 2) Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the
street, the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison, very loud, with our
hands over our ears to understand better, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table.
But now it was all so still! I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being
seen; but, of course, that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning. Through the
window I saw my classmates, already in their places, and M. Hamel walking up and down with
his terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had to open the door and go in before everybody. You
can imagine how I blushed and how frightened I was.”

i. List any two sensory details present in this

extract. ii. Why does the
protagonist feel anxious about entering the classroom on this particular day? a.
The classmates have started the lesson. b. The teacher is in a bad
mood . c. The classroom is too quiet. d. The
protagonist is running late. iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. The phrase
"as quiet as Sunday morning" suggests that
____________.
iv. Pick evidence from the extract that helps one infer that this was not
the protagonist’s first time being late to
school
v What does the term 'terrible iron ruler' indicate about M.
Hamel? vi Which of the following headlines best
suggests the central idea of the extract? a. The Fears of a
Latecomer b. The Importance of Punctuality
c. The Rigidity of the School System d. The Anxiety of a Young Student

4 3) All at once the church-clock struck twelve. Then the Angelus. At the same moment the
trumpets of the Prussians, returning from drill, sounded under our windows. M. Hamel stood
up, very pale, in his chair. I never saw him look so tall. “My friends,” said he, “I— I— ” But
something choked him. He could not go on. Then he turned to the blackboard, took a piece of
chalk, and, bearing on with all his might, he wrote as large as he could — “Vive La France!”
Then he stopped and leaned his head against the wall, and, without a word, he made a
gesture to us with his hand — “School is dismissed — you may go”.

i. M Hamel looked very pale because

___________ a. he was tired
after teaching b. he had to teach German from the next
day. c. no one thanked him for his service. d. he was
sorrowful. ii. The teacher appeared ‘tall’. This
implies that (I) M Hamel
was proud to be a teacher of
French (II) M Hamel
gathered his strength to stop himself from breaking
down . a. option I is correct.
b. option II is correct. c. Both I & II are
correct. d. II is the explanation of
I iii. The extract brings out the feeling of
patriotism in M Hamel. Provide evidence for the fact. iv. What is the

36
significance of the church bell in the
context? v. The word ‘drill’ as used in the
extract means …. a. a
tool b. teach many times c exercise, marching d.
make a hole vi. The teacher could not continue speaking because _________________.

4 4 ) This morning, Saheb is on his way to the milk booth. In his hand is a steel canister. ― I
now work in a tea stall down the road, he says, pointing in the distance. ― I am paid 800
rupees and all my meals. Does he like the job? I ask. His face, I see, has lost the carefree look.
The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag he would carry so lightly over his
shoulder. The bag was his. The canister belongs to the man who owns the tea shop. Saheb is
no longer his own master! 1. His face, I see, has lost the
carefree look. This means as per the assumption of the author, in hislooks, Saheb is
_______________
a) Not burdened with responsibility b) Burdened with
responsibility c) Burdened but without any
responsibility d) Not burdened but feels responsible 2. Choose
the appropriate statements for ― Saheb is no longer his own
master! i) Saheb carries his bag for rag picking. (ii)
Saheb works in a tea stall. (iii) Saheb is paid 800
rupees. (iv)Saheb carries canister. a) (i)
(ii)&(iii) b) (i)(ii)&(iv) c) (i)(iii)&(iv) d) (ii)(iii)&(iv)

3. Read the statements given below. Choose the correct statement to analyse the mental
condition of Saheb-e
Alam.
a) He seems to be dignified working at the tea-
stall. b) He seems to be proud
collecting milk from the milk booth. c) He
seems to be responsible carrying the steel
canister. d) He seems to be enjoying
his freewheel at the tea-stall. 4.
Select the option/options that does NOT explain Saheb‘s nature of thinking in his new job at
the
teastall.
(i) He thinks collecting milk is a part of his new
job. (ii) Canister is
heavy, but he thinks he should carry it for
survival (iii) He is earning 800 rupees and all
meals, so he should justify the job. (iv) He is a servant
now, he can have a carefree
life. a) Only option (iii)
b) Both options (ii)&(iv) c) Both options (i)&(iv) d) Only option (iv)

4 5) Savita, a young girl in a drab pink dress, sits alongside an elderly woman, soldering pieces
of [Link] her hands move mechanically like the tongs of a machine, I wonder if she knows
the sanctity of the bangles she helps make. It symbolises an Indian woman‘s suhaag,
auspiciousness in marriage. It will dawn on her suddenly one day when her head is draped
with a red veil, her hands dyed red with henna, and red bangles rolled onto her wrists. She will
then become a bride. Like the old woman beside her who became one many years ago. She
still has bangles on her wrist, but no light in her eyes. ― Ek waqt ser bhar khana bhi nahin

36
khaya,‖ she says, in a voice drained of joy. She has not enjoyed even one full meal in her
entire lifetime — that‘s what she has reaped! Her husband, an old man with a flowing beard,
says, ― I know nothing except bangles. All I have done is make a house for the family to live
in.‖ Hearing him, one wonders if he has achieved what many have failed in their lifetime. He
has a roof over his head!

1. “I know nothing except bangles”. Which one of the following best speaks about the
character of the old man.

a) (i) Cunning; (ii) wise; (iii) soft; (iv) obedient

b) (i) Intelligent; (ii) irresponsible; (iii)caring; (iv) simple

c) (i) Innocent; (ii)foresight (iii)responsible; iv)caring

d) (i) Impeccable; (ii) honest; (iii) rude; (iv) simple

2. Which option best indicates that the old woman too has sacrificed something in her life for
the sake of her family.

(i) The old woman has bangles on her wrist, but she can‘t see them.

(ii) She has not even enjoyed one full meal in her life time.

(iii)She never supported her husband in bangle making in her life.

(iv)She knows nothing expect making bangles which symbolise an Indian woman‘s suhaag.

a) (i)&(iv) b) (ii)&((iii) c) (iii)&(iv) d) (i)&(ii)

3. “Ek waqt ser bhar khana bhi nahin khaya”, the grand mother says. Her voice indicates that
she is _______________.

a) Undergoing an emotion of great happiness.

b) Going through an emotion which lacks happiness.

c) Undergoing an emotion of anger and frustration.

d) Experiencing an emotion which reflects her fear and anxiety.

4 . Which of these statements is TRUE about the husband of the elderly woman?

a) He says he knows nothing about making bangles in Firozabad.

b) He did not enjoy even one full meal in his entire life for the sake of his family

c) He says he knows only bangle making and nothing else in his

life. d) All he has done in his life for the sake of his
wife is making bangles for her.

5. “I wonder if she knows the sanctity of the bangles she helps make”. In this statement, ― I
wonder reflects the author‘s
_____________

36
 a) Curiosity b) Anxiety c) Embarrassment d) Restlessness

4 6) “My introduction to the [Link]. swimming pool revived unpleasant memories and stirred
childish fears. But in a little while I gathered confidence. I paddled with my new water wings,
watching the other boys and trying to learn by aping them. I did this two or three times on
different days and was just beginning to feel at ease in the water when the misadventure
happened.”

i. The unpleasant memories referred to are……………

a. instances of drowning in
Yakima b.
being drawn into the sea at California
beach c. news reports on
death by
drowning d. all
the above.

ii. The narrator’s unrealistic fear is brought out in the expression……………….

Iii Identify the sentence that shows the narrator’s effort to subdue his fear.

iv. What did the narrator do during the days at the YMCA
pool? v. Write the expression that clarifies
that the narrator felt awkward in the pool

47) . I struck at the water as I went down, expending my strength as one in a nightmare
fights an irresistible force. I had lost all my breath. My lungs ached, my head throbbed. I was
getting dizzy. But I remembered the strategy — I would spring from the bottom of the pool
and come like a cork to the surface. I would lie flat on the water, strike out with my arms,
and thrash with my legs. Then I would get to the edge of the pool and be safe.

i. Point out the word that tells that the narrator was consuming his physical power.

ii. The experience of drowning in the pool was like a …………..

iii. ‘lost my breath…. Lungs ached…. Head throbbed’ –emphasize the fact that water was
………………….

a. overpowering b. docile c. energetic d.

passive iv. Figure of speech in ‘come like a cork to
the surface’.

a. comparison b. simile c. personification d.

metaphor v. How would the narrator reach the edge of the
pool?

vi. The author uses ‘be safe’ as his life was in …………… then. (Use a suitable
word)

4 8) “It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing, exactly as the
rattrap offered cheese and pork, and as soon as anyone let himself be tempted to

36
touch the bait, it closed in on him, and then every thing came to an end. The w orld
had, of course, never been very kind to him, so it gave him unw anted joy to think ill
of it in this w ay.”

(i) How did the peddler describe the w orld?

(a) Unjust and hostile (b) Unequal and

brutal (c) Kind and
compassionate (d) Sad and sorrow ful

ii) Select the option the matches the reference to ‘riches and joys, shelter and food’.

(a) Deceit (b) Bait (c) Materialism (d) Luxury

(iii) W hy do you think that the w orld w as not very kind to him?

(a) He w as poor and dirty (b) He w as a

thief (c) He w as a rattrap
seller (d) He looked monstrous

(iv) The given extract does not talk about

(a) how people treated the peddler (b) the philosophy of the rattrap seller

(c) the characteristics of the peddler (d) the monotony of peddler’s life

(v) Select the option that list the correct characteristic of the rattrap seller.

1. Shabby 2. Cunning 3.
Pessimist 4.
Vulnerable 5. Mischievious 6. Petty

(a) 1, 2, 3 (b) 1, 3, 6 (c) 4 , 5, 6

(d) 2, 4 , 5

vi) But one day this man had fallen into a line of thought, w hich really seemed to
him entertaining. The ‘line of thought’ implies a

(a) Belief (b) Philosophy (c) fallacy (d) Fact

4 9) …..it w as a big and confusing forest w hich he had gotten into. He tried, to be
sure, to w alk in a definite direction, but the paths tw isted back and forth so
strangely! He w alked and w alked w ithout coming to the end of the w ood, and
finally he realised that he had only been w alking around in the same part of the
forest. All at once he recalled his thoughts about the w orld and the rattrap. Now
his ow n turn had come. He had let himself be fooled by a bait and had been
caught. The w hole forest, w ith its trunks and branches, its thickets and fallen logs,
closed in upon him like an impenetrable prison from w hich he could never escape.

(i) ……’from w hich he could never escape’ Was he able to escape? If yes, how ?

(ii) By w hat bait had the peddler been fooled?

(iii) The consequence of ‘his ow n turn’ having come w as that the peddler had
…………

iv) The above extract richly employs literary devices. Look at the table below.

36
Choose the option that correctly matches the instances/examples in column A w ith
literary devices in column B.

COLUMN A COLUMN B

1The forest closed in upon the peddler like an (i) Imagery

impenetrable prison.

2. The big and confusing forest w ith its tw isted (ii) Allegory
paths, trunks and branches its thickets and fallen
logs.

3. The lost peddler w as reminded of the w orld (iii) Metaphor

and the rattrap

4 It w as a big and confusing forest w hich he had (iv) Simile

gotten into. The peddler had been fooled and
w as trapped in the forest.

a) 1-(i); 2-(ii); 3-(iii); 4 -(iv) (b) 1-(iv); 2-(i); 3-(ii); 4 -(iii)

(c) 1-(iii); 2-(iv); 3-(i); 4 -(ii) (d) 1-(ii); 2-(iii); 3-(iv); 4 -(i)

(v) For the Peddler, the forest had become

(a) an inevitable prison (b) a hopeless
trap (c) an unending
circle (d) an impenetrable maze

vi) ) Select the option that list the correct characteristic of the rattrap seller.
1. Shabby 2.
Cunning 3. Pessimist 4.
Vulnerable 5.
Mischievious 6. Petty

(a) 1, 2, 3 (b) 1, 3, 6 (c) 4 , 5, 6

(d) 2, 4 ,

50 ) “But Champaran did not begin as an act of defiance. It grew out of an attempt to alleviate
the distress of large numbers of peasants. This was the typical Gandhi pattern — his politics
were intertwined with the practical, day-to-day problems of the millions. His was not a loyalty
to abstractions; it was a loyalty to living, human beings. In everything Gandhi did, he tried to
mould a new free Indian who could stand on his own feet and thus make India free. “

i) Study the following statements:

Statement-1: His was not a loyalty to abstractions; it was a loyalty to living, human
beings. Statement-2: Gandhi was a humanitarian at heart.

Can statement-2 be inferred from statement-1?

ii) The word ‘alleviate’ in the extract means………

iii) The typical Gandhi pattern was…

. a) To separate politics from day to day life problems of people
b) To integrate politics with day to day life problems of people
c) To philosophize the problems faced by people
d) To confine politics to the problems of the elite

36
 iv) “But Champaran did not begin as an act of defiance”. This means..
a) It was a movement planned in advance
b) It was a movement without any goal or plan
c) It started as a movement for justice but later developed into civil disobedience
movement
d) The Champaran movement was not a civil disobedience movement at all

v) How did Gandhi want to mould a new Indian?

vi) The word ‘typical’ in this context means……

51) ”They accordingly went back to Gandhi and told him they were ready to follow him into jail.
“The battle of Champaran is won”, he exclaimed. Then he took a piece of paper and divided
the group into pairs and put down the order in which each pair was to court arrest. Several
days later, Gandhi received a written communication from the magistrate informing that the
Lieutenant-Governor of the province had ordered the case to be dropped. Civil disobedience
had triumphed, the first time in modern India.”

1. Which quality of Gandhi as a leader is seen in this extract?

2. Who are ‘they’

here?
3. “the Lieutenant-Governor of the province had ordered the case to be dropped”. Which
case does it refer to?

a) the case of disobeying the Police Superintendent’s order to quit

Champaran b) the case of staying with a government
servant c) the case of
staging an agitation outside the
court d) the case of writing
letters of complaint to the British
officials 4 . “They accordingly
went back to Gandhi and told him they were ready to follow him into jail”. What made them
decide
so?
5. “The Battle of Champaran is won”. Which of the following statements is ‘True’ about
the
statement?
Statement-1: Gandhi didn’t mean that the battle of Champaran was actually
won but the unity of the people against injustice was no less a victory

Statement-2: Gandhi meant that the battle of Champaran was literally won and there was
nothing more to
do.
6. What does ‘civil disobedience’
mean? a) the
refusal to obey the rules and commands of the
government b) a peaceful way of expressing
disapproval against unfair policies c)
aggressive form of protesting against
injustice d) passive form of
protest

52) 1. “All this shows that there was a great deal of national integration long before A.I.R. and
Doordarshan began broadcasting programmes on national integration. This gang of nationally
integrated make-up men could turn any decent-looking person into a hideous crimson hued
monster with the help of truck-loads of pancake and a number of other locally made potions
and lotions. Those were the days of mainly indoor shooting, and only five per cent of the film

36
was shot outdoors.”

1. Pancake was …………………..

2. The tone of the narrator in the extract

is… . a)
serious b) sad c) puckish d)
regretful 3. Find the word from the extract which
means “extremely ugly”

4 . The writer talks about national integration in the Studio

because…. a) The staff of make-up department
were from different states of India b) The movies
were made on the themes of national
integration c) The staff were
patriotic
d) They were influenced by AIR programmes on national integration

5. What does the writer say in this extract about filmmaking of those days?

6. Why did the make-up men turn a decent-looking person into a monster?

53) ” He was tailor-made for films. Here was a man who could be inspired when commanded.
“The rat fights the tigress underwater and kills her but takes pity on the cubs and tends them
lovingly — I don’t know how to do the scene,” the producer would say and Subbu would come
out with four ways of the rat pouring affection on its victim’s offspring. “Good, but I am not
sure it is effective enough,” the producer would say and in a minute Subbu would come out
with fourteen more alternatives. Film-making must have been and was so easy with a man
like Subbu around and if ever there was a man who gave direction and definition to Gemini
Studios during its golden years, it was Subbu. Subbu had a separate identity as a poet and
though he was certainly capable of more complex and higher forms, he deliberately chose to
address his poetry to the masses. His success in films overshadowed and dwarfed his literary
achievements — or so his critics felt.”

[Link] of the following statements is NOT TRUE about

Subbu? a) His literary accomplishments stole
the limelight from his films b) He was a
gifted poet and writer and his literary works were noteworthy
c) He was tailor-made for
films d)
In any creative crisis, he would come out with new
alternatives 2. Find a word in the extract
synonymous with ‘custom-made’. 3. Why
does the writer say that film making was easy with a man like
Subbu? 4 . Which of the following made Subbu
popular at the Studio? a) He was a mere
follower of Vasan b) He was a multi-faceted genius and was loyal to Vasan c) Subbu
was a literary figure but not so creative in
movies d) Subbu used to be a great
scholar but not practical in ideas

5. What did his critics feel about Subbu?

6. Despite his literary calibre, what kind of poetry did he write?

54 ) Some might make quite extravagant claims for it as being,in its highest form,a source of
truth,and ,in its practice,an [Link],usually celebrities who see themselves as its

36
victims,might despise the interview as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives,or feel that it
somehow diminishes them, just as in some primitive cultures,it is believed that if one takes a
photographic portrait of somebody then one is stealing that persons soul

. (a)What is the most likely reason some people consider the practice of interview to be an
art? This could be because it requires

: i)fluency of words ii)sensitive and careful

handling iii)creativity and imagination iv)probing
and focussing on details

. (b)Rewrite the sentence by replacing the underlined phrase with its interference. Celebrities
feel that an interview diminishes them.

(c) On the basis of the extract, choose the correct option with reference to the two
statements given
below
[Link] don’t consent to be interviewd.

[Link] intrude the privacy of

celebrities. i)(1).can
be inferred from the extract but (2)
cannot ii)(1) cannot be inferred
from the extract but (2) can iii)(1) is
true but (2) is
false. iv)
(2) is the reason for (1)

(d)Rationalise, to support the given opinion, To say that an interview, in its highest form is a
source of truth is an extravagant claim.

(e) Replace the underlined word with its antonym from the
extract . Some celebrities hate the idea of having to
give an interview because it makes them feel like supporters.

(f)The authors views on interview, in the extract, can best be described as statements based
on…………………

i)facts ii) hypothesis iii)beliefs

iv)superstitions

55) Others usually celebrities who see themselves as its victims,might despise the interview
as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives,or feel that it somehow diminishes them,just as in
some primitive cultures it is believed that if one takes a photographic portrait of somebody
then one is stealing that person’s [Link] feels that some people are wounded by
interviews and lose a part of [Link] Caroll the creator of Alice in Wonderland was
said to have had a just horror of the interviewer and he never consented to be interviewed.

(a)Choose the appropriate option with reference to the given extract Most of the celebrities
dislike being interviewed because

(i)It is sheer nonsense (ii)Nobody reveals his/her inner self. (iii)It is sheer waste of
time (iv)It is an unwanted intrusion into their lives

(b)Complete the analogy with a word from the extract

Light : darkness :
…………………. :refused

36
(c)In primitive cultures,being photographed
implied……….. (d)From the given extract ,we
know that …………..never agreed to be interviewed. (e)In the given
extract,the word diminish most nearly means
(i)deepens (ii)disappoints (iii)lessens
(iv)languishes (f)In the given extract,the writer indicates
that most people…………interviews (i)celebrated
(ii)read (iii)gave (iv)despised

56) “Huh - if you ever come into money... if you ever come into money you’ll buy us a blessed
decent house to live in, thank you very much.” Sophie’s father was scooping shepherd’s pie
into his mouth as hard as he could go, his plump face still grimy and sweat — marked from
the day. “She thinks money grows on trees, don’t she, Dad?’ said little Derek, hanging on the
back of his father’s chair. Their mother sighed

. 1. “Huh - if you ever come into money...Who spoke the above lines to whom?

a) Sophie to Father b)Father to her Sophie c) Sophie to

Dereck d) Sophie to her friend

ii) ‘ his plump face still grimy and sweat’ what does this imply?

a) He worked with grime b) He loved grimy and

sweat c) He played with grimy and sweat
d) He was very hardworking and he still had sweat and grimy all over

iii)the mother sighed

because_______________________ iv)She
thinks money grows on trees could mean

v)the opposite of the word

plump a.
Emaciated b. Skinny c. Lanky d. All of the
above

57) And afterwards you wait there alone in the arcade for a long while, standing where he
stood remembering the soft melodious voice, the shimmer of green eyes. No taller than you
No bolder than you. The prodigy, The innocent genius, the great Danny Casey And she saw it
all again, last Saturday saw him ghost past the lumbering defenders, heard the fifty thousand
catch their breath as he hovered momentarily over the ball, and then the explosion of sound as
he struck it crisply into the goal, the sudden thunderous eruption of exultant approbation.

1. What was she remembering about Danny Casey?

. 2. A Prodigy is a person who is a genius (true/false)

3. the soft melodious voice, the shimmer of green eyes

describe [Link] Casey ii.
Jansie iii. Derek iv Geoff
4 . The explosion that could be seen at the stadium was__________________

5. Pick a word from the passage which is similar in meaning to

jubiliant 6. The thunderous sound exploded because

i. The ball was crispy ii. The ball erupted iii. The Danney hovered over the
ball iv. The ball was struck into the goal

58) Driving from my parent’s home to Cochin last Friday morning, I saw my mother, beside

36
me, doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse and realized with pain that she
was as old as she looked but soon put that thought

[Link] the option that best applies to the given extract.

1) An order 2) an argument m 3) a
request 4 ) a strategy 5) a
recollection 6) a direction a) 1, 3 &
6 b) 2, 4 & 5 c) Only 5 d) Only 1

2) Choose the option that displays the same literary device as in the given lines of the
extract. her face ashen like that of a
corpse… a) I
like it when it’s raining
…… b)
She said that he liked her presentation at the
seminar c) My son is like a red
rose….
d) I like to listen to soft music especially when I am driving …..

3) doze, open mouthed” –indicates that thee mother was ______________

59) old familiar ache, my childhood's fear, but all I said was, see you soon, Amma, all I did was
smile and smile and smile......

1. What was the poet's childhood

fear? (a) losing her
childhood innocence. (b) scared of losing her
youth . (c) fear of separation from her mother . (d)
The fear of losing her belongings. . 2 Choose the option that
appropriately describes the reason for the poet’s smile

Statement 1: The poet smiled as she remembered with joy the beautiful vacation she spent
with her mother. Statement 2: The poet smiled because she wanted to hide her fears from
her mother and reassure her that all is well with her .

According to the
context:
(a) Statement 1is correct but statement 2 is
not. (b) Statement 2 is correct
but statement 1is not. (c)
Both statement 1and statement 2 are
correct. (d) Both statement 1
and statement 2 are correct

3 Literary device used in the last line ____________________

What I want should not be confused with total inactivity. Life is what it is about; I want no
truck with
death
1. The phrase ‘Life is what it is about' signifies______________

a) living life miserably b) living life

ridiculously c) living life
carefully d) living life as it is meant to
be 2. ‘I want no truck with death’ indicates that the
poet ________________ a) wants a truck for
death b) does not mean that inactivity is life c)
assures people that they would not face death at all d) does not want a truck

36
3. Which of the following is not correct?

a) The poet wants all people to be idle doing

nothing b) The poet wants all
people to keep quiet to introspect
c) The poet wants all people to be like
brothers d) The poet wants
all people to love one another
4. Statement 1: The poet
cautions that one should not mistake doing nothing for total inactivity Statement 2: The poet
confirms that he does not mean to associate life with death. a)
Statement 1is true but Statement 2 is
false. b) Statement 1is
false but Statement 2 is
true. c) Both Statement 1
and Statement 2 are
true. d) Both
Statement 1and Statement 2 cannot be
inferred 5, The word “inactivity” in the
above lines suggests ______________________. 6. The theme
of the poem “Keeping Quiet” is ______________

61) It would be an exotic momentwithout rush, without engines, we would all be together in a
sudden strangeness.

1. The ‘exotic moment‘ that the poet refers to is, when

a) the whole world is

destroyed
b) all the people are
divided c)
all the people are together with
oneness d) all
the people speak only in one language 2. State whether the given statement is TRUE or
FALSE The other word for exotic is non-native

3. “Sudden strangeness‘ is an example of

a) Metaphor b) Simile c) Oxymoron d) Alliteration

4 . Who is the poet speaking to?

5. How can we all be together according to Pablo Neruda?

6. The poet means ____________________ by “without Engines

62) . All lovely tales that we have heard or read; An endless fountain of immortal drink, Pouring
unto us from the heaven’s brink

a. What does 'brink' mean?

i. Tree top ii. A rocky space iii. Mountain top iv. An edge at the
top b. What is the endless fountain of immortal drink?

i. Rivers and lake ii. Flowing streams and

forest iii. Sunlight
iv. All the things of beauty c. What is the
effect of immortal

36
drink? i. No one is
thirsty and sick ii. Everyone is happy and
healthy iii. Provides immense joy and
happiness iv. Beauty never moves away

63) Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth Of noble natures, of the gloomy days, Of all the
unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways Made for our searching:

a. What does “spite of despondence”

mean? i. Mind
filled with ill willand hatred for others ii. Mind full of dreams for the future
iii. Desperate to get fame and recognition iv. Desire to do noble deeds

b) b. What are the flowery bands that bind us to the

earth? i. The beautiful things present in
nature like flowers that we wreathe into a band ii. The
beautiful “flowery bands” that keeps us connected to the
earth iii. Both i and
ii iv. None of the above

c. What does the poet mean by over darkened ways?

i. Refers to the trials and tribulations of life ii. The path darkened
by clouds iii. Course of life full of dependence, sadness, cruelty iv. Both i
and iii

64 ) The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead, Or if ever aside a moment, then out of
sorts At having the landscape marred with the artless paint Of signs that with N turned
wrong and S turned wrong Offered for sale wild berries in wooden quarts, Or crook-necked
golden squash with silver warts, Or beauty rest in a beautiful mountain scene, You have the
money, but if you want to be mean, Why keep your money (this crossly) and go along.’

a. The polished traffic refers

to : i.
Educated city dwellers ii. Brand new
cars iii. Wealthy people from the
city iv. Both i and iii b. What
has marred the landscape?

i. Squash with silver warts ii. Tastelessly painted roadside

stand iii. Polished traffic iv. None of
the above c. What is being sold in the road side
stand? i. Wooden
Quarts ii. Wild berries and golden
squash iii. Painting of beautiful mountains iv. All
the above

65) . The little old house was out with a little new shed In front at the edge of the road where
the traffic sped, A roadside stand that too pathetically pled, It would not be fair to say for a
dole of bread, But for some of the money, the cash, whose flow supports The flower of cities
from sinking and withering faint.

’ a. What is a Roadside Stand in the poem?

i. A bus stop ii. A waiting

point iii. A shed outside
a roadside old house iv. None

36
 b. What does Frost present in the poem A Roadside
Stand? i. the lives of poor deprived people
with understanding and in a sympathetic way ii. the lives
of people who stand on bus
stand iii. lives of
travellers iv.
None c. What does
“The flower of cities” refer to:

i. The flower of the cities are those who have the money and whose cash flow supports the
cities ii. The withering flowers throw out of the cities into
rivers iii. The lush green meadows in the
cities covered with exotic flowers iv. All the above

66) Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen Bright topaz denizens of a world of green
They do not fear the men beneath the tree They pace in sleek chivalric certainty

i. Why do the Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen? Choose the correct option

a. Because the tigers feel it difficult to

roam b. Because the
tigers are not real and they are presented in a lively manner by the
Aunt c. Because the tigers want to find
food d. Because
the tigers are very meek and do not want to trouble
people ii. The phrase ‘Denizens of a world of green’
means… a. inhabitants of the
forest b. citizens sent to forest as a
punishment c. the citizens who struggle with wild
animals d. the wild animals troubled by human beings iii. ‘Topaz’ is a/
an
a. Tall tree in a jungle full of
tigers b. Tree
guard installed in forest to catch
animals c. Efficient artist in
embroidery
d. Precious stone usually yellowish brown in colour

iv. Find a word which means ‘smooth and shiny’ from the given
extract _____________________ v. Read the following statement and choose the
correct option. [Link] do not fear the men
beneath the tree [Link]
are not real tigers to have fear

a. (1) is true but (2) does not the give the

reason b. (1) is false (2) is
true
c. Both are wrong d. (1) is true and (2) gives the
reason vi. Explain ‘They pace in chivalric certainty’ in a sentence

67) Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her wool Find even the ivory needle hard to
pull, The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand.

i. Why are Jennifer’s fingers fluttering?

ii. The ivory needle is hard to pull- It reflects

that a. Ivory needle is literally
heavy to do the embroidery work b.

36
Ivory needle is very light but she has got
injured c. Ivory needle is
very light but metaphorically it is hard due to disturbed family life
iii. ‘The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’ is symbolic
of a. The burdensome family life of
Jennifer b. The broken marriage of Jennifer c. The model
family of the Uncle and Aunt d. The heavy ring offered by the uncle to aunt iv.
What is Aunt Jennifer
doing? v.
Find a word which means ‘flapping’
_____________ vi. Go through
the statements and answer the
question. Choose the correct
option
. 1. Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her
wool 2. The aunt has some
health issues and the hands flutter

a. Both the statements are

true
b. The second statement explains the first
properly c. The second
statement is only
true d. The
first statement is only true

68) 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.

i. The tigers are symbolic of

…… a. The
hidden talent of the
Aunt b.
The ferocious nature of the
Uncle c. The
inner feeling of the aunt to face the world
boldly d. The calm and complacent
Aunt

ii. Find a word which means ‘situation/experience which is difficult and unpleasant’
_______________ iii. When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie still ringed with ordeals she
was mastered by- These lines suggest that

a. The Aunt does have any fear after the death as he has become an
expert b. The Aunt feels the heat of the sad state of her
married life even after death even she tried her best to
manage
c. The Aunt gets relieved from the pain and torture of
marriage d. The Aunt’s spirit is very strong
and bold now iv. How are
the tigers in the
panel? v.
‘Prance’ means
______________________________ vi.
Choose the statement that is
wrong a. The
tigers are the embroidery made by the

36
Aunt b. The tigers seem to be
real, very active and lively c.
The tigers are very meek and don’t attack
anybody d. The tigers represent
the spirit of the Aunt

69) He said I was unhappy. That made my wife kind of mad, but he explained that he meant
the modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and all the rest of it, and that I just want
to escape. Well, who doesn’t? Everybody I know wants to escape, but they don’t wander
down into any third level at Grand Central Station.

i. Who is ‘He’ in the given

Extract? ii.
That made my wife unhappy-What made the wife
unhappy? a. The doctor said that her husband
was suffering from a chronic disease b. The doctor
said that her husband travelled in third level was a dream wish fulfillment c.
The doctor told her that he would die very
soon d. The wife was
mad because of her brother had mental issues

iii. What does ‘the third level’

mean?
iv. The narrator of the extract is______________________

70. The lead story said something about President Cleveland. I’ve found that front page since,
in the Public Library files, and it was printed June 11, 1894 . I turned toward the ticket windows
knowing that here — on the third level at Grand Central — I could buy tickets that would take
Louisa and me anywhere in the United States we wanted to go. In the year 1894 . And I wanted
two tickets to Galesburg, Illinois. Have you ever been there? It’s a wonderful town still, with
big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and
roof the streets.

i. What is the name of the newspaper (printed June

11,1894 )? ii. Why does the narrator want to
go to Galesburg?

a. He wants to meet his friend Sam

there b. He wants
to meet his grandfather
there c. He considers it
an ideal and complacent place to live
in d. His wife has great interest in
visiting Galesburg

iii. Why does the narrator prefer 1894 to his present

time? a. That time was peaceful time in
the USA b. The world
war started in that
year c. He
wanted to take part in the peaceful movement against the
warmongers d. He was very excited to take part in the 1894
war

iv Why does the narrator say that he has been on the third level at Grand Central
Station?

71) My friend Sam Weiner disappeared! Nobody knew where, but I sort of suspected because

36
Sam’s a city boy, and I used to tell him about Galesburg — I went to school there — and he
always said he liked the sound of the place. And that’s where he is, all right. In 1894 . Because
one night, fussing with my stamp collection, I found — Well, do you know what a first-day
cover is? When a new stamp is issued, stamp collectors buy some and use them to mail
envelopes to themselves on the very first day of sale.

i. What do you think about the

narrator? a.
The narrator does not want have any association with the
friend b. He wants to show that his friend
too has same kind of issue like him c. He
wants to prove that there is no level called the
third d. He wants to prove
that his friend is mad

ii. My friend Sam Weiner disappeared -Where could he have gone according the
narrator? iii. What is a first day
letter?
iv. Why does the narrator choose the year 1894?

72) The Maharaja and the dewan held deliberations over this issue. As a result, a
telegram was despatched forthwith to a famous British company of jewellers in
Calcutta. ‘Send samples of expensive diamond rings of different designs'.

i. How many rings were received from the company?

a. Forty b. Hundred c. Fifty d.

Thirty ii. The
synonym of the word
deliberation is a.
Ignorance b. Negligence c. Carelessness d.
Discussion iii. The king tried to bribe the British official to save his
kingdom. a. True b. False

iv. The expensive gifts were for the ________ of the British official.

73) .Right at the start, it is imperative to disclose a matter of vital importance about
the tiger king. Everyone who reads of him will experience the natural desire to meet a
man of indomitable courage face to face. But there is no chance of its fulfillment.

a)The Tiger King is someone who

has [Link] kill
tigers [Link] fight for his life [Link] courage 4 .left this abode
b),There is no chance of meeting him because……………….

c).pick up the word which is an antonym of Unnecessary?

[Link] [Link] [Link]

4 .indomitable d)choose the word that is closest
in meaning to the word disclose?

[Link] [Link] [Link] 4 .expose

74 ) .six hundred and fifty million years ago, a giant amalgamated Southern

36
 supercontinent Gondwana did indeed exist, centred roughly around Present day
Antartica.

A)Select the correct option The climate of Gondwana

was [Link] warmer [Link]
cold [Link] for a variety of
flora and fauna 4 suitable for human beings

a) 1&2 b) 1&3 c) 2&3 d) 2&4

B) How was life different 650 million years ago?

[Link] of human beings was very

dense [Link] had not arrived
on the global scene [Link]
wasn't much flora and
fauna 4 .ice could
be seen everywhere

C) Pick up the word having the same meaning as 'combine to form one structure or
Organisation? [Link] [Link] [Link] 4
centred

. D. The Purpose of the Journey to Antarctica

is [Link] witness the geological
conditions more closely [Link]
travel [Link] sensitise the young minds
towards climatic change. [Link] see the beauty of the Earth.

[Link] has been described as

a. coldest, driest windiest continent b. hottest and

inhabitable c. thriving with all sorts of
life d. All of the above

. F .choose the correct option with respect to the statements given below?

Statement 1Antarctica is a lesson in itself for the readers of the

text Statement [Link] gives an insight to the
damage being done to Earth by humanity. [Link] 1can be inferred but
statement 2 cannot be inferred from the text . b.statement1cannot be
inferred but statement 2 can be inferred from the text. [Link]
statements can be inferred from the
text. [Link] statements cannot be
inferred from the text.

75) . But after a week Sadao felt the General was well enough to be spoken to about the
prisoner. “Yes, Excellency, he escaped,” Sadao now said. He coughed, signifying that he had not
said all he might have said, but was unwilling to disturb the General further. But the old man
opened his eyes suddenly. “That prisoner,” he said with some energy, “did I not promise you I
would kill him for you?” “You did, Excellency,” Sadao said. “Well, well!” the old man said in a tone
of amazement, “so I did! But you see, I was suffering a good deal. The truth is, I thought of
nothing but myself. In short, I forgot my promise to you.”

i) Who is the prisoner referred to in the above

extract? a. The prisoner captured by the

36
general b. The prisoner
in the custody of the
assassins c. The prisoner
saved from the
sea d. The
prisoner captured by the Japanese e

ii) Why was Sadao reluctant to tell the whole story to the
general? a. The general was
weak b. The general will be
annoyed c. The general will accuse Sadao of saving
the enemy d. He did not want to
accuse the general of not sending assassins as promised e.

iii) What had the General promised to do to help Sadao to get rid of the
prisoner? a. To send hired
killers b. To send Japanese
military c. To send secret police
d. To give secret weapon

iv) Why couldn’t the general fulfil his

promise? a. General was
not
interested
b. General had other duties at
hand c.
General was worried about his own
health d. General wanted
Sadao to do all he could

76 He stood for a moment on the veranda, gazing out to the sea from whence the young man
had come that other night. And into his mind, although without reason, there came other
white faces he had known — the professor at whose house he had met Hana, a dull man, and
his wife had been a silly talkative woman, in spite of her wish to be kind. He remembered his
old teacher of anatomy, who had been so insistent on mercy with the knife, and then he
remembered the face of his fat and slatternly landlady,,

, i) Who is the young man referred to in the

extract? a. The man whom Sadao
met in America b.
The man who was washed at Sadao’s door
step c. The man who
helped Sadao d. The imprisoned man e.

ii) Why does the young man remind Sadao of “other white faces”?

a The young man resembled people he knew in

America b. The young man
had guided him in
America c. The
young man’s family was known to
Sadao d. The young
man resembled people he had helped in America

iii) Why does Sadao thankfully remember the professor?

a. The professor taught him surgery b. The professor was his

guide c. The professor hosted lunch for Sadao d. He met Hana

36
at the professor’s house iv) What might have happened to the young man who had
come from the sea? a. Got killed by the Japanese b.
Escaped to America c. Drowned in the
sea d. Returned to Japan

77 MR LAMB: Well, that needn’t stop you, you needn’t mind.

DERRY: It’d stop them. They’d mind me. When they saw me here. They look at my face
and run.

MR LAMB: They might. They might not. You’d have to take the risk. So would they.

DERRY: No, you would. You might have me and lose all your other friends, because
nobody wants to stay near me if they can help it.

MR LAMB: I’ve not moved.

DERRY: No....

MR LAMB: When I go down the street, the kids shout ‘Lamey-Lamb.’ But they still
come into the garden, into my house; it’s a game. They’re not afraid of me. Why should
they be? Because I’m not afraid of them, that’s why not.

i. The kids tease Mr. Lamb but still come to his garden. Why?

a. To tease Lamb b. To enjoy his

company c. To enjoy the toffees and
treats d. To hide from others e

ii. Choose the best option that describes Mr. Lamb.

a. Headstrong b. Pessimist c. Negligent d. Positive

iii Choose the correct option with reference to the extract.

What makes Derry tell Mr. Lamb that if he comes to the garden others would stop
coming? a. Mr. Lamb would not let others come.

b. They would be repulsed by Derry

c. Mr. Lamp would have to choose between him and others

d. Derry would flare up

iv. What does Derry mean by “…nobody wants to stay near me if they can help it.”

a. Derry is scarred of others b. Derry imagines that others are

scarred of him c. Derry wants to have company of others d. Derry hates
company of others

78 . DERRY: What do you do all day?

MR LAMB: Sit in the sun. Read books. Ah, you thought it was an empty house, but
inside, it’s full. Books and other things. Full.

36
DERRY: But there aren’t any curtains at the windows.

MR LAMB: I’m not fond of curtains. Shutting things out, shutting things in. I like the
light and the darkness, and the windows open, to hear the wind.

DERRY: Yes. I like that. When it’s raining, I like to hear it on the roof.

MR LAMB: So you’re not lost, are you? Not altogether? You do hear things. You listen.

DERRY: They talk about me. Downstairs, When I’m not there.

i. Mr. Lamb concludes that Derry is not ‘lost’. What does he mean by
it? a) Derry enjoys nature around him. b) Derry
does not appreciate man and nature c) Derry does not pause to reflect on
wind and rain d) Derry is closed
off to nature and its wonders

ii What has influenced Derry’s

life? a. The rain
on the roof b. The humming of the
bees c. Comments made by others d. Advice
from his Mother e. Answer: c) Comments made by others

iii. Choose the option that best describes in the beginning of the play and at the end

a) shyness –courage b) inquisitiveness –

sadness c) curiosity –
disappointment d) defiance –excitement

iv “You do hear things. You listen.” Choose the option that captures the difference
between hearing and listening. hear: listen :: _________:
_________ a) shut in: shut
out b) smile: laugh c) blabber: speak d) chance: attend

79 ) This unit presents autobiographical episodes from the lives of two women from
marginalised communities who look back on their childhood, and reflect on their
relationship with the mainstream culture. The first account is by an American Indian
woman born in the late nineteenth century; the second is by a contemporary Tamil
Dalit writer.

1. What do you mean by marginalized

community? a. Treated as
significant b. Treated as
insignificant c. Treated as middle
class d. Treated as upper class

2. What do you mean by mainstream

culture? a. Treated as most
normal by a few b. Treated as most normal by a majority c.
Treated as most abnormal by all d. Treated as most abnormal by a

36
 few 3. An American Indian
is a.
An Indian settled in America b. An American settled in
India c. A native American d. A
native Indian 4 . What do you mean by
contemporary ? a.
Belonging to the same time of another reference

b. Belonging to a different time of another reference

c. Belonging to ancient times

d. Belonging to history

80 Annan told me all these things. And he added, "Because w e are born into this
community, w e are never given any honour or dignity or respect; w e are stripped
of all [Link] if w e study and make progress, w e can throw aw ay these indignities.
So study w ith care, learn all you can. If you are alw ays ahead in your lessons, people
w ill come to you of their ow n accord and attach themselves to you. Work hard and
learn." The w ords. that Annan spoke to me that day made a very deep impression
on me. And I studied hard, w ith all my breath and being, in a frenzy almost. As
Annan had urged, I stood first in my class. And because of that, many people
becamemy friends.

(i) The extract deals w ith the practice of ....................... on the basis of .................. as it
has been
practised in many parts of the country.
(a) pow er; w ealth (c) bigotry; religion
(b) reservation; merit (d) discrimination; community

(ii) According the extract, the solution to all ills of the society that people like the
narrator are
subjected to lies w ith ____________

(iii) Choose the options that list the benefits that the narrator had on follow ing
Annan's advice?
By follow ing Annan's advice, the narrator w as able to ................... .
1. accept the lot of her community 3. w in friends and admiration
2. excel at her studies 4 . value her elder brother

(a) Options 1and 2 (c) Options 2 and 4

(b) Options 2 and 3 (d) Options 3 and 4

(iv) Substitute the phrase 'stripped of' w ith another w ord or phrase w ithout
changing the
meaning.

36
36