Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Eng
Eng
Maximum Marks: 80
Time Allowed: 3 hours
General Instructions:
i. This paper is divided into three sections: A, B and C. All questions are compulsory.
ii. Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary.
Read these instructions very carefully and follow them.
iii. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
Section A
1. Read the passages given below and answer the questions that follow
them: (8 marks)
Hibernation is one of the main adaptations that allow certain northern animals to
survive long, cold winters. Hibernation is like a very deep sleep that allows animals to
save their energy when there is little or no food available. The body functions of true
hibernators go through several changes while they are in hibernation.
Body temperature drops and the heart rate slows down. For example, a hibernating
woodchuck’s body temperature drops by more than 30 degrees Celsius and its heart
rate slows down from 80 to 4 beats per minute! Other true hibernators include the
jumping mouse, little brown bat, eastern chipmunk, and several ground squirrels.
Other animals such as the skunk and racoon are not considered true hibernators, as
they wake up in winter to feed and their body functions do not change as much.
Since they only sleep for a little bit at a time, the term ‘dormancy’ or light sleeping’ is
used to describe their behaviour.
The largest animals to hibernate are bears. Their heart rate may slow down from a
usual 40-50 beats per minute to 8-12 beats per minute, but their body temperature
changes very little, so they are able to wake up quickly.
Hibernating animals have a special substance in the blood called hibernation
2. Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions carefully: (12
marks)
The growth of industry is an important feature of civilisation. But industrial growth is
not an unmixed blessing. It has polluted the atmosphere, it has disturbed the
ecological balance, it has created tense situations in human relations and it has posed
a serious threat to plants, trees, greenery, and wildlife in the jungle.
On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions
briefly: (12×1=12)
Vocabulary: (1x4 = 4)
OR
You recently visited the 24th Crafts Mela at Bareilly. U.P. It was Mini India assembled
at one place. Make a diary entry of what you saw and experienced there, not more
than 100-150 words.
4. Write a story in 150-200 words from the outline given below: (10 Marks)
OR
Mahesh wrote only a few lines and couldn't complete the story he wanted to write.
Taking help from the beginning Mahesh made, develop the story in about 150-200
words.
A woodcutter was chopping down trees on the bank of a river. His hands were so
much wet with his sweat that he lost his grip......
He was happy and contented, (i) ________ he was poor. He never showed signs of
frustration, (ii) _________ his friends who were rich were always in distress. (iii)
________ the problems he had to face, he remained calm and composed. (iv) _________
people liked his company. (v) ________ he went, he spread happiness.
6. There is one error in each line. Identify the wrong word and write it with the
correction in the spaces given. (4 marks)
incorrect correct
we find life.
7. Rearrange the following to create meaningful sentences : (do any four) (1×4=4)
8. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. [4x1 = 4
marks]
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
OR
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. [4x1 = 4
marks]
The previous year, Albert’s parents had moved to Milan, and left their son with
relatives.
After prolonged discussion, Einstein got his wish to continue his education in German-
speaking Switzerland, in a city which was more liberal than Munich.
Einstein was highly gifted in mathematics and interested in physics, and after
finishing school, he decided to study at a university in Zurich.
But science wasn’t the only thing that appealed to the dashing young man with the
walrus moustache.
c. Why do countries engage in wars and to what effect? Write your answer in the
context of poem No Men Are Foreign.
f. How did Sergei react when the beggar lied about his identity?
10. Can the company of an animal give undiluted pleasure to a human being? Give some
examples from the story. (8 Marks)
OR
Holy rivers are polluted by human beings. What according to you pollutes a holy
river? Comment with reference to Bagmati river in Kathmandu.
11. When the child got lost in the fair a stranger helped him and tried to solve his
problem, What do you feel about the behaviour of the stranger? (8 Marks)
OR
Solution
Section A
2. Answer briefly:
a. In the course of time, many species of wildlife have become extinct because they
could not face the grim struggle for survival as they were unfit in the process of
the survival of the fittest.
b. The growth of the industry is an important feature of civilization, but it has
polluted the environment, disturbed the ecological balance and posed a serious
threat to plants, trees, greenery, and wildlife in the jungle.
c. We should genuinely feel the need to protect wild animals. Now we are better
civilized than the past when we used to kill animals for food and lived on them.
Now we should stop killing animals for pleasure.
d. Man is the symbol of love, kindness, compassion and nobleness. To establish God’s
kingdom on this planet he should love not only his fellow human beings but also
birds and beasts by protecting them from all danger.
Vocabulary:
i. (d) boon
ii. (d) animals
iii. (b) cruelty
More smoke than light has been generated by the current outcry on black money.
People think that there is a lot of money out there in Swiss banks. Black money does
not remain black, money forever. A lot of foreign funds and investments come back to
India as white money. Income generated through illegal activities is the basis for
generating black money. Global terror business, drugs, arms dealing, real estate,
Hawala transactions, to name just a few, create black money. The G20 summit in
London gave a clear message. The era of banking secrecy is over. India is a strong
supporter of this move. The success in getting black money depends on international
actions and cooperation among nations. Rather than looking for the foreign hand, the
battle against black money must be waged at home. Unless black money is generated
at home, unaccounted money can’t be transferred abroad. Centre and states need to
work on reforms. Tax rates need to be moderate. The laws must be simple. There
should be no temptation to evade.
OR
New Delhi
20th March, 20XX
Monday, 8:00 pm
Dear Diary,
The Crafts Mela at Bareilly was much more impressive and grand than what I had
imagined. This year the ‘Theme State’ was Rajasthan. The whole campus was painted
with the visuals of Ranthambore, Chittor, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer. It was Mini India
assembled on a few hundred acres of land. All the awarded artisans from different
states had set up their workshops and stalls there. Many countries, more particularly
Pakistan, Nepal, and Afghanistan gave it an international look. Most of the stalls also
had craftsmen who gave live demos of how various products were made. I was
astounded at the skills of these people. At the same time, I felt sorry that most of the
time their skills were going unnoticed. For example, while Gujarat state excelled in
Generally, with the examination round the corner, the stress level of both the wards
and the parents are quite high and sometimes, it reaches the breaking point. The
same thing happened to me but the picture was different for my parents. The date of
my board examination of Class X was declared. I was petrified to think of the board
examination. Just like other students of my class, it was also my first experience of
appearing in the board exam. But I am blessed with such supportive parents who not
only counselled me but also helped me in preparing for the exams in the right way.
They knew my capability and didn't burden me with their unrealistic expectations,
nor did they draw unnecessary comparisons with other children. Rather they helped
me out to make a schedule for my studies and I followed it seriously. My father helped
me in my studies also. My mother took care of my diet and other chores. All that care
and my proper preparation made me feel less stressed. The day of my first exam
came. It was my exam in English. I reached the examination centre twenty minutes
before the scheduled time. I checked my roll number and room number on the
board placed there at the entrance of my centre. I reached my class and after getting
settled on my seat, I prayed to God. All other students were revising from their books,
that thing made me more nervous Then, the bell rang. Papers were distributed by the
invigilator. As soon as I saw the question paper, my joy knew no boundaries because
the paper seemed very easy to me as I had practised the syllabus a lot. It brought back
my confidence. I came out of the centre with joy and I saw my father was waiting for
me outside the centre. Same happened in all the exams. After my exams wind-up, I
took a sigh of relief. The time for the result arrived and again, that nerve of stress
came to me like that on the first day of exam. But I overcame and soon I checked my
OR
A woodcutter was chopping down trees on the bank of a river. His hands were so
much wet with his sweat that he lost his grip over the axe. It slipped away from his
hands and fell down into the river. The poor man couldn't even swim. He thought that
his axe was lost forever. He was very sad at his misfortune and started sobbing and
weeping. Suddenly there was a flash of light. The God of the Forests appeared before
him. The woodcutter explained what had happened. He consoled him. "Don't you
worry. I'll get back your axe for you", said the God of Forests, Having said these
words, he dived into the river. After a few moments, he came out with an axe. It was
made of gold. Is this yours? he asked. The woodcutter only said No. A few seconds
later he came out of the river with another axe. It was made of silver. No, no, sir, this
is not mine, said the woodcutter. He dived again and came out with the third axe. The
woodcutter cried loudly looking at the axe Yes, yes, it's mine-the woodcutter's axe
with an iron blade. The God of Forests was impressed with the woodcutter's
honesty."Keep all these axes as a present from me. " The God uttered these world and
disappeared. In the end, woodcutter has all three axes because of this honest act. The
woodcutter felt glad that he found his axe and a reward too. He finished his work and
went home. He then told his wife and children the whole story what happened. If he
would have lied to the God of the forest then he would have taken all the axes from
him. but because of his honesty, he got all the axes. otherwise, he would have only
one of the axes or have nothing. that is why it is said that honesty pays in the long
run.
5. i. though
ii. while
iii. In spite of
iv. So
v. Wherever
6.
(c) at in
OR
OR
Holy rivers are more polluted than common rivers. It is not good to pollute the holy
rivers in name of faith and religion. These are polluted by human beings as the
OR
Behrman was a noble-hearted, mature old man, a man of few words and a true artist
who painted till last breathe of his life and that too for a noble cause. He had a life-
long dream to paint a masterpiece. But he could not succeed in this regard. He was a
sixty-year-old painter, who lived on the ground floor of the same building. When Sue
informed him about Johnsy’s condition and misconception about the Last Leaf, he
became worried. He called Johnsy stupid and foolish. He visited Johnsy to see her
condition. Johnsy was sleeping. He noticed the only leaf on the creeper. He did not say
anything and went to his room. He was a kind person. He painted a leaf in the icy-cold
night. It was raining heavily. His clothes and shoes got wet. He was shivering with the
cold that night. Eventually, he suffered from pneumonia which was at the incurable
stage and finally scummed to death after two days. He sacrificed his life to save
Johnsy’s life.