SOLVED MODEL ENGLISH QUESTION PAPER 11 byJOY PETER and Nicholas Mathew

PREPARED BY JOY PETER C HSST ENG ST JOSEPH’S HSS PAVARATTY

(Qns 1-4) Read the passage and answer the following questions.

My dear friend, you have put the most difficult question among the many questions
that I have received from millions and millions of students whom I have met. I value
your question.

1. Who is referred to here as ‘my dear friend’?

A) A nervous and typical representative of the Indian youth- a teenager from a

far away village is referred to here as ‘my dear friend’. He put forward a
question of great concern.

2. What was the most difficult question that was put before Dr. Kalam?

A) The most difficult question that was put before Dr. Kalam was about his fear
to achieve his dreams. He was afraid to talk to his teachers and his friends. He
even wanted to be the captain of the ship. But he complains that his education
didn’t help him to gain any confidence. He wanted to know if he could do all
these things and achieve this mission.

3. Why did Dr. Kalam value that question?

A) Dr. Kalam valued that question because the question and the fearful
condition of the boy represented the fear of many youths. He congratulated the
boy saying that it was the most difficult question he had ever faced.

4. What was the name of the poem that Dr. Kalam recited in response to the question?

A) The name of the poem was “ I will Fly”.

5. “What kind of a country is India, Sir?” asked Mrs. Clifford, as she resumed her
cooking. ‘ A beautiful country.’ ‘Safe to live in?’ . In the questions of Mrs. Clifford
we see her concern about India.

What was the picture that Mrs. Clifford and Maggie had in their minds about India?

A) Mrs. Clifford and Maggie in the story “The Price of Flowers” written by
Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay were really anxious to know more about India.
They had a fearful picture in their minds about India. Mrs. Clifford’s son Frank

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was working as a soldier in India. They hadn’t heard from him for long and so
they were curious to meet an Indian to enquire about India. They believed that
India was a place full of tigers and snakes and fevers. Besides they had heard
people in India had occult powers.

6. Imagine that you are a tourist guide at the Island of Kadavu. A group of foreign
tourists visit the place. Introduce the ritual of turtle calling to them.

A) It’s my pleasure to welcome you to this wonderful and amazing Island of

Kadavu. The Island you see now belongs to Namuana Village famous for the
ritual of turtle calling. The women of Namuana village will be on their strange
chants and you will be stunned to see that the strange giant turtles rise up to the
surface. If you want to see it clearly, you can climb that rock. I think it is the apt
time to narrate that strange story. There were two beautiful women in the village
called Namuana-Tinaicoboga ,the wife of the village chief and her daughter
Raudalice. They were fishing in the sea. They were so engrossed in fishing that
they did not notice the stealthy approach of a Great War canoe, filled with
fishermen. The fishermen leapt from their canoe and seized the women, bound
their hands and feet with twine. When the Sea Gods heard their cries, they were
kind enough to make a wild storm and waves to frighten the fishermen. At this
time the fishermen noticed that the Gods had turned the women into turtles.
Then they threw them into the sea. It is now believed that the ancestors of those
two turtles are coming to the surface of the sea to see the people of Namuana. Oh
! my Goodness ! There you can see a Nabukelevu village man appearing on the
shore and turtles going down to the sea. That man really ruined our beautiful
view.

By the by you have to be very alert to witness this strange ritual of turtle calling
and hunting of these turtles are strictly prohibited. Anyhow hope you all enjoyed
this ritual. Now it’s time to head back. Thank you all.

7. ‘You can judge a man’s true character by the way he treats his fellow beings.’- Paul
McCartney.

You are moved by the story of Hasan, the serang. You want to talk in the School
assembly about his love, kindness, concern for fellow beings and selflessness and
expose hypocrites like Miss Jope-Smith. Prepare the script of the speech that you
would deliver.

A) Respected Principal, my dear Teachers and loving friends,

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It’s of course ,my privilege to stand before you on this day to share my
viewpoints after studying the character ‘Hasan, the Serang’ in the story “Serang
of Ranaganji” written by Dr.A J Cronin.

We all are living in a society where everyone is not treated equally and many are
discriminated on the basis of religion, creed, caste and other social taboos. But I
am sure such thoughts would have no place in our mind after reading the story
of Hasan, the Serang.

Hasan in this story was a normal person like anyone else. But he is treated as an
ugly man and vulgar creature by the social promoters of the ship like Miss Jope-
Smith. She makes fun of him without trying to understand his potentials and
other good virtues. The story of Hasan has proved us that we can never judge a
man by his looks. Thus this story really exposes hypocrites like Miss Jope-Smith.

When many people in the ship were affected with small pox, Hasan showed no
reluctance in taking care of them. He served the people not for any economic
profit. He considered it as his duty as a human being to save the people at the
time of danger. He didn’t think that he would get the same disease. It was he
who took initiative to prepare a shelter for the poor patients on the afterdeck. He
was satisfied with the way he was. He was completely detached from the usual
hope of reward. He had courage, self control and faith as his wealth. We will be
wondering when we see him sewing the shrouds for the dead people. He himself
read aloud a short passage from the Ramayana before their bodies.

In this present world, we all are satisfied with the profits and economic benefits.
It is at this juncture, Hasan stands different. We all are getting blinded by the
evils of the world. It’s high time to open our eyes from selfishness. The social
promoters like Miss Jope-Smith failed to realize that it was Hasan who saved
them from getting affected by small pox. Yes, there are so many fashionable
people like this. They will never do anything for the good of the society. They are
really hypocrites who fail to realize any good in their fellow-beings.

Let’s be selfless in our attitude and treat everyone equally. Let’s work together
to make this world a better place to live in. Strive to be virtuous…. Thank you

8. ‘ …………….down the corridors of all time,

The Titanic’s story shall sound sublime.’ Why?

A) The Titanic’s story will be remembered for ever because of the heroic courage

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and noble attitude shown by the Captain Smith and other crew who were in the
ship. They showed so much courage and saved millions of people from sinking
into the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. But they never tried to rescue themselves.
The Titanic’s sinking was awfully a grand scene as the bands played “Nearer My
God to Thee” while it was drowning. The Captain advises the crew to be British .
Like Battle of Trafalgar, Waterloo, The Light Brigade, their acts will be
remembered for ever.

9. Fill in the blanks with the correct options.

It was a very interesting match. Neither of the teams (1) was able to win a decisive
victory in the first half. In the second half, one of the players (2) was injured and
Team B suffered a set back. Team A had a clean victory. The coach, along with the
players (3) was awarded. Each of the player(4) was given a present.

10. “Go to the woods and hills! No tears

Dim the sweet look that Nature wears.”

Explain in a paragraph the message conveyed by these lines.

A) These lines are from the poem “Sunrise on the Hills” written by an influential
American Poet H.W Longfellow. In this poem he presents his own experience as
he watches the sun rise amidst the hills. He considers nature as a counsellor,
guide and redeemer. In these lines he advises us to go to Nature at the time of
sadness and agony. He says that Nature is the perfect medicine that heals our
wounds both mentally and physically. Nature strengthens us and brings out a
smile which can last forever. Ultimately she provides solution for all our
problems we face in our daily life. It relaxes us and makes a soothing effect.
Being a perfect guide, it takes us through the right path. All the more it makes us
aware of the philosophy of life. Our life is a mixture of both sorrow and
happiness. Nature teaches us that after every dark night there is a beautiful
morning.

11. The title of the lecture was a question: “ Is the End in sight for Theoretical
Physics?”. Hawking startled his listeners by announcing that it was. He invited them
to join him in a sensational escape through time and space to find the Holy Grail of
science: the theory that explains the universe, and everything that happens in it.

As a newspaper reporter you were present at the inaugural lecture by the new
Lucasian Professor Stephen Hawking. Later you prepared a report for your

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newspaper. Write the report that you prepared.

IS THEORETICAL PHYSICS GOING TO END ? THE BEST ANSWER

AVAILABLE NOW

BY Nicholas Mathew

Washington DC, July 10th 2016: “Is the End in sight for Theoretical Physics?”.
This was one of the important questions confronted by the scientists of the
Modern Era. Now the solution or the perfect answer was done by the 38 year old
the youngest Lucasian Professor Stephen Hawking. They call him as supernova
of Physics.

His lecture on 29th April 1980 led everyone gathered in the Cockcroft Lecture
Room into a sensational escape through time and space to find the Holy Grail of
Science. It all started with a question made by him, “Is the End in Sight for
Theoretical Physics?”. Everyone was startled by his question. And he even
admitted that he also thought that it was the end in sight for Theoretical Physics.
Everyone presented there admitted that it was by far the best lecture presented
there so far.

In the end he was awarded for his outstanding performance. It seems like the
world of Physics and Science about to have a great change.

Being the best example for ‘Good can come out of any adversity’, Stephen
Hawking still explores and explodes. He explains the unquenchable thirst for
knowledge. He proves out to be a real inspiration for modern scientists.

(Qns 12-13) Read the following lines from the poem “To Sleep” and answer the
questions.

Without Thee what is all the morning’s wealth?

Come , blessed barrier between day and day.

Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health!

12. Identify the poetic device in “blessed barrier between”?

A) The poetic device used here is ‘alliteration’. The consonant sound ‘b’ is
repeated in these three words.

13. Elaborate the ideas in the above lines.

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A) William Wordsworth the High Priest of Nature in his short sweet poem “To
Sleep” tells us the importance of having sound sleep. Sleeping is indeed an
essential thing as the air we breathe. One who gets a sound sleep will be very
active and energetic to do his things well. These lines remind us the same truth.
The wealth of the morning cannot be enjoyed without sleep. The Poet was
deprived of sleep for the past three nights. So he makes a prayer. He wants sleep
to come and bless him to have fresh thoughts and joyous health. As a poet he
wants to have creative ideas for making good poems. Ultimately sleep will help
us to have good health. It keeps us mentally and physically fit.

14. Walking for walking’ s sake may be a highly laudable and exemplary thing as it is
held to be by those who practise it. But Max Beerbohm has a different opinion.

Do you agree with him? Why? Write in a paragraph.

A) No, I don’t completely agree with his opinion. Walking offers us good health
and physical balance. It is of course a productive exercise that keeps us alert and
active. Walking helps us to get the blood flow and concentration increased. But
when we walk with someone , the concept changes. According to Max Beerbohm,
it stops the brain. We have to blindly accept his opinions and remarks. It is at
this point I agree with the author. But even then walking has its own advantages.
It will surely increase our health. When we walk, it is good for Nature. Walking
reduces the using of vehicles and the air will not be more polluted. When we
walk with a definite purpose, it will add to our health. As a whole in this essay,
‘Going out for a Walk’, Max Beerbohm looks at walking from a different
perspective. He challenges the notion that walking is a productive mental
exercise. According to my viewpoint, a regular concentrated walking is always
accepted.

15. Write a precis of the following passage, reducing it to one-third of its length.

English education and English language have done immense good to India, in spite of
their glaring drawbacks. The notions of democracy and self-government are the boon
of English education. Those who fought and died for mother India’s freedom were
nursed in the cradle of English thought and culture. The West has made contribution
to the East. The history of Europe has fired the hearts of our leaders. Our struggle for
freedom has been inspired by the struggles for freedom in England, America and
France. If our leaders were ignorant of English and if they had not studied this
language, how could they have been inspired by these heroic struggles for freedom in
other lands? English, therefore, did us great good in the past and if properly studied

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will do immense good in future.

English is spoken throughout the world. For international contact, commerce and
trade, for the scientific studies, English is indispensable. English is very rich in
literature, our own literature has been made richer by this foreign language. It will
really be a fatal day if we altogether forget Shakespeare, Milton, Keats and Shaw.

A) English the International Language

English language has made far reaching results and impact in the Indian’s
outlook and attitude. We should try to acknowledge its merits than its
drawbacks. We should be grateful to the English culture for the type of
democracy and self-government we follow. Our struggle for freedom has been
inspired by the English freedom struggles. Thus English language brought us so
much good both in the past and in the present world. Let’s hope it will do the
same in future too. Being a universally accepted language, English is
indispensable in our life. We use it in our international contact, commerce and
trade. Besides , English has contributed much to our literature too. We should
never belittle the contributions of Shakespeare, Milton, Keats and Shaw in this
regard.

(Qns 16-19) Read the following lines from the poem “Death the Leveller” and answer
the questions.

The glories of our blood and state

Are shadows, not substantial things:

There is no armour against Fate.

16. The glories of our blood and state are shadows. Why?

A) The glories of our blood and state are shadows because they will not last for
long. They are not substantial things. They will not last long after our death.
Here glories of blood and state refer to our family status, position and wealth.
When death lays its icy hands, it levels everything and no one can stop it. Thus
all our glories will be faded after a certain time of our earthly life.

17. Why does the poet say that there is no armour against fate?

A) The poet says that there is no armour against fate because death treats
everyone equally. It considers all alike, the high and the low, the rich and the
poor, the strong and the weak. There is no discrimination in front of death. We

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can never build armour against fate. All that we have conquered in this world
can never be taken with us when we die. They all are shadows and not
substantial things. Only our good deeds will remain in the end.

18. If the glories of our blood and state are shadows, what can survive death?

A) The actions of the just can survive death.

19. The word ‘substantial’ means …..

A) Concrete

20. There were little white wires hanging down from their ears, or tucked into
pockets, purses of jackets. The eyes were little vacant. Each was in his or her musical
world, walking to their sound track, stars in their own music video, almost oblivious
to the world around them.

Here the author describes the i-Pod people. Now, after ten years of this, i-Pod has
been replaced by modern smart phones. What is the situation now?

Write a short essay on “Smart phones: a boon or curse”.

A) SMART PHONES: A BOON OR CURSE

We all know that our world is developing day by day faster than we think. This
development has made lots of things easier for us.

Smart phones also come into being as a part of development. It brought about
tremendous changes in our life styles. First of all let me point out the good
aspects of smart phones. It makes lots of our jobs easier and saves our valuable
time. It helps us to have our friendship circle wider. People can contact anyone
in the world at short time. Smart phones also help people to put a reminder for
anything they want to remember. They also proved life saver for human beings
in many areas related with human health. It also proved boon for business to get
crucial information. Above all smart phones make people smarter and it helps
people to get in touch with the rest of the world.

Smart phones have their disadvantages too. This is really hazard for human life.
People suffer health problems of cancer due to electromagnetic waves. The
excessive use of smart phones ruin the social life of the people. They lose sight of
the real friends. It upsets the reality of life. Since anything is made available in
smart phones, people can’t lead a successful happy life by mingling with others.
It also affects their creativity faculty.

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21. Prepare an article on how technology has changed the lives of modern
people.

A) MODERN TECHNOLOGY- CHANGING THE LIFE STYLE.

Technology has really changed the life style of the people.

The advancements of technology has made tremendous
changes in the status of living too. In this present world
people can’t live without technology. It has really become
the part and parcel of life. Now let’s see how technology
controls the life style of the people

First of all when we think about technology it is influencing

human lives by improving communication system. Today
anybody can communicate with a person who lives far away.
Technology has made it possible to bridge the gap among
people living anywhere in the world.

It has encouraged innovation and creativity in society.

Internet and Internet technologies are a strong force behind
societal-changing communication and technology.
Technology expands our knowledge. It helps us to get more
information. It has also helped in predicting environmental
disasters.

At the same time we should understand the ill-effects of

technology. It makes us much addicted and we lose sight of
the real incidents happening in our world. We always live in
a virtual world. It makes us selfish and lazy. It upsets the
family relationship.

So as human beings it is our responsibility to live mingling

with other fellow beings. We should work for the
environmental protection. We should have a control over
technology to lead a successful life. Let’s us all build a
healthy country by using technology in a wise manner.

22. Use the correct form of the verbs given in brackets to fill in the
blanks.

Army: Usually I work (work) as a Secretary at Esquire, but this

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summer I am studying (study) Frenc at a language school in Paris.
That is why I am in Paris.

Kate: I’m sorry. I can’t hear what you are saying (say) because
everybody is talking (talk) so loudly.
23. Even after his marriage Nicholai Ivanich lived stingly. Kept his wife half
starved and put the money into the bank in his own name.

Do you approve of the behaviour of Nicholai ? Why?

A) No, I don’t approve of the behaviour of Nicholai. Nicholoai is one of

the main characters of the story “Gooseberries” written by Anton
Chekov. He is pictured in this story as a man who has only one aim in
his life, ‘to buy an estate in countryside with many gooseberries’. He
wanted to live in a country side, watching swans and eating
gooseberries. Nicholai was working in the Exchequer court living in a
town. He was very careful with money that he earned. He wanted to
buy an estate with gooseberry bushes. He married very late. Thus he
used to live meagerly and never had enough to eat and drink. He was
exactly like a beggar. He always saved and put his money into the
bank. He also kept his wife starving so that he can save the money to
achieve his dream. He was not ready to wait. In the story we can see
Nicholai living greedily half of his life. Thus he destroyed half of his
life to enjoy the other half. I think that is not the right way of enjoying
life. It is not at all pardonable to starve one's wife for the sake of
achieving one's dream. He should have waited to accomplish his
dream.

24. Read the poem given below and write a note of appreciation.

To take each day as it comes

To take each day as it comes

To gratefully praise the One

Joyfully face the new dawn’s grace

That’s now my everyday plan.

To guard my thought as it roams.

On anything or anyone

To be careful with my words

To use the value of my hands

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To do everything I can

And bring a smile to not just one

To celebrate other’s gain,

Not consciously cause another’s pain;

Not all the time comes the sun

For sorrow comes to everyone

And that I must understand

To take each day as it comes

And know that I’m but a man

I will be glad, life’s not that bad

And do my part in God’s plan

That’s now my everyday plan.

A)

THE WAY TO SUCCESS

The poem named “To take each day as it comes” is a didactic poem on
the importance of leading a successful life. The poem appeals to
everyone in the present world. The poem celebrates optimistic
thoughts and principles to the readers in a simple way. This poem
contains a set of moral instructions. The title of the poem itself
unveils the theme of the poem.

The poem exhorts the reader to take each day as it comes and praise
and thank the God , our Creator. Then the poet reminds us to make
everyday plan to live gracefully on the Earth. The poet also shares his
simple thoughts to guard our thoughts and words. Besides he
instructs us to consider the value of our hands. He wants everybody
to bring a smile on others and to celebrate other’s success. He
advises us to take our sorrow in a true spirit and to do our part well in
God’s plan. The poet narrates all these principles not only for himself
but for the whole mankind.

The poet has made use of several poetic devices and images to inspire
us in the right path. We can see the poet’s use of metaphor in the line
‘the new dawn’s grace’ and personification in the line ‘guard my
thoughts as it roams’. We can see rhyming words in gain and pain.
The poet has used simple language to communicate his stream of
thoughts and plans of life. The images used by the poet are really apt

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to feel the theme of the poem. The mood of the poem is one of joy and
optimism. The message of the poet comes from the emotional tie to
the readers . The poem has a didactical tone.

The Poet’s thoughts in this poem are really inspiring. It has some
similarity to the poem “If” written by Rudyard Kipling as it teaches
some virtues to attain manhood.

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