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ENGLISH
SUBJECT: CLASS: XI M.MARKS. 80 TIME: 3 Hours
CORE

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:
1) This paper is divided into three sections – A, B and C. All the sections are compulsory.
2) Separate instructions have been provided with each section and question, wherever necessary.
3) Do not exceed the word limit. Marks will be deducted if it is exceeded.
4) Do not split the sections.

SECTION – A (Reading) (20 Marks

1. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. (6 marks)
1. It was a memorable day – the 9 of February, 1979. Hundreds of freedom fighters, who had
th

spent the best part of their lives as prisoners in the Cellular Jail, once again touched the shores of
the Andaman Islands. But what a difference! They had come this time not as criminals but as
veteran heroes on board the ship Harshvardhan, invited to grace the function organised to
formally declare the Cellular Jail as a National Monument by the Prime Minister of India.
2. Along with other members I was also present at the port as the Chairman of the reception
committee, to formally welcome the guests of honour. It was a beautiful evening – the golden
rays of the setting sun had drenched the landscape in a rich marigold colour. There was a strange
expression on the faces of the aged veterans as they alighted, one by one, helped by young men
and girls of their families. Perhaps the memories of their struggle, sacrifices and hardship once
again came alive as they viewed the landscape.
3. Tears rolled down, when they were greeted with cheers and showers of rose petals. Thousands of
people were there to welcome them, many having come from far off places. Many were moved
to tears and bent down to touch the feet of the veterans. It was an emotionally surcharged scene,
an expression of deep reverence and gratitude which the people of Andamans felt towards these
veterans, who had undergone tremendous suffering and misery at the hands of the erstwhile
British rulers. For me it was no more a formal welcome to perform. I was overwhelmed with an
emotion too deep to express.
4. A person incharge of these celebrations, I was to spend many more days in the company of these
freedom fighters, and had the unique opportunity of listening to their narration giving vivid and
graphic account of their experience as exiled prisoners of the dreaded KALAPANI (Black
waters). It was like a fairy tale which greatly aroused my curiosity.
5. After all what was it that prompted these people to make such sacrifices for the cause of the
motherland, I asked myself. I decided to delve deep into this. The Andaman Islands have played
a very important role in the history of the freedom movement. The Cellular Jail has been called
the University of the Independence struggle.
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6. The Paradise Islands of Andaman and Nicobar glitter like emeralds in the Bay of Bengal.
Scholars are of the opinion that the name of Andaman archipelago was derived from the word,
Hanuman. Mystery surrounds these Islands because of their inaccessibility and hostile tribes.
From the historical point of view the earliest reference to these islands is to be found in the
writings of the famous world traveller Claudius Platoni, a geographer in the second century A.D.
On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions.
1.1
a) What was different for the hundreds, who came to Andaman Islands on 9th Feb., 1979? (1 mark)

b) Why was there a ‘strange expression’ on the faces of the ‘Veterans’? (1 mark)

c) Why these islands were considered mysterious by some? (1 mark)

After viewing the landscape the bitter memories of the freedom fighters : (1 mark)
d)
i) disappeared ii) revived iii) none of the above
(1 mark)
e) The word in the passage which means ‘Group of islands’ is :
i) shores ii) islands iii) archipelago
(1 mark)
f) The antonym of the word hostile is :
i) friendly ii) jealous iii) rude

2. Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow. (6 marks)

PEDAGOGUE
I remember the place where I worked,
It was a school where I served.
The school was full of boys and girls.
The girls were sweet, the girls were shy.
The boys were rough , the boys were rude,
Two of them once argued.
I lost my temper and slapped their cheeks,
The news crept on every street.
Groups were made, slogans were raised.
The shy and the sweet , the rugged and the rude,
Left their rooms with shameless shriek.
Their actions were drastic, their demands were tragic
They wanted apology from a man
Whose duty was to make them train
To teach them right, to make them bright.
It was I , who was the man
Subjected to such unjust plan
Defined as a philosopher
Defined as a friend
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Certainly , he is a true guide
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He is known
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He is known as a pedagogue…..

2.1 On the basis of your reading of the above poem, complete the following
statements with the help of given options : (1x3 = 3 marks)

1. The narrator of this poem is a:

a) Teacher b) Student c) Social reformer
2. The ones who argued were the :
a) Boys b) Girls c) Staff members
3. The word ‘gloss’ is similar in meaning to the word :
a) beautiful b) shine c) attractive
Answer the following questions : (1x3 = 3 marks)
2.2
i) Why did the narrator lose his temper?
ii) ‘..their demands were tragic’. What were ‘their’ demands?
iii) Write two rhyming words from the poem.
(8 marks)

3. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.

1. After completing my Post Graduation I got a job at a mission school, managed by catholic
diocese. I began my teaching career in July 1993. I still remember 4th July 1993, my very
first day at the school as teacher. I reached school half an hour early from the stipulated time.
I went to the Principal’s chamber where I was given a warm welcome and was handed over a
copy of my timetable. I went through it. After going through it I shivered in fear. The reason
was, my first period was in a senior most class, twelfth. I was told that the class comprises of
74 students, 40 young boys and 34 young girls. I was educated in a co education school but
the mention of girls used to bring shivers in my bones. I summoned all my courage and was
bounced into the class immediately after the first bell. On my left were sitting the grown up
boys with moustache and budding beards and to my right were sweet and shy girls. The class
stood up and greeted me. I cleared my throat and accepted their greetings.

2. I was to teach English there. I was trembling with fear. After a formal introduction I decided
to start with English vowels and consonants. I asked them few questions but my questions
refused to each the ears of my students. I repeatedly asked the same question but all the boys,
except sweet and shy girls, were busy in chatting. Seeing my pitiable condition the girls were
chuckling and this made me more nervous.
Like a warrior in a battle front I decided to lift a piece of chalk, which at that moment
3.
seemed heavier than AK - 47, to scribble few sentences on the chalk board. I marched
towards the board at the same time a small paper rocket hit me on my back. This paper rocket
was thousand times more powerful than any missile. I enquired about manufacturer of this
powerful weapon but the answer I got was only suppressed laughter. The bell rang and I took
a sigh of relief. www.cbseguess.com

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4. The next day I entered the class more confidently and in a gruffly voice announced my
arrival in the den. The students did not expect this roar from me and within few seconds the
class became quiet. I immediately took over the whole class and called few late bloomers
towards the chalk board and asked them to write few English words, which are generally
misspelled by students, and as expected the late bloomers were unable to spell them. They
felt insulted as they knew not the spelling of the words and the thing that hurt them the most
was humiliation before the girls.

5. I was happy that I learnt the method to control the boisterous students. No boy wanted to be
called near the chalk board and get humiliated before the girls because they wanted to remain
heroes before them. Besides this I made my lessons more interesting and the students became
my fans, later they used to wait for my period and I used to love teaching them. Today I am
on the nineteenth year of my teaching career but I can never forget my batch of those 74
students who I consider to be the base of my teaching career.

3.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it, using heading and sub- (5 marks)
headings. Use recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary.

3.2 Write the summary of the passage in about 80 words. (3 marks)

SECTION – B (Writing & Grammar) (20+ 10 = 30 marks)

(4 marks)
4. As the Head Girl / Head Boy of ‘Delhi Public School, Raipur’ write a notice for your school notice
board asking the students to participate in science Exhibition. Invent necessary details. You are
Sunil/ Shoba. (word limit - 50 words)
OR
India Book House, Delhi is going to organize a Book Fair in memory of Mahatma Gandhi on 2nd
October. Design a poster on the book fair highlighting the importance of books.
5. As a concerned citizen, write an article for a national newspaper on the inhuman treatment being (10 marks)
given to old people by some youngsters of the present age and the need to care for them in about
100 – 150 words.
OR
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Write a speech for the morning assembly on the topic “India of my Dreams” in about 100-150 words.
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6. You want fifteen copies of the Railway Timetable named “Trains at a Glance” published by the (6 marks)
Indian Railways. Write a letter to the Chief Transportation Manager, Northern Railway, Baroda
House, New Delhi, ordering fifteen copies to be sent by V.P.P.
OR
Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper expressing your views on the deteriorating law and order
situation in your city.

7. Correct the following sentences. Rewrite the corrected sentences in your answer sheets (1x3=3 marks)
against correct serial number.
a) He is a man of a few word.
b) You should not buy a new pen. I have a spare one.
c) Had she worked harder she passed this time.

8. There is a word missing in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that (½x8=4 marks)
comes before and the word that comes after it as in the example. Underline the word
that forms your answer.
Word before Missing word Word after
The use of water as agent in the treatment e.g. as an agent
of disease is known hydrotherapy. The (a)
beneficial effects of water be used in the (b)
treatment of disease. Water is of heaven’s (c)
choicest blessing. The Egyptian Roman (d)
heating and cooling baths used in various (e)
treatments. Water acts the body in various ways (f)
according its temperature. It helps to remove (g)
toxins the body. (h)
9. Look at the sentences given below in a disorderly form. Re-order (Rearrange) them (1x3=3 marks)
to form meaningful sentences.

a) you / do / fast / why / speak / so?

b) some / history / ancient / I would / books / look at / like to / Indian / on
c) area / in / this / any agency / don’t / have / you?

SECTION – C (Literature & Long Reading Text) (30 Marks)

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10. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. (3 marks)

A. Eternal I rise impalpable out of the land and the bottomless sea,
Upwards to heaven, whence, vaguely form’d altogether changed, and yet the same
I descend to lave the droughts, atomies, dust-layers of the globe,
And all that in them without me were seeds only, latent, unborn.

a) From where does rain originate and how? (1 mark)

b) What happens to the rain in sky? (1 mark)

c) With what purpose does the rain descend from the sky? (1 mark)

OR
B. All three stood still to smile through their hair
At the uncle with the camera. A sweet face,
My mother’s that was before I was born.
And the sea, which appears to have changed less,
Washed their terribly transient feet

a) Who are the three? Why did they stand still and smile? (1 mark)

b) What has the camera captured? Why has the word ‘cardboard’ used in this poem? (1 mark)

c) Why has the poet referred to the sea? (1 mark)

11. Answer any three of the following in about 30 words each. (3x3=9 marks)

a) Tut was buried in March - April. How did Carter conclude this?
b) Why did the narrator finally decide to forget the address?
c) List the steps taken by the captain to protect the ship when rough weather began.
d) Describe the homecoming of Ranga. Why was it a ‘great event’ in the village?
e) Why did Albert see no point in learning dates and facts?

12. Answer any one of the following in not more than 120 - 150 words. (6 marks)

a) The author’s grandmother was a religious person. What are the different ways you come to know this?
b) The school system often curbs individual talents. Comment.

(6+6 = 12 marks)
13. Answer any two of the following in not more than 120 words.

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