1. Read the passage given below.

1. Ghost nets aren't supernatural, but they are legitimately scary. ghost net
A is a fishing net that's been
lost or abandoned inthe They are one particularly appalling part of the global ghost fishing
ocean.
problem, which includes fishing gear abandoned in the water. Any net or line left in the ocean can
pose a threat to marine life. Just because a net is no longer used by fishers doesn't mean it stops
working. These nets continue totrap everything in their path, presenting a major problem for the
health of our oceans and marine life.

2. Ghost nets entangle sea turtles, dolphins and porpoises, birds, sharks, seals and more, apart from
keep mammals and birds
catching fish. The nets keep animals from moving freely, cause injuries and
from rising tothe surface for air. Since hundreds of animals can be caught in a single net, this
threat

nets harm coral reefs toobreaking corals, exposing them to disease

and
is monumental. The ghost

even blocking the reefs from needed sunlight.

nets are made of
3. Ghost nets are also a major contributor to the ocean plastics' crisis. Most modern
According to a 2018 study in Scientific
nylonor other plastic compounds that can last for centuries.
of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Those
Reports, ghost nets make up at least 46 per cent
 abandoned fishing lines and nets that do breakdown never go away; they just become smallerpices
of plastic. Marine animals mistake this microplastic for food and eat it, which can harm internal
organs, keep them from eating and expose them to toxic chemicals.

4. Exorcising ghost nets from our oceans will require commitment, cooperation and innovation. Many
groups areworking to remove ghost nets from the sea and are collaborating with local fishers and
governments around the world to identify target areas and remove as many nets as possible. In 2015.
a single World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF)-led mission in the Baltic Sea hauled up 268 tons
of nets, ropes and other material.

5.To stop these nets from becoming ghosts in the first place, conservation organisations advocate for
fishing gear that can be traced to its owner so anyone dumping nets can be fined and refundable
deposits on nets to encourage returning or recycling rather than littering. Tools like sonar reflectors
that can make ghost nets easier to find and working with small-scale fisheries to develop more
sustainable fishing gearand practices are other suggestions. It is only by
attacking this problem from
all sides, together with conservation partners, fishers and supporters,can we
banish ghost nets and
protect our oceans.
(437 words)
Adapted htps://www.
worldwildlife.org/stories/our-oceans-are-haunted-by-ghost-nets-why-that-s-scary
and- what-we-can-do-24

Based on your understandingof the passage, answer the

questions given below.
(a) Choose the correct option.

Ghost nets have been named so because they

() cause much harm to the marine life.

(iüi) are functional though not in use by fishers.

(iüi)are not owned by anyone.
(iv) act as a snare for all animals in oceans.
(b)The would not agree with the given
writer
statementsbased on paragraph three,
(a) Most ghost nets take a few EXCEPT:
years to completely
disintegrate.
(b) Ghost nets
contribute to the Great Pacific
Garbage Patch.
(c) Most ghost nets
provide nutrition to marine
animals, upon disintegration.
(d)Ghost nets can curtail freedom of
marine animals.
(c) Why is it fair tosay that commitment and
innovationhave to go hand-in-hand
of ghost nets? to rid the oceans

(d) Complete the

sentence appropriately.
Exorcisingghost nets from our
oceans require
(e) Select the option
that conveys the
opposite of'negligible'.
() unimpressive
(u) monumental
(üi)expOSing
(iv) threat
()List the two ways being entangled in a ghost net is likely to
(Clue:Think about the impact a walrus.
type of animal a walrus is)
(g) Some recordsshare that
fishing nets used to
be made of common rope
tothe 1960s. Based on your using natural nbreS, P
these had over the understanding of paragraph three,
list one major
fishing nets being used advantage
in
present times.
(h) Comment on the
writer's reference to the ghost nets in
the oceans. paragraph one, as a health problen to
() Read the five titles (1)-(5) given below.

1. The Scary Side of Ghost Nets 2. Ghost Nets -A Result of Human Dominance
3. Ghost Nets -AMenace to Marine Life 4. Ways to Tackle the Problem of Ghost Nets

5. Ghost Nets -A Major Contributor

Identify the option that displays the options that DOES/DO correspond with the passage.

() 1and 2 (ii) only 3 (iüi) 4 and 5 (iv) 3and 4

 VIenaCe toMarine Lite
2. Read the passage given below.
1. Indian tourism industry growing at a rapid rate. The World Travel and Tourism Council
is
calculated
that tourism generated INR 6.4 trillion or 6.6% of the nation's GDP in 2012. It supported 39.5
million 7.7%
jobs, of its total employment. The sector is predicted togrow
at an average annual
rate of 7.9% from 2013 to 2023. This gives India the third rank among countries with the fastest
growing tourism industries Over the next decade. India's rich history and its cultural and geographical
diversity make its international tourism appeal large and diverse.

2. The Mehrangarh Fort located in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, is one of the largest forts in India and a place
of major tourist attraction. Though the fort was originally built in 1459 by Rao Jodha, founder of
Jodhpur, most of the fort which stands today dates from the period of Jaswant Singh (1638-78).The
foundation of the fort was laid on May 12, 1459 by Jodha on a rocky hill, 9 kilometres to the south
of Mandore with the trusted aid of Rao Nara. This hill was known as Bhaurcheeria, the mountain
of birds.

3. According to alegend, to build the fort, Rao Jodha had to displace the hill's sole human occupant, a
hermit called Cheeria Nathji. the lord of birds. Upset atbeing forced to move, Cheeria Nathji cursed

Rao Jodha with Jodha! May your

citadel ever suffer a scarcity of water." Rao Jodha managed to
appease the hermit by building a house and a temple in the fort,very near the cave, the hermit had
used for meditation. Even today, the area is plagued by drought every 3 to 4 years.
4. The fort's walls, which are up to 36 metres (118 ft) high wide, protect some of
and 21 metres (69 ft)

through a series of
the most beautiful and historicpalaces in Rajasthan. Entry to the fort is gained
of Jaipur, can still be seen on the
seven gates. The imprints of cannonball hits, by attacking armies
of Kirat Singh Soda, a soldier who fell on the spot
second gate. To the left of the fort is the chhatri
defending the fort.
5. Within the fort,several and decorated palaces are found which are known for
brilliantly crafted

and expansive courtyards. Of these, Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace), Phool Mahal
their intricate carvings

(Flower Palace),Sheesha Mahal (Mirror Palace), Sileh Khana, and Daulat Khana are notable. The
museum in the fort is one of the most well-stocked museums in Rajasthan.In one section of the fort
museum there is a selection of old royal palanquins, including the elaborate domed gilt Mahadol
palanquin which was won in a battle from the Governor of Gujarat in 1730.The museum exhibits
the heritage of the Rathores in arms, costumes,paintings and decorated period rooms. One can also
See royal cradles, miniatures, musical instruments, costumes and furniture in the museum.

6. Mehrangarh is made of two words: Mihir in Sanskrit means Sun-deity; and 'garh' in Sanskrit means
fort; i.e. Sun-fort'. According to Rajasthani language pronunciationconventions, 'Mihirgarh'has
changed to Mehrangarh'; the Sun-deity has been the chief deity of the Rathore dynasty.

7. The 500-year-old fort is a popular site for filming. The movie The Dark Knight Rises was shot here.
8. The rampartsof the fort are home to not only several excellently preserved old cannons (including

the famous Kilkila) but also offer a breathtaking view of the city.

Based on your understandingof the passage, answer thequestions given below.

(a) According to the writer, where was the location of the Mehrangarh Fort?
() It was located on the hill of Jodha, spotted at Bhaurcheeria.
(ü) It was located on a rocky hill in Mandore chosen by Rao Nara.
(üi) It was located nine km south of Mandore in a rocky area.

(iv) It was located at Bhaurcheeria, a rocky hill, nine km to the south of Mandore.
(b) What two reasons are cited for the shortage of water at the fort?

() The presenceof birds and their hermit lord Cheeria Nathji.

(iü) The occurrence of drought after the departure of Cheeria Nathji.
(iüi) The occurrenceof drought every 3-4 years and the associated belief of a curse.
(iv) The presence of drought conditions due to the curse of Cheeri Nathji.
(c) How has Rajasthan language pronunciation conventions affected the name of Mehrangarh?
(d) Complete the sentence appropriately.
The reason behind India reaching the third highest ranking in terms of tourist growth
is

(e) Select the option that is similar is meaning to 'outstanding'

(i) unnoticeable ()limiting
(iii) notable (iv) obscure
() What legend is related with the scarcity of water as discussed in the passage?
(g) In the line,"... The imprints of cannonballhits, by attacking armies of Jaipur,..."., what does the
word imprints'mean?
(h) Based on your understanding of the text,what is the prized exhibit of the Jodhpur Palace Museum?
(i)Read the titles (1)-(5) given below.
1. Tourism industry at its peak - 2. The Mehrangarh Fort -a tourist attraction
3. Scarcity of water 4. Dilapidated structure of the Fort
5. Deserted look of the city

Identify the option that displays the titles that DOES/DO correspond with the passage.
(i) 1and 2 (ii) 1, 2 and 3
(iii)4 and 5 (iv) 3 and 5
3. Read the passage given below.
1. I wasborn on 30th of November, 1835, in the almost invisible village of Florida, Monroe County,
Missouri. I suppose Florida had less than three hundred inhabitants. It had two streets, each a couple
of hundred yards long; the rest of the avenues mere lanes, with rail fences and cornfields
on either
black mud in wet
sIde. Both the streets and the lanes were paved with the same materialtough
times, deep dust in dry.

2. Most of the houses were of logs-all of them, indeed, except three or four; these latter were frame
ones. There were none of brick, and none of stone. There was a log church, with a puncheon floor
and slab benches. A puncheon floor is made of logs whose upper surfaces have been chipped lat
with the adz. Thecracks between the logs were not filled;there was no carpet;consequently, ifyou
dropped anything smaller than a peach, it was likely to go through. The church was perched upon
short sections of logs,which elevated it two or three feet from the ground. Hogs slept under there,
|
whenever the dogs got after them during services, the minister had to wait till the disturbance
was over. In winter there was always a refreshing breeze up through the puncheon floor; in summer
therewere fleas enough for all.
3. A slab bench is made of the
outside cut of a saw-log, with the bark side down; it is supported on
four sticks driven into auger holes at the ends: it has no back and no cushions. The church
was
twilighted with yellow tallow candles in tin sconces hung against the walls. Week davs,
the church

was a schoolhouse.
4. There were twO stores in the village. My uncle, John A. Quarles, was proprietor of one of them. It
was a very small establishment, witha few rolls of "bit calicoes on half a dozen shelves; a few barrels
of salt mackerel,coffee, and New Orleans sugar behind the counter; stacks of brooms, shovels, axes,
hoes. rakes, andsuch things here and there; a lot of cheap hats, bonnets, and tinware strung on
strings and suspended from the walls; and at the other end of the room was another
counter with
bags of shot on it, a cheese or two, and a keg of powder; in front of it a row of nail kegs and a few
piesof lead, and behind it a barrel or two of New Orleans molasses and native corn whisky on top.
Ifaboy bought five or ten cents' worth of anything, he was entitled to half a handful of sugar from
the barrel: if awoman bought a few yards of calico she was entitled to a spool of thread in addition
to the usual gratis “trimmin's"; if a man bought a trifle, he was at liberty to draw and swallow as big
a drink of whisky as he wanted.
5. Everything was cheap: sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, and corn,ten cents a bushel;
apples, peaches,
chickens, ten cents a piece; butter, six Cents a pound; eggs, three cents a dozen; coffee and sugar,
five cents a pound; whisky, ten cents a gallon. I do not know how prices are out there in interior
 Missouri now,but Iknow what they are here in Hartford, Connecticut. To wit: apples, three dollan
a bushel; peaches, five dollars; Irish potatoes (choice Bermudas), five dollars; chickens, a dollarto
a dollar and a half apiece, according to weight; butter, forty-five to sixty cents a pound.
|An Excerpt from Mark Twain's Autobiograph

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below.

(a) Complete the sentence by choosing the appropriate ending.

Both the streets and lanes of Florida in 1835 were paved with
()tough black tar in wet times and dry black tar in dry times

(ii) tough coats of tar in wetter places and dry pack mud in drierplaces

(iüi)tough black mud in wet times and dry dust in dry times

(iv) toughening of black mud for wet days and dry dust sprayed for dry days

(b) With which statement given below would the writer not agree?
()Hogs would sometimes enter the church when the service was ongoing and
the minister

would stop to let them

(ü)Dogs would get after the hogs during the service and the minister would have to stop till
the ruckus subsided.

(üi)) The hogs resided with the dogs below the church level.

dogswould get after the hog owners during the service and make the minister
(iv) The minister's
stop his service.

(c) List two unique aspects of the church building.

(d) Complete the sentence appropriately.

When the narrator was born, the population of Florida was

(e) Select the word that is similar in meaning to 'elevated'.

demeaned (iv) demented

() exalted (iü)deflated (iii))

understanding, why do you think there was no separate schoolhouse and lessons
() Based on your
were held in church during weekdays? Explain in about 40 words.

(g) What were the bonus items for purchases made by (i) Women buying calico, (ii) Boy spending
five to ten cents, (iüü) Men who bought a trifle?

(h) Answer the following with reference to this line.

Prices were cheap I do not know how prices are out there in interior Missouri now.'

(i) Read the five titles (1)-(5) given below.

1. Historical Price Index by Mark Twain 2. Life in Nineteenth Century America

3. Mark Twain's Autobiography 4. Mark Twain's Florida Days

5. Mark Twain's Marital Life

Identify the option that displays the titles that DOES/DO correspond with the passage.

(i) 1 and 2 (ü) 3 and 5 (üii) only 4 (iv) 2 and 5

7. Read the poem given below.
The cloud-backed heron will not move:
Hestares into the stream.

He stands unfaltering while the gulls

And oyster-catchers scream.
He does not hear, he cannot see
The great white horses of the sea,
But fixes eyes on stillness

Below their flying team. 8

How long will he remain, how long
Have the gray woods been green?
The sky and the reflected sky
Their glass he has not seen,
But silent as a speck of sand
Interpreting the sea and land,
His fall pulls down the fabric
Of all that windy scene. 16
Sailing with clouds and woods behind
Pausing in leisured flight,

He stepped,alighting on a stone,

Dropped from the stars of night.

He stood there unconcerned with day,

Deaf to the tumult of the bay,

Watching a stone in water,

A fish's hidden light. 24

Sharp rocks drive back the breakingwaves

Confusing sea with air.

Bundles of spray blown mountain-high

Have left the shingle bare.

A shipwrecked anchor wedged by rocks,

Loosed by the thundering equinox,

Divides the herded waters,
The stallion and his mare. 32

Yet no distraction breaks the watch

Of that time-killing bird.

He stands unmoving on the stone;

Since dawn he has not stirred.

Calamity about him cries,

But he has fixed his golden eyes
On water's crooked tablet,

word. 40
On light's reflected
Vernon Watkins
Based on your understandingof the poem, answer the questions given below.
(a)Cho0se the most appropriate option.
Besidesthe heron, the other birds in the vicinity are
()more herons (ü) stream catchers
(in) oysters and gulls (iv)oyster-catchers and gulls

(b) The bird on the stone has not stirred

() since daylight (iü) since landing there

(n) since dawn (iv)since the waves broke

(c) What does 'the thundering equinox' refer to?

(d) Complete the sentence appropriately.

The sea feels confused when the sharp

(e) Find out a wordfrom the extract similar inmeaning to 'steady'.

() shipwTecked (üü) paused

(E) thundering (iv) unfaltering

()What mental ability do the actions of the heron show?

(e)Where does the heron in flight go?
(h) What object was exposed when the waves broke against the rocks?ane
i) The bird has fixed golden eyes even though

(i)) there's a disaster around (iü) there's no one aroundbogo

(i2m) there's dark around (iv) none of these
1. Read the following 12 Marks
text.

Arthur lay in his cabin, still trying to piece together the events of the last few hours. He had
watched his home planet of Earth be demolished tomake way for a hyperspace bypass, been
Saved by his friend Ford, and then whisked away on a ship that was powered by an "infinite
improbability drive." Itwas all too much for him.
5 Just then, Ford stuck his head around the door.

"Hey,Earthman," he said, "come and have a look at this."

Arthur stumbled after him down a corridor and into the
ship's control room. He gazed in
amazement at the banks of controls and flashing lights. In the
center of the room was a large
console covered in buttons and switches, and in the middle of
the console was a small, white mouse.
10 What's that?" asked Arthur.
«That's the ship's computer," said Ford.

Arthurstared at the mouse. "That'sa computer?" he

said.
"Yup." said Ford. "Five-dimensional,biologically-based,
super intelligent, and in the form of a
white lab mouse. Pretty neat, huh?"

15 "Idon't know,"said Arthur."I don't think I really understand anything anymore.Why is amouse
the ship's computer?"

"It's a long story." said Ford. "But the short version is that the mice built the Earth as a giant
computer to out the Ultimate Question of Life,the Universe, and
figure
Everything. Then they
ran out of money and had to destroy it to
make way for a hyperspace bypass. So now they're
using
20 the Heart of Gold tofinish the calculation."

Arthur was about to saysomething, but at that

moment the ship's intercom crackled to life.
"Good evening, of Gold," said a smooth,
Heart
computerized voice."This is Eddie, yourshipboard
computer. I'm feeling a bit depressed today. Would
you like me to sing you a song?"
"Oh,not again," groaned Ford.
 25 "Eddie, would you mind shutting up?" said Arthur.
Arthur sighed and leaned back against the console, trying to make sense of everything. But as he
closed his eyes, he heard a voice inside his head.
"Hello?" it said.

Arthur jumped,startled. "Who's there?" he said.

30 "It's me," said the voice. "Marvin."

"Marvin?" said Arthur. “Who's Marvin?"

"The Paranoid Android," said the voice.

Arthur looked around, but he didn't see anyone. “Where are you? he said.

"Im down here," said the voice.

35 Arthur looked down and saw a small, metal figure shuffling across the floor. It was about three

feet tall, with a round head and a body that looked like it had been cobbled together from spare
parts. Its eyes were a dull red, and its voice was a monotone.

Ivebeen waiting for someone to talk to me for over two million years," said Marvin.

Adapted -An excerpt from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galary" by Douglas Adams |444words

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

(i) Select theoption that classifies Arthur's confusionabout drastic events such as the destruction
of his home planet and the introduction of new technologies, correctly.

A. Routine and boredom B. Adventure and excitement

C. Loss and change D. Calm and relaxation 1

(ii) What is the significance of the white lab mouse in the control room of the Heart of Gold

spaceship?
A. Itis the captain of the ship B. It servesas the ship's computer
C. It is a pet of the crew D. It is used for scientific experiments 1

(iiüi) Share evidence from the text, in about 40 words to support the view that the writer's writing

style is descriptive and humourous. 2

(iv) Complete the sentenceappropriately with a characteristic or its description.

Based on the informationgiven in the excerpt, one can infer that the mice who built the Earth
are 1

(v) Select the option that is similar in meaning to Ford's expression,"Pretty neat, huh?".

A. Easy, isn't it? B. Could be worse, no?

C. Impressive,yes? D. Too difficult for you? 1

(vi) Explain, in about 40 words, why the name "The Paranoid Android" is considered ironic. 2

(vii) In the line,"...a body that looked like it had been cobbled togetherfrom spare parts..", what
comparison does the word cobbled" refer to? 1

(vii)How does the following, impact the reader, even though they know Marvin is just an android?
"Tve been waiting forsomeone to talk to me for over two million years," said Marvin.
Answer in about 40 words. 2
(ix) Read the five headlines (a) -(e), given below:
(a) HUMANITY'SJOURNEY WITNESSED BYA DEPRESSED ROBOT
TAKE ON THE END OF THE
(b)HITCHHIKING THROUGH SPACE: A COMICAL
WORLD
(c) NEW STUDY AMONG US
FINDSALIENS LIVING
TECHNOLOGY WILL SOONENABLE TIME TRAVEL
(d) GROUNDBREAKING
VIA NEW INFINITE IMPROBABILITY
DRIVE
(e) INTERGALACTIC TRAVEL

option that displays the headline/s

that DOES/ D0 NOT correspond with
Identify the 1
Occurrences in the passage.
B. (b), (c)and (d)
A. Only (a)
D. (a) and (e)
C. Only (e)