Vivekanand Memorial Public School, Raisinghnagar

Sample Paper 2024-25

English Core (301)
Class XII
Time Allowed : 3 Hour Min.Marks:80
General Instructions:-
1. 15-minute prior reading time allotted for Q-paper reading.
2. The Question Paper contains THREE sections-READING, WRITING and LITERATURE.
3. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
Write the correct question number in your answer sheet to indicate the option/s being
attempted.

Section A: READING SKILLS (22 marks) Marks

I Read the passage given below. 12
Punctuality is a necessary habit in public affairs of a civilized society. Without it nothing
could ever be brought to a conclusion, everything would be in a state of chaos. Only in
a sparsely populated rural community is it possible to disregardit. In the ordinary living
there can be some tolerance of unpunctuality. The intellectual, who is working on
some abstruse problem, has everything coordinated and organized for the matter in
hand. He is therefore forgiven, if late for the dinner party. But people are often
reproached for unpunctuality when their only fault is cutting fine. It is hard for
energetic, quick - mindedpeople to waste time, so they are often tempted to finish a
job before setting out to keep an appointment. If no accidents occur on the way, like
punctured tires, diversion of traffic, sudden descent of fog, they will be on time. They
are oftenmore industrious, useful citizens than those who are never late. The over -
punctual can as much be a trial to others as the unpunctual. The guest who arrives half
an hour too soon is the greatest nuisance. Some friends of my familyhad this irritating
habit. The only thing to do was to ask them to come half anhour later than the other
guests. Then they arrived just when we wanted them. If you are catching a train, it is
always better to be comfortably early than even afraction of a minute too late.
Although being early may mean wasting a little time, this will be less than if you miss
the train and have to wait an hour or sofor the next one. And you avoid the frustration
of arriving at the very moment when the train is drawing out of the station and being
unable to get on it. Aneven harder situation is to be on the platform in a good time for
a train and still to see it go off without you. Such an experience befell a certain young
girl the first time she was travelling alone. She entered the station twenty minutes
before the train was due since her parents had impressed upon her that it would be
unforgivable to miss it and cause the friends with whomshe was going to stay to meet
her. She gave her luggage to a porter and showed himher ticket. To her horror, he said
that she was two hours too soon. She felt in her handbag, for the piece of paper on
which her father had written down all the details of the journey and gave it to the
porter. He agreed that a train did come into the station at the time on the paper and
that it did stop, but only to take onwater, not passengers. The girl asked to see a
timetable, feeling sure that her father could not have made such a mistake. The porter
went to fetch one andarrived back with the station master, who produced it with a
 flourish and pointed out a microscope ‘o’ beside the time of the arrival of the train at
his station. This little ‘o’ indicated that the train only stopped for water. Just at that
moment, the train came into the station. The girl, tears streaming down her face,
begged to be allowed to slip into the guard’s van. But the station master was adamant:
rules could not be broken. And she had to watch that train disappear towards her
destination while she was left behind.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given
below
1. 1. Complete the sentence by choosing an appropriate option. It is better to reach the 1
platform before the train arrives because ________.
a. You will have time to relax at the station
b. It’s good to waste some time in life
c. It can help you avoid frustrations of work
d. It’s better than watching the train leave in front of your eyes
2. Comment on the writer’s reference to the features of energetic and quick- minded 2
people.
3. List the two ways which can hinder a punctual person fromreaching a place on time. 2
( Clue: Think about the obstruction one may face)
4. Select the option that conveys a similar meaning of ‘inflexible’, in the passage. 1
a. Over - punctual
b. Energetic
c. Adamant
d. Abstruse
5. Find a word opposite in meaning to clear/obvious in the passage: 1
a. community
b. abstruse
c. diversion
d. industrious
6. Reaching early may mean wasting a little time. Based on your understanding of the 2
given passage, justify how reaching early does not always mean wasting time.
7. Why is it fair to say that punctuality necessary in a civilized society? 1
8. Complete the given sentence with an appropriate inference, with respect to the 1
following:
Some friends of my family has this irritating habit of arriving half an hour too soon. We
can deal with them by ________.
9. The over - punctual can be as much a trial to others as the unpunctual 1
a. He has everything coordinated and organized
b. He believes that the early bird gets the worm
c. He is wasting as much time as the unpunctual ones
d. There is hardly any difference between the unpunctual and over punctual

II Read the passage given below. 10

1. When plastic waste is burnt, a complex weave of toxic chemicals is released.
Breaking down Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) used for packaging, toys and coating
electrical wires. It produces dioxin, organochlorine which belongs to the
familyof Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). A recent Dioxin Assessment
Report brought out by the United States Environment Protection Agency
 (USEPA) says the risk of getting cancer from dioxin is ten times higher than
reported by the agency in 1994.
2. The Delhi government is giving the green signal to a gasification project which
will convert garbage into energy without removing plastic waste. This way, no
air pollution will be caused and the ash producedcan be used as manure. The
project built with Australian assistance will cost 200 crore. It will generate 25
megawatts of power and gobble 1,000 tons of garbage every day.
3. Technologies like gasification are a form of incineration. Incineration merely
transfers hazardous waste from a solid formto air, water and ash. Toxins
produced during incineration include acidic gases, heavy metals as well as
dioxins and furans.
4. Municipal solid waste contains a mix of plastics.
Breaking down this waste emits hydrochloric acid which attacks the
respiratorysystem, skin and eyes, resulting in coughing, vomiting and nausea.
Polyethylenegenerates volatile compounds like formaldehyde and
acetaldehyde, both suspected carcinogenic. Breathing styrene from
polystyrene can cause leukemia. Polyurethane is associated with asthma.
Dioxin released by PVC is a powerful hormone disrupter and causes birth
defects and reproductive problems.
5. Even the best run incinerators in the world have to deal with stringent norms.
In Germany, air pollution devices accounted for two - thirds the cost of
incineration. Despite such efforts, the European Dioxin Inventory noted that
the input of dioxin into the atmosphere was the highest fromincineration.
6. In the chart, we see the share of global plastic waste that is discarded, recycled
or incinerated from 1980 through to 2015. Prior to 1980, recycling and
incineration of plastic was negligible; 100 percent was therefore discarded.
From 1980 for incineration and 1990 for recycling, rates increasedon average
by about 0.7 percent per year. In 2015, an estimated 55 percent of global
plastic waste was discarded, 25 percent was incinerated and 20 percent
recycled.

7. Indian garbage has a low calorific content of about 800 kg and it has high
moisture and requires additional fuel to burn. Toxics link calculates that the
electricity generated from such technology will cost between 5 and 7 per unit,
which is six times higher than conventional energy. India has chosen a
dioxinpreventive route and burning of chlorinated plastics is prohibited under
Municipal Solid Waste and Biomedical Rules. Nearly 80 percent of Indian
garbage is recyclable or compostable.
 Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given 1*10
below
1 1. Does the following statement agree with the information given in paragraph 6? 1
Discarded plastic waste produces greenhouse gas emissions when exposed to sunlight
in both air and water if it is not recycled or disposed of in a controlled manner. Select
fromthe following: True - if the statement agrees with the information False - if the
statement contradicts the information Not Given - if there is no information on this
2 Do you think that garbage from India has a high calorific content? Support your answer 2
with reference to the passage.
3 Based on the given graphical representation of data in the passage, choose the option 1
that lists the statements that are TRUE.
1. In the year 2015, the incinerated plastic waste disposal was 80%.
2. In the year 1980, the share of discarded plastic waste was 100%.
3. Discarded plastic waste was 60% in the year 2010.
4. Recycled plastic waste in the year 2000 was less than 70%.
Choose the correct option:
(i) 1,2 and 3 (ii) 2 and 3
(iii) 1 and 4 (iv) 1,3 and 4
4 Complete the sentence based on the following statement. Burning plastic waste is 2
harmful and causes cancer. We can say this because ____________________________.
5 Which statements are NOT TRUE according to the passage? 1
a. India has adopted a preventive measure under which burning of chlorinated plastics
is prohibited.
b. USEPA says that the risk of getting cancer from dioxin is hundred times higher than
reported by the agency in 1994.
c. Incineration merely transfers hazardous waste from a solid form to air, water and
ash. d. Hydrochloric acid attacks the digestive system, nose and eyes which results in
diabetes and nausea.
a. 1 and 3 b. 3 and 4
c. 1 and 2 d. 2 and 4
6 Garbage can be converted into energy by _______________. 1
a. gratification
b. a chemical process
c. gasification
d. incinerators
7 The Delhi government is giving the green signal to a gasification project which will 1
convert garbage into energy without removing plastic waste. Explain what is the
purpose of the waste - to - energy project?
8 Complete the given sentence by selecting the most appropriate option. The respiratory 1
system, skin, and eyes are affected by ____________.
a. Polyethylene
b. Hydrochloric acid
c. Polystyrene
d. Dioxin
SECTION B – CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS 18
III Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. 4
A Many residents of Ajay Complex, Bhopal have undertaken the responsibility of feeding
the street dogs in the Complex. As Raina/Rahul, President of R.W.A., draft a notice in
50 words to fix feeding spots and timings to avoid inconvenience to other residents.
OR
An orange alert has been sounded in your city because of extreme temperature due to
B
the cold wave. Schools have been shut for a week. As Principal, Derry Public School,
draft a notice in 50 words informing parents of the same. Mentionday, date and
duration. You are Dr. Sen.
IV Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. 4
A You are Dr. Shailesh Gupta, an eminent educationist. You have been invited topreside
over on Inter - Zonal Declamation competition by Neha the President of English Literary
Club of Government Model Sr. Sec. School, Sector - 19, Chandigarh. Write a letter of
acceptance of the invitation..
OR
B You are Sachin Bansal, the Head Boy of Springdales Pubic School, Gurgaon. Your school
is holding an inter - school T - 20 cricket championship from2 Oct. to 8Oct, 20XX.Write
a formal invitation to Sh. B.S. Bedi, the legendary cricketer, to inaugurate the
championship on 2 Oct. 2019 at 10 a.m. at your school premises.
V Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. 5
A Day by day lavish weddings are becoming more and more fashionable. Hotels, farm 5
houses and banquet halls are booked months in advance. Even lower middle class
families are entertaining thousand plus guests. Write a letter to the editor of a national
daily advocating simple weddings. You are Rani/Raj, 121 Bank street, Kanpur

OR
B

Apollo International School, Karnal requires sports coaches and some other teachers. 5
Each should be a degree holder in physical education as well as an SAI - certified coach
in athletics. You have seen their advertisement and you know that you have these
qualifications. Write an application in 120 - 150 words along with your resume. You are
Praveen/Praveena, M - 114, Najafgarh, Delhi.
VI Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. 5
Dance, as shown in some reality shows on TV, seems to be a mix of gymnastics and PT
exercises. Actually, it is neither. India has a rich tradition of classical andfolk dances.
Write an article in 150 - 200 words on the need to have a reality show exclusively based
on Indian classical dances. You are Anu/Arun
SECTION C LITERATURE 40
VII Read the text carefully and answer the questions:
A We have imagined for the mighty dead; 1*6=6
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from heaven’s brink.

1. The phrase immortal drink refers to:

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

2. All lovely tales evoke the feeling of:

a. sadness and nostalgia.
b. only nostalgia.
c. inspiration and pride.
d. only pride.
3. 3. On the basis of the extract, choose the correct option with reference tothe
two statements given below.
(1) Beautiful things are gifts from God for all of us.
(2) Beautiful objects of nature are forever like a never - ending portionof a
drink.
a. (1) can be inferred from the extract but (2) cannot.
b. (2) can be inferred from the extract but (1) cannot.
c. Both (1) and (2) can be inferred from the extract.
d. (2) is the reason for (1) and can be inferred from the extract.

4. The literary device used by the poet in the following lines is ________. An
endless fountain of immortal drink, Pouring unto us from heaven’s brink.
a. personification
b. allegory
c. imagery .
d. synecdoche
5. Answer in one word: The word (from the extract) which means verge or
threshold is ________.
6. The benefits of a thing of beauty for humans include .
a. healthy body
b. calm mind
c. struggle - free life
d. better relationships
 e. hope to carry on
Choose the most appropriate option.
a. Only (v)
b. (i), (ii) and (v)
c. (i), (iii) and (iv)
d. (ii) and (iv)

1*4=4
B 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

1. Select the option that correctly fits the category of microscopic to the mighty
out of the ones given below.
a. Trace of a skin cell: trace of a bird’s egg
b. A grain of rice: field of wheat
c. A scoop of ice cream: an ice - cream cone
d. A drop of water: Pacific Ocean
a. 1, 2
b. 3, 4
c. 1, 3
d. 2, 4
2. Choose the option listing the elements that influences one to think of earth’s
physicality.
a. Breakage of an iceberg from a glacier
b. Midges and mites
c. A regular seen avalanche
d. Summer light in the Southern hemisphere
a. 1, 2
b. 3, 4
c. 1, 4
d. 2, 3 3.
3. Complete the sentence appropriately, with reference to the extract.
Choose the phrase that refers to the range of things one can see ________
.
4. How did Antarctica amaze the writer when he first saw it?

C Poor man! It was in honor of this last lesson that he had put on his fine Sunday clothes, 1*6=6
and now I understood why the old men of the village were sitting there in the back of
the room. It was because they were sorry, too, that they had not gone to school more.
It was their way of thanking our master for his forty years of faithful service and of
 showing their respect for the country that was theirs no more.

1. Select the suitable word from the extract to complete the following analogy:
Honour: Respect :: ________:Regretful
2. Based on the above extract, choose the statement that is FALSE for the villagers.
a. They had gathered to bid farewell to M.Hamel.
b. They expressed their gratitude towards M.Hamel.
c. They regret not learning their mother tongue seriously.
d. They were more willing to welcome a replacement for M.Hamel
3. Why does the narrator refer to M. Hamel as Poor man! ?
a. He empathizes with M. Hamel as he had to leave the village
b. He believes that M. Hamel’s “fine Sunday clothes” clearly reflectedthat he was not
rich.
c. He feels sorry for M. Hamel as it was his last French lesson.
d. He thinks that M. Hamel’s patriotism and sense of duty resultedinhis poverty.
4. Which of the following idioms might describe the villagers’ act of attending the last
lesson most accurately?
a. ’Too good to miss’
b. ‘Too little, too late’
c. ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’
d. ‘Too cool for school’
5. Rationalise, to support the given opinion. Besides M. Hamel, there was one thing
more that brought the old men of the village there.
6. Complete the sentence with an appropriate explanation, as per the extract. M Hamel
was wearing his best dress in ________.
VIII Answer ANY FIVE of the following in about 40-50 words each. 5*2=10

1 Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle? 2

2 Why did the poet ask us to count up to twelve in the poemKeeping Quiet? 2
3 What, according to Keats, causes a pall over our spirits? 2
4 What would be the impact of synthetic indigo on the prices of natural indigo? 2
5 Explain the metaphor of the rattrap. 2
6 ‘All we have to fear is fear itself’. When did Douglas learn this lesson? 2
IX Answer ANY TWO of the following in about 40-50 words each. 2*2=4
1 ‘It’s easy to judge others and give advice, but much more difficult to apply it to 2
ourselves.’ Elaborate with reference to the character of Sam in The Third Level.
2 When did India and other countries form the part of Antarctica? 2
3 Were the minions of Maharaja loyal to him, why or why not? 2
X Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 120-150 words 1*5=5
1 What is the significance of the title Journey to the End of the Earth. 5
2 There are moment in life when we have to make hard choices between our 5
roles as private individuals and as citizens with a sense of national loyalty.
Discuss with reference to the story ‘The Enemy’.
XI Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 120-150 words. 1*5=5
1 How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old terror. 5
2 “You realise the true value of a thing only on losing it.” Comment on this 5
statement in the light of the story, The Last Lesson.