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Class 12 FREE Online practice paper 5 english

SECTION-A
READING [20 marks]

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: [10]

(1) Punctuality is a ecessary habit in all public affairs of a civilised 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 disregard it. In ordinary living there can be some tolerance of unpunctuality. The intellectual, who is working on some abstruse problem, has everything coordinated and organised 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 things fine. It is hard for energetic, quick minded people 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 tyres, diversion of traffic, sudden descent of fog, they will be on time. They are often more 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 family had this irritating habit. The only thing to do was to ask them to come half an hour later than the other guests. Then they arrived just when we wanted them.

(2) If you are catching a train, it is always better to be comfortably early than even a fraction 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 so for 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. And even a harder situation is to be on the platform in 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.

(3) She entered the station twenty minutes before the train was due, since her parents had impressed upon her that it would be unforgiveable to miss it and cause the friends with whom she was going to stay to make two journeys to meet her. She gave her luggage to a porter and showed him her 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 in the station at the time on the paper and that it did stop, but only to take on water, 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 and arrived back with the station master, who produced it with a flourish and pointed out a microscopic ‘o’ beside the time of the arrival of the train at this 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 not be broken. And she had to watch that train disappear towards her destination while she was left behind.

On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, complete any ten of the statements given below with the help of options that follow: [1 x 10 = 10]

(a) Without punctuality:

(i) everything would be brought to a conclusion.

(ii) everything would be in a state of chaos.

(iii) the time will stop.

(iv) there will be peace and quiet.

(b) People are often repr hed for:

(i) unpunctuality.

(ii) coming early.

(iii) coming on time.

(iv) leaving early.

(i) it is okay to be late for a fraction of a minute.

(ii) it is not okay to waste even a little time.

(iii) it is always better to be comfortably early.

(iv) arrive at the very moment when the train is leaving the station.

(d) The little ‘o’ indicated that the train :

(i) was always late.

(ii) stopped at every station.

(iii) stopped nowhere.

(iv) stopped only for water.

(e) The station-master was adamant that:

(i) rules be broken

(ii) rules not be broken

(iii) the girl cries

(iv) the train is made to leave go.

(f) The girl watched the train and she was left

(i) go, behind

(ii) come, backo

(iii) reach, there

(iv) arrive, before

(g) One of the irritating habit of passengers is

(i) arriving late

(ii) arriving half an hour too soon on o sinil

(iii) arriving with lot of luggage

(iv) arriving just on time

(h) What is the meaning of the word ‘sparsely as given in para-1

(i) Moderately

(ii) Roughly

(iii) Heavily

(iv) Effortfully

(i) Which word in para-1 means same as ‘Complex’?

(i) Populated

(ii) Abstruse

(iii) Reproach

(iv) Diversion

(j) What is the meaning of ‘fraction’ as given in para-2?

(i) Portion

(ii) Total

(iii) Heavy

(iv) Whole

(k) Which word in para-3 means same as ‘Rigid?

(i) Indicate

(ii) Destination

(iii) Adamant

(iv) Unforgiveable

Read the given passage and on the basis of your reading of the passage answer any ten out of eleven questions by choosing the correct option. [1 x 10 = 10]

(1) Although cynics may like to see the government’s policy for women in terms of the party’s internal power struggles, it will nevertheless be churlish to deny that it represents a pioneering effort aimed at bringing about sweeping social reforms. In its language, scope and strategies, the policy document displays a degree of understanding of women’s needs that is uncommon in government pronouncements.

(2) This is due in large part to the participatory process that marked its formulation, seeking the active involvement right from the start of women’s groups, organisations with grass roots experience. The result is not just a lofty declaration of principles but a blueprint for a practical programme of action. The policy delineates a series of concrete measures to accord women a decision-making role in the political domain and greater control over their economic status. Of especially far-reaching impacts are the devolution of control of economic infrastructure to women, notably at the gram panchayat level, and the amendments A proposed in the Hindu Succession Act of 1956 to give women coparcenary rights.

(3) An enlightened aspect the policy is its lo recognition that actual change in the status of women cannot be brought about by the mere enactment of socially progressive legislation. Accordingly, it focusses on reorienting development programmes and sensitising administrations to address specific situations as, for instance, the growing number of households headed by women, which is a consequence of rural-urban migration. The proposal to create an equal opportunity police force and give women greater control of police stations is an acknowledgement of the biases and callousness displayed by the generally all-male law-enforcement authorities in cases of dowry and domestic violence. While the mere enunciation of such a policy has the salutary effect of sensitising the administration as a whole, it does not make the task of its implementation any easier. This is because the changes it envisages in the political and economic status of women strike at the root of power structures in society and the basis of man-woman relationships. There is also the danger that reservation for women in public life, while necessary for their greater visibility, could lapse into tokenism or become a tool in the hands of vote seeking politicians. Much will depend on the dissemination of the policy and the ability of elected representatives and government agencies to reorder their priorities.

(a) Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

(i) The policy recommends reservation for women

(ii) Domestic violence is on the rise

(iii) Most of the government’s policies are formulated through participatory process

(iv) There is need for stricter legislation Which of the following is true about the policy?

(i) It is not based on woman’s needs the understanding of

(ii) It has made many big declarations

(iii) This is another pronouncement by the government

(iv) It is a pioneering effort

(i) Industries do not get sufficient manpower in rural areas

(ii) Development programmes are not effective

(iii) Legislation is not enforced properly

(iv) None of these

(d) Which of the following is one of the far-reaching impacts of the policy?

(i) Creating an equal-opportunity police force

(ii) Accord women a decision making role in political sphere

(iii) Give women coparcenary rights

(iv) Reservation for women

(e) According to the passage which of the following is not true?

(i) There is no law-enforcement bias in cases of dowry

(ii) For effective implementation, the government agencies will have to reorder their priorities

(iii) The policy gives a blue print for programme of action

(iv) Women should be given greater control of police stations

(f) Which of the following has the danger of becoming a token?

(i) Coparcenary rights to women

(ii) Man-woman relationships

(iii) Socially progressive legislation

(iv) Reservation of women.

(g) According to the passage, which of the following aspects has been identified as, it alone would not bring change in the status of women?

(i) Greater control over economic status

(ii) Creating equal-opportunity police force

(iii) Coparcenary rights to women

(iv) Enactment of socially progressive legislation.

(h) At which stage were the grass-root level organisations involved for the policy?

(i) At the final stages

(ii) Not mentioned in the passage

(iii) After the interim report

(iv) From the start

(i) Which of the following is opposite in meaning to ‘lofty’ as used in the passage?

(i) Inferior

(ii) Exalted

(iii) Sublimated

(iv) Undignified

(j) Which of the following words is the most opposite in meaning to ‘sweeping’ as used in the passage?

(i) Acceptable

(ii) Incomplete

(iii) Limited

(iv) Half-hearted

(k) Which of the following is nearly the same in meaning as the word ‘devolution’ as used in the passage?

(i) Deployment

(ii) Decentralisation

(iii) Relegation

(iv) Succession

SECTION-B

WRITING SKILLS [16 marks]

You are Akash/Ashima, Director at Natrang Theatre Group. You wish to cast students of Class-XI of Florence Public School in your new play. Write a notice in 50 words for the school notice board requesting students to come for audition for various roles. Mention day, date, time and venue of the audition.

You are Gauhar/Iqbal. You have opened a fitness centre recently. You want to appoint two each of zumba, yoga and pilates instructors. Draft a suitable advertisement in 50 words to be published in the classified columns of the newspaper. [3]

Your cousin, Reema has invited you to join her on the 25th marriage anniversary of her parents. Unfortunately you are not able to attend the function. Write a message in about 50 words expressing your inability to be present on the occasion. You Rajshree/Rohan, 619-B, Prathvi Colony, Delhi.

On 17th December your school is going to hold it Annual Sports Day. You want Mr. Rahul Dravid, a noted cricket player to grace the occasion and give away the prizes to budding sportspersons of the school. Write a formal invitation in about 50 words requesting him to accept the invitation. You are Puneet! Rashmi, Sports incharge, Gyan Bharti School, Pune. [3]

You are Sudhir/Sudisha, resident of D-149/C, D.D.A. Flats, Govindpuri, New Delhi. The D.D.A. park at the back side of the flat used to be a sight for the sore eyes, with a well maintained garden, swings for children, path to walk, etc. However, due to no maintenance it has lost its old beauty and charm. Now al one can see is, uncut grass, a ditch of stagnan rain water, breeding mosquitoes and garbag dumped in one corner of the park.

Write a letter in 120-150 words to the edite of a national daily, drawing attention of t concerned authority towards the dilapidat condition in which the park remains.

Cuts and Styles Hair Salon, Gurugram has given an advertisement in the Times Ascent for the recruitment of hair stylists. Apply for the same, giving your detailed bio-data. Invent all the necessary details. You are Madhav/ Madhuri, B-54/A, J.K. Apartments, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi. (120-150 words) [5]

Yesterday, while going back home you saw a man feeding the hungry street dogs, which made you think that kindness may have diminished a little in these destructive times, but it is not completely gone. Write an article in 120-150 words on the topic ‘ little compassion. All we need is a

Write a report in 120-150 words to be published in Times of India, on a fire accident you witnessed in J.P. Residential Complex, Chandigarh. You are Kedar/Kaveri, News Correspondent. [5]

SECTION-C

Literature Textbooks [44 marks]

Answer the questions of any two of the given extracts. [1 x 8 = 8]

(a) The Champaran episode was a turning-point in Gandhi’s life. “What I did,” he explained, “was a very ordinary thing. I declared that the British could not order me about in my own country.”

But Champaran did not begin as an act of defiance. It grew out of an attempt to alleviate the distress of large number of poor peasants.

(i) What did the incident of Champaran do?

(a) Empowered British officers

(b) Encouraged the lawyers

(d) All of these

(ii) The episode became a turning point in Gandhi’s life as he declared

(a) indigo crops should not be there

(b) British cannot order him

(d) none of these

(iii) The writer of the chapter is

(a) Louis Fischer

(b) Anees Jung

(d) A.R. Barton

(iv) The meaning of the word defiance is

(a) resistance

(b) interest

(d) submission

(b) “I sometimes find a rupee, even a ten-rupee note,” Saheb says, his eyes lighting up. When you can find a silver coin in a heap of garbage, you don’t stop scrounging, for there is a hope of finding more. It seems that for children, garbage has a meaning different from what it means to their parents.

(i) The hope in garbage for Saheb is

(a) a rupee

(b) a ten-rupee note

(d) both (a) and (b)

(ii) For children heap of garbage is

(a) survival

(b) means of wonder

(d) none of these

(iii) What is the meaning of the word ‘scrounging?

(a) Hunt

(b) Rescue

(d) Steal

(iv) The author of this extract is

(a) Louis Fischer

(b) Alphonse Daudet

(d) Asokamitran

“Not at all,” Sadao said. “It is only inconvenient to have you here any longer.”

He had hesitated a good deal about giving the man a flashlight. But he had decided to give, it to him after all. It was a small one, his own, which he used at night when he was called.

(i) He in the first line is

(a) U.S. soldier

(b) General

(d) Hana

(ii) Sadao gave him the flashlight because ………………

(a) it was of no use for him

(b) he wanted to help him

(d) none of these

(iii) Dr. Sadao was a

(a) dedicated doctor

(b) good human being

(d) both (a) and (b)

(iv) The writer of the given extract is.

(a) Kalki

(b) Pearl S. Buck

(d) Colin Dexter

Answer questions of any one of the given extracts. [1× 4 = 4]

(a) Old

Familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,

but all I said was, see you soon,

Amma,

all I did was smile and smile and smile ……..

(i) The pain, the poet felt was of

(a) leaving mother at airport

(b) mother growing old

(d) both (b) and (c)

(ii) The Poet’s childhood fear was.

(a) mother’s growing age

(b) sprinting trees

(d) all of these

(iii) The first two lines tell that

(a) poet loves her mother

(b) mother’s growing age is concern

(d) all of these

(iv) The poet of these lines is ………

(a) Adreinne Rich

(b) Susan Hill

(d) John Keats

(b) A flowery band to bind us to the Earth,

Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth

Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,

Of all the unhealthy and oer darkened ways

Made for our searching

(i) Every day we are …………..

(a) renewing our bond with nature

(b) destroying nature

(d) both (a) and (c)

(ii) The evil things we suffer are

(a) lack of goodness

(b) darkened methods of being human

(d) all of these

(iii) The trials and tribulations of life test our ……………………….

(a) bearance

(b) knowledge

(d) all of these

(iv) The poet of given lines is ……………

(a) John Keats

(b) Pablo Neruda

(d) Robert Frost

Answer any eight of the given questions very briefly. [1×8=8]

(1) How was Aunt Jennifer’s life?

(2) Whom did Charley tell about the third level?

(3) What was Kamala Das’ fear?

(4) What became a turning point in Gandhi’s life?

(5) Whom did the peddler pretend to be in front of Ironmaster?

(6) Why was Franz unwilling to go to school?

(7) What was Mukesh’s aim in life?

(8) Who washed the wounded soldier?

(9) How did the wizard help Roger Skunk?

(10) What did McLerry bring to help Evans?

Answer any five of the following questions in 30-40 words each : [2×5=10]

(1) What made Franz wonder, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”

(2) List all the images of beauty as described by the poet in the poem ‘A Thing of Beauty”.

(3) Describe the pain and fear Kamala Das feels while driving from her parents house.

(4) Was Edla happy to receive the gift from the peddler? Why?

(5) Which exotic moment poet refers to in Keeping Quiet?

(6) Why is Raj Kumar Shukla described as being resolute?

Answer any two of the given questions in 30-40 words. [2×2=4]

(1) Why was Jack getting irritated while telling bedtime stories to Jo?

(2) Briefly describe the circumstances in which Dr. Sadao and his wife met the American P.O.W.?

(3) How did Mr. Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit cool?

Answer any one of the following questions in 120-150 words: [5]

(i) Elucidate the ‘misadventure’ Douglas experienced at the Y.M.C.A. pool. What strategies does he use to sav e himself?

(ii) Saheb and Mukesh are similar in many ways yet, they are different. Discuss.

Answer any one of the following questions in 120-150 words: [5]

(i) How did Mr Lamb try to give courage and confidence to Derry?

(ii) Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why?