| Q1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions
(8 marks)
- We readily admit the importance of character building in education. But we take the word “Character” lightly and treat the concept casually. So, we pay scant attention to “character” in recruiting teachers, who are to serve as character builders. Character building seems to be just about the only task that we expect to be accomplished by those whose suitability for it is presumed to be immaterial. This indifference to character bedevils education at all levels.
- No one familiar with the practice of education will doubt if there is a synergy between character and excellence in education. This is true at all levels. From the lowest to the very highest. “Most people say that it is the intellect which makes a great scientist,” Albert Einstein said, “they are wrong. It is character.” All earnest students have been young men and women of character. Our hearts swell with pride as we favour the prospect of India becoming a global economic giant.
- Sure, it is not beyond our reach for we have the required resources. But if we are to reach there, we need to mind our national character. We covet , say , Olympic laurels but we could not persuade our best tennis players to play together for the country at the London Olympics 2012. Between our promise and our performance, opens up a yawning gulf that swallows our future.
- The well spring of character is self worth. If you value the person that you are, you will take care of yourself. As a rule, impurity ruins worth. The most exquisitely, flavoured and enchantingly fragrant cup of tea loses its worth the moment a fly falls in to it. What it loses is not taste, aroma or colour but its purity. “The real ornament of a Man”, said Gandhiji “is his character, his purity”.
- Purity expresses itself as positivity to what is good and worthwhile. Impurity breeds a contrary disposition. It makes a person turn against himself, against his own best interests. Purity- rooted positivity is a student’s greatest asset. Positivity enables her to enter into the full scope of every educational facility and opportunity. Purity sustains concentration and fortifies patience. The impure are restless. Academic or intellectual impurity implies a state of being pulled in opposite directions. Patience is the power to stay focused overtime.
- Peer- pressure is, almost always, in the direction of compromising their purity. It is robbing you of your ‘immortal jewel ‘the integrity and felicity of your inner being. No agenda for character building can, hence, side step the issue of peer pressure.
- Purity – based patience embodies the dynamism of being positive towards oneself. Men and women of character are found, therefore, hospitable to discipline, hard work, austerity and struggle. The shallow, on the other hand, resent and rebel against all of these.
(A) Complete the sentences
(i) Four essential qualities for building a good character.
(a) ………………… (b) …………….
(c )………………… (d) …………….
(2 marks)
(ii) A virtue that helps one to stay focused is ……..
(1 mark)
(iii) Two factors that work against the building of a good character
(a) ……………….. (b) ………………
(1 mark)
(iv) Being positive helps a student to…………………
(1 mark)
(B ) Pick out words that mean the same as the following
(i) long to possess (para -3)
(ii) Severe or strict in appearance (para 7)
(iii) Produce a profitable combined effort (para -2)
(3 Marks)
Q.2 Those Winter Sundays
Sundays too my father got up early
and put his clothes on in the blue black cold
then with cracked hands that ached
from labour in the weekday weather made
banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked with him.
I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking
When the rooms were warm he’d call,
And slowly I would rise and dress.
Fearing the chronic angers of that house,
Speaking indifferently to him
Who had driven out the cold
And polished my good shoes as well.
What did I know, what did I know
Of love’s austere and lonely offices?
Robert Hayden
Read the poem and choose the most appropriate option
(7 marks)
(a) What does the phrase ‘Sundays too’ mean?
(i) he slept late on Sundays
(ii) he did not work on Sundays
(iv) Sundays were special
(v) Sundays were like other days
(b) Who is the speaker in the poem?
(i) Father
(ii) Mother
(iii) Son
(iv) Servant
(c) When would ‘I’ get up?
(i) When he hears his father working
(ii) When his father calls for his help
(iii) When his father gets up
(iv) When the rooms become warm
(d) How did the poet behave towards his father?
(i) indifferent but loving
(ii) cold but sometimes nice
(iii) indifferent and careless
(iv) warm and considerate
(e) What does the poet feel about it now?
(i) regret
(ii) indifference
(iii) anger
(v) excitement
(f) What did the father do immediately on getting up?
(i) wake the others up
(ii )polish the shoes
(iii ) make a fire
(iv ) scold others
(g ) ‘Love’s austere and lonely offices’ here means
(i)father took his duties as a gesture of his love
(ii)father was a strict man
(iii) father did not like to be with his family
(iv)father’s office was serious and lonely
SECTION-B WRITING (20 Marks)
Q3. Ramesh Menon, Secretary of Vrindavan Housing Colony is much disturbed by the frequent power cuts and wishes to hold a meeting to discuss about setting up of alternate sources of energy. Draft a notice in 50-60 words inviting the residents of the colony to the meeting. Give necessary details.
(3 marks)
Q4. The year 2012 saw the sad demise of the world renowned Indian Musician Shri. Ravi Shankar. With the help of the given clues, prepare his bio sketch in 100 – 120 words.
| Birth Name | : Robindro Shankor Chowdhary |
| Born | : 7th April 1920, Varanasi, India |
| Occupation | : Composer, Musician |
| Instrument | : Sitar |
| Genre | : Hindustani Classical Music, ‘East meets west’ |
| Death | : 11th December 2012 |
| | |
| Achievements |
- Many awards and honorary doctorates from around the world
- 3 highest National civil honours of India (Padma Bhushan 1967, Padma Vibhushan 1981, Bharat Ratna 1999)
- 3 Grammy awards, also lifetime achievement award by Grammy given posthumously. *France’s highest civilian honour
|
Q5. Rani / Ravi is much concerned about the rising incidents of physical attacks against women and children in India. It has brought to focus various factors behind such violent behaviour. Write a letter to the Editor of a National Daily in 150 words expressing your concern about the diminishing values in today’s society.
(6 Marks)
Q6. Recently you came across the famous words of Swami Vivekananda which inspired a whole generation of thinkers and freedom fighters.
| “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, and live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, and every part of your body be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success……………… “ |
You feel that being goalless is the main problem of today’s youth. You decide to give a speech in the morning assembly on how setting a goal will help you to live a fruitful life. You may use the following points for the speech.
(6 Marks)
SECTION-C GRAMMAR (15 Marks)
Q7. Here are some notes about the Annual Day celebration of Kendriya Vidyalaya in the diary of the CCA Captain. Study the given notes and complete the paragraph that follows by filling in the blanks with the most appropriate option from those given.
(3 Marks)
Notes in the Diary
- Celebration of annual day function in the school
- The District Collector – Chief Guest
- Principal and the staff welcomed him
- The Collector’s wife gave away prizes
- The Principal hosted a tea party.
The annual day function of the Kendriya Vidyalaya (a) …………… with great pomp and show. The District Collector who was the Chief Guest on the occasion, (b) …………………. by the Principal and the staff. (c) …………………………………. the wife of the Chief Guest. A tea party was hosted by the Principal later.
(a)
(i) was celebrated
(ii) being celebrated
(iii) has been celebrated
(iv) had been celebrated
(b)
(I) was accorded a warm welcome on his arrival
(ii) has been accorded a warm welcome on his arrival
(iii) will be accorded warm welcome in his arrival
(iv) has been accorded a warm welcome on their arrival
(c)
(i) Prizes were given to students
(ii) Prizes will be given away by
(iii) Prizes had been given by
(iv) Prizes were given away by
Q8. Look at the words and phrases below. Rearrange them to form meaningful sentences. Write the correct sentences in your answer sheet against the correct blank number.
(3 marks)
(a) Enthusiasm/nothing/great/without/achieved/ever/is
(b) Excellence/desire/enthusiasm/average/changes/what/and/are/to
(c) Enthusiasm/in our lives/to do/helps us/this is/what
Q9. In the passage given below, one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that comes before and the word that comes after it in your answer sheet. Ensure that the word that forms your answer is underlined.
(3 Marks)
| A crow was sitting a tree, | eg: sitting on a |
| doing nothing. small rabbit noticed | (a)___ |
| the crow, asked, “Can I sit like you | (b)___ |
| and nothing all day long?” The crow | (c)___ |
| answered, “Sure, why not.”So, | (d)___ |
| rabbit sat on ground below | (e)___ |
| the crow, and rested.All of a | |
| sudden, a fox appeared, jumped | (f)___ |
| the rabbit and ate it . | |
Q.10 Kitty heard the conversation between Mrs. and Mr. Riggs. She decided to report the same to her husband. Read the following strip and the information and fill in the blanks with suitable words and phrases. Do not add any other information. Write the answers in your answer sheet against the correct blank number
(3 marks)
Well, dear, I heard Mrs. Riggs telling her husband that (a) ……….. ten pounds. Mr. Riggs exclaimed that it was great and added (b) ……….. He went away whispering to himself that (c) ………….. that he had set the scales back ten pounds.
Q.11 Given below is a set of information. Use the information to complete the following paragraph. Do not add any new information. Write the answers in your answer sheets against the correct blank number
(3 Marks)
• place the gift in a cardboard box
• Spread the gift wrapper on an even surface
• Keep the box with the gift at the centre
• Wrap it carefully from all sides
• Use gum to stick the ends of the wrapper.
First the gift is placed in a cardboard box. The gift wrapper is then (a)…………… The box with the gift (b) ………….. The box is then carefully wrapped from all sides. The ends of the wrapper (c)……………
SECTION-D LITERATURE (20 +10=30 Marks)
Q.12 (A) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the most appropriate option
(1 x 3=3 Marks)
All in a hot and copper sky The bloody Sun, at noon Right up above the mast did stand No bigger than the Moon.
(a) How is the Sun different now from earlier?
(1) The Sun is not so hot but still glorious
(2) The sun is blazing hot and glorious
(3) There is no Sun now, only fog and mist
(4) The sun is burning, but mild.
(b) Why are the sailors unable to move at this moment?
(1) They are stuck in the land of ice and snow
(2) They are surrounded with icebergs
(3) There is no breeze to help them sail.
(4) The rotting vegetation does not allow them to sail.
(c) Name the poetic device used in the first two lines
(1) Repetition
(2) Imagery
(3) Simile
(4) Metaphor
Q.12 B. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow
(1 x 3 = 3 Marks)
“Better luck next time. Please don’t give up, Michael; otherwise, I’ll have to stay in here forever. Try ‘Jailbreak’. I think it might just work
a) Where is Sebastian when he sends this message?
b) What does ‘Jail Break’ refer to?
c) Does ‘it’ work? Why / why not?
Q.12 C. Cassius (Aside to Brutus)
You know not what you do: do not consent
That Antony speak in his funeral
Know you how much the people may be moved
By that which he will utter?
(a) What has Brutus consented to?
(i)murder Caesar
(ii )speak to Antony
(iii )permitted Antony to address the people
(b) What is Cassius‘s fear?
(i)Antony will turn the people against them
(ii) Brutus will side with Antony
(iii) Antony will become the next dictator
(c) How does Brutus convince Cassius?
( i) Brutus is a powerful speaker than Antony
( ii )People trust Brutus as he is honourable
( iii ) Brutus has laid a few conditions before Antony
(1 x 3 = 3 Marks)
Q.13 Answer any two questions in about 50-60 words each
(3x 2 = 6 Marks)
(a) Comment on the irony of the Pharaoh’s words, “Look on my works, Ye Mighty, and despair”.
(b) “Act in haste and repent forever” is the theme of ‘The Rime of Ancient Mariner’. Substantiate the statement.
(c) Do you agree that “A free and open communication is essential for a successful relationship”? Discuss with reference to ‘A Shady Plot’.
Q.14 Answer any one of the following in 150 words.
(5 marks)
(a) Success Quotient various from person to person. Many want materialistic gains but a few want only fulfillment. Influenced by Patol Babu’s story , you decide to write a letter to your friend about the value of selflessness and in giving your best at whatever work you are entrusted with. Though poor and little known, Patol Babu enjoys unlimited happiness.
or
(b) Antony argues for his friend Julius Caesar like a brilliant defense lawyer. Discuss how he was able to connect with the mob with his arguments and get justice for his friend’s murder.
Long Reading (5+5 Marks)
Q.15 How did ‘The Frost King ‘ affair leave an impact on Helen Keller ?
Q.16 Character sketches of the Huttons (100 words)
or
Character sketch of Bishop Brooks |
