AHSEC| CLASS 12| ENGLISH| QUESTION PAPER - 2021| H.S. 2ND YEAR
2021
English
Full Marks: 100
Pass Marks: 30
Time: Three hours
The figures in the margin indicate
full marks for the questions
SECTION – A
(Reading Skill: 10
Marks)
1. Read the following passage carefully:
Many of us believe
that ‘small’ means ‘insignificant’. We believe that small actions and choices
do not have much impact on our lives. We think that it is only the big things,
the big actions and the big decisions that really count. But when you look at the
lives of all great people, you will see that they built their character through
small decisions, small choices and small actions that they performed every day.
They transformed
their lives through a step-by-step or day-by-day approach. They nurtured and
nourished their good habits and chipped away at their bad habits, one step at a
time. It was their small day-to-day decisions that added up to make tremendous
difference in the long run. Indeed, in matters of personal growth and
character-building, there is no such thing as an overnight success.
Growth always
occurs through a sequential series of stages. There is an organic process of
growth. When we look at children growing up, we can see this process at work,
the child first learns to crawl, then to stand and walk and finally to run. The
same is true in the natural world. The soil must first be tilled, and then the
soil must be sowed. Next, it must be nurtured with enough water and sunlight,
and only then it will grow, beer fruit and finally ripen, and be ready to eat.
Gandhi understood
this organic process and used this universal law of nature to his benefit. Gandhi
grew in small ways, in his day-to-day affairs. He did not wake up one day and
find himself to be the ‘Mahatma’. In fact, there was nothing much in his early
life that showed signs of greatness. But from his mid-twenties, he deliberately
and consistently attempted to change himself, reform himself and grow in some
small way every day. Day-by-day, hour-by-hour, he risked failure, experimented,
and learnt from the mistakes. In small and large situations alike, he took up
rather than avoid responsibility.
People have always
marvelled at the effortless way in which Gandhi could accomplish the most
difficult tasks. He displayed great deal of self-mastery and discipline which
was amazing. These things did not come easily to him. Years of practice and
disciplined training went into making his success possible. Very few saw his struggles,
fears, doubts and anxieties, or his inner efforts to overcome them. They saw
the victory but not the struggle.
On the basis
of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions:
(a) How do the
great people build their character? 2
(b) What is ‘organic
process of growth’? 2
(c) What,
according to the writer, is the ‘universal law of nature’? 2
(d) Which part of
Gandhi’s life is not seen by most people? 2
(e) Find a word
in the passage which means ‘intentionally’ or ‘purposely’. 1
(f) What does the
writer mean by saying ‘chipped away at their bad habits’? 1
(i) Steadily
gave up bad habits
(ii) Slowly
produced bad habits
(iii) Did not
like bad habits
SECTION – B
(Advanced Writing
Skills: 25 Marks)
2. You are Nandita/ Nandan, President of ‘Green Assam Club’,
Dibrugarh. Your club is organizing a Sports and Cultural Meet for the school
children of your district. Draft an advertisement to be published in a local
daily about it, giving all relevant details. (Word Limit: 50 words) 5
Or
You are Rina/
Rajat, President, Students’ Forum of your school. You want to publish a Wall
Magazine for the students of the school. Write a notice inspiring the students
for the Wall Magazine. (Word Limit: 50 words) 5
3. You are Dipika/ Dipak. You have attended a basketball coaching
camp. Many well-known players attended the camp and trained the participants. Write
a report on this in about 100-125 words to be published in your school
magazine. 10
Or
You have
participated in an online career counselling programme organised by ‘Career
Academy’. You had the opportunity of listening to professionals from various
fields. It was also a new kind of experience for you. Write a report in 100-125
words to be published in an English daily. You are Anamika/ Ananta. 10
4. You are Bidisha/ Binay. You have seen an advertisement
for the post of a guide in a Travel Agency in Sivasagar. Write a formal
application along with your bio-data for the post in response to that
advertisement. 10
Or
Krishna Kanta
Handiqui State Open University offers a correspondence course leading to
Diploma in Waste Management after plus two. You are Neeharika/ Neeraj. Write to
the Director, Correspondence Course, KKHSOU for the brochure and prospectus and
enquiring about the job opportunities after completing this course. 10.
SECTION – C
(Grammar: 20
Marks)
5. Change the form of the narration in the following
sentences: 2x3=6
(a) “Cheer up,
mother I’ll go and get work somewhere”, said Jack.
(b) He said to
me, “What is your brother’s name? Why did he go to the harbour this morning?”
(c) Mayor asked
Piper if he had killed the rats. Piper replied that he had, and requested Mayor
that he might be allowed to have the bag of gold.
6. Change the voice of any four of the following
sentences: 1x4=4
(a) Some boys
were helping the wounded man.
(b) Bring the
boys home.
(c) I hope that
you will pass the test.
(d) Why was such
a letter written by your sister?
(e) My pocket
has been picked.
(f) Salil has
caught a fish.
(g) He dispensed
with my services.
(h) The Greeks
made Ulysses their leader.
7. Rewrite any five of the following sentences using the
verbs given in brackets in their correct tense forms: 1x5=5
(a) I (read) War
and Peace for a month now.
(b) The match
(start) before we reached the stadium.
(c) She (read) a
novel now.
(d) This paper
(appear) twice a month.
(e) I never
(see) a tiger before.
(f) It started
to rain while we (have) the picnic.
8. Rewrite any five of the following sentences filling in
the blanks with appropriate prepositions: 1x5=5
(a) He has no
ability ______hard work.
(b) Pay proper
attention ________your studies.
(c) I have full
confidence ________you.
(d) Anger may be
compared _______fire.
(e) One must
abide _______one’s promise.
(f) She triumphed
______all obstacles by dint of her perseverance.
(g) That person
is gifted ________remarkable intelligence.
(h) I am trying
to abstain _______sweets for my new diet.
SECTION – D
(Text books: 45
Marks)
9. Read the following extracts and answer the questions
that follow:
(a) “but after
the airport’s security check, standing a few yards away. I looked again at her,
wan, pale as a late winter’s moon and felt that 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…”
Questions:
(i) What did the
speaker do after the security check? 1
(ii) What was
the speaker’s childhood fear? 1
(iii) How do the
parting words of the speaker and her smile present a contrast to her real life?
2
Or
(b) “A thing
of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases,
it will never
Pass into
nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet
for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet
dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.”
Questions:
(i) Name the
poet. 1
(ii) How is a
thing of beauty a joy forever? 1
(iii) What is
a bower? 1
(iv) What kind
of sleep does a thing of beauty provide? 1
10. Answer any three of the following questions in 30-40
words: 2x3=6
(i) What image
does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth in the poem “A Thing
of Beauty”?
(ii) What causes
sorrows and sufferings to human beings?
(iii) Where was
the speaker driving to in the poem “My Mother at Sixty-Six”? What did she
notice when her mother sat beside her? 1+1=2
(iv) What is the
significance of the phrase ‘the face of the earth’ in the poem “Keeping Quiet”?
(v) What
alternative does the poet suggest instead of indulging in wars in the poem “Keeping
Quiet”?
11. Answer any five of the following questions: 1x5=5
(a) How long did
M. Hamel teach in his school?
(b) Who was Wachter?
(c) Name the
writer of the story “The Last Lesson”.
(d) Name the
place in Delhi where the squatters live.
(e) Who is
Savita?
(f) Whom did Gandhi
and Rajkumar Shukla want to meet at Patna?
(g) Name the
Lieutenant-Governor who summoned Gandhi in June.
12. Answer any five in 30-40 words: 2x5=10
(a) Why did M.
Hamel not scold Franz for his inability to recite the rules of participles
correctly?
(b) Why did
Franz repent?
(c) Why did
Saheb’s parents leave Dhaka and migrate to India?
(d) What are the
two different worlds in Firozabad?
(e) Why did
Gandhi decide to go first to Muzaffarpur? To whom did he send a telegram? 1+1=2
(f) Why do you
think the servants thought Gandhi to be another peasant?
(g) Where did
Gandhi proceed after his meeting with the British Commissioner? Who accompanied
him? 1+1=2
13. Answer any one of the following questions in 80-100 words:
5x1=5
(a) Who was Franz?
What was his opinion about M. Hamel? Elucidate in you own words about the
changes came in Franz towards M. Hamel and his mother-tongue, French. 1+1+3=5
Or
(b) Give a brief
account of the ragpickers of Seemapuri.
Or
(c) “The Champaran
episode was a turning-point in Gandhi’s life” – Elucidate.
14. Answer any one of the following questions in 125-150
words: 7x1=7
(a) Why did Dr.
Sadao Hoki go to America? Narrate his experiences there.
Or
(b) Describe how
Mr. Lamb and Derry’s conversation bring about a change in Derry’s views towards
life.
Or
(c) Describe the
manner in which the Kacharis celebrate their festival during the time of
Assamese Magh Bihu.
15. Answer any four of the following questions in 30-40
words: 2x4=8
(a) Why did the
General spare the American soldier?
(b) How did Yumi
react when Hana told her to wash the soldier?
(c) Why did
Derry’s mother warm him not to go to meet Mr. Lamb?
(d) Who should
be friends, according to both Derry and Mr. Lamb?
(e) What is the significance
of the ‘Bhelaghar’?
(f) What is the
belief of the Europeans who lighted Lentern and Midsummer fire?
***
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