AHSEC| CLASS 12| ENGLISH| QUESTION PAPER - 2024| H.S. 2ND YEAR
2024
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:
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was a multifaceted
personality, a statesman and visionary and above all a good human being. He was
a brilliant scientist and modern thinker. When I joined him as Press Secretary
after ten days of his becoming President, at his very first meeting he gave me
his vision of a developed India. He spoke of how he wanted to make Rashtrapati
Bhavan a people's place where voice of the millions of downtrodden people of
India would be heard and action taken. Indeed, during his time Rashtrapati Bhavan
became a people's place and he became popular as People's President. He wanted
that institution of the President to be totally identified by ordinary people.
President Kalam took his Presidency
seriously from day one. He was as comfortable with constitutional and legal
issues as he was with school children. He was committed to nation-building and
created a vision document to make India a developed nation by 2020. He made a PowerPoint
presentation to senior ministers and bureaucrats on this.
He used to make PowerPoint presentations at
conferences and seminars both in India and abroad to discuss that vision. On
these, he used to work himself and he was very particular about every word and
sentence.
He did it during his visits abroad and while
meeting dignitaries such as US President George Bush and Pakistan President
Pervez Musharaf. When he presented his vision of India's nuclear energy
requirements to Mr. Bush and his vision of a joint fight India and Pakistan
could wage against poverty, the respective Presidents commented that they had
to become scientists to understand the presentation. You can't think of any
other President of a country who would have done that.
His vision for the nation was based on
equality, the dignity of the individual and justice, social, economic, and
political, to every Indian. Only then can India succeed and everybody sing the
song of India, he used to say.
I met him last on July 22, five days before
his demise. It was a one-on- one meeting that lasted a good 40 minutes. He was
full of ideas as always, very active and discussed different subjects. He used
to tell me, "Whatever you do, do differently. Wherever you work, leave a
mark and be remembered."
During his presidency he was always
comfortable, except on two occasions, when his unease was visible. When he had
to give his consent to the Office of Profit Bill, 2006 after it was sent for
the second time by the Parliament, and when he had to approve the ordinance on
Disqualification of Elected Representatives in 2004 as it was sent to him by
the Cabinet for a second time.
He was an icon for the youth. He used to
say, "Aiming small is a crime. Youth should have the courage to think
differently and explore unexplored paths. Difficulties would come but don't be
afraid of them-overcome them with your intellect and hard work."
The man who pioneered India's missile
programme was always proud of his work at the Indian Space Research
Organisation and other scientific institutions. He used to believe that a
scientific approach could find a solution to every problem.
He was an ardent secularist, and also a
religious man. He believed that all religions are like beautiful islands; but
there is no connectivity between them. We should strive to achieve this
connectivity and transform religion into spirituality. For him religion and
morality were the same.
A man of vision, he always worked in mission
mode. He had a mission to meet 10 lakh students and interact with them. He
completed this when he left Rashtrapati Bhavan. He continued with this till his
last breath. His childlike simplicity was an instant hit.
He got the sobriquet of being the People's
President because of his humility and accessibility. President Kalam always
worked towards building consensus rather than ramming down decisions.
He came from a modest background, but
educated himself and worked hard to rise to the top. He was simply the missile
man whose books were prime-sellers, whose lectures were always housed full. He
was adored by children as he would give them easy-to-digest messages.
On the basis of
your understanding of the passage answer the following questions:
(i) Which of the
following traits explain in a single word the many qualities of A. P. J. Abdul
Kalam? 1
1. Brilliant scientist
2. Visionary
3. Statesman
4. Multifaceted
(ii) What was so
special about A. P. J. Abdul Kalam that no other president could do? 2
(iii) Which of the
qualities made him loved by children? 2
(iv) What were the
bills not passed by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam initially? 2
(v) What was his
mission? 2
(vi) What is the
antonym of 'modest'? 2
SECTION-B
(Advanced Writing Skill: 25 Marks)
2. As the Secretary
of Debate in Mayong Anchalik College, write a notice for the students
interested in participating in Inter-College Debate Competition to be held
shortly. Mention the deadline of registration, the topic and sign yourself as
Juktiman/Juktimoni. (Word limit 50 words) 5
OR
You are Barun/Birina who had lost a file
folder containing important documents in a bus going towards Lumding. Get an
advertisement published in the classified page and promise the finder a reward.
5
3. You are Roshan/Rohini,
The General Secretary of Merryland Public School, Tezpur. Your school joined a
campaign organized by various agencies of your city to create awareness among
people to conserve water. Write a report in 100-125 words highlighting the
activities such as rainwater harvesting etc. 10
OR
Your school has organized an
exhibition-cum-sale of the items made by students in their work experience
classes. You had an excellent and overwhelming response from the parents and
the visitors. The proceeds of the sale have been donated by your school in a
function to Helpline India, an organization supporting the cause of orphans.
Make a report of the same in 100-125 words to be published in your school
magazine. 10
4. Regional
Baghdevi College, Sipajhar has published the advertisement for the post of
Music Teacher. As Shahnawaz/Shahnaz Siddiqui from Naobaicha, write an
application, along with your detailed resume, to the Managing Director of the
school. 10
OR
As a conscious citizen, you have observed
gradual loss of focus and concentration among the selfie-freak youngsters.
Write a letter to the Editor of a local daily showing your concern over the
issue and recommend some measures to curb the e-addiction. 10
SECTION-C
(Grammar: 20 Marks)
5. Change the
form of the narration of any two of the following sentences: 2×2=4
(a) M. Hamel said, "My children, this
is the last lesson I shall give you. The order has come from Berlin to teach
only German in the schools" of Alsace and Lorrain."
(b) Aditi asked Raju if his sister was at
home. Raju replied that she was not. She had gone shopping with their mother.
(c) He said to me, "How long will you
stay here?" I replied that I would stay for a week.
6. Change the
voice of any three of the following sentences: 1×3=3
(a) She likes sweets.
(b) The man narrated me a story.
(c) Who will bell the cat?
(d) Don't spread the rumour.
(e) The baby is being taken care of by the
maid.
(f) The tree has been uprooted.
7. Rewrite any
five of the following sentences using the verbs given in brackets in their
correct forms: 1x5=5
(a) You _______ (go) to attend the party
tonight?
(b) If you have gone there, you _________
(meet) the celebrities.
(c) Don't linger, we ________ (run) out of
time.
(d) They ________(finish) the course by next
month.
(e) It _________(snow) many times every
winter in Frankfurt.
(f) Jane _______(wear) her blue jeans today,
but usually she wears a skirt or a dress.
(g) Milk ______(be) white.
(h) I _______ (do) a lot of work today.
8. Rewrite any
four of the following sentences filling in the blanks with appropriate
preposition: 1x4=4
(a) You can place the book ________the table.
(b) The Second World War broke _________on 1st
September, 1939.
(c) He is fond ______chocolate.
(d) Patriotism consists ________the honesty
of service.
(e) One should not be blind ________ one's
mistake.
(f) Hitler took advantage _______jingoism.
(g) I have full confidence ________your
ability.
9. Rewrite any
four of the following sentences as directed: 1x4-4
(a) I know his birthplace. (Turn into simple
sentence)
(b) If you do not study hard, you will fail.
(Make it a compound sentence)
(c) He leads a most unhappy life. (Turn into
exclamatory)
(d) Very few metals are as precious as gold.
(Change it into comparative degree)
(e) Only Anita can do this. (Make it
negative without changing the meaning)
(f) Who does not wish to be happy? (Make it
assertive)
(g) Though he was poor, he was happy. (Make
it a simple sentence)
10. Read one of the following extracts and answer the
questions that follow:
(a) And such too
is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined
for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales
that we have heard or read;
An endless
fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us
from the heaven’s brink.
(i) Name the
poem. 1
(ii) Who are
the ‘mighty dead’ referred to here? 1
(iii) What is
the endless fountain of immortal drink? 1
(iv) What does
the word, ‘brink’ mean? 1
OR
(b) The little
old house was out with a little new shed
In front at the
edge of the road where the traffic sped,
A roadside stand
that too pathetically pled,
It would not be
fair to say for a dole of bread,
But for some of
the money, the cash, whose flow supports
The flower of
cities from sinking and withering faint.
(i) Where was the
new shed put up? What was its purpose? 1+1=2
(ii) Why does
the poet use the word ‘pathetic’? 1
(iii) Explain:
‘too pathetically pled’ 1
11. Answer any three of the following questions in 30-40
words: 2x3=6
(i) What
childhood fear did Kamala Das refer to in her poem? How did she hide it?
(ii) In the poem,
‘Keeping Quiet’, what is the appeal made by the poet?
(iii) What do the
parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
(iv) According to
Pablo Neruda, how would keeping quiet be an exotic moment?
(v) Describe any
four things of beauty mentioned in the poem, ‘A Thing of Beauty’.
(vi) Why is the
longing of the roadside stand people called childish?
12. Answer any five of the following questions: 1x5=5
(a) Who is
Savita?
(b) Who asked
Franz not to hurry to school?
(c) Where did Gandhi
meet Prof. J. B. Kripalini for the first time?
(d) How many
times did Gandhi meet the Lt. Governor?
(e) What animals
did the author discover in Peacock Island?
(f) Who is
Derek?
(g) For whom did
Sophie want to get Danny Casey’s autograph?
(h) What did the
peasants pay the British landlords as rent?
13. Answer any five in 30-40 words: 2x5=10
(a) How was M.
Hamel dressed differently that day?
(b) Translate “Viva
la France” into English. Where was it written?
(c) Write a
short note on the significance of the title, ‘Lost Spring’.
(d) How was
Gandhi able to influence lawyers? Give instances.
(e) Explain the
statement: “The Battle of Champaran is won.”
(f) How did
Sophie’s father react when Geoff told him about her meeting with Danny Casey?
(g) How does
Saheb’s life change when he starts working at the tea-stall?
(h) Who was John
Rowntree?
(i) What
information does the author give us about Manas Wildlife Sanctuary?
14. Answer any one of the following questions in 80-100
words: 5x1=5
(a) Describe the
condition of Seemapuri.
(b) Jansie is just
as old as Sophie but she is very different from her. Bring out the contrast
between the two friends citing relevant instances from the story, ‘Going Places’.
(c) What were
the topics and subjects taken up by M. Hamel on the day of the last lesson?
15. Answer any one of the following questions in 125-150
words: 7x1=7
(a) Write a character-sketch
of either (i) Tiger King or (ii) Derry.
OR
(b) How did
Zitkala feel on the first day in the land of apple? What did she do to escape
the plight?
16. Answer any four of the following questions in 30-40
words: 2x4=8
(a) Define
Domahi.
(b) How do the
Kacharis observe the ritual of Magh Bihu?
(c) Why was there
no curtain in Lamb’s house?
(d) Is the Tiger
King a satire?
(e) Which words
of her brother made a deep impression on Bama?
(f) “Tin doesn’t
hurt, boy,” Explain with reference to context and its speaker.
(g) How did the
hundredth tiger take its revenge upon the Tiger King?
***
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