ENGLISH PAPER

(Language)

Class - XII

Maximum Marks: 100 Time allowed: Three hours

Question. 1

Write a composition on any one of the following in about 450-500 words. [30]

(a) Describe any one lesson that you’ve learnt about life from your family. What did that
lesson taught you and why do you consider it important?

(b) Explain how Literature enriches, refine and define an individual.

(c) ‘ Action speaks louder than words’ give your views on the given statement.

(d) Honesty

(e) “Money can buy happiness” Give your views either for or against the statement.

(f) Write a short story beginning with the following words: “I saw her from far, she still
had that innocent face and warm smile..”

 Format – Content – expression

Points to be remember:
1. Start with introduction of the topic.
2- Describe the topic with supporting points.
3- Give examples and incidents
4- End with a conclusion.
Question. 2
(a) You are the head boy/head girl of your school. You have to deliver a speech on your
farewell day. Prepare a speech using points given below. (300 words) [20]
Years spent – memories – relations with teacher, classmates, juniors – skills – value –
message for juniors – future plans - regards
 Format – Content -expression of the speech
1. Reference to the question
2. Should cover all points
3. Proper structuring of the speech
4. Expression and language
5. Conclusion

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Question. 3

(a) In each of the following sentences, A is complete, but sentence B is not. Complete
sentence B, making it similar in meaning to the sentence A. Write down sentence B in each
case. [10]

(1) (A) As soon as the Journey begins, Mr. Jill started to sing.
(B) No sooner ………………………………

(2) (A) He has his problem, he is a caring man

(B) Notwithstanding ……………………………

(3) (A) The teacher told me, “I will talk to you tomorrow.”
(B) The headmaster …………………………….

(4) (A) Meena’s behavior towards her husband always confused me.
(B) I have ……………………………

(5) (A) I don’t believe he has any intention to do business with you.
(B) It is my ……………………………………

(6) (A) If he does not drive fast, he will left behind.

(B) Unless.………………………………

(7) (A) On seeing the lion, he got terrified.

(B) As soon as ……………………….

(8) (A) Ram said, “What a beautiful morning!”

(B) Ram exclaimed …..…………………………

(9) (A) I play both volleyball and baseball.

(B) Not only …………………..

(10) (A) Thomas Hardy is the most classic author

(B) No other ………………………………….

 1. No sooner did the journey begin, Mr. Jill started to sing.

 2. Notwithstanding his problems, he is a caring man.
 3. The teacher told me that he will talk to me tomorrow.
 4. I have always been confused by Meena’s attitude towards her husband.
 5. It’s my doubt that he has no further intention to do business with you.
 6. Unless he does not drive fast he will be left behind
 7. As soon as he saw the lion he got terrified.
 8. Ram exclaimed how beautiful the morning is.
 9. Not only I play volleyball but also baseball.

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  10. No other author is as classic as Thomas Hardy.

(b) Fill in each blank with a appropriate word. [5]

(1) Can he take________ the duty of feeding the baby?

(2) I have full faith ________ him.

(3) She has a valid point ________ being upset.

(4) He fell a victim _________ his own plots.

(5) He never looks happy _________efforts everyone e put for him.

(6) The explanation won’t go ________well with the headmaster.

(7) My sister is a great dancer, but she won’t give________ her teaching.

(8) We were amazed _______ what they told us.

(9) It took him a very long time to recover ________ his injury.

(10) The children showed enthusiasm ________ speech of morals.

 1. up
 2. in
 3. for
 4. to
 5. with
 6. down
 7. out
 8. At
 9. from
 10. to

(c) In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the
word given in brackets. Do not copy but write answers in correct serial order. [5]

(1) My Father never _________ (give) me a chance to express.

(2) Her voice gradually ________ (sink) to a mere whisper.

(3) My family ____________(suffer) a great deal lately

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(4) I would not tell him about the issue if I ________(be) you

(5) I _________ (know) him since we were kids.

(6) She paddled across the lake as fast as she________ (can).

(7) Next year, you ________ (forget) all your present problems.

(8) I _________ (start) my assignment before he came.

(9) I ________(stand) in the snow and waited for him to come.

(10) They _______(beat) us at cricket for the three years.

 1. gives
 2. sank
 3. Have suffered
 4. were
 5. Have known
 6. could
 7. Would have forgotten
 8. Had started
 9. stood
 10. Have beaten

Question. 4

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

The night of 14th April 1912, was very cold. There was no moon, and hardly any wind. The
Titanic was in the part of the Atlantic in which icebergs cause trouble. Ice is hard enough
to cut holes in steel, and cannot easily be seen at night.

The wireless officer of the Titanic, J. G. Phillips, had received several signals telling him
that ice was not far away. Most of these important signals were passed on to the officers,
but one was not. It was a signal from another ship, the Mesaba, reporting icebergs in front
of the Titanic. When it arrived, Phillips was hard at work. Many of the travelers had sent
news or information or orders by wireless during the day to their friends in England or
America. Phillips was now doing his best to finish off all this work. He was so busy that he
did not report the ice immediately. The signal lay on his table, half forgotten. The two men
who were watching for icebergs, Fleet and Lee, suddenly saw something dark just in front
of the ship. They immediately rang the ship’s bell, and Lee telephoned to the officer to the
watch to report the iceberg.

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The necessary orders were given at once, though it is impossible to stop a great ship
immediately, especially if it is moving at about twenty-five miles an hour. But the officer
did his best. The engines were stopped and then started again to pull the ship backwards.
The steel doors were closed. The ship was turned away from its straight course. But it was
all too late. Too late! The ship struck the iceberg with its side while it was still moving
forwards. It struck the ice again with another part of its side. In a few moments six great
holes were made in the steel. Water rushed in, not in one place, but in separate place
covering three hundred feet. The steel door was therefore useless. Captain Smith soon
understood that nothing could save his ship. At a quarter past twelve in the early morning
he ordered the wireless officer to send out the ship’s position and the letters CQD, which is
the call for help. It told the world that the Titanic was sinking. The impossible was
happening. At first the people on board did not believe that the ship was sinking. They had
been told that it could not sink, but they understood the truth when the captain gave the
order to prepare the boats. Women and children were ordered into the boats first, but
some wives would not leave their husbands and did not go. Some women had to be pushed
into the boats and some, had to be thrown in, it was hard to leave the big lighted ship and
to go in a small boat on the dark icy sea. Many brave acts were done that night, but 1,503
people lost their lives. And so the Titanic went down beside the huge iceberg that destroyed
it. When day came, another ship, the Carpathia, arrived and picked up all those that could
be found. It took to New York only 705 men and women. The wireless officer Mr. Phillips,
and Captain Smith were not among them.
Adopted from “Behind the Headlines” By G. C. Thornley

(a) (i) Find the words which have a similar meaning in the passage for the following words:
[4]

(1) Busy, done in haste or quickly

(2) apart, detached or not connected
(3) instantly or without delay
(4) sign to inform, convey information or represent

 1. Rushed
 2. separate
 3. Immediately
 4. signal

(ii) For the words given below write a sentence of at least ten words, using the same word
unchanged in form, but with a different meaning which it means in the passage. [4]

(1) hard
(2) watch

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(3) sink
(4) call

 1. The cake was baked hard instead of soft. (stiff)

 2. Ravi’s father gifted him a new watch for his birthday. (timepiece)
 3. The sink got very dirty due to extra dishes (vessel)
 4. It was Amit’s call to decide the party venue (decision)

(b) Answer the following questions as briefly as possible in your own words.

(i) How did the Titanic officers were informed about the icebergs in that area? [3]

(ii) Why was signal from Mesaba considered important? [3]

(iii) Why was the given signal not circulated with the other officers? [3]

(iv) What made the steel doors not of use? [3]

 (i) The Titanic was in the part of the Atlantic in which is prone to icebergs
trouble. The wireless officer of the Titanic, J. G. Phillips, had received several
warning signals that aware him that ice was getting closer.
 (ii) Because it was a signal from another ship which was the Mesaba who
reported icebergs in front of the Titanic.
 (iii) When the message arrived, Phillips was busy working. Phillips was doing his
best to finish off all the work. He was so busy that he did not report the ice
immediately. The signal lay on his table, half forgotten.
 (iv) The ship struck the iceberg with its side while it was still in a motion to move
forward. It struck the ice again with another part of its side. Later six big holes
were made in the steel. Water rushed in; in several places covering three hundred
feet therefore the steel door was useless.

(c) In not more than 100 words and with reference from the last three paragraphs, give an
account of the Titanic’s sinking. [10]

 Stick to the word limit

 Mention the incident to the point
 Reference to the extract
 Language and expression