M.M.

PUBLIC SCHOOL
Vasudha Enclave, Pitampura, Delhi-110034
Class XI-English Core
Revision Sheet

Time:3 hrs M.M.:80

General Instructions :
(i) This paper is divided into three sections : A, B and C. All the sections are compulsory.
(ii) Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions
very carefully and follow them faithfully.
(iii) Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

Section A -Reading Skills (26 Marks)

A I. Read the following passage carefully.:

1. A fisherman, enfeebled with age, could no longer go out to sea so he began fishing in the river. Every
morning he would go down to the river and sit there fishing the whole day long. In the evening he would sell
whatever he had caught, buy food for himself and go home. It was a hard life for an old man. One hot
afternoon while he was trying to keep awake and bemoaning his fate, a large bird with silvery feathers
alighted on a rock near him. It was Kaha, the heavenly bird. “Have you no one to care for you, grandpa ?”
asked the bird. “Not a soul.” “You should not be doing such work at your age, ” said the bird. “From now on I
will bring you a big fish every evening. You can sell it and live in comfort.” True to her word, the bird began to
drop a large fish at his doorstep every evening. All that the fisherman had to do was take it to the market and
sell it. As big fish were in great demand, he was soon rolling in money. He bought a cottage near the sea, with
a garden around it and engaged a servant to cook for him. His wife had died some years earlier. He had
decided to marry again and began to look for a suitable woman.

2. One day he heard the royal courtier make an announcement. Our king has news of a great bird called
Kaha,” said the courtier. “Whoever can give information about this bird and help catch it, will be rewarded
with half the gold in the royal treasury and half the kingdom !” The fisherman was sorely tempted by the
reward. Half the kingdom would make him a prince !

3. “Why does the king want the bird ?” he asked. “He has lost his sight,” explained the courtier. “A wise man
has advised him to bathe his eyes with the blood of Kaha. Do you know where she can be found ?” “No…I
mean …no, no…” Torn between greed and his sense of gratitude to the bird, the fisherman could not give a
coherent reply. The courtier, sensing that he knew something about the bird, informed the king. The king had
him brought to the palace.

4. “If you have information about the bird, tell me,” urged the king. “I will reward you handsomely and if you
help catch her, I will personally crown you king of half my domain.” “I will get the bird for you,” cried the
fisherman, suddenly making up his mind. “But Kaha is strong. I will need help.” The king sent a dozen soldiers
with him. That evening when the bird came with the fish, the fisherman called out to her to wait. “You drop
the fish and go and I never get a chance to thank you for all that you’ve done for me," he said. “Today I have
laid out a feast for you inside. Please alight and come in.” Kaha

was reluctant to accept the invitation but the fisherman pleaded so earnestly that she finally gave in, and
alighted. The moment she was on the ground, the fisherman grabbed one of her legs and shouted to the
soldiers hiding in his house to come out. They rushed to his aid but their combined effort could not keep Kaha
down.

5. She rose into the air with the fisherman still clinging onto her leg. By the time he realized he was being
carried away, the fisherman was too high in the air to let go. He hung on grimly, and neither he nor Kaha
were ever seen again.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer questions given below.

a. Why did the fisherman stammer when asked if he knew about the bird ? 1
b. How did the fisherman get Kaha to come down ? 1
c. What does the phrase ‘rolling in money’ in the passage refer to ? 1
d. Why was the fisherman doubtful about revealing information about Kaha to the courtier ? 1
e. Mention two traits of a farmer's character revealed through the story. 1
f. How did the bird manage to escape? 1
g.Pick out the words/phrases from the passage which are opposite in meaning to the following:
i. Take off (Para 1) ii. Released (Para 4) 2

A II. Read the following passage carefully:

1. Most people can remember a phone number for up to thirty seconds. When this short amount of time is
removed, however, the numbers are erased from the memory. How did the information get there in the first
place? Information that makes its way to the short-term memory (STM) does so via the sensory storage area.
The brain has a filter which only allows stimuli that are of immediate interest to pass on to the STM, also
known as the working memory.
2. There is much debate about the capacity and duration of the short- term memory. The most accepted
theory comes from George A. Miller, a cognitive psychologist who suggested that humans can remember
approximately seven chunks of information. A chunk is defined as a meaningful unit of information, such as a
word or name rather than just a letter or number. Modern theorists suggest that one can increase the
capacity of the short-term memory by chunking, or classifying similar information together. By organizing
information, one can optimize the STM, and improve the chances of a memory being passed on to long-term
storage.
3. When making a conscious effort to memorize something, such as information for an exam, many people
engage in “rote rehearsal”. By repeating something over and over again, one is able to keep a memory alive.
Unfortunately, this type of memory maintenance only; succeeds if there are no interruptions. As soon as a
person stops rehearsing the information, it has the tendency to disappear. When a pen and paper are not
handy, people often attempt to remember a phone number by repeating it aloud.

If the doorbell rings or the dog barks to come in before a person has the opportunity to make a phone call, he
will likely forget the number instantly. Therefore, rote rehearsal is not an efficient way to pass information
from the short-term to long¬term memory. A better way is to practice “elaborate rehearsal”. This involves
assigning semantic meaning to a piece of information so that it can be filed along with other pre¬existing
long-term memories.

4. Encoding information semantically also makes it more retrievable. Retrieving information can be done by
recognition or recall. Humans can easily recall memories that are stored in the long-term memory and used
often; however, if a memory seems to be forgotten, it may eventually be retrieved by prompting. The more
cues a person is given (such as pictures), the more likely a memory can be retrieved. This is why
multiple-choice tests are often used for subjects that require a lot of memorisation.

Answer the following questions briefly:

(i) According to the passage, how do memories get transferred to the STM? 1
(ii) Where can memory be stored? 1
(iii) Why does the author mention a dog’s bark? 1
(v) How do theorists believe a person can remember more information in a short time? 1
(iv) What is rote rehearsal? Is it useful? 1
(vii) What is ‘remove of rehearsal’? 1
(vi) How can a lost memory be retrieved? 2
(viii) What is an efficient way to pass information from the short-term to long-term memory and how is it
efficient? 2
A III. Read the following passage carefully.:
1. The present generation is well updated in the use of the internet and computers. The rapid development in
computer technology and increase in accessibility of the internet for academic purposes has changed
the face of education for everyone associated with it. Let's look at the data arising out of a recent survey
that was done to ascertain the time spent on utilization of the computer and internet:
2. At present, many schools and universities have been implementing internet-based learning, as it
supplements the conventional teaching methods. The internet provides a wide variety of references
and information to academics as well as scientific researchers. Students often turn to it to do their
academic assignments and projects.
3. However, research on the Net is very different from traditional library, and the differences can cause
problems. The Net is a tremendous resource, but it must be used carefully and critically.
4. According to a 2018 Academic Student e-book Experience Survey, conducted by LJ's research department
and sponsored by EBSCO, when reading for pleasure, almost 74% of respondents said they preferred print
books for leisure whereas, 45% of respondents chose e-books rather than the printed versions, for research
or assignments.
5. When asked what e-book features make them a favourite for research, the respondents were clear.Having
page numbers to use in citations, topped the list (75% ); followed by the ability to resize text to fit a device's
screen (67%); the ability to bookmark pages, highlight text, or take notes for later reference (60%);
downloading the entire e-book (57%); and allowing content to be transferred between devices (43%) were
the varied responses.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any ten of the following questions by choosing
the most appropriate option: (8x1=8)
(a) According to the passage, one of the reason for the recent transformation of education is the:
(i) techno-efficiency of the present generation
(ii) expanse of courses on technology
(iii) simplification of the teaching and learning method
(iv) easy availability of the internet

(b) Pick the option that lists statements that are NOT TRUE according to the passage.
1. Internet-based education can only complement familiar methods of education.
2. Net-based learning will replace face-to-face education.
3. The resources that the net provides are a danger to the education system.
4. The current times have seen a rise in the convenience of using the internet for academic purposes.
(i) 1 and 2 (iii) 2 and 3
(ii) 3 and 4 (iv) 1 and 4
(c) The word 'tremendous', as used in paragraph 3, means the same as:
(i) 'expensive' (ii) 'renowned'
(iii) 'innovative' (iv) 'incredible'
(d) Based on the graphical chart in the passage, choose the option that lists the CORRECT depiction of
internet usage for work and for leisure, for once a month.
(i) option 1 (iii) option 3
(ii) option 2 (iv) option 4
(e) " ... but it must be used carefully and critically." The idea of being careful and critical while using
the internet, is mainly a reference to:
(i) hardware malfunction
(ii) plagiarism
(iii) troubleshooting
(iv) virus threats
(f) Based on the given graphical representation of data in the passage, choose the option that lists
the statements that are TRUE with respect to the usage of email.
1. The everyday usage of email is more than the everyday usage of computers for personal use.
2. About 18% of people use email once a week.
3. There are a smaller number of email users using it 2-3 times a week than the ones using it once a
month.
4. Less than 5% of people never use email.
(i) 1 and 3 (ii) 2 and 4
(iii) 1 and 2 (iv) 3 and 4
(g) Based on the given graphical chart, pick the option that lists the area of zero response from
respondents.
(i) never using the internet for work and leisure
(ii) daily use of the computer for academic activities
(iii) writing and receiving emails once a week
(iv) using the internet for personal tasks once a month
(h) In the cartoon, the student's reaction reveals that he is ......................... .

(i) indignant (ii) apologetic

(iii) obedient (iv) inquisitive
 Section B (Grammar & Writing) (24 Marks)

Grammar (8 Marks)
B I.Read the following paragraph and fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb: (3)
I (a) ……………… (expect) him here yesterday. He (b)……………… (not come) till today. No-one (c)
……………… (know) what (d) ……………… (happen) to him. I (e) ……………… (worry) about him. I hope he
(f) ……………… (be) safe.
B II. In the following passage, 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 against the
correct blank number. Ensure that the word that forms your answer is underlined. (3)

Before – Word – After

The moment he switched the eg. switched off the
television there silence in (a) _______ ____ _____
the room, we all looked each (b) _______ ____ _____
other not knowing to react. (c)_______ ____ _____
He burst out laughing said, (d) ______ _____ ______
“How you like it?” We felt too (e) ______ _____ ______
scared open our mouths. (f) ______ _____ _____

B III.Rearrange the following words or phrases to form meaningful sentences: (2)

(a) baking / powder / dough / with / flour / make / butter / eggs / and / soft.
(b) knead / well / and / keep / with / it / in / water / the / fridge / after / this / for / one / warm / hour.

B IV. (Do any two of the following classified advertisements) (3+3=6)

(a) You want to let out a house. Prepare an advertisement to this effect for publication in a
newspaper giving the location of the building, nature of accommodation, rent expected, etc.
(b) Shanti Travels at 208, Western Road, Meerut offers a pilgrimage tour ‘Char Dham Yatra’ by bus
from Delhi for 10 days. Draft a suitable advertisement on behalf of Shanti Travels for the classified
columns of a newspaper.
(c ). Someone in your neighborhood has passed away. The family needs a classified advertisement to
announce the death and to inform friends and relatives about the last rites/prayers. Draft the
advertisement on behalf of the chief mourner.
B.V. (Attempt both questions of Speech Writing) (5+5=10)
(a) You are Ali/Alia, Head girl / Head boy of your school. You are deeply disturbed by the rising cases
of aggressive behaviour of students in your school. You decide to speak during the morning
assembly about it. Write a speech in favour of the topic ‘The need to curb the indiscipline among
students’. (120-150 words)
(b)The Prime Minister's campaign, ‘Swachh Bharat’ has become popular throughout India. Inspired by
this, you, the Principal of a reputed school, decide to address the students on the topic ‘Why is
cleanliness important in school’ . Write your speech in 120-150 words.

Section C Literature(30 Marks)

C.I.Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Attempt any one) (3)

Then sleek as a lizard, and alert, and abrupt,

She enters the thickness, and a machine starts up
Of chitterings and a tremor of wings, and trilling
The whole tree trembles and thrills.
(a) Who is ‘she’ here? Describe her appearance.
(b) What does machine here refer to?
(c) Name the poetic devices used in the first line and last line.

Or
“Now she’s been dead nearly as many years
As that girl lived. And of this circumstance
There is nothing to say at all.
Its silence silences.”
(a) What circumstance does the poet here refer to?
(b) Explain ‘its silence silences’.
(c) Name the poetic device used in the last line.

C.II. Read the comprehension given below and answer the questions that follow:(Attempt any one)(3)

We protested. But she ignored our protests. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads. Even
before we could suspect, her lips stopped moving and the rosary fell from her lifeless fingers. A peaceful
pallor spread on her face and we knew that she was dead.
(a) For what reason did they protest?
(b) Why did she omit her prayers that day?
(c) How did the birds show their mourning on her death?

Or

The night dragged on with an endless, bitterly cold routine of pumping, steering and working the radio. We
were getting no replies to our Mayday calls — which was not surprising in this remote corner of the world.
(a) Name the ship and what happened to it?
(b) What are Mayday Calls?
(c) What had happened to Sue?

C.III.Read the comprehension given below and answer the questions that follow:(Attempt any one)(3)

The farmer, John Byro, I said. He visited our house. He wants his horse. You’ve had it a month. I want you to
promise not to take it back until I learn to ride. It will take you a year to learn to ride, my cousin Mourad said.
 (a) Who is ‘I’ in the above lines? Why is he worried?
(b) How did Mourad get the horse to ride?
(c) What decision does Mourad take?

Or

But gradually everything became more normal again. Bread was getting to be a lighter colour, there was a
bed you could sleep in unthreatened, a room with a view you were more used to glancing at each day. And
one day I noticed I was curious about all the possessions that must still be at that address. I wanted to see
them, touch, remember.
(a) What does the author mean when she says that bread was getting to be a lighter colour?
(b) Why did the author go to that address?
(c) Was her purpose fulfilled? Why? Why not?

C.IV. Answer ANY ONE question from each set in about 40-50 words: (2x3=6)
From Poetry in Hornbill Book
(a) Why does the poet call the whispering of the bird ‘eerie’ ?
(b) How does the rain justify its claim ‘I am the Poem of Earth’?
From Prose in Hornbill Book
(a) “I didn’t want to worry you when you were trying to save us all.” What does this show about the
speaker?
(b) What was the grandmother’s reaction towards education in the English school?

C.V. Answer ANY ONE from the following questions in about 40-50 words: (1x3=3)

(a) Why did the narrator say that the ‘spirit’ of his tribe was being capricious and vagrant?
(b) “You only notice when something is missing……” What human trait has been brought out by the
narrator through these lines?
C.VI. Answer ANY ONE from the following questions in about 120-150 words: (6)
(a) The poem “The Voice of the Rain’ gives a hidden message that rain is essential for this Earth. Write
an article in 120-150 words describing the importance of rain with reference to the poem.
(b) Success is a rare commodity but it can be achieved. If a man has certain qualities he can succeed in
defeating even the impending disaster. What does success depend upon? Discuss.
C.VII. Answer ANY ONE from the following questions in about 120-150 words: (6)
(a) In today’s materialistic world where greed and money are the most important things, the example of
the Garoghlanian tribe can teach us many things–to be honest, to discriminate between right and
wrong. What values can we learn from such a tribe? Elaborate siting examples from the chapter.
(b) Imagine you are Mrs. Dorling. You are filled with guilt at what you have done. You are uncomfortable
with what has happened. Write a letter to your friend describing your feelings and your desire to make
amends.