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Smbeam School
Lahartara Sanath Varura &Kr ow'edce Parbers
Half Yearly Examination: 2023-24
M M.: 80
Duration: 3 Hrs. Class XI
English Core (301) (21.09.2023)
Sec. Roll No. Teacher's Sign.
Name

General Instructions:
A.Band C Allthe sections are compulsory
1. This paper is divided into three sections
and question. wherever necessary
2. Separate instructions are given with each section
them.
Read these instructions very carefully and follow
answering the questions.
3 Don't exXceed the prescribed word limit while
(30)
Section-A (Reading)
02)
answer the questions that follow
Q.1. Read the following passagc carefully and century.
Europcan history came during the fourteenth
One of the most devastating periods in and later dubbed the
1.
also known as the "Great Plague"
with the epidemicof bubonic plaguc, pandemic, the bubonic plague was a terrifying disease.
"Black Death." At the time of its firstcities and towns devastated in its wake. It appeared to
killing indiscriminatcly and leaving might be dead the
people who scemed healthy one day
spread just by touching clothes, and many belicved that this was a divine
and horrifying illncss,
next. Faccd with such a mysterious
punishment for their sins.
wasn't discovered until its most
recent outbreak, which began in
2 The true causc of the plague 1959. Rescarchcrs in Hong Kong at the end of the
and didn't officially cnd until pestis'. Several years
1855 in China discase is caused by the bacteria
'Yersinia
the and that.
19th century discovered that that rats showed similar plague symptoms to humans, plague, which
later, Chinese doctors noticed mystery of the
fleabites. This was the key to unraveling the greatly subdued the
have
the victimsoften had
rat fleas. Modern sanitary practices and medicine
eliminated it. Today, there are still
is transmitted by completely
impact of the bubonic plague, but have neverthere have been confirmed cases in the United
Sub-Saharan Africa, and
incidences ofit in well.
China, and India as
States, Vietnam, Mongolia, port of Kafa
Death first came to Europe by way of Asia, when the Genoese trading destroyed
3. The Black Janibeg's army in the fall of 1346. The
plague
was laid siege to by Kipchak Khan town, and when in the
besieged spring the Genoese took to
the army and also spread to the From there, it spread
ships and fled, they carried the disease with them to Constantinople. Marseilles, Alexandria,
their Africa, hitting hub cities such as
into Europe and Northern
far and wide
Florence, Venice, and Paris.
the disease with
from plague-stricken areas, bringingbelongings.
to escape its horrors, people fled They
4. In order via fleas that were on their clothes or rodents had been
them to the countryside or other cities
rat population and kill it off. After the
would then infect the new city's house disease in turn
fleas would turn to humans as a source of blood transmitting the to
killed off, the
by a plague-carrying flea, the disease typically takes three to five days
kills
to them. Once bitten symptoms, and then another three to five
days before it
incubate before a person shows
the person. by boat,
plague was transferred from place to place
5 More so than by individual humans, the than people on foot or horseback Rats and fleas on
which travelled much faster and farther populations wherever they docked. As the disease
board the vessel would infect the local victims and their families, but by the population at
spread, its effects were felt not only by its
deaths, there were great shortages of labour,
especially
large Because of the elevated number of
Europe.
in agriculture, causing food shortages across killed by the Black Death,
There are conflicting conjectures about the number of people percent.
population at the most conservative, to up tothe60epidemic
6.
varying from 30 percent of Europe's
have been approximately 80 million before
Since the population isestimated tobetween plague. In
means that somewhere 25 and 53 million people died from the
started, this recover
communities were wiped out. The population did not
many cases whole families and
the 16th century.
its pre-plague numbers until the start of
Pg. 1 of 7
 on the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions Overall,mostparents
() What was the primary manner in which the plague spread? pare
of4
(a) Bypeople fleeing plague-stricken areas 3 out
others
study, werencither
(b) From Constantinoplc into Europe and Northern Africa
(c) By touching clothes (1%).
(d) By ship from port to port parents w
Ofthe
the dissatiseactk
(i) Why does the author mention that many belicved this was a divine punishment for their toomuch tim
sins?
Ofthe respo
(a) To show how religious people were that time responsibi
(b) Tocomparc past rcactions to disease with current rcactions pressure
(c) To show how little people understood the plague nosocia
(d) To explain why the discase sprcad so rapidly
(iii) What canbe inferredabout modern cases of the bubonic plague? Only
(a) They arc concentrated mainly in Africa. life
wer
(b) They can be cured with modern medicine.
the
(c) They have not constituted an epidemic since 1959.
(d) They occur in arcas without sanitation.
(iv) lt can be inferred from paragraph 3 that
(a) the Black Death was an epidemic in Asia.
(b) the plague killed everyone in Kaffa.
(c) the Genoese were weaker than Kipchak Khan Janibeg's army.
(d) after Constantinople, the plaguehit Marseilles next.
(v) According to the passage, why was the plague felt by the population at large?
(a)People's family members were dying.
(b) People were migrating away.
(c) There wasn't enough food for everyone.
(d) People had to leave their homes.
(vi) The word 'unraveling' can be replaced by
(a) perceiving (b) solving
(c) acknowledging (d) observing
(vii)) The word 'conjectures' is an antonym of
(a)inferences (b) calibrations
(c)facts (d) opinions
(vii) The word 'pandemic' used in the para 1 of the passage is closest in meaning to
(a) eruption (b) disorder
(c) outbreak (d) occurrence
(ix) To whom does the word 'they' in the para 3 of the passage refer to?
(x) Describe the effects of the Bubonic Plague.
(xi) How was the cause of the Bubonic Plague detected?
(xii) Can we say that we have eradicated the Bubonic Plague? Give reasons for your answer.
Q.2. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. (10)
1. Over the last four decades, the number and proportion of couples in which both parents work,
especially full-time, have increased considerably. Recent studies show that approximately 69%
of couple families with at least one child were dual-earner families, up from 36% in last 19th
century.
work-life balance
2. In this context of evolving professional and family roles, concerns about
have also grown. This is especially true for women. oer cont

Despite men's increased involvement in raising

children and doing household chores, women 50

continue to devote an average more time to both. 40

They are also more likely to be caregivers, which

can have an impact on their time use and possibly
life. This
on their ability to balance work and family work-life 10

data examines the satisfaction with much tino an Not anough tinia Job-ralatad Family-rolatod
Not enough time Too
balance of mothers and fathers of children aged 17
rgasan
for fanily ifo job or main acivly or other actvites tessan

Main ReY50n for Dlssatisfactlon

and under who work full-time (i.e. 30 hours or more

per week).
 Overall, most parents who work full-time are satisfied with their work-life balance. In the
The
study, 3 out of 4 parents said they werc satisfied or very satisficd with this balance (75%).
dissatisted
othets were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied (159%). dissatis fied' (8%) or 'very
(1%). for
mentioned reason
Of the parents who said that they were not satisficd, the nost frcquentlyfollowed by spending
was
the dissatisfaction was not having cnough time for family life. This time for other activities.
enough
too much tÉme on their job or main activity, and not havingfull-time obviously assume more
Of the respondents, it was found that lone parents who work homework, etc. This
children, help with parents have little or
responsibilities; they must prepare meals, transport young and the
pressure may be even greater when the children are very
no social support. work-
satisfied with their
vcry
werc satisfied orindividualsin couples, women
5 Only 67% of lone parents reported that they Among responsibilities
life balance, compared with 76% of couple parents.they assume more family less likely to
part bccause were
were less satisfied than men, perhaps in least to 4 years
one child aged 0 those whose
than men. Furthermore, parents with at
between their job and home life (72%) than one young
with the balance Among parents with at least
Teport being satisfied
between 5 and 17 vears of age(77%). satisfied with their work-life balance,
Chilaren were all renorted that thev were
nonetheless
Child, 75% of fathers (10x1=10)
compared with 68% of women. answer the following questions.
basis of your reading of the passage
On the about
passage highlights the data
(1) The above children.
(a unemployed people with parents.
balance of working
(b work-like level of working parents.
satisfaction divide their time? (4) Only (d)
(c) parents
How do working
(d) (3) Only (c)
Only (a) (2) Both (b) and (c) balance?
(1) focus on work level
Why is there an increased family roles.
(ii) professional and
(a) Evolving
Changing lifestyle.
(b) nuclear families. children.
the trend of behavioural issues of
(c) Study behind the
() Study the reason central to women?
the issue of work life balance to family.
(iii) Why is average more time
devote on caregivers.
(a) They likely to be
(b) They are also more responsible for children.
primary person
(c) They secondary person responsible for children.
are
(d) They are (2) Only (a)
Both (a) and (b)
(1) (4) Only (d)
(3) Both (b) and (c)
(iv) Parents who were
surveyed
of 17. (b) worked for 17 hours a day.
the age level position.
(a) had children under (d) were on top
had infant and toddler.
(c) given in the passage.
is TRUE as per the data
(v) Pick the statement that parents were dissatisfied.
(a) Maximum number of satisfied with the balance.
(b) Fathers were not very satisfied as couple parents.
(c) Lone parents were equally they did not give much time to family.
(d) Most parents believed that
parents believed that
(vi) Approximately 40% of the with children but it is not enough.
(a) they spend quality time enough time for family life.
(b) they are dissatisfied for not havingjob or main activity.
(c) they spend to0 much time on theirother activities.
(d) they do not have enough time for
CORRECT latest percentage of dual-earner
(vi) Which of the following figure shows the
families with at least one child?

100 100
100 100

(a) (b (C) (d)

 lone parents?
(vi)Why is there a pressure onresponsibility
(a) They alone take the
(b) The children are very young
(c) They have little or no social support
(d) All of the above
Why?
Among individuals in couples, women were less satisfied than men.
(ix)
'happy'?
(x) Which word in the 4h para of the passage means
the questions that follow. (8
Q.3. Read the following passage carefully and answer national project, the India-based Neutrino
a
Just a few years ago, we witnessed how called neutrinos, was subject to a
Observatory (INO), which is to study fundamental particles
others ever since it was cleared.
barrage of questions from environmentalists, politicians and laboratory, was initially to be
The project, which involves the construction of an underground to tiger habitat, was moved to
located in the Nilgiris but later, on grounds that it was too close
Theni district, about I10
a cavern under a rocky mountain in the Bodi West Hills region of
Kilometres West of Madurai in Tamil Nadu. The already much-delayed and important physics
project needs to be explained.
India has been among the pioneers in neutrino research, the first of such laboratories having
been established in the 1960s. We led neutrino research when our physicists used a gold mine
at Kolar in Karnataka to set-up what was then the world's deepest underground laboratory. This
was called the Kolar Gold Field Lab. In 1965, it enabled researchers to detect atmospheric
neutrinos. In 1992, when the mine became uneconomical, the laboratory was shut down. With
that, we lost our advantage in understanding the most mysterious particle in the universe. INO
may now reclaim this advantage and our global leadership.
Most of the advanced countries are already working vigorously in neutrino science with
dedicated labs. These include the United States, Russia, France, Italy, China, Japan and South
Korea. India is set to not only join this league, but also become a key player in global efforts
in neutrino science. The Magnetized Iron Calorimeter (1CAL) being set-up at INO will be
among the largest ever in the world, weighing over 50000 tonnes.
Neutrinos, first proposed by Swiss Scientist Wolfgang Pauli in 1930, are the second most
widely occurring particle in the universe, only second to photons, the particles which make up
light. In fact, neutrinos are so abundant among us that every second, there are more than 100
trillion of them passing right through each of us-we never even notice them.
This is the reason why INO needs to be built deep into the earth- 1300 metres into the earth.
At this depth, it would be able to keep itself away from all the trillions of neutrinos produced
in the atmosphere and which would otherwise choke an over-the-ground neutrino detector.
Neutrinos have been in the universe literally since forever, being almost 14 billion years old
as much as the universe itself.

From experiments so far, we know that neutrinos have a tiny mass, but the ordering of the
unanswered till
neutrino mass states is not known and is one of the key questions that remain
today. This is a major challenge INO will set to resolve, thus completing our picture of the
neutrino.
growth for three
Neutrinos are very important for our scientific progress and technological no charge and hence
feeble mass and
reasons. First, they are abundant. Second, they have very interaction.
any
can travel through planets, stars, rocks and human bodies without
In fact, a beam oftrillions of neutrinos can travel thousands of kilometres through a rock before
neutrino occurs. Third, they hide within
an interaction with a single atom of the rock and the
vistas in the fields of astronomy and
them a vast pool of knowledge and could open up new through the detector spin-offs.
astrophysics, communication andeven in medical imaging,
scepticism, partly arising due to the
While this should be a moment of joy, there is also some
stranger to most people.
fact that the neutrino, though so abundant, is a silent
above passage makenotes on it using headingsand
() On the basis of your reading of the Supply an appropriate
sub-headings. Use recognisable abbrevations wherever necessary. (5)
title to it.
words. (3)
i) Write a sumnmary of the above passage in 80
 You are Section-B (Advanced
you haveAnita/ Aniket, Head Girl / Head Boy of Writing Skills) (20)

behavilate noticed that the

our tothey do not grcetstudents
- Sunshine
of your school havePublic School, Ghaziabad. Recently
come
school. Draft their teachers, litter the ground,become extremely callous in their
about the same. a
Notice to be put up on the school noticeconverse
do not in English and
in school. Invent other nccessary details which are
board informing them
expected of every student to follow
(4)
OR
Design a
food and Poster in not more than 50
street food
Association. items. You are a words
Health emphasising
upon the ill-effects of binging junk
Secretary of Uttar Pradesh Hcalth and Hygiene
Q.5. Shanti
Travels at 208, Western Road, Meerut offers an
Shimla:Aand attractive tour package to Manali,
Travels to be Dharmshala by bus. Draft a suitable advertisement
published in the column of a leading in 50 words on behalfof Shanti

OR
newspapcr.
YOu are Som / Surabhi and you have been
Writea reply to your friend's invited on a birthday of your friend
Q.6. Mr. invitation. Rishi/Rishika. (4)
Ravi Saxena is the Sports Instructor of DAV
has asked him to place an order for buying the Public School, Kalka. The School Principal
Sports Meet. Write a letter to M/s.Youth Sportsvarious sports items for the upcoming Annual
order for the same in not nmore than Equipments, Panchkula, Haryana placing an
120-150 words. (6)
OR
You are Seeman of 19/TT Nagar, Bhopal. You came
India for the Post of a Marketing Manager in a firm,across
an
advertisement in The Times of
Home Solution
Write a letter to the Public Relations Officer of the firm applying for the Enterprises, Mumbai.
with a complete Résumé. job in 120-150 words
Q.7. Consumerism is increasing day-by-day. Luxuries of yesterday have
become necessities of
today. The result is that the more we want the more miserable we become. Write a
120-150 words on the motion, "This house believes that the only way to minimise Debate
humanin
suffering and pain is to limit our needs'. You are Naveen/Navya. (6)
OR
You are an eye-witness to a road accident resulting in loss of human life and property. As a
staff reporter of The National Herald, write a Report including all the necessary details to be
published in the newspaper in 120-150 words.

Section-C (Literature) (30)

Q.8. Read the extract given below and attempt any one of the following (6x1=6)
(4) My parents left me with her when they went to live in the city and we were constantly
together. She used to wake me up in the morning and get me ready for school. She said
her morning prayer in a monotonous sing-song way while she bathed and dressed me in
the hope that Iwould listen and get to know it by heart; I listened because I loved her
voice but never bothered to learn it.
() Here, the phrase 'Get to know by heart' means
(a) appreciate (b) rely
(c) memorise (d) revise
(ii) Situation A- My parents left me with her.
Situation B- When they went to live in the city.
(a) Situation Aand Bare independent of each other
(b) Situation A is the effect of Situation B
(c) Situation B is the effect by Situation A
(d) Neither Situation A nor Situation B are effects
(iii) The narrator felt more connected to his grandmother's prayer
because
(iv) Grandmother was happy while she was in a village. Is the statement True/False?

Pg. 5 of 7
 grandmother?
(V) What kind of relationship was there between the author and his
(a) They were emotionally attached with cach other
(b) They were goodfriends
(c) They never showed their emotions towards cach other
(d) both (a) and (b)
(vi) Pick out the sentence which aptly uses the word 'monotonous' as used in the above
extract.
(a) Students complained that the meals were monotonous.
(b The music became monotonous after a while.
(c) An aircraft passed overhead with monotonous regularity.
(d) Marvin was angry with his employce so he gave responses in a monotonous
way.
OR
(B) Several hours later, I walked home. I was weak and trembling. I shook and cried when I
lay on my bed. 1 couldn't eat that night. For days a haunting fear was in
my
slightest exertion upset me, making me wobbly in the knees and sick to my heart. The
stomach.
) Several hours later, Iwalked home.
The above statement made by William
(a) cause
Douglas is a/an
(b) effect
(c) solution
(d) problem
(i) The narrator felt weak and
(a he saw a nightmare.
trembling because
(b he faced a
mishap.
(c) he was suffering from an illness.
(d) both (a) and (c)
(iii) The narrator experienced the haunting fear for
years. (True/False)
(iv) The narratOr was returning home from the at
(v) The above extract highlights the narrator's
(a) unpleasant memories
(b) childhood fears
(c) incapability and lack of courage to overcome a situation/bad experience
(d) both (a) and (b)
(vi) Pick out the sentence which aptly uses the word'lay' in the above extract.
(a) The police urged the gunman to lay down his weapon.
(b) Let's lay down the rules right at the beginning, so we are
consistent.
(c) He had managed to lay by money for college through his years as a
(d) Dhruv said to his friend, 'I am extremely tired right now, I paper boy.
prefer to take some
rest and lay on my recliner:.'
Q.9. Read the extract below and attempt any ONE of the following
questions (4x1=4)
(A) "Some twenty - thirty years later
She'd laugh at the snapshot. See Betty
And Dolly," she'd say, "and look how they
Dressed us for the beach." The sea holiday
Was her past, mine is her laughter. Both wry
With the laboured ease of loss.
() What does the poet educate with Mine is her laughter"?
(a) The poet is missing her mother.
(b) The poet's mother is no more.
(c) The poet's mother has stopped laughing.
(d) Both (a) and (b).
(1) The poetic device in the phrase- 'laboured ease of loss' is
(a) simile (b) metaphor
(c) Oxymoron (d) transferred epithet
(iii) The word 'Wry' in the about extract means
(a) harsh (b) unpleasant
(c) memory (d) regret
(iv) The tone of the poem is

Pg. 6of 7
 OR
(B) Isaw my mother,
beside me,
doze, open mouthcd, her face
ashen like that
of a corpsc and realised with
pain
that she was as old as she
looked but soon
put that thought away, and
looked out at young
trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes,
(i) Kamla Das realises that her mother is
(ii) She compares her mother's face with
(a) the moon (b) an ash
(c) a dead body (d) both (a) and (b)
(ii) The poet puts away the painful thought by looking out at
(a) young trees sprinting,
(b) the merry children spilling out of their homes.
(c) old trees sprinting.
(d) both (a) and (b)
(iv) Young trees sprinting signifies
(a) happy moments (b) passing of youth and energy
(c) aging (d) painful thought of separation

Q.10. Answer any FIVE questions in 20-30 words. (5x2=10)

(a) How does the rain justify the claim that it is the 'Poem of Earth?
(b) What impression do you form of Mrs. S on the basis of her actions and thoughts as
depicted in the story "The Address'?
(c) The last lesson depicts the nature of procrastination in students towards their lcarning.
Give evidence from the text to validate the above statement.
(d) How does the father feel when his relationship with his son comes under strain?
(e) Recall the plan that Mrs. Annie Pearson made to spend her weekends in future.
() Bring out the contrast between the school education in the village and in the city.
Q.11. Answer any ONE of the following questions in 120-150 words. (5)
(A) Animals recognise and value a relationship established with human beings. They also
understand the language of love and care expressed by humans. Explain this, keeping in
mind the relationship established by Khushwant Sing's grandmother with animals in the
lesson, "The Portrait of a Lady'.
OR
(B) "The last lesson focuses on how taking away the right to speak one's own language in
one's country breaks the very backbone of the people and takes away their freedom.
Suggest ways by which the people can overcome political enslavement and preserve their
national identity.
Q.12. Answer any ONE the following questions in 120-150 words. (3)
(A) The pain of separation from the loved ones causes grief and sorrow. The poem, 'My
Mother at Sixty Six' highlights the same pain both literally and metaphorically. Elucidate.
OR
(B) Wetalk of Women's ILiberation Movement but it is a grim and sad reality that our women,
except some are domestic as they were in the past. What place do women have now and
what should they do to betler their slatus in their family and society. Express your views
with the reference to the play, Mother's Day in 125-150 words.

Pg. 7 of 7