CBSE TEST PAPER - 01

Class - 12 English Core (Keeping Quiet)

General Instruction:

Question No. 1 to 3 carry four marks,

Question No. 4 to 10 carry Three marks.

1. Read the extract and answer the following questions:

It would be an exotic moment
without rush without engines
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness
i. Why the poet is telling that “it will be an exotic moment"?
ii. How would we feel at that moment?
iii. Why it will be strange for everybody?
iv. How keeping quiet will bring us together?
2. Read the extract and answer the following questions:
What I want should not be confused with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.
i. What is it that should not be confused with 'total inactivity'?
ii. What is life all about?
iii. Explain “no truck with death”?
iv. What should be the aim of our life?
3. Read the extract and answer the following questions:
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
i. In which wars are there no survivors?

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 ii. Who would put 'clean clothes'?
iii. What does ‘put on clean clothes’ signify?
iv. What is the poet trying to make the readers understand?
4. Why does the poet want us to 'keep quiet'?
5. Does the poet advocate 'total inactivity' and death by urging to be quiet?
6. How can we promote a mutual understanding, unity and brotherhood amongst
ourselves?
7. What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be life under
apparent stillness?
8. What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?
9. How can we achieve peace and stability of mind?
10. What is the central idea of the poem? Explain.

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 CBSE TEST PAPER - 01
Class - 12 English Core (Keeping Quiet)
Answers

1. i. 'It will be an exotic moment' as it has never happened earlier when everyone will be
silent and will try to understand and analyze themselves.
ii. We will feel as united and one.
iii. Initially it will be strange for everybody because nobody has ever cared to stop and
think about their own deeds and it will be for the first time when everybody will be
doing the same thing.
iv. Keeping quiet will help us understand ourselves and we all will feel alike as if we are
together.
2. i. The moment of silence should not be confused with 'total inactivity'.
ii. Life is all about progressing and moving forward.
iii. 'No truck with death' means the poet does not advocate total inactivity or death. 'Total
inactivity' is a synonym of death and but silence has no association with death. This
momentary silence is full of life and new energy.
iv. The aim of our life should be to walk on a purposeful and meaningful path.
3. i. In the wars of poisonous gases and firearms there are no survivors.
ii. The people who are indulged in wars and other violent deeds will put on clean
clothes.
iii. 'Putting on clean clothes' signify the importance of removing all the evil intentions
and deeds and putting on a clean image.
iv. The poet is trying to show the terrible after-effects of wars and other violent activities
which leave the mankind in a tormented condition. Thus, he is pleading to stop all
such disturbing deeds and practice introspection in order to attain peace.
4. The poet wants us to 'keep quiet' and introspect so that we can find a little time to meet
ourselves out of our busy and hectic schedules. Introspection leads to correction of past
mistakes and better understanding of the "self" through a deep analysis. Retrospection
and introspection together helps us achieve inner peace for which we all crave.
5. No, the poet is not advocating complete inactivity and death by urging to be quiet. He is
simply asking everyone to find time for themselves as people are so busy with their
works that they forget themselves. Keeping quiet for some time will reinvigorate them

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 and a new and fresh beginning with double energy could be made.
6. We can promote a mutual understanding, unity and brotherhood amongst ourselves only
by trying to develop a good ambiance where everybody will be equal without any
differences. The poet gives us a solution to speak in only one language and that language
will be the language of silence. Through this the people will try to develop an
understanding for each other.
7. The poet takes the example of Winter season. In this season it appears that everything
has come to an end as everywhere there is a stillness and calmness prevailing but after
this season comes the Spring and all the things are again filled with new energy and life.
The momentary silence might appear deadly but it restores and replenishes the dead
matters so that a new start could be made afresh.
8. The 'sadness' in the poem refers to the grief of not understanding ourselves. Throughout
our life we make efforts to analyze, judge and understand others but we fail to realize
what we are and what we can do. Because of this lack of understanding we are leading a
purposeless life which is heading towards a void.
9. This is the biggest irony of life that we search for peace in the outer world when we can it
right inside us. To attain peace and stability of mind few things are required.
Introspection and retrospection are important for regular analysis which ultimately can
lead to a happy and peaceful mind. Keeping quiet as advocated in the poem separates us
from all the tensions and worries or all the violence and aggressions which disturb our
mind.
10. The central idea is something which connects the whole poem and help the readers
understand the poem easily. In the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ emphasis is laid upon
introspection and retrospection to analyze and understand oneself well. This forms the
central idea of the poem as soul searching will lead to establishment of peace and mutual
understanding among people of different race and hence unity and brotherhood would
be promoted.

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