KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA

SANGATHAN
STUDENT SUPPORT MATERIAL
CLASS XI
ENGLISH CORE (301)
2021-22

CHANDIGARH REGION

Page

STUDENT SUPPORT
MATERIAL
FOR CLASS XI
(ENGLISH CORE)
1 of 188
Chief Patron : Ms. Nidhi Pandey, IIS
Commissioner (KVS)
Patron : Dr. P. Devakumar
Deputy Commissioner, KVS RO CHD.
Co-Patron : Ms. T. Rukmani
Assist. Commissioner, KVS RO, CHD.
Co-Ordinator : Mr. Raghuveer Singh
Vice-Principal, K.V. No. 2 AFS
Adampur
Moderation Committee

Ms. Sunita Samra PGT English, K V SURANUSSI (In-charge)

Mr. Surinder Paul, PGT English, K.V. 2 AFS Adampur

Ms. Harwinder Kaur, PGT English, KV 1 Jalandhar Cantt.

Mr. Rahul Mallik, PGT English, KV Bhunga

Mr. Davinder Singh, PGT CS, KV 2 AFS Adampur (Technical Support)

Mr. Kulbhushan Sharma PGT CS, KV 1 AFS Adampur (Technical Support)

ACADEMIC PLAN 2021-22 CLASS – XI

SECTI TERM I WEIGHTA WEIGHTA

ON GE TERM II GE
(IN (IN
MARKS) MARKS)

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A Reading Comprehension: Reading Comprehension:

Unseen passage (factual, 8 Unseen passage (factual, 8

descriptive or literary/ descriptive or literary /discursive
discursive or + or +
persuasive) 5 persuasive) 5
Case Based Unseen (Factual) = 13 Unseen passage for Note Making = 13
Passage And Summarising

Creative Writing Skills

B and Grammar: Creative Writing Skills and Grammar:
Short Writing Tasks Short Writing Tasks

Notice Writing 3 Posters 3

Long
Writing Tasks
Long Writing Tasks
+ +
Business or Official Letters( Official
Making Letters: e.g. to
enquiries, registering complaints, school/college
5
asking authorities 5
for or giving information, placing
orders + (regarding admissions,
and sending replies) school issues, +
Speech requirements / suitability of courses)

Grammar 4 Debate 4
Grammar
Determiners

Tenses = 12 Determiners
Re-ordering of Sentences = 12
Tenses
Re-ordering of Sentences
{MCQs on Gap filling/ {MCQs on Gap filling/
Transformation of
Sentences} Transformation of

Sentences }

C Literature: Literature:
Literary-prose/poetry extracts (
seen- texts ) 9 Marks 9 Marks
for Questions based on extracts/texts to assess for
comprehension and Hornbill + Hornbill +
appreciation. (Two 6 comprehension and appreciation, analysis, 6
Extracts) Marks for inference, extrapolation Marks for
Questions Based on Texts to Snapshots Snapshots
assess = =
comprehension and
appreciation, analysis, 15 Marks 15 Marks
inference, extrapolation Book-Hornbill:

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 The Voice of the Rain
Book

Hornbill :
(Poem)
The Portrait of a The Ailing Planet: The Green
Lady
(Prose)
A Photograph (Poem Movement’s Role (Prose)
“We’re Not Afraid to Die… if The Browning Version( Play)
We
Can All Be Together”
(Prose) Childhood (Poem)
Discovering Tut: the
Saga Continues Silk Road (Prose)
The Laburnum Top (Poem
Book-
Landscape of the Soul (Prose)
Snapshots:

Book- Albert Einstein at School (Prose)

Snapshots:
The Summer of the
Beautiful White Mother’s Day (Play)
Horse(Prose) Birth ( Prose)
The Address (Prose)
Ranga’s Marriage
(Prose)

TOTAL 40 TOTAL 40

ASL 10 ASL 10

GRAND TOTAL 40+10=50 GRAND TOTAL 40+10=50

MARKS MARKS

Salient features of Student Support Material

➢ This student Support Material is in the form of a booklet comprising all the
topics in the syllabus for Term-I Examination.
➢ It is a collection of a number of MCQs based on HOT/CCT skills of the
students.
➢ It aims at providing help not only to very high scorer students because of
not being exposed to new type of questions but to average students also
who are in habit of using only conventional types of questions and not

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 paying attention towards the topics which are given in the reference books
and syllabus of English Core as per CBSE latest guidelines.
➢ It contains guidelines, hints and solutions for really challenging questions
and topics. All the important MCQs are also included.
➢ It contains a number of fresh/new questions (solved) and unsolved
questions for practice which shall increase the confidence level of the
students when they will solve questions as per CBSE guidelines.

***ALL THE BEST ***

INDEX
NAME OF PAGE
S.NO NAME OF TOPIC
SECTION NUMBER
UNSEEN PASSAGE: DESCRIPTIVE OR
1 READING LITERARY / DISCURSIVE OR PERSUASIVE 6-14
COMPREHENSION
2 UNSEEN PASSAGE: CASE BASED 15-24
3 NOTICE WRITING 25-32
4 LETTER WRITING : BUSINESS LETTERS &
33-52
5 CREATIVE OFFICIAL LETTERS(COMPLAINT,ENQUIRY)
6 WRITING SKILLS SPEECH WRITING 53-57
7 AND GRAMMAR GRAMMAR : DETERMINERS 58-61
8 GRAMMAR : TENSES 62-74
9 GRAMMAR :REORDERING OF SENTENCES 74-78
POEM : A PHOTOGRAPH
10 79-84

11 POEM : THE LABURNUM TOP 84-89

HORNBILL : THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY
12 90-99
LITERATURE
13 HORNBILL : WE’RE NOT AFRAID TO DIE 100-111
HORNBILL:DISCOVERING TUT: THE SAGA
14 CONTINUES 112-122

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15 HORNBILL : LANDSCAPE OF THE SOUL 123-129
SNAPSHOTS : THE SUMMER OF THE
16 130-134
BEAUTIFUL WHITE HORSE
17 SNAPSHOTS : THE ADDRESS 135-139
SNAPSHOTS :RANGA’S MARRIAGE
18 140-149
19 SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER – SET I 150-155
SAMPLE
20 SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER – SET II 156-162
QUESTION
21 SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER – SET III 163-170
PAPERS
22 MARKING SCHEME FOR SET-I, II & III 171-175

SECTION – A

READING COMPREHENSION

(13 MARKS)

UNSEEN PASSAGE

DESCRIPTIVE OR LITERARY/ DISCURSIVE OR PERSUASIVE

I. Multiple Choice questions based on one unseen passage. The passage may be factual,
descriptive or literary/discursive or persuasive. (8 Marks)
Passage -1
1.Read the following passage carefully and answer any EIGHT questions (1x8=8M)
Today we know about each and every part of the world. There is no land or sea that is not

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 known to us. Man has explored every corner of the world, and he knows all the ways and
routes from anywhere to everywhere in the world. He can reach from one place to the other as
safely, easily and quickly as he likes. He has maps to guide him and fastest means of transport
to carry him. But for ages, most of the world was unknown to man. To begin with, he lived in
caves. Then he came out of caves and started making homes in little corners of forests or
behind the hills. He was afraid of wild animals and also of the clouds and the winds. He
offered prayers and sacrifices to gods who, he thought, controlled the clouds and the winds.
But slowly, through long centuries, men began to explore what lay beyond their caves, hills
and forests where they had their homes. They went in their boats, first on the rivers and then
across the seas. At first they remained close to the shore, and each new voyager went a little
further than the previous one.
To those early travellers, the earth seemed to be a vast, flat world. They feared what
would happen if they reached the edge. They believed that if they sailed southward, the sea
would become so hot and boiling that life would be impossible. Toward the north, they
thought, it must be too cold for anything to live. Till only five hundred years ago, nearly all
men believed this. When some Portuguese explorers began to sail southward, their seamen
revolted and refused to go further. They believed that the steaming waters of southern seas
would boil them like potatoes.
When some clever men of those days said that the earth was not flat but a ball of sphere,
people would laugh at them. ‘How could there be people or trees on the other side of the
world?’ they would say. ‘Would men walk and trees grow upside down? And how could they
stay on the
other side? Surely they would fall off.’
i) We can travel as …………as we like.
(a) Safely (b) Easily (c) Quickly (d) All
the above
(ii) The modern man can reach anywhere he likes with the help of…………..
(a) Maps to guide him (b) Fastest means of transport
(c) Both (a) and (b) above (d) Neither (a) nor (b)
(iii) After leaving the caves, man started making little homes………
(a) In corners of forests (b) away from the forests
(c) on the tree tops (d) above the hills
(iv) Why would people not believe that the earth was not flat but round?
(a) if the earth were round, it would roll away like a ball.
(b) if the earth were round, people and trees on the other side would fall off.
(c) if the earth were round, water would not stay at one place.
(d) if the earth were round, it would look like the sun and the moon.
(v) Voyager is a person…………….
(a) who makes sacrifices in order to please gods.
(b) who goes about begging from place to place.
(c) who wants to explore new lands.
(d) making a long journey by sea.
(vi) What is the opposite of ‘previous’?
(a) Last (b) Next (c) Immediate (d) simultaneous

(vii) Which word in the passage means ‘rose in protest’?

(a) revoke (b) revolt (c) refuse (d) fall off
(viii) The sacrifices offered to gods by man because…..
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 (a) most of the world was unknown to him (b) he was afraid of wild animals
( c) he was afraid of the clouds and the winds (d) they controlled the clouds and
the winds
(ix) When some Portuguese explorers began to sail northward, their seamen revolted and
refused to go further.
(a) ) True (b) False ( c) Partially true ( d) partially
false
Passage-2
Read the passage given below:
BURNING PLASTICS IS NO SOLUTION

When plastic waste is burnt, a complex weave of toxic chemicals is released. Breaking
down polyvinyl chloride (PVC) — used for packaging, toys and coating electrical wires —
produces dioxin, an organochlorine which belongs to the family of Persistent Organic
Pollutants (POPs). A recent Dioxin Assessment Report brought out by the United States
Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) says the risk of getting cancer from dioxin is ten
times higher than reported by the agency in 1994.Yet the Delhi government is giving the green
signal to a gasification project which will convert garbage into energy without removing plastic
waste. Former transport minister Rajendra Gupta, the promoter of this project, says this is not
necessary.
He claims no air pollution will be caused and that the ash produced can be used as
manure. An earlier waste-to-energy project set up in Timarpur failed. The new one, built with
Australian assistance, will cost ₹ 200 crore. It will generate 25 megawatts of power and gobble
1,000 tonnes of garbage every day.
“Technologies like gasification are a form of incineration,” says MadhumitaDutta,
central coordinator with Toxics Link, New Delhi. Incineration merely transfers hazardous
waste from a solid form to air, water and ash, she points out.

Toxins produced during incineration include acidic gases, heavy metals as well as
dioxins and furans. “The ‘manure’ will be hazardous and a problem to dispose,” says Dutta.
Municipal solid waste contains a mix of plastics. Breaking down this waste emits hydrochloric
acid which attacks the respiratory system, skin and eyes, resulting in coughing, vomiting and
nausea.
Polyethylene generates volatile compounds like formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, both
suspected carcinogenic. Breathing styrene from polystyrene can cause leukaemia. Polyurethane
is associated with asthma. Dioxin released by PVC is a powerful hormone disrupter and causes
birth defects and reproductive problems. There is no threshold dose to prevent it and our bodies
have no defence against it.
“Even the best run incinerators in the world have to deal with stringent norms, apart
from contaminated filters and ash, making them hugely expensive to operate,” says Dutta. In
Germany, air pollution devices accounted for two-thirds the cost of incineration. Despite such
efforts, the European Dioxin Inventory noted that the input of dioxin into the atmosphere was
the highest from incineration.“India does not have the facility to test dioxin and the cost of
setting one up is prohibitively expensive,” says Dutta.Besides, Indian garbage has a low
calorific content of about 800 cal/kg, since it has high moisture and requires additional fuel to
burn. Toxics Link calculates that the electricity generated from such technology will cost
between ₹ 5-7 per unit, which is six times higher than conventional energy. India has chosen a
dioxin preventive route and burning of chlorinated plastics is prohibited under Municipal Solid
Waste and Biomedical Rules.
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 Nearly 80 per cent of Indian garbage is recyclable or compostable. Resident
associations, the informal sector and the municipal corporation can make Delhi’s garbage
disappear in a sustainable manner. “Instead, the government promotes end of pipeline
solutions,” says Dutta.

1.1.On the basis of the understanding of the passage above, answer any EIGHT of the
following questions by choosing the most appropriate options. (1 x 8 = 8 marks)

(a) Which organochlorine belongs to the family of Persistent Organic Pollutants?

(i)Hydro chlorine (ii) Carbon dioxide (iii) Styrene (iv)Dioxine
(b) Dioxine causes ………………..
(i) cancer (ii) heart attack (iii) sickness (iv) hypertension
(c) The gasification process transforms ………………..
(i) energy into garbage (ii) garbage into energy(iii)water into energy (iv)energy into
water
(d) Garbage can be converted into energy by………
(i) Gasification (ii)gratification (iii)a chemical process (iv)firing
(e) Indian garbage contains …………………
(i) low moisture (ii)high moisture (iii)no moisture (iv)only moisture (f) Incineration
merely transfers hazardous waste from a solid form to
(i) air, water and ash (ii)water and ash (iii)air and water. (iv)waste, ash and gas
(g) Breathing styrene from polystyrene can cause ……..
(i) Asthama (ii)Leukaemia (iii)Coughing (iv)Nausea
(h) Nearly 80 per cent of Indian garbage ……………………….
(i) is recyclable or compostable. (ii)is dumped in seas and oceans
(iii)is dumped in outskirts of the cities (iv)is dumped in the forests
(i) India has chosen a dioxin preventive route because……
(i) electricity generated from such technology will cost between ₹ 5-7 per unit.
(ii) burning of chlorinated plastics is prohibited under Municipal Solid Waste and
Biomedical Rules.
(iii)Indian garbage has a low calorific content of about 800
cal/kg. (iv) All the above.

Passage -3
3. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below. (1 x 8 = 8 marks):
1. Among the natural resources which can be called upon in national plans for development,
possibly the most important is human labor. Since the English language suffers from a certain
weakness in its ability to describe groups composed of both male and female members, this is
usually described as Manpower.
2. Without a productive labour force, including effective leadership and intelligent middle
management, no amount of foreign assistance or of natural wealth can ensure successful
development and modernization.
3. The manpower for development during the next quarter century will come from the world’s
present population of infants, children and adolescents. But we are not sure that they will be
equal to task. Will they have the health, the education, the skills, the socio-cultural attitudes
essential for the responsibilities of development?

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4. For far too many of them the answer is no. The reason is basic. A child’s most critical years,
with regard to physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development, are those before he
reaches five years of age. During those critical formative years he is cared for almost
exclusively by his mother and in many parts of the world the mother may not have the capacity
to raise a superior child. She is incapable of doing so by reason of her own poor health, her
ignorance and her lack of status and recognition of social and legal rights, of economic party of
independence. One essential factor has been overlooked and ignored. The forgotten factor is
the role of women. Development will be handicapped as long as women remain second class
citizen, uneducated without any voice in family or community, decisions without legal or
economic status, married when they are still practically children, and henceforth producing one
baby after another, often to see half of them die before they are of school age.
5. We can enhance development by improving women power by giving women the opportunity to
develop themselves. Statistics show that the average family size increases in inverse ratio to the
Mother’s years of education- is lowest among college graduates, highest among those with
only primary school training, or no education. Malnutrition is most frequent in large families,
and increases in frequency with each additional sibling. The principle seems established that an
educated mother has healthier and more intelligent children, and that is related to the fact that
she has fewer children. The tendency of educated, upper class mothers to have fewer children
operates even without access to contraceptive services.
6. The educational level of women is significant also because it has a direct influence upon their
chances of employment, and the number of employed women in countries total labour force
has a direct bearing on both the gross national product and disposable income of the individual
family. Disposable income, especially in the hands of women, influences food purchasing and
therefore the nutritional status of the family. The fact that the additional income derives from
the paid employment of women provides a logical incentive to restrict the size of the family.
Answer the questions. (1 x 8 = 8 marks):
1. Choose the most appropriate option:
(Q1.) Among the natural resources which can be called upon in national plans for
development……………..
(i) The most important is certainly human labour.
(ii) The most important is possibly human labour.
(iii) The least developed is certainly human labour.
(iv) The least developed is undoubtedly human labour.

(Q2.) Without a productive labour force, including effective leadership and

intelligent middle management……………..
(i) No productive work is possible.
(ii) Entrepreneurs will incur heavy losses.
(iii) Economic development will not keep pace with national movements. (iv) No
amount of foreign assistance or of natural wealth can ensure successful development
and modernization.

(Q3.) Development will be handicapped as long as women remain…..

(i) second class citizen (ii) third class citizen
(iii) first class citizen (iv) fourth class citizen

(Q4.) Disposable income in the hands of women strengthen

(i) Family bond (ii) Nutritional status of the family
(iii) Spiritual status of the family (iv) None of these
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 (Q5.) What happens to the family size from an educated mother to an illiterate
mother?
(i) Increases in direct proportion (ii) Increases in reverse proportion
(iii) Increases in inverse proportion (iv) There is no relation

(Q6.) What will happen to development if the womenfolk is neglected?

(i) There will strong infrastructure
(ii) There will be no growth and everything will stagnate.
(iii) There will be growth and everything will stagnate. (iv) None of these.

(Q7.) Find a word in the passage (Para 5) which means ‘Increase’.

(i) High (ii) Reduction (iii) Decrease (iv) Enhance

(Q8.) During which period is the child growth maximum?

(i) Before age of five (ii) After age of five (iii) Infant (iv) Teenage
(Q9.) The synonym of tendency( para-5)
i. Inclination ii.Tangency iii. Opposition iv.deviation

Passage -4
Q4. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow: (1x8=8 Marks)
A pacifist at heart and an inventor by nature, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel invented
dynamite. He was sure his creation would help bring about the end of war. “When two armies
of equal strength can annihilate each other in an instant”, he once wrote, “then all civilised
nations will retreat and disband their troops”. Things didn‟t quite go according to plan.
The invention that he thought would end all wars was seen by many others as an
extremely deadly product. In 1888, when Alfred‟s brother Ludvig died, a French newspaper
mistakenly ran an obituary for Alfred which called him the “merchant of death”. Not wanting
to go down in history with such a horrible epitaph, Nobel created a will that soon shocked his
relatives and established the now famous Nobel prizes.
According to his will, Alfred Nobel‟s enormous fortune was to be used to establish
prizes to award those who had done their best to benefit mankind in the field of physics,
chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901, five
years after
Nobel‟s death. Page 2 of 13 Nobel initially donated 35 million Swedish Kronor (about $225
million today); the prizes come from the fortune‟s annual interest.
The Nobel Laureates are announced at the beginning of October each year. A couple of
months later, on 10th December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel‟s death, they receive their
prize from the Swedish King – a Nobel Diploma, a medal and 10 million Swedish crowns per
prize. All Nobel prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, except for the Nobel Peace Prize
which is awarded in Oslo, Norway.
Each award is decided by separate institutions which form assemblies to select the actual
prize recipients. Some prizes (medicine) require Nobel assembly members to remain active in
their fields, while others (literature) appoint members for life. The Peace prize is actually
decided by five members of the Norwegian Parliament. Nobel Prize winners must be living;
there are no posthumous awards. Each year, the Nobel committees distribute nomination forms
to an undisclosed number of recipients – past winners, prominent institutions and respected
Page 11 of 188
 members of the field – who are allowed to choose as many nominees as they want. Self-
nomination is not permitted. The winner is decided by a simple majority vote.
(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions
by choosing the correct option. Answer any ten (1×8 = 8) (i)
Alfred Nobel invented dynamite with an aim of………….
(a) Enabling wars (b) without any intention (c) ending wars (d) cannot
be said (ii) What shocked Alfred‟s relatives?
(a) The invention of dynamite (b) His will
(c) His will of donating money (d) Both (a) and (b)
(iii) Why did Alfred establish the Nobel prizes?
(a) So that he is not regarded as Merchant of death (b) To have a good name in
history
(c) To shock his relatives (d) To undo the loss of his brother
(iv) What does the phrase “merchant of death” imply? Page 3 of 13
(a) A person who sells arms / is a reason for deaths (b) A person who kills
others
(c) A person who sells death (d) None of these
(v) The synonym of „annihilate‟ in the first paragraph, is ………..
(a) Destroy (b) Aid (c) Nullify (d) Protect (vi) The
word……… in the first paragraph, is a synonym of word „disperse‟.
(a) disband (b) retreat (c) announce (d) shock
(vii) The recipients receive the award on this day
(a) The birth anniversary of Nobel (b) The death anniversary of Nobel
(c) The day Nobel invented dynamite (d) Marriage anniversary of Nobel
(viii) What is the compulsory condition for Nobel Prize winners?
(a) A dignitary of the UN (b) Must be living
(c) A person with other awards to his credit (d) One selected by the US (ix)
How is the fairness of these awards ensured?
(a) Each award decided by separate institutions (b) Self-nomination is permitted
(c) Nomination forms are distributed to the public (d) The number of nominees is limited

Passage -5
5. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow. (Any8).
(1×8=8 Marks)

INDIA'S PLACE IN THE NEW WORLD ORDER

We have entered a new world. The fall of the Berlin wall put an end to the bipolar world
and gave birth to hope for freedom and prosperity; there were States that gained their
independence.
Most adopted the democratic model, which corresponds to our shared political values.
Globalization further enhances these changes. It offers extra-ordinary opportunities to
individuals who are in a position to seize them; easier access to information, speedier
communications and unimpeded travels. But it also develops new forms of vulnerabilities; a
financial crisis can run from Thailand to Russia via Latin America. Epidemics spread faster
and, further, be it mad cow’s disease or bird flu.
Therefore, our destiny is no longer shaped within safe frontiers but on an international
scale.

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 Given the extent of these changes, we must define our world’s new principles of
organization. In this endeavor for a new order, India has a major role to play. First because it
is an example of dynamism and energy. Your country is one of youth; 33 percent of
population is under the age of 15. You are aware of the tremendous asset and the immense
responsibility that this represents. A young population is a guarantee of imagination, renewal,
awakening and hope. But it is also a challenge in terms of education, health and training.
India has been able to make the most of globalization and has gained a pivotal role. It
provides the example of an economy which has allied dynamism and equilibrium. The past
year offers the two- fold satisfaction of a spectacular 7.5 percent growth rate and inflation
under control. Thanks to the size and dynamism of its domestic market, it can project itself
into the future with confidence.
India is now the biggest international service provider in information technologies, and
this at a time when the western countries are experiencing a real shortage of manpower in this
very field. A scientific power, India, today, is also a key player in space research. Thanks to
the excellence of the Indian Space Research Organization, it is the forefront of technologies
for launchers and the construction of satellites.
This economic vitality has developed on the basis of a strong concern for social justice.
In the face of inequalities that still remain and could be increasing, India has given priority, to
poverty reduction, job creation and support of the agricultural sector. Your country has shown
that economic growth and concern for the greater good are not incompatible. India, however,
does not only offer an economic model. It stands as an example for nations that show due
respect for cultural identities. This represents a major challenge as globalization has inherent
in it two-fold risk. First of all, there is the risk of domination of certain forms of thinking, of
certain ways of life and expression. The diversity of cultures, religions, traditions and
memories is an essential component of the richness of our world. If we are not careful, it
could die one day.
Then there is the risk of confrontation of-identities. Lack of respect for what people
stand. For can nurture claims of nationalists and fundamentalists. The more an identity feels
the threatened, the more it tends to be in world looking, rejects the diversity and finally gives
into confrontation. These are the patterns that we saw in action in the worst post cold war
confrontation, from the explosion of the Balkans to the genocide in the Rwanda. With 18
official languages and over 1652 dialects, India is at the forefront of cultural diversity. It is a
proof that openness to the outside world and preservation of its own roots can go hand in
hand. The movement of exchange between cultures must not let to silencing the polyphony of
voices and views.
In the heart of its democracy, India has been able to define an identity respectfully of
each and everyone’s specificity. It is home to one of the largest Muslim communities of the
world, with over 120 million believers. The religious patchwork of India offers to each
minority, whether it be the two million Christians, the 16 million Sikhs or the Budish, Jains
and Parsis, the possibility of keeping alive their own religious beliefs in harmony with the
India identity. This original and exemplary synthesis is difficult to achieve. Your will to
promote democracy is undoubtedly the strongest political message of the Indian nation. At the
heart of new world geography lies the democratic challenge…Thanks to you we know that the
size of the population, that the force of history and traditions is not an obstacle. India is proof
that the universality of Human Rights is a realistic emotion. It shows us that State secularism
can be reconciled with the vigour of identities and beliefs.
-Villepin
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by
choosing

Page 13 of 188
 the most appropriate option. (Any 8) (8x 1=8 marks)

1. India has a major role to play because

a. It has a rich geographical area. b. It is rich in natural resources.
c. It is an example of enthusiasm and energy to make new things happen
successfully. d. India is a secular country.
2. India is the biggest service provider in the period of information technologies as…….
a. Unemployed youths are more in number in India.
b. Western countries have a shortage of manpower in this very field.
c. People outside India are not willing to work.
d. Indian population is educated.
3 The speaker thanks the Indian Space Research Organization because.....
a. It is in a leading position in the field of satellites
b. It is leading in producing rockets.
c. There is a strong group of scientists working together in this field.
d. Indian scientists are very intelligent.
4 When the speaker says “Your country has shown that economic growth and concern for the greater
good are not incompatible”, he is
a. Complaining b.giving compliments c.finding faults. D.Discussing
5. Find out the word which means: the act of killing the whole race
a. Genocide b.Polyphony c. Explosion d. Confrontation.
6. Why did the speaker say that we have entered a world?
a. We are adopting democracy b. Using technology
c. practicing computer. d. landing on the moon.
7. Find words from passage which means the opposite of ' laziness'
a. Dynamism b.inactivity c.Sloth d. renewal 8. We should save
the culture of India because
a. It has the largest Muslim community.
b. It is the home of many religions keeping alive their own beliefs in harmony.
c. It is politically very strong. d. India is a democratic country.
9. Find words from the passage which means the opposite of 'well matched
a. Vitality b.Inequalities c.congruous d.incompatible

Marking Scheme
Passage-1(1x8=8M) (Any eight)
(i)D (ii)c (iii)a (iv)b (v)d (vi)b (vii)b (viii)d (ix)b
Passage-2
a.Dioxine b.Cancer c.Garbage into energy d.Gasification e.High moisture
f.Air, water and ash g.Leukaemia h.Is recyclable and compostable. i.All the above.

Passage-3
(1.) (ii) The most important is possibly human labour
(2.) (iv) No amount of foreign assistance or of natural wealth can ensure successful
development

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 andmodernization. (3.) (i) second class citizen (4.) (ii) nutritional status of the
family
(5.) (iii) Increases in inverse proportion (6.) (ii) There will be no growth and
everything will stagnate. (7.) (iv) Enhance (8.) (i)Before age of five
9.(i)Inclination

Passage-4
(1) (c) Ending Wars (2) (b) His Will (3) (b) To have a good name in history (4) (a) A
person who sells arms / is a reason for deaths (5) (a) Destroy (6) (a) disband
(7) (b) Death Anniversary of Nobel (8) (b) Must be living
(9) (a) Each award is decided by separate institutions
Passage-5-
1 c It is an example of enthusiasm and energy to make new things happen successfully.
2 b Western countries have a shortage of manpower in this very field.
3 a It is in a leading position in the field of satellites. 4 b giving compliments 5 a genocide
6 b using technology 7 a dynamism
8 b It is the home of many religions keeping alive their own believes in harmony.9 d
incompatible

Case Based Unseen Passage

II. Multiple Choice questions based on one unseen case-based factual passage with
verbal/visual inputs like statistical data, charts etc. (5 Marks)

Skills needed to solve Case Based Unseen Passage

Data Analysis
Decoding text/ word problems to cull out and use data.
Basic Arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division etc.
Number Sense like greater, lesser, understand quantities.
Making observations about range of data given.
Finding patterns, identifying, sorting and classifying a given set of data or numbers to
extract relevant information.
Summarizing data through statistical measures like mean, percentile etc.
Making inferences and determining trends,
correlations. Making hypotheses and drawing conclusions.
Guidelines for Solving Case Based Unseen Passage Pre Reading
Understand different types of graphs like pie chart, bar graph, line graph, tree diagram, flow
chart etc. and the fundamental differences between their appropriate use.
Ensure understanding of basic mathematical operations & concepts like ratio, percentage
etc. Take help of mathematics teacher if needed as it is an interdisciplinary field. Take a
visual format like pie chart, flow chart and convert it into text.
Take different types of graphs and infer as many data points as possible. Take open time
and note different levels of information you get.
Conduct real life surveys in areas of your concern or interest and summaries data using
statistical measures thus sharing your main findings.

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 Select such passages for practice where verbal input supplements data rather than explaining
it otherwise there will be no scope for you to analyses.
While selecting passages for practice, ensure that questions involve analysis of data.
While Reading
Underline important data & phrases while reading. Discriminate between relevant &
irrelevant information.
Nudge yourself from superficial decoding of data to next level of deeper study/
identification of overall & comparative trends, comparison and contrast which will take
you to real conclusions.
While attempting MCQs, discuss with your teacher or classmates why an option is
incorrect.
Passage 1
1.Read the passage given below:
Here’s good news for tiger conservationists, tiger authorities and wildlife lovers celebrating
International Tiger Day. According to the latest census of 2018 released by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on International Tiger Day, India is home to 2,967 tigers. What makes this
figure significant is that it is an increase by a third as compared to 2014 and more than double
as compared to 2006. The latest census also reveals the states with the highest tiger populations
and those with the lower ones, along with the economic value (Pegged between 4200 crores to
16000 crores annually) of tiger reserves in the country. See the given infographic.
The latest tiger census is very encouraging, and points to the successful strategies, methods and
techniques being adopted and pursued by wildlife authorities and wildlife conservationists to
protect the tiger.
The tiger census 2018 was taken after a painstaking 15months’ work where the forest officials
surveyed 3,81,400 sq km of forested habitats. During the same period of time, they also
installed 26,760 camera traps, with wildlife biologists going through 35 million images of
wildlife. Of this astounding number of images, 76,523 were those of tigers. It is estimated that
almost 83% of the entire tiger population was represented in these images.
The figures are certainly cause for enthusiasm, and a great deal of it was reflected in the
address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on International Tiger Day. In it, he also stressed on
the need for striking a healthy balance between development and environment. Addressing this
issue, he went on to say, “There is a very old debate- development or environment. Both sides
present views as if they are mutually exclusive. In our policies, in our economics, we have to
change the conversation about conservation. I am confident that India will prosper both
economically and environmentally. India will build more roads and India will have cleaner
rivers. India will have better train connectivity and also greater tree coverage.

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 On the basis of your understanding of the passage, attempt any five questions out of the six
that follow: ( 1 X 5 = 5M)
i) Which of the following would be the most appropriate heading for the above passage?
a) The Return of the Cats b) The Roar of the Lion
c) The King Makes a Comeback d) The Roar is Back

ii) According to the 2018 survey, tick the statement which is true regarding the number
of tigers in each state.
a) Madhya Pradesh vies closely with Karnataka for the first place.
b) Uttarakhand trails behind Karnataka by 100 tigers.
c) The combined tiger population of Kerala and Tamil Nadu is less than that of Uttarakhand
d) Assam has more tigers as compared to Tamil Nadu.
iii) India achieved its target of doubling its tiger population years ahead of the target year.
a) 3 b) 4 c) 5 d) 6
iv)The tiger population statistics of the world reveal that the tiger population of the top
three states of India ____________________________ that of the whole world. a) is as
much as b) is less than c) is equal to d) is more than
v) Among India’s neighbouring countries, which country has the highest tiger population?
a) Nepal b) Bhutan c) Bangladesh d) Myanmar
vi) What is the ‘old debate’ that the prime minister refers to?
a) conversation vs conservation b) environment vs development
c) roads vs rivers d) more roads vs greater tree coverage

Passage 2
Read the passage given below:

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1. For most of our history, pregnancy and childbirth were dangerous for both baby and mother. If
we look at long-term trends in maternal mortality – the likelihood a woman will die from
pregnancy-related causes – we see that every 100th to 200th birth led to the mother’s death.

2. Improvements in healthcare, nutrition, and hygiene mean maternal deaths are much rarer today.
But women are still dying from pregnancy-related causes that are preventable.

3. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 300,000 women died from pregnancy-
related causes in 2015. That’s 830 women every day. In the chart here we see global maternal
deaths by region. Two-thirds – 201,000 – occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. 22% – 66,000 –
occurred in South Asia.

4. This is partly attributed to the fact that many more babies are born in Asia and Africa than in
other regions. But it is also largely the result of the much higher maternal mortality rates found
in lower-income countries. Per birth, a woman in Nigeria is more than 200 times more likely to
die in pregnancy or childbirth than a woman in Sweden.

5. The five countries with the highest number of maternal deaths in 2015 were: Nigeria (58,000);
India (45,000); Democratic Republic of Congo (22,000); Ethiopia (11,000); and Pakistan
(9,700).

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, attempt any five questions from the
six that follow: ( 1m X 5 = 5m)
i) What has the trend of maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa been as compared from
1990 to 2015?
a. Significant rise b. Significant decline c. Slight decline d. Slight rise

ii) Which of the following will not qualify as a maternal death?

a. Death within 42 days of termination of pregnancy b. Accidental or incidental death
during pregnancy
c. Death due to any cause aggravated by pregnancy d. Death during child birth

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 (iii) Which of the following statements is true based on the
passage? a. Income is directly proportional to maternal mortality rate
b. Income is inversely proportional to maternal mortality rate
c. Income is a small factor of maternal mortality rate
d. Income & maternal mortality rate go parallel

(iv) What is the tone of the author in the passage?

a. Accusatory b. Critical c. Sarcastic d. Solemn

(v) Which of the given pie charts rightly shows the number of maternal deaths in 2015 in different
countries?

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a image – a b image - b c image - c d image - d

(vi) What, according to the author, has reduced the rate of maternal mortality in modern
times? a. Healthcare, nutrition & hygiene b. Genes, nutrition & healthcare
c. Awareness, alertness & quick help d. Nutrition, Regular check-up & care

Passage 3
3. Read the passage given below.
Most cities in India face water shortage problems. According to some reports, 182
cities require urgent attention with regards to water and wastewater management. It is
estimated that 35% of water is lost every day in leakages in cities. The effective water supply
after this loss is only 125 litres/day per capita. This is considerably lower than the demand of
210 litres/day per capita. The following graph shows the water demand in some major Indian
cities in MLD (million litres per day).
Wastewater management is becoming a major challenge in cities. Population growth
and urbanisation has put cities under unprecedented pressure. Development of infrastructure
and government regulations have not been able to keep pace with this. The other major
concern is groundwater exploitation. Many towns and cities still depend on hand pumps for
their water supply which depletes the water table.
The way forward – Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM)
The IUWM approach is a completely new way of looking at urban water management.
It encourages cities to align their socio-economic planning to a ‘hydrological’ context,
without losing sight of their developmental priorities. It is based on the following key
concepts:

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 Participation of public, private and social sectors in urban areas in activities that are water
related. The participation is needed to reach a common understanding of the challenges to
water management and identify a common vision.
Considering the whole urban water cycle as one system. This covers various actions, such
as:
• matching water quality with the purpose of use
• using natural systems for water and wastewater treatment
• considering storm water/rainwater as a potential source of water . preventing leakage
. strengthening urban water systems that often face acute shortage of water or floods
. managing the urban demand and use of water
. Regarding wastewater as a resource. Grey water (used water) can be reused for domestic
purposes, urban agriculture and industrial processes.
. Optimum infrastructure design. This implies the selection of correct technology for water supply,
wastewater treatment and sanitation. The selection is based on factors such as water quality,
economic condition of households, size of population and availability of skilled manpower, land
and institutions.
The IUWM is a holistic approach that links urban water management with overall urban
planning. If the government wishes to adopt IUWM, it has to adjust some of its policies and
regulations, and consider decentralising its activities. It has to also train its technical and
managerial staff and be open to sharing information with public.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, attempt ANY FIVE QUESTIONS
OUT OF SIX that follow. (1 × 5 = 5m)
i) More than a third of the water in cities is lost due to
a. overuse. b. leakage. c. lack of wastewater management. d. pollution in the
water.
ii) Name two cities which constitute more than 50% of the water demand of all Indian cities put
together.
a. Jaipur and Kanpur b. Mumbai and Delhi c. Surat and Lucknow d. Bengaluru and
Chennai iii). IUWM approach is a holistic way of looking at urban water management because it
a. ensures the participation of public, private and social sectors in urban water management.
b. supports the use of grey water. c. aligns urban water management with urban planning. d.
controls population growth.
iv). By ‘hydrological context’ is meant
a. the context of hydroelectric power b. the scientific study of water
c. the correct technology for water supply, wastewater treatment and sanitation.
d. a perspective that recognizes issues related to water.
v) Grey water can be reused for
a. domestic work b. agriculture
c. drinking after purification d. infrastructural processes vi) Which of
the following cities faced acute water crisis and was about to approach Day Zero in 2018?
a. Canada b. New York c. New Delhi d. Cape Town

Passage 4

Read the following passage carefully:

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1.Fifty-three percent of Indians are connected to the internet every waking hour which is higher
than the global average of 51 percent, a new international study has found. The continuous
online connectivity is becoming a phenomenon in India with 53 percent respondents in the
country saying they are connected to the internet "every waking hour," said the study
conducted by a leading global management consulting firm, the London-based AT Kearney
Global Research.

2."That is higher than 51 per cent global average, 36 per cent in China and 39 per cent in
Japan," said the study titled 'Connected Consumers Are Not Created Equal: A Global
Perspective.' The study covered 10 countries involving 10,000 respondents in July this year.
3.The results of the study found that continuous connectivity is having a big impact on
online retail in the country with social networks becoming a major influencing factor.
4."97 per cent of the respondents from India said they have a Facebook account with 77
per cent saying they logged in to the social network daily," said the study.
5.According to the study, there are three key
motivations for Indian people to be continuously
connected to internet. First is interpersonal
connection in which 94 per cent of respondents
said that connecting with other people is a key
motivation for going online. This factor is the
highest among Indian respondents. The second
factor, according to the study, is self-expression,
which is sharing opinions with others through the
internet. The study says this factor is particularly
strong in emerging markets and places where
offline self-expression is limited.
6.In India, 88 per cent of respondents cited this as a factor for staying connected to the internet.
It is a big motivator in China as well where 89 per cent cited it as a reason to be connected to
the internet compared to the global average of 62 per cent. The third motivation is access to
services or products and making purchases online. On this front, 92 per cent of the Indian
respondents said they go online to access services or for shopping, the study said.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage answer any five out of the six questions
that follow: (1m X 5 =
5m)
i. In which consecutive years internet penetration growth rates were the highest?
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 a) 2017-18 b.2018-19 c.2019-20 d.2020-21 ii. What was the ratio of
increase of internet penetration from 2016-17 to 2018-19?
a) 40:77 b.7:12 c.7:11 d.12:7 iii. What are the motivating
factors for the increased use of internet in India?
i. Sharing opinions with others. ii. Limitations in other modes of
communication.
iii. Interpersonal connection. iv. Access to services or products. a. i, ii, iii are true
but iv is false. b.ii, iii, iv are true but i is false.
c.iii, iv, i are true but ii is false. d.All are true.

iv. “Interpersonal connection and relations have widened and become stronger with the
advent of internet and mobile users in India.” Do you agree?
i. Yes, we can stay connected with our near and dear ones at the press of a
button. ii. No, internet has reduced in-person interaction. It has increased
communication but not connection.
a) i is true but ii is false. b.ii is true but i is false.
c.Both i and ii are true. d,.oth i and ii are false.

v. Find a word from the passage which means “SOCIAL”

a) interpersonal b.respondent c.self-expression d.motivati
vi. Who are the people who spend maximum time on on
smartphones?
I. Women II . Men III.Children
a) Both II AND III b.Only II c.Only I d.I, II &
III

Passage 5
Read the passage carefully:
1. When plastic waste is burnt, a complex weave of toxic chemicals is released. Breaking down
Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) used for packaging, toys and coating electrical wires. It produces
dioxin, an organochlorine which belongs to the family of Persistent Organic Pollutants
(POPs). A recent Dioxin Assessment Report brought out by the United States Environment
Protection Agency (USEPA) says the risk of getting cancer from dioxin is ten times higher
than reported by the agency in 1994.
2. Yet the Delhi government is giving the green signal to a gasification project which will
convert garbage into energy without removing plastic waste. Former transport minister
Rajendra Gupta, the promoter of this project, says this is not necessary. He claims no air
pollution will be caused and that the ash produced can be used as manure. This project, built
with Australian assistance, will cost Rs 200 crore. It will generate 25 megawatts of power and
gobble 1,000 tonnes of garbage everyday.
3. “Technologies like gasification are a form of incineration,” says Madhumita Dutta, central
coordinator with Toxics Link, New Delhi. Incineration merely transfers hazardous waste from
a solid form to air, water and ash, she points out. Toxins produced during incineration include
acidic gases, heavy metals as well as dioxins and furans. “The ‘manure’ will be hazardous
and a problem to dispose,” says Dutta.

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 4.Municipal solid waste contains a mix of plastics. Breaking down this waste emits
hydrochloric acid which attacks the respiratory system, skin and eyes, resulting in
coughing, vomiting and nausea.
Polyethylene generates volatile compounds like formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, both
suspected carcinogenic. Breathing styrene from polystyrene can cause leukaemia. Polyurethane
is associated with asthma. Dioxin released by PVC is a powerful hormone disrupter and causes
birth defects and reproductive problems. There is no threshold dose to prevent it and our bodies
have no defence against it.
5. How has global plastic waste disposal method changed over time? In the chart, we see the share
of global plastic waste that is discarded, recycled or incinerated from 1980 through to 2015. Prior
to 1980, recycling and incineration of plastic was negligible. From 1980 for incineration and
1990 for recycling, rates increased on average by about 0.7 percent per year.
6. “India does not have the facility to test dioxin and the cost of setting one up is prohibitively
expensive,” says Dutta. Besides, Indian garbage has a low calorific content of about 800 cal/kg,
since it has high moisture and requires additional fuel to burn. Toxics link calculates that the
electricity generated from such technology will cost between Rs 5-7 per unit, which is six times
higher than conventional energy. India has chosen a dioxin preventive route and burning of
chlorinated plastics is prohibited under Municipal Solid Waste and Biomedical Rules.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any five of the following
questions by choosing the most appropriate option: (1m X 5 = 5m)

(i)Which statement is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

a. India has adopted a preventive measure under which burning of chlorinated plastics is
prohibited.
b. USEPA says that the risk of getting cancer from dioxin is hundred times higher than reported
by the agency in 1994.
c. Incineration merely transfers hazardous waste from a solid form to air, water and ash.
d. Hydrochloric acid attacks the digestive system, nose and eyes which results in diabetes and
nausea.

ii.Based on the graphical chart in the passage, choose the option that correctly states the ratio
between discarded waste to recycled global plastic waste in 2015.

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 a. option 1 b. option 2 c. option 3 d. option 4
(iii)Based on the given graphical representation of data in the passage, choose the option that
lists the statement that is NOT TRUE.
a. In the year 2015, the incinerated plastic waste disposal was 80%.
b. In the year 1980, share of discarded plastic waste was 100%.
c. Discarded plastic waste was 60% in the year 2010.
d. Recycled plastic waste in the year 2000 was more than 70%.

(iv)By 2015, how much global plastic waste was being incinerated?
a. 55% b. 25% c. 20% d. 50%
(v)Which word in the passage means same as ‘waste material’? (para 2)
a. gasification b. garbage c. pollution d.
manure (vi) If formaldehyde and acetaldehyde are carcinogenic, it means they a.
produce carbon dioxide b. cause asphyxiation
c. cause cancer d. cause cardiac problems

Answer Key

Passage 1:
i) a) The Return of the Cats ii) a) Madhya Pradesh vies closely with Karnataka for
the first place.
iii) b) 4 iv) b) is less than v) a) Nepal vi) b) environment vs development
Passage 2:
i c. Slight decline ii b. Accidental or incidental death during
pregnancy iii b. Income is inversely proportional to maternal mortality rate iv
d. Solemn v. a. vi a. Healthcare, nutrition & hygiene

Passage 3:
i) b .leakage ii) b. Mumbai & Delhi iii) c. Align urban water management with
urban planning
iv) b. the scientific study of water v) a. Domestic work vi) d. Cape Town

Passage 4:
i. d) 2020-21 ii. b) 7 : 12 iii c ) iii, iv and i are true but ii false iv. a) i is
true but ii is false
v. a) Interpersonal vi. c) Only Women

Passage 5
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 i. d. Hydrochloric acid attacks the digestive system, nose and eyes which results in diabetes and
nausea.
ii. a. Option 1 iii .d. Recycled plastic waste in the year 2000 was more than 70%.
iv. b. 25% v. b. garbage vi. c. cause cancer

SECTION – B

CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS AND

GRAMMAR

(12 MARKS)

(Short Composition Task)

NOTICE WRITING - (3MARKS)

1. Introduction
Communication is a process by which we exchange information. Now the question arises,
How do we communicate?
⚪ One to one?

⚪ One to many?

⚪ One to many for a period of time?

Many times, we need to communicate in a large group of people in a short time.
This can be an invitation for a meeting, certain instructions, certain appeals. This form of
written communication is called notice. It is generally displayed at public places,
published in a newspaper. Now a days, social media is also using display notices.
1.1 Notice Writing
A notice is a written or printed news announcement or information. A notice may
contain news/information about something that has happened or is likely to happen. It may
be a formal announcement of public importance or an advance warning meant for
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 compliance and information. A notice can be about a meeting, an event, an excursion/a
historical trip/a picnic, lost and found, change of name/address/uniform/timings/venue etc.
It is pinned up on specific display boards in schools / public places / newspapers
1.2. Why do we need Notice?
Notices are effective means of disseminating information related to different issues
or occasions. They reach to a large number of persons in a short time. Hence, a notice is
written in simple and formal language. It is clear, brief and to the point.
2. Main Features:
(a) Format: It includes the word ‘NOTICE’, date, heading, writer’s name and
designation. (b) Content: It must answer the questions -What? When? Where? How? etc.
(c) Expression: It relates to the overall organization and relevance of the content as
well as grammatical accuracy and fluency.
2.1 Content of Notice:
1. Name of the organization issuing the notice is given in capital letters in the first line
2. The title ‘NOTICE’ is written in second line
3. The date of the Notice on which it is drafted on the left-hand side without writing the
word date.
4. Catchy Heading is given to introduce the subject of the notice.
5. Body of the notice- necessary details to be given.
6. Notice is ended with a closing line ‘For more details contact the undersigned.’
7. Writer’s Sign, Name (in Capitals) Designation at the end of notice on the left-hand side

Name of Organization/office issuing the Notice

NOTICE
dd/mm/yyyy
Heading
Body of the Notice
Signature
Name
Designation

3. Points to Remember: 5 W’s

1. What is going to happen, the event
2. Where it will take place, the venue
3. When it will take place, date& time 4. Who can benefit from the information?
5. Whom to contact

3.1 Notice Writing: Important Tips

▪ It is written in passive voice.

▪ It is given in a box.

▪ Its word limit is: 40–50 (only words in body counted).Do not cross the word limit.

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 ▪ Information given must be clear.

▪ It should not cause any misunderstanding or confusion.

▪ It should be catchy, appealing – attract attention at once.

▪ We can use bold letters, catchy slogans, striking words/ phrases. ▪ There should not be
Personal Pronouns while writing the notice.
▪ Notice should be written in the present tense or future tense. ▪ It should have short but
grammatically accurate sentences.

4. Notice Writing: Marking Scheme

To score full marks we should know marking scheme. Notice is included in the
short writing task which will be of 3 marks.
As per CBSE guidelines for 2020-21 marking scheme will be as follows:

▪ Format: 1mark

▪ Content: 1mark

▪ Expression: 1mark
It is one of the easiest and the most scoring topics in class XI&XII. By following the
above-mentioned tips one can score full marks.

5. SAMPLE QUESTION:
⚫ On the occasion of National Science and Technology Day, the Delhi Public School, New
Delhi has decided to organize a Science Fair. Vikram, the secretary of the Science
Society, wants to call a meeting of the office bearers of the society to discuss the
arrangements for the fair. Write a notice in not more than 50 words.

Delhi Public School, New Delhi

NOTICE
18.2.2021.
Fair on National Science Day
It is informed that a fair is going to be organized in the school premises to celebrate the
occasion of National Science and Technology Day. All office bearers are requested to
attend a meeting in the School Library on 20 Feb 2021 at 10 am to discuss the
arrangements for the fair. The meeting is compulsory to attend. Please come with your
unique ideas.For more details contact undersigned.
Vikram

5.1. Questions with solutions:

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 1. You are Sonu /Sonali, Sports Secretary of Maharani Public School, Gwalior.
Write a notice in not more than 50 words for the school notice board, asking
students interested in playing hockey, to give their names for selection in the
school hockey team, event date, time, eligibility criteria, etc.

MAHARANI PUBLIC SCHOOL, GWALIOR

NOTICE
15th March, 2021
HOCKEY MATCH
The selection for the school Hockey team will be made on 30th August.,2021 at 4 p.m. at the school
ground. Those interested in playing hockey, must give their names to the undersigned by 19th March.
Selection will be made purely on performance on the field. Only the students of classes IX to XII are
eligible for selection. For more details contact undersigned.

Signature
NAME
Sports Secretary

2. You are the Secretary of the English Literary Association of Tagore Memorial
School, Patna. Write out a notice for notice board, inviting names of those who
would like to participate in the proposed inter-house debate, oratorial and
elocution contest.
S

TAGORE MEMORIAL SCHOOL, PATNA

NOTICE
5th Aug. 2021
INTER-HOUSE COMPETITIONS
This is to inform that ‘The English Literary Association’ invites participants in the following
contests to be held in the school auditorium:
(a) Debate competition: 20 Aug. 2021 at 11.00 a.m.
(b) Oratorial skills: 21 Aug. 2021 at 11.00 a.m.
(c) Elocution contest: 21 Aug. 2021 at 2.00 p.m.
Each house can send a team of two students per item.Last date for submission of names is 10th
August, 2021. For more details contact undersigned.
Signature
Ravi Mohan
Secretary
ELA

3. You are Rahul /Rashmi. As President of the Literary Club of your school; you
have organised an inter-school debate competition on the occasion of the Silver
Jubilee celebrations of your school. Write a notice in about 50 words, informing
the students of your school about the competition.
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 ST. THOMAS PUBLIC SCHOOL, LUCKNOW
NOTICE
16th August 2021
Debate Competition
This is to inform that The Literary Club is organising an inter-school debate
competition on the occasion of the Silver Jubileecelebrations as per details given
below:
Date: 18 Dec. 2019
Time: 11 a.m. onwards
Venue: Saraswati Auditorium
Topic: “Nuclear Armament is India’s best defence against cross-border
terrorism” Last date for receipt of names: 10 Dec. upto 4.30 p.m. in the Activities
Room. For more details contact undersigned.
Signature
Rahul/Rashmi
President

4. You are Ravi/Rachna. As President of the Cultural Forum of your school, you
have organised an inter-school orchestra competition on the occasion of the Silver
Jubilee celebrations of your school.

RAS BIHARI MODEL SCHOOL, MATHURA

NOTICE
6th November 2019
Inter-School Orchestra Competition
This is to inform that on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee celebrations, an Inter-School Orchestra
Competition will be held.
Date : 14 Nov. 2019
Time : 2 p.m. onwards
Venue : Vikram Auditorium
Participants : Maximum 9 in an item
Last date for submission of Entry Forms: 10 Nov 2019. For more details contact undersigned.
Signature
Rachna/Ravi President
Cultural Forum

5. You are Pradeep /Asha. As President of the Dramatic Club of your school; you
have organised an interschool competition in one-act plays on the occasion of the
Silver Jubilee celebrations of your school. Write a notice in about 50 words,
informing the students of your school about this proposed event.

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 SCINDIA SCHOOL, INDORE
NOTICE
16th AUG. 2021
Interschool Competition
It is informed that on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the school, the
Dramatic Club has organized an Interschool Competition in one-act plays as per details
given below: Date: 30 Aug 2021
Time: 10 a.m. onwards
Venue: Ashoka Auditorium
Participants: Maximum 7 in a team
Last Date for the receipt of Entry forms: 25 Aug. 2021 by 4.00 pm. For more details
contact undersigned.
Pradeep /Asha
President
Dramatic Club

6. You are President of the Cultural Society of your school. You are planning to
organise a cultural programme. Write a notice for the school notice board inviting
names of students willing to participate. You are Sudhir,the secretary of the
society.

ABC SCHOOL, BHOPAL

NOTICE
9th Aug.2021.
OPPORTUNITY FOR BUDDING ARTISTS
This is to inform that a great opportunity has been arranged for the budding
artists of the Vidyalaya. Talented students are invited to submit their names for a
musical evening to be held on 21st August 2021 in the school open air theatre from 6
p.m. onwards Items:
1. Light vocal music (solo)
2. Group Song
3. Group Dance
4. Classical Dance (Solo)
This competition is limited for the classes VI to XII. Contact the undersigned
before 16th Aug. 2021. Sudhir
Secretary
Cultural Society

7. You are David I Dorothy, the secretary of .the Dance and Drama Society of the
Sanskriti School, Patna. Write a notice for your school notice board inviting
students to give their names for a Fancy Dress Competition.

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 THE SANSKRITI SCHOOL, PATNA
NOTICE
20thAugust 2021
Fancy Dress Competition
This is to inform that ‘A FancyDress Competition’ will be held in the school given as under:
Date: 25 Aug. 2019
Time: 11 a.m. onwards
Venue: School Auditorium
Duration of performance: 3 minutes
Last Date for submission of names: 16 Aug. 2019 by 4 p.m.
For details contact the undersigned

DAVID DOROTHY
Secretary
Dance & Drama Society

8. You are Pushpak /Pooja. As the Secretary of the Social Service League of your
school; you have organised a cultural bene􀂦t show in aid of mentally handicapped
children of your town, Vijayawada. Write a notice in not more than 50 words for
your school notice board, giving necessary information about the programme.

CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHOOL, VIJAYWADA

NOTICE
05th Jan. 2021
Cultural Show to Aid Handicaps
This is to inform that in aid of mentally handicapped children we are presenting a cultural
show in Vijaywada . Its details are:- Date: 14 January 2021
Time: 4.30 p.m. onwards
Venue: Community Centre, Vijayawada All are cordially invited. For more details contact
undersigned.

Signature
Pushpak/Puja
Secretary

9. You are Rohit/Rashi. As the Secretary of the Cultural Club of your school, you
have organized a Cultural Evening as a thanks giving programme on the last day
of your school. Write a notice for your school notice board, giving necessary
information about this event in not more than 50 words.

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 HOLY CHILD ACADEMY, MANIPUR
NOTICE
16th February 2021
THANKS GIVING CEREMONY
This is to inform that ‘The Cultural Club’ is organising a thanks giving ceremony as per
details given below: Date: 20 February 2021
Time: 6 p.m. onwards
Venue: School Auditorium
Cultural Programme and refreshment will follow. Please be in your seats by 5.50 p.m.
Maintain decency and decorum. For more details contact undersigned.
Signature
Rohit/Rashi
Secretary

6. Questions for Practice:

1. You are Seema/Sudhir, the Cultural Secretary of your school. Write a notice for your
school notice board in 50 words inviting students to participate in an inter-school poster
making contest.
2. You are Kamal/Komal. Your school has decided to organize a cultural programme to
raise funds for the victims of Orissa super cyclone. As the Cultural Secretary, write a
notice in about 50 words giving details to your schoolmates.
3. You are Navin/Namita, Head Boy/Girl of your school. You have organized a talk on
career guidance by Dr Arun Bajaj, the eminent counsellor SAHYOG. Write a notice in
about 50 words inviting students ofXI and XII to attend the lecture.
4. Mother Teresa Public School, Kolkata is organizing a debate on 15 Feb, 2019 at 11
a.m.The topic is ‘Environmental degradation is a global concern’. Two students can
participate from each school. As social secretary of your school put up a notice inviting
names of students who wish to participate in the debate.
5. You are Shakti/Shalini working as the Students’ Representative on the Management
Committee of your school. The committee is going to meet next week to chalk out an
academic programme for the next year. To ensure that the committee really prepares a
need-based programme for the students, you have decided to invite the students’
suggestions on this subject. Write a notice in this regard in not more than 50 words.

LETTER WRITING

Introduction:-A letter is a written message conveyed from one person to another

person or from one organization/institution etc. to another. It is used to convey information and
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 a medium of augmenting and promoting relationships- both in personal as well as a
professional capacity. Why do we write letter?
Formal Letters have a variety of purposes. Formal Letters are written to:
• Ask for/give information
• Apply for a job
• Make inquiries
• Register complaints about inadequate goods or services
• Place orders/send appropriate replies
• Apologize for behavior
• Solicit new customers for grievances
• Persuade others
• Make an appeal for help
• Send a recommendation
However, all of these letters have a common goal, which is to get the results you want from
Someone you may or may not know personally.

TYPES OF LETTERS

1. FORMAL LETTERS : INCLUDE EVERY TYPE OF BUSINESS LETTERS SUCH AS

LETTER OF INQUIRY , LETTER OF ORDER, LETTER TO THE EDITOR , JOB
APPLICATION ETC .

2. INFORMAL LETTERS : ARE MORE PERSONEL . THEY ARE GENERALLY WRITTEN

TO PARENTS , SIBLINGS , RELATIVES AND FRIENDS .

What is a formal letter?

• Usually written to people you don’t know
Write about:
– Registering complaints and writing replies
– Making enquiries – Asking and giving information
– Creating awareness regarding some social issues
– Placing orders, cancellation of orders
– Business letters
– Job application

Style / Language
• Not personal
• Need to give information in the shortest, clearest way possible
• Use language that is business-like but clear

THE LAYOUT OF A BUSINESS LETTER/ AN OFFICIAL LETTER

1. Sender’s Name
(At the top left hand corner)
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2. The date
(The date should be written below the address of the
sender) 3. Name and the address of addressee.
(The name and designation of the addressee should be on the left margin)
4. Subject
(It should be an instant idea of the theme and should not be written in more than
one line)
5. Salutation
(Salutation is the mode of addressing a person. The usual form of salutation isi)Sir or Dear
Sir for individuals
ii)Sirs or Dear Sirs or Messers for companies and firms iii)If the
letter is addressed to a lady, salutation ‘Madam’ should be used.)
6. The Body Of The Letter
(Generally two or three paragraphs form the body of a letter. The first paragraph has the
introduction (purpose of writing). The second one has the details about the problem or
the subject (main information) and the final paragraph deals with the suggestions
toward the solution of the problem.)
7. Complimentary Close
(A formal letter can be ended with ‘Yours faithfully’, ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Yours truly’.
Remember that ‘YOURS’ never takes an apostrophe and the second word is not
capitalized.
This element is a single word or phrase, separated from the message by a blank line.)
8. Signature
(The sender’s full signature with name and designation comes at the end of a letter.)
[You have to leave one line gap between various elements.]

Marks for Letter-writing are awarded as under:

Format – 1, content – 2, Expression – 2, Letter question is of 5 marks.
However, no marks are given for format alone if there is no content.

1. Golden Rule: Always use

(a) Suitable format
(b) Well-organised content
(c) Appropriate language
Study the formats given below, observe their use in solved examples and adopt them in the
exercises given for practice:

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 A GENERAL FORMAT OF FORMAL LETTER

Writing & Organizing a Formal Letter

• Plan layout/format
• Decide on greeting and ending
• Brainstorm
• Organise ideas
• Plan introduction, main body &conclusion
• Proof read, edit and redraft

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 Layout

29H,Civil Lines

Allahabad Self Address/Sender’s Address

Date
10th August 2021

The Dealer Page 37 of 188

M/S Small World

Lajpat Nagar
 Receiver’s Address

Subject

Salutation

Introduction

Main Body

Conclusion

• Sir/ Madam
• Respected Sir (Principal)
• Dear (Name)-
Use this if you have been given a person’s name
or if you have received a formal letter with the name of
the sender on it (reply)

Endings/ Complimentary /Subscription...

If you use:
• Dear Sir or Madam

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 Yours faithfully

Yours truly (The Editor)

• Respected Sir/ Madam (The Principal)

Yours obediently

• Dear (Name)
Yours sincerely

Organising Ideas:

• Think about the order of your information

• Decide what information to put in the:
– Introduction – beginning
– Main body – middle
– Conclusion – end
• Think again why you’re writing the letter
• Make sure you have all information you need written down in your brainstorm
• Cross out information you don’t need from your brainstorm

Formal Letters...

Body of the letter- divided in short paragraphs

• Beginning = introduction (para1)

State the purpose of the letter/ main idea/reference to the issue.

• Middle = main body (para2)

Comment on main issue, cause- effect, give examples- 3 to 4

good points to emphasize on your main point

• End = conclusion (para3)

Sum up the letter with polite wish, ideas, suggestions, appeal or request.

# BUSINESS OR OFFICIAL LETTERS:

-Asking for and giving information

.
-Placing orders and sending replies.

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 Solved Examples:
1. You are Akshaya/Kajol of 123, Parade Ground Road, Secunderabad. You are
interested in doing short term course in computer programming during your summer
vacation. Write a letter to the Director, Computer World, Powar, Mumbai, inquiring
about the duration of such a course and the terms and conditions for admission.

123, Parade Ground Road

Secunderabad

10th August 2021

The Director
Computer World
Powai(Mumbai).

Sub : Seeking information about computer course.

Sir

With reference to your advertisement in the Times of India offering short term courses in
computer programming I want to know certain details about the same
.
I have recently passed my XII examination in the humanities stream. I have a very basic
knowledge of computers and want to learn programming in my free time. I want to know if I
am eligible for the course which your institute is offering. Also let me know about the duration
of the course, fee structure and mode of payment. Since I’m free in the evening only, can I join
an evening course, if you have one ?
Let me know all these details at the earliest so that I can decide accordingly.

Yours sincerely
Sd—
(KAJOL)

2. Enquiry regarding items rates and mode of payment

Self-Address

Date

Name&
Address of Receiver
Subject: Enquiry regarding items rates and mode of payment

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 Sir/Sirs

Through your advertisement in a national daily, I come to know that yours is one of the leading
firms in the field of …………. We also deal in the same for the last ten years. We have enough
space along with wide contacts and sufficient experience of the market.

We want to start business with your firm, but before this we need some information
regarding the items manufactured by your firm along with rate list, and your terms and
conditions regarding mode of payment.
So you are requested to please furnish the required information as early as possible so that
we can start our business relation for mutual benefits.

With thanks

Yours sincerely
(Signature)
Name & designation
………………

3. Reply to enquiry regarding items, rates and mode of payment

Self-Address

Date

Name&
Address of Receiver

Subject: Reply to enquiry regarding items, rates and mode of payment

Sir/Sirs

First of all thanks for your enquiry letter dated………… regarding items, rates and mode
of payment. We are pleased to inform you that our firm manufactures different items and the
detailed list of these items along with rates has been attached along with this letter.
Regarding our mode of payment, this is to inform you that we demand 60% of the total
amount of order in advance along with the order letter and the rest 40% amount within ten days
of receiving of the order. Moreover we offer 10% additional discount on the bulk order along
with routine discount of 5%.
We assure you of our best services in future.

With thanks

Yours sincerely

(Signature)
Name & designation
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 ……………
4. Enquiry regarding some Educational Course:

Self-Address

Date

Director/Principal
Name of Institute
Address

Subject: Enquiry regarding ……………….course

Sir
Through your advertisement in a newspaper regarding admission in different courses, I
come to know that your institute offers ……….course. I have appeared in AISSSE-2020 and
the result is awaited. I am interested in …….course. I have heard a lot about your institute and
its reputation. So I want to join the above mentioned course, but before applying for the course
I need some information regarding:
1. Nature and scope of ………course
2. Eligibility
3. Fee-structure and mode of payment
4. Syllabus and Examination pattern
5. Hostel/ conveyance facility, if available
6. Placement
7. Last date for submission of application
So you are requested to please furnish all the required information to the earliest so that I
may make my mind to join the course in time.

Yours faithfully

Signature
(Name)

5. Enquiry regarding type of rooms and charges

Self-Address

Date

The Manager
Name of Hotel
Address

Subject: Enquiry regarding type of rooms and charges

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 Sir
Through this letter I want to say that we are a group of six friends and during summer
vacation we have decided to spend some days in Shimla. We have heard a lot about your hotel and
services offered to the visitors. So we want to book some rooms in your hotel, but before booking
we need some information regarding:
1. Types of rooms available
2. Room rent per day (inclusive/ exclusive of taxes)
3. Facilities available
4. Internet connectivity
5. Parking facility
6. Vehicle or Guide facility, if available
So you are requested to please furnish all the details required to the earliest so that we can
book rooms in time.

Yours truly

Signature
(Name)

………….

6. Intimation of dispatch/supply/execution of order

Self-address (company’s address)

Date

Name &
Address of the customer

Subject: Intimation of dispatch/supply/execution of order

Sir First of all thanks for your order letter dated ………..for some items of …… You
requested us to supply the order within 20 days. We are pleased to inform you that your order
has been dispatched today through goods train/courier/transport/VPP and the bill along with a
copy of invoice has been sent to SBI, Name of city (customer).
So you are requested to please collect your order after making payment.

We assure you of our best services in future also.

Yours truly

Signature
(Name & designation)

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 ……..

7. Unable to supply the order in given time

Self-address (company’s address)

Date

Name &
Address of the customer

Subject: Intimation regarding inability to supply the order in given time

Sir

First of all thanks for your order letter dated ………..for some items of …… You
requested us to supply the order within 20 days. But we are sorry to inform you that we shall
not be able to supply the goods in given time due to reason given in question. Moreover there
is a great rush of previous orders still to complete.
So if you can wait for 15 days more, please inform us.
Sorry once again for the delay, but we assure you of our best services in future.

Yours truly

Signature
(Name & designation)

…….

8. Complaint against delay in supply of Order/ Cancelling the order

Self-address

Date

Name &
Address of the Firm/ company

Subject: Complaint against delay in supply of Order/ cancelling the order

Sir
Through this I want to say that I/we placed you an order dated ………….regarding some
items of …………and I/we requested you to please supply the order within one month, but it is
sorry to say that the given time has passed and the order is still awaited. I/We had never
expected of such kind of dealing from such a reputed company.
So if you can supply the items within ten days, please inform us. Otherwise treat the
order cancelled. With thanks
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 Yours truly

Signature
(Name)

9. Complaint against the defective electronic item (T.V. etc.)

Self-address

Date

Name/ the Dealer &

Address of the Firm/ Showroom

Subject: Complaint against defective electronic item (T.V./ computer etc.)

Sir
Through this letter I want to say that I purchased a/an electronic item (T.V./ computer
etc.)from your showroom wide Bill No…………. against one year warranty/ guarantee. It
worked well only for some days. After that it started showing some trouble/ defect within it.
Write one or two lines given in question about the defect. When I got it checked from a local
mechanic, he told me to contact the dealer/ company.
So you are requested to please either get it repaired at your own cost or get it replaced
with a new one as it is still under warranty/ guarantee period. Otherwise I shall have to go to
the consumer forum.

Yours truly

Signature
(Name)

10. You are Mr. N. Madan, the Manager of Hotel Akbar International, Jaipur. You
want to place an order for seeds and plants from Dilkhush Nurseries, Jaipur.
Write a letter placing order for the same.

The Manager
Hotel Akbar International
Jaipur

10th August 2021

The Proprietor
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 Dilkhus Nurseries
Ahmedabad,
Sir
Ref- Talk with your sales Representative regarding purchase of seeds, plants and cut
flowers. Sub :- Placing order for seeds & Plants.

Sir

The hotel management is glad at the interest shown by your sales Representative in
negotiating the deal of supplying various flowers and vegetable seeds to our hotel on a regular
basis. We hereby place an order for (1) seeds of seasonal vegetables (2) Seeds of exotic flowers
(3) Indoor and outdoor plants (4) cut flowers. (The details of each can be had from our office-
horticulture in-charge)
We believe that you are a reputed company dealing in many important and exotic plants
and your supply will be timely and of consistently good quality. The payment shall be made on
the last day of every month.

Yours Sincerely

Sd/
(N.Madan)

11. You placed an order with M/s Kanchan Hosiery Words, Railway Road, Ludhiana
for the supply of Sweaters, jerseys and other hosiery goods. The peak season for
the sale of hosiery goods is going to be soon over. But they have delayed the
execution of the order. Write a letter to them cancelling the order.

M/s Tirupati Readymade Garments

Sec-6. Central Market
Dwarka, Near Delhi
1100067

10th August 2021

M/s Kanchan Hosiery Works

Railway Road
Ludhiana

Sub: Cancellation of the order no KNW/238 dated 5th August 2021

Sir

We placed an order with you on 5th August 2021for the supply of sweaters, jerseys and
other hosiery goods. We requested for the urgent supply. But we regret to inform you that we
have not yet received consignment till date. All our requests and reminders in this connection

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have gone unheeded. You have neither sent the goods nor have you accounted for this under
delay. In this way you have put us to a great inconvenience.
As it is peak season for the sale of hosiery goods, our customers are returning away.
This has affected our reputation a let. In these circumstances, we have arranged for the goods
from some other company.
You are therefore, requested to treat our order as cancelled. However, if you premise to
dispatch the goods in time in future, we may resume placing orders.

Yours faithfully

Sd
(KRISHAN PAL)
PROPRIETOR

Questions for practice

1.The Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya No-5 Jaipur asks the Head of the Music
Department Mr. Mohammad Salim to place an order for buying musical instrument with
Jhankar Music Shop, Jaipur. Write the letter.

2.Ramona Jayadev of 6, Napean Road, Mumbai is a busy career woman having very
little time for shopping. She orders with the Worlingoons Home Shopping catalogue after
seeing their ad in the paper. Write the letter.

3.You are Taruna. You are holding a small party at your residence. Write a letter placing
an order with Azad Confectioners for the party. You had recently seen their advertisement in
the newspaper for free home delivery. Mention this and other necessary details of the order.

4.You are Meena/Mukesh of Kanpur. You have come across an advertisement of a

coaching centre that prepares students for competitive exams. Write a letter to the Director of
the institute asking for information regarding institute, faculty, fees etc. that you require before
you decide to join it.

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 SKY-HIGH INSTITUTE
EXCELLENT COACHING CENTRE
25 HIGH STREET, KANPUR

ARE YOU ASPIRING TO BE A DOCTOR,ENGINEER,LAWYER?

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU!

BATCHES STARTING FROM 5th September 2021 REGISTER
NOW!
CONTACT: TEL: 23417689

5.As Mr. R. Singh, HOD Chemistry, Cambridge High School, Pune, you had placed an
order with Messrs. Scientific Equipments, Dadar, Mumbai for test tubes and jars for the
laboratory. When the parcel was received you observed that markings on the test tubes were
not clear and some of the jars were damaged. Write a letter of complaint in 120-150 words
seeking immediate replacement.

6.You are Ashok/Asha Rai living at 49, S-Block, Model Town, Allahabad- 211001. You
came across the following advertisement:

Homeo postal class Eng./Hindi. Practicals arranged. Prospectus

free. Contact Director, Mavelil Homeo Mission, P.B. 1015,

Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram-695004.

Write a letter to the Director asking for detailed information on the courses, duration,
fees, assignments, local contact programmes. Request for a prospectus and enclose a self-
addressed envelope.

7.You are Prantik/Prantika, the Secretary of the Historical Society of Nalanda Senior
Secondary School, Bombay. You want to take a group of forty students of your school on a trip
from Bombay to Delhi by a deluxe bus. Write a letter to Global Travels, Bombay, enquiring
about their terms and conditions for package tour. You can ask about the duration of the trip,
boarding and lodging charges, mode of payment, and discount available if any.

8.You are keen to get a call centre job. You are aware that you need to improve your
spoken English and get some training in personality development.

You came across the following advertisement.

Page 48 of 188
 Write a letter to the Director asking for the course content, duration, fee, timings, and other
details. You are Aniket/Nikita of 15, H.I.G, Colony, Pritampura, Delhi.

9.You are Aman/Aarti of 119, Church Road, Kanpur. You are interested in doing a short
term course in Public Speaking for your personality enrichment during your summer vacation.
Write a letter to the Director, personal centre Sector 22, Chandigarh, inquiring about the
duration of such a course and the terms and conditions for admission.

10.Your cousin Priyanka has just passed X Standard and has sought your advice to opt for
science or commerce group. Write a letter giving guidance to select the group in standard XI.

OFFICIAL LETTERS : LETTERS OF COMPLAINT

Such letters are written to officials of different Departments and business organisations for
necessary action
These complaints may be related to untimely/short/defective supply or irregular public
services such as buses, electrical or water supply.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
a. Use appropriate format
b. Keep your claim. Be polite but firm.
c. Give reference to the date and invoice number
d. Describe what your complaint is, how long it has been persisting and how it has affected
you or your business
e. State what action do you expect (replacement , cancellation or refund)
f. Mention your course of action if your complaint remains unaddressed
g. Use formal and courteous Language

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FORMAT

PARTS AND STEPS OF WRITING LETTER

Sender’s address • This informs the reader from where the letter was written
• This is the writer’s full postal address
Date It is written below the senders address by leaving a line. The date may be
written in any of the following ways:
• 21 April 2021
• 21st April 2021
• April 21, 2021
Note :After writing the date leave a line

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 Receiver’s • The Editor
Address • Name of the newspaper
• Name of the city

Salutation It is a customary address with which the sender opens the letter.
• Use either Sir or Madam.
• No need to use Respected as the word Sir/ Madam itself shows
respect.

Subject It is a concise statement of the topic of the letter to draw the reader’s
attention to the main message.
• The main purpose of the letter forms the subject.
• It must be written in four to six words.
• It must convey the matter for which the letter is written.
Note:The usual convention is to place it after the salutation, but it can be
placed before the salutation

Body of the letter It forms the very soul of a letter. It usually makes use of three paragraphs
but may be shorter or longer. The matter of the letter is written here. It is
divided into 3 paragraphs as follows Paragraph 1: Introduce yourself and
the purpose of writing the letter briefly. Paragraph 2: Give detail of the
matter.
Paragraph 3: Conclude by mentioning what you expect.

Complimentary It is a polite way of ending the letter. The expression used must match
closing the salutation.
• Yours faithfully/Yours sincerely is used for business purpose
• Yours truly is usually used for Acquaintances
/Strangers/Officials
•
Sender’s Name, Here the sender signs his/her name
signature and This is followed by his/ her designation or position in the next line
designation

EXAMPLES LETTERS OF COMPLAINT

1 You are Rohan/Rohini , a resident of House No 23,Rohini New Delhi. You recently
bought a mobile phone for your grandmother on her 60th birthday from The Spice Shop , Lajpat
Nagar. However, now, within two months of the purchase,the phone is not functioning properly.
Write a letter to the Proprietor complaining about the sub-standard product sold to you.

House No 23
Rohini Nagar
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 New Delhi

20 March, 20XX

The Proprietor
Spice Shop
Lajpat Nagar

Subject: Complaint about faulty LG mobile phone

Sir
Kindly refer to bill no 4569, dated 12 Jan, 20XX, vide which a mobile hand set-
Lumia 5 o fNokia company was purchased from your shop. However within two months of
purchase,the phone has developed a number of problems.

The hand set is not getting charged and is operational only when it is plugged. We
even got the battery checked but there seems to be no problem with the battery. To add to our
woes, within a week, the screen light got diffused too.

Since the product is still under guarantee period, I am enclosing the photocopy of the
bill and sending the phone to be replaced or repaired at the earliest.

Yours truly
Rohan

2 You are Isha/Ishan of 245 , Model Town,Dehradun. Write a letter to Municipal

Commissioner complaining about poor sanitary conditions in your area.
245
Model Town
Dehradun

May 16, 2018

The Municipal Commissioner

Model Town
Dehradun

Subject: Complaint regarding poor sanitary conditions in Model Town

Sir
I am a resident of Model Town,Dehradun. I am writing this letter to complain about poor
sanitary conditions in the area.

The roads here are not cleaned for days. Consequently heaps of garbage can be seen here and
there. Also the drains remain choked and overflow. In addition to it the choked drains are a breeding
ground for mosquities. The situation turns worse during rainy reason, as a result residents suffer from
various diseases like malaria, dengue etc.

I look forward to a quick resolution of the problem.

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 Yours truly
Isha

3 You are Suresh/Sarika Jain of No-20 Jawahar Nagar, Nagpur. Two months ago you
bought a desert cooler from M/s Cool Home Coolers, Nagpur. Now you discover that it is
not working properly. Write a letter to the Manager, Customer Care, complaining about
the malfunctioning of the unit and asking them to repair and if needed to replace it
against warranty.
# 20
Jawahar Nagar
Nagpur

24 June 2021

M/s Cool Home Cooler

20 Nehru Marg
Nagpur

Sir

Subject : Complaint about the malfunctioning desert cooler

Reference : Cash Memo No DC-98765 dated 17.4.2011

I wish to bring it to your notice that I purchased a ‘Cooler Home’ desert cooler from you on 17
April, 2011 (Vide Cash Memo No DC-98765, dated 17.04.2011). The cooler did function well in the
beginning for one and a half months and then it has started giving problems. The problems are - water
leakage, heavy noise while working and high consumption of power.

Kindly take immediate step to either repair the cooler or replace it as the cooler is still under warranty
period. Yours faithfully
Suresh
EXAMPLES: LETTERS OF ENQUIRY
1 You are Isha/Ishan, the secretary of the Students’ Forum of Sahrudaya Vidyalaya,
Indranagar. You have planned an excursion to Jog falls during the summer vacation. Write a
letter to the General Manager, Southern Railway, for reservation of a bogie for 60 students from
Bangalore to Shimoga and back, supplying all necessary information.

Page 53 of 188
Secretary
Sahrudaya Vidyalaya
Indranagar.

01 Mar 2021

The General Manager

Southern Railways
Bangalore

Subject: Request for the reservation of a Bogie for 60 students

Sir
A group of 60 students of class XI of this school has planned to visit Jog Falls during the summer
vacation. They will be accompanied by three teachers and two attendants. They plan to leave
Bangalore on 15th May by Jeevan Express and return by the same train from Shimoga on 25th May.
Kindly confirm whether a bogie can be reserved for the above-mentioned dates. We would also like
to know the estimated fare so that we can make necessary arrangements at our end.
The List of the members of the tour party is enclosed in the prescribed proforma. Kindly provide the
eligible students‟ concession.We request you to send the detail at the earliest @
[email protected]/ @2852456 to enable us to plan in advance.

Yours faithfully
Isha
Secretary

2. You are Harsh Chadda ,residing at Malvia Nagar,New Delhi .Look at the advertisement given below and
draft a letter enquiring about the student exchange programme. Invent the necessary details.
· Service available in which countries? France? Spain?· Cost? ·
Length of stay?· Knowledge of language necessary?

E-888
Malvia Nagar
New Delhi

20 March 2018

The Director
Student Exchange Services
South Extension

New Delhi

Subject: Enquiry regarding the Student Exchange Programmes

Sir/Madam

This is with reference to the advertisement published in The Times Of India, dated 15th Feb
20XX regarding the Student Exchange programmes being offered by your institution.
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 I am keen to go on a Student Exchange program. However before registering, I would
like to know a few details regarding the programme: 1. Countries where your services are
available
2. Duration of the programs
3. Fees and mode of payment
4. The procedure for selection of candidates
5. Certification status of the course
6. Knowledge of the languages

I request you to send the requisite information at your earliest so that I may register for the
above said program. I enclose herewith a self addressed envelope for your early response.

Looking forward to a quick reply

Yours truly/sincerely
Harsh Chaddha

QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE:

1 You are Veenet / Veena, a student of class XII of 89, Green Enclave, Chennai ,
interested in learning languages. You come across an advertisement in The Times of India
issued by The Institute of Foreign languages, Hyderabad about the certificate course in
German offered by them. You decide to write a letter to the Director of the Institute seeking
more information about the course duration, working hours, fee structure, etc. Write the letter.

2. The photocopier cum fax and scanner of your office which was purchased recently has a
problem with the toner settings. It is still in the guarantee period. As Purchase Manager of
Digital Media, Anand Nagar, Jammu, write to the manufacturer seeking replacement of the
defective part.

3. Write a letter to the librarian of the District Library in your town asking for details regarding
membership. Also ask about the timings and rules and regulations of the library.You are Mohit
a resident of 455,civil Lines ,Ludhiana

Speech Writing:

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 SPEECH- A speech is a formal talk or discourse delivered to an audience to express
thought / opinions over a particular subject matter. The phrases or information used should be
contemporary, with accurate data, motivational words and phrases.

DISTRIBUTION OF MARKS
FORMAT 1 Mark
CONTENT- 2 Marks
EXPRESSION- 2 Marks

FURTHER BIRFURCATION OF EXPRESSION

(i) Grammatical accuracy, appropriate words and spellings- 1 MARK
(II) Coherence and relevance of ideas and style- 1 MARK

FORMAT
(i) Greeting/ Salutation/ Addressing the audience
(ii) Self introduction (Name and Designation) and introduction of the topic
(iii) Content
a. Facts about the topic-cause and effects of the issue
b. Data and examples/ real input
c. Conclusion by giving suggestions
(iv) Thanks giving to the audience –
'Thank you’
POINTS TO REMEMBER
• Part I – Introduction – define the topic
• Part II – Analyse the topic in terms of issue and its causes, consequences and effects etc.
• Part III – Conclusion – suggestions, remedial measures and steps for improvement.
• Make value points and develop them into paragraphs maintaining a logical order.
• Try to make a rough draft first.
• Mind the word limit.

● Begin with “Good morning to all of you. Today I am here to express my views on the
topic _________..
● The Present Tense is usually used when you write out a speech.
● Define the topic; give its causes, effects, the present state and remedial measures.
● Clarity, organization and systematic presentation of ideas are very important.
● Should be a coherent piece clearly stating a particular point of view. Divide the speech
into 3 to 4 paragraphs.
● Conclude by giving suggestions for improvement- hope for a better future.
● Time yourself.
● Conclude with Thank you.
How to Begin a Speech ?
Begin with greeting/ salutation and by addressing the audience

Style 1
Honourable Principal, teachers and my dear friends,Welcome to all in this healthy and
joyous morning.
I, ...(Name)....... of class XI wish to speak on a very important topic
of .....................................
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Style 2
Good morning to all,
I ............... (name) ............... present my views on ...............Please listen and try adopting in
your life
Style 3
Dear
audience, Good
morning to all.
Style 4
Honourable Principal, teachers and all my dear friends.
I am .....(Name)...............
It is a great honour for me to deliver a speech on the topic ...............
Style 5
Respected Principal, teachers, and my dear friends.
I am .....(Name)...............
It's a matter of great privilege for me to deliver a speech on the topic
...............
How to End/ Conclude ?

Therefore in the end, I would like to end my speech by strongly

supporting the idea that ...........................................................................
Thanks giving –
Thanks all for being so generous to listen to my views so attentively and
patiently.
OR
Thank you.

SAMPLE 1
You are Suresh / Shweta. You are worried about the hike in the prices of essential
commodities like LPG, pulses, vegetables, etc. Write a speech on this in about 125-150 words
for morning assembly
suggesting certain steps to curb inflation. (5 Marks)

Value Points
Introduction:
I Para: Good Morning all of you. Todays I Suresh / Shweta, am here to express my thoughts
on
..............
1. Present world is a difficult world for the common man due to rise in prices of essential
commodities.
– Impossible to make both ends meet
– The prices of domestic gas, petrol, pulses, vegetables, fruits etc sky rocketing
II Para: Causes
Drastic changes in economy lead to hike in prices of commodities
– Increase in the prices of petrol or diesel tends to effect the entire economic structure.
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– Motive of traders to earn more profits leads to black marketing / hoarding
– Then there is price rise
– Sometimes less supply, more demand
– Natural calamities
– Less monsoon are also the causes
III Para: Suggestions
– There should be check on price rise by state machinery
– Ban on hoarding / black marketing
– Such traders be behind the bars
– License should be cancelled
– Cooperative stores be opened
– Fair price shops required
– Strict supervision and monitoring be done by authorities concerned – Government should boost
the market of its own agricultural produce.

Writing a speech is very similar to writing an essay, a report, a letter or any type of writing.
But the difference is that your words are being HEARD not READ, the audience is a listener
not a reader so you only have one chance to get your message across.

SAMPLE 2
Q.1.Write a speech in 125-150 words on the topic, "Discipline shapes the future of a
student”.
It is to be delivered in the morning assembly. You are Karuna/Karan.

Respected Principal, teachers, and dear friends,

Today I, Karuna, am here to express my views on, "Discipline shapes the future of a
student." We are all aware of the fact that discipline is the key to success. Discipline should be
inculcated early in life. If we are disciplined in life we inculcate a sense of duty and obedience.
Let me give you an example to prove my point, every day we are assigned homework by our
teachers, if we are disciplined we complete the work within the stipulated time we get the
appreciation of our teachers and also do well in the examinations.
Discipline is essential in all walks of life. Right from the working of the Government of
the country to the ordinary farmer who tills his field all follow discipline. It is the bed rock of
character. Absence of it leads to chaos and confusion. Imagine a day on the road when people
do not follow the traffic rules. Can you imagine the utter chaos it will lead to! So discipline is
essential in running the society smoothly.
A person can reach the pinnacles of glory by following discipline. It acts as a restraint
and at the same time builds self-confidence. Moreover, it balances the personality of a person
and inculcates good work ethics.

Q.2-The sports In-charge of your school has asked you to deliver a speech on The Value
of Games and Sports in life in the morning assembly. Draft a speech in about in (125-150)
words.

Respected Principal, worthy Teachers, and my dear friends. Today I am going to

express my views on the values of Games and Sports in our life.

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Sports is a natural instinct in man. It is the most ancient and most natural means of recreation
and fitness for him. Besides being the best means of health and fitness, it is the surest way to
kill boredom and stress in modern day life.
Games and sports help people build their physical stamina and mental agility and raise their
level of endurance. Sports persons usually live healthier and longer as compared to
someone who practises no sports or takes little exercise. Since games and sports promote
healthy competition, they instil in one the spirit of excellence, goal setting and target
achievement. In turn it boosts one’s confidence and teaches one to accept victory and
defeat as they come.
A lot of pride and patriotism is associated with games and sports in the international sports
competitions which bring people of different nationalities and races closer and thus foster greater
international tolerance, understanding, interaction and appreciation. Sports persons live for honour
for themselves and their countries and learn to recognize and appreciate talent in others.
Many sports persons have iconic status and earn millions of dollars in sporting fee and
endorsement contracts. They are role models for millions of youth worldwide who treat their
favourite sports persons as their heroes or even demi-gods. People admire sports persons
more than political leaders, scientists or even actors.
Now friends, which sports are you going to do from today onwards? Wishing you
excellence in your desired sports.
Thank you!

Q.3. Peer pressure is useful for the development of an individual. If there is no peer
pressure at all then there would be no goal or aim to succeed. Write a speech on the topic
‘Is Peer Pressure Beneficial or Not?’ to be delivered on account of the Children’s Day
celebration in your school. (125-150words)
Answer:Respected Principal Sir, honourable teachers, and my dear friends, on the
occasion of Children’s Day, I am going to present my views on the topic ‘Is peer pressure
beneficial or not?’ Peer pressure is beneficial as long as we know our limits. It is all upto us to
be so strong, so firm, so unshakable, and filled with conviction of not going on the wrong
track.
Peer pressure is not always bad. Peers may teach you good habits and encourage you to
follow them. Looking at what others do can help you bring a positive change in your way of
thinking. The peers, their choices, and ways of life give you a glimpse of the world outside the
four walls of your house. What they think about things in life, how they perceive situations,
how they react in different circumstances can actually expose you to the world around them.
Being part of a larger group of peers exposes you to the diversity in human behaviour. This
makes you reflect on your behaviour and know where you stand. Peer pressure can lead you to
make the right choices in life.
Peer pressure can, thus, influence the shaping of your personality in a positive way.
Moreover, it’s not pressuring every time, sometimes it’s an inspiration, which makes you
change for good. Thank you.

● Several Environment Activists have recently stopped several development projects due to
their impact on the environment. Progress will naturally result in some destruction and
harm. As Geeta/ Girish write a Speech to be delivered in the assembly on how both
might be possible. (125-150 words)
SPEECH

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 Development Projects: Impact on Environment
Suggested value points:
Introduction:
Present status and analysis of the current situation
Progress important
Development essential to cater to human needs
Seems destruction/imbalance will occur Solution:
Try sustainable methods
Progress should be with social responsibility
Long term development should promote replenishing measures

● Yoga unites the body, mind and soul. When you are in harmony, the journey
through life is calmer, happier and more fulfilling.. Write a
speech in 150-200 words to be delivered in the morning assembly
on the topic ' Yoga- a way of life'. You are Karan/ Kajal, Head Boy
/Head Girl of D.A.V. Public School, Delhi Suggested value points:
• What is yoga?
• Present status
• Celebration of International Yoga Day
• What is the need to practise?
• When and how to practise
• Various yoga postures
• Benefits of Yoga
• Conclusion
PRACTICE QUESTIONS:

Question 1- Narcotics Control Bureau is organizing a declamation contest in your school as part
of observance of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Write a speech
in 125-150 words on the topic” Youth and Drug Abuse”.

Question 2- On the occasion of Teacher’s Day you have to speak on the role of teachers in
Student’s life in modern times. Draft your speech in about 125-150 words.

Question 3- You are Suraj/Sandhya of Gargi Senior Secondary School Delhi. Games and
Sports should be made compulsory in schools. Write a speech for morning assembly on the
Importance of Games and Sports in Personality Development in about 125-150 words.

Question 4- Women’s magazine Femina is organizing a declamation contest in your

school on the occasion-of International Women’s Day. Your teacher has selected you to
participate in the competition and asked you to prepare a speech on the topic “Empowerment
of Women”. Draft a speech in about 125-150 words.

Question 5- In recent times there has been a sudden proliferation of tuitions and coaching
centers. Are they relevant and useful? Are they a blot on our education system? What are
your views? Express your views in form of the speech 125-150 words.

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 GRAMMAR (4 MARKS)
A) DETERMINERS
INTRODUCTION
Study the sentences given below.
1. She wants to be a doctor.
2. This apple is rotten.
3. He has little sense.
4. Have you read any play of Kalidas?
5. Every boy was given a prize.
In the above sentences “a, this, little, any, every” are known as determiners.
DEFINITION
Words that modify in some manner the nouns with which they are used are called
determiners. They are also called fixing words.
TYPES OF DETERMINERS
1. Article determiners.
2. Demonstrative determiners.
3. Possessive determiners.
4. Numeral determiners.
5. Quantitative determiners.
GENERAL RULES REGARDING USUAGE OF DETERMINERS
1. Article determiners: A, AN, THE
Rule 1:- A is used with that singular noun which starts with a consonant sound . The
noun used may start either with a vowel alphabet or a consonant one.
- A book, A cow
- A European girl, A unique building
- A one – eyed man, a one – rupee note
Rule 2 :- An is used with that singular noun that starts with vowel sound.
- An apple, An egg, An inkpot - An hour, An honest man - An M.A., An M.P.
Rule 3:- The is used with any particular person, place or thing.
- The girl who came here is my cousin.
- The apples in our garden are very sweet. - Bring me the pen lying on the table.
2. DEMONSTRATIVE DETERMINERS :- This, That, These, Those.
Rule 1:- This and That are used with singular noun, These and Those are used with
plural noun.
Rule 2:- This and These classify for things that are near. That and Those classify for
things that are far away.
- This purse is mine.

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 - That purse is hers.
- These books are ours.
- Those books are yours.
-
3. POSSESSIVE DETERMINERS :- My, Our, Your, His, Her, Its, Their, One’s.
These are pronouns of possessive case. These are used before singular and plural
nouns and show their relationship with them.
My mother, Our school, Your brother, His toys, Their houses, One’s duty

4. NUMERAL DETERMINERS :- These are numeral adjectives and these are of three types.
a) Definite numerals :- One, Two, Three etc.
First, Second, Third etc.
She has two sons.
The second boy in the fifth row is my brother.

b) Indifinite Numerals :- These show uncertain quantity .

- Some :- It is used with singular and plural noun.
There are some people in the park.
- Many :- It is used with common noun plural number.
Many boys are absent today.
- Many a :- It is used with countable noun singular number.
Many a flower fades unseen.
- Few, A few, The few.
Few means a small number which is less than
requirement. I have bought few books.
- A few :- A few means according to the requirement.
I have bought a few books.
- The few :- The few means a particular small quantity talked about. I have
read the few books I have.
- All :- It is used with plural noun.
He gave all the money to the poor.
c) Distributive Numerals :- These are distributive adjectives.
- Each :- It is used for every one from a certain quantity. Each boy gets a prize.
- Every :- It means all.
Every man dies.
- Either:- It means any one from the two things.
Either pen can serve the purpose.
- Neither :- It means no one from the two things.
Neither news is true.

5. QUANTITATIVE DETERMINERS :- Some, any, no, much, more, little.

These are adjectives of quantity.
- Some :- It is used with uncountable noun, it means a little, a small quantity. Some
books are missing from the library.
- Any :- It is used with negative or interrogative sentences.
He has hardly any sense.

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 Is not there any person in the house?
- No :- It means nothing.
She has no manners.
- Much :- It is used with uncountable noun.
I have much to gain.
- More :- It means of greater quantity.
Will you give him more money?
- Less :- It means a smaller degree. It is opposite of much.
As he was cautious, he had less problem.
- Little :- It means not much, less than requirement.
There is little hope of his success.
- A little :- It means a small quantity according to the requirement.
Will you stay here a little longer?
- The little :- It means not much, but all that is.
He has spent the little money he had.
- A many :- It is used with countable noun.
He has many friends.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. She is ________ European girl.

a) An b. A c. The d. Some
2. His uncle is ________ M.P
a) An b. The c.A d. Any
3. I like ________ apples of Kashmir.
a) The b. A c. An d.
4. ________ bags are ours. Some
a) This b. That c. These d. Each
5. One should do _____________ duty.
a) Our b. Their c. One’s d. Her
6. There are ________ people gathered there.
a) All b. Many c. Every d. Much
7. I have bought ________ books. These are sufficient for my study.
a) Few b. A few c. The few d. Much
8. You can write by using ________a pen or a pencil.
a) Either b. Neither c. Each d. Every
9. I want ________ tea nor coffee.
a) Neither b. Either c. Each d. Every
10. ________ boy from this group got a prize.
a) Each b. Many c. Few d. Much
11. There is ________ water in the bucket.
a) Many b. Some c. All d. The few
12. Does your cow give ________ milk?
a) Many b.Much c. Many a d. A less
13. ________ man was absent from the meeting.
a. Many b. Many a c. Much d.Few
14. Lets go for ________ walk.

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 a) Little b. A little c. A few d.The
15. He has ________ influence on his daughter. little
a) Little b. A little c. The little 16. I d. The
have two books. You can take ________. few
a) Either b. Several c. Many d. Some
17. I like ________ valleys of Himachal Pradesh.
a) The b. A c. An d. Any
18. These chocolates are mine. _______ chocolates are yours.
a) Those b. This c. These d. That
19. He has not ________ book on Mathematics.
a) Some b. Any c. Many d. Much
20. She has _______ manners.
a) No b.Many c. Any d. The
little

ANSWER KEY
1. A 6. B 11. B 16. A
2. A 7. B 12. B 17. A
3. A 8. A 13. B 18. A
4. C 9. A 14. B 19. B
5. C 10. A 15. A 20. A

EXERCISE FOR PRACTICE

1. I asked my mother for ________ money to buy a ticket.
2. Do not you have ________ friends in the other section?
3. Read the letter again to see that there are _______ mistakes.
4. She devotes ________ time to her study.
5. As he is not cautious, he has ________ problems.
6. Bring me ________ cup lying on the table.
7. He gave his friend ________ the toys.
8. He is ________ M.A. in English.
9. It is raining outside please take ________ umbrella.
10. If there is ________ danger call me.
11. ________ blue car belongs to my uncle.
12. Would you like to stay here ________ longer?
13. He is ________ honest man.
14. ________ apple a day keeps the doctor away.
15. He has________ beautiful paintings.

B) TENSES
INTRODUCTION: Read the following sentences:
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1. I cook this dish to please you.
2. I cooked this dish to please you.
3. I shall cook another dish tomorrow.
In sentence 1, the Verb cook refers to present time.
In sentence 2, the Verb cooked refers to past time.
In sentence 3, the Verb shall cook refers to future
time. Thus, a Verb may refer
(1) to present time, (2) to past time, or (3) to future time. Definition: Tense is defined as
the form of verb that gives the relation between Time and Action.

CLASSIFICATION OF TENSES:
There are three tenses.
(i) Present Tense
(ii) Past Tense
(iii) Future Tense

Each tense has four forms. Study the chart given below to understand more about all tenses
and their forms.

TENSE
PRESENT PAST FUTURE
Indefinite Indefinite Indefinite
Continuous Continuous Continuous
Perfect Perfect Perfect
Perfect Continuous Perfect Continuous Perfect Continuous

PRESENT TENSE

Present Indefinite Tense (Also Called Simple Present

Tense): This tense is used in the following ways.

(i) It is mainly used to express habitual action, habit or custom.e.g.

(a) I watch television on Sunday.
(b) She gets up every morning at 6 o'clock.
(c) He walks in the evening.
(d) My shop opens at 9 o'clock.
(e) I take exercise every morning.

(ii) To talk about a general or universal truth.e.g.

(a) Earth revolves around the Sun.
(b) The Sun rises in the East.
(c) The Sun sets in the West.
(d) Two and two makes four.
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(e) Honesty is the best policy.

(iii) To indicate a future event which is part of a plan or arrangement.e.g.

(a) The school reopens next week.
(b) The examination commences next month.

(iv) To introduce quotations with the verb 'says'. e.g.

(a) Newton says, "Every action has an equal and an opposite
reaction." (b) Keats says, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

(v) Vivid narration, as a substitute for the simple past.e.g.

Ravana fights bravely but he is killed in the end.

(vi) Exclamatory sentences that begin with here or there.e.g.

(a) Here you go!
(b) There he goes!

(vii) Time clauses and conditional clauses in place of simple future.e.g.

(a) If you do not earn money, you will not buy the house.
(b) If you do not work hard, you will fail.

Rules for Affirmative Sentences

• Singular subject + first form of verb + s/es +.......
• Plural subject + first form of verb+........... e.g . (a) They play cricket in
the ground.
(b) She cooks food in the evening.
(c) Water boils at 100°C.
(d) We study in ABC institution.
(e) She advises me not to smoke.

Rules for Negative Sentences

• Singular subject + does not + first form of verb +.........
• Plural subject + do not + first form of verb +... e.g. (a) Reena does
not watch television.
(b) We do not smoke.
(c) She does not write a letter to her friend.
(d) They do not like to swim.

Rules for Interrogative Sentences

• Do/does + subject + first form of verb +?
• Question word + do/does + subject + first form of verb+….? e.g. (a) Do you
play cricket?
(b) Does she wash clothes?
(c) Does he not go to school daily?
(d) Why do you weep now?
(e) Whose book do you read?
(f) Whom do you teach?

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(g) Which subject does Garima not want to read?
(h) Who teaches you English? (i) Why do you not complete your homework?

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Present Continuous Tense: This tense is used in the following ways.
(i) To describe an action in progress of the action.e.g. (a) She is playing tennis
(b) We are watering the plants.
(c) The passengers are wandering to and fro.
(ii) An action that is not happening at the time of speaking but is in
progress. e.g. (a) He is working in an MNC (b) I am teaching in a school.
(c) They are studying in DN college.
(iii) An action that has been pre-arranged to take place in the near future.e.g. (a)
The wedding is going to take place on Sunday (b) I am going to attend the class
tomorrow.
(iv) Persistent and undesirable habit, especially with adverbs like always,
continually, constantly. e.g. (a) You are always running me down. (b) He is
constantly gazing me Rules for Affirmative Sentences
• Singular subjects/am first form of verb + ing+…….
• Plural subject are first form of verb+ ing+
• I am first form of verb+ ing+… e.g.
(a) I am playing a
game (b) She is reading a
book (c) We are going to
Shimla.

Rules for Negative Sentences

• Singular subject+is+not+first form of verb+ ing+……
• Plural subject are not first form of verb+ ing+……
• I +am +not +first form of verb+ ing+……. e.g.
(a) Ram is not surfing the internet.
(b) They are not watching a movie.
(c) I am not swimming in the water

Rules for Interrogative Sentences

• Is/are/am + subject + first form of verb + ing + ...?
• Question word + is/are/am + subject + first form of verb + ing+.......? e.g.
(a) Is Reena cooking the food?
(b) Are you not writing a letter?
(c) What is Raveena doing here?
(d) Which newspaper are you buying?

Exceptions for Present Continuous Tense

The following verbs are not normally used in present continuous tense, on account of their meaning.

• Verbs of perception or senses, e.g. see, hear, smell, notice, recognise etc.

• Verbs of appearance, e.g. appear, look, seem etc.

• Verbs of thinking, e.g. think, suppose, believe, agree, consider, forget, know, imagine, mean
etc.

• Verbs of emotion, e.g. want, wise, desire, feel, love, prefer etc. • have, own, possess, be
 (except when used in the passive).
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Present Perfect Tense

This tense is used in the following ways.

(i) To express an action that has recently been completed.e.g.

(a) She has just taken tea.
(b) I have purchased a book.
(c) They have won the match.
(d) He has come now.

(ii) To describe an action whose time is not given. e.g.

(a) Have you done M.Sc in Maths?
(b) Have you read Shakespeare.

(iii) To describe past events whose effects still exist. e.g. I have finished my work and
now I am free.

(iv) To describe actions that started in the past and continuing until now and possibly
into the future.
e.g. I have already used this brand of soap.

(v) To show how a past situation relates to the present.

e.g. I've done my homework, so I can help you with yours now.

Rules for Affirmative Sentences

• Singular subject + has + third form of verb +.......
• Plural subject + have + third form of verb +…….. e.g.
(a) She has gone to the market.
(b) I have met her.
(c) They have bathed.
(d) It has become dark now.

Rules for Negative Sentences

• Singular subject + has + not + third form of verb +……
• Plural subject + have + not + third form of verb + …… e.g.
(a) I have not called him.
(b) The train has not gone.

Rules for Interrogative Sentences

• Has/have + subject + third form of verb +.....?
• Question word + has/have + subject + third formof verb +......... ? e.g.
(a) Has she gone to Delhi?

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(b) Have they not seen the Taj Mahal yet?
(c) What have they eaten today?
(d) Why has the peon not come yet?

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense is used in the following ways.

(i) To describe an action that began in the past and is still

continuing. e.g.
(a) They have been staying in the village for a long
time. (b) It has been raining since last night.

(ii) To express an action already completed, but whose effect is still

continuing. e.g. I have been running around for the job all day and am now tired.

Rules for Affirmative Sentences

• Singular subject + has been + first form of verb + ing ++ for/since +.......
• Plural subject + have + been + first form of verb + ing +……+ for/since +........
e.g.
(a) Arpit has been sleeping since 3
o'clock (b) They have been running for three
hours.

Rules for Negative Sentences

• Singular subject + has + not + been + first form of verb + ing+ + for/since +..
• Plural subject + have + not + been + first form of verb+ ing+ + for/since +......
e.g. You have not been suffering from fever for one week.

Rules for Interrogative Sentences

• Have/has + subject + been + first formofverb + ing+……+ since/for +…..?
• Question word + has/have + subject + been + first form of verb + ing+
since/for+….? e.g.
(a) Have you been sleeping since 8 o'clock?
(b) Has he not been living in this house for a long time?
(c) Why have they been playing football since morning?

TIP: We use the Simple Present Tense to describe events that happen in succession, like
cricket commentaries, demonstrations of an experiment or asking for and giving instructions.
However, the Present Progressive Tense is used for changing and developing situations e.g.
Rates of packaged foodstuffs are going up.

PAST TENSE

Past Indefinite Tense (also called Simple Past Tense)

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 This tense is used in the following ways

(i) To indicate an action that happened in the past and to report completed actions. It is
used often in recounts and narratives. e.g.
(a) We closed the shop at 8 pm.
(b) She met me last year.
(c) visited the Taj Mahal three months earlier.

(ii) To indicate past habits or repeated events that are now

over. e.g.
(a) In those days, my mother gave me some pocket money every
day. (b) I always rode a bike to school when I was young.

(iii) The habitual past can also be expressed by using used

to. e.g.
(a) She used to drink tea in the morning.
(b) My grandfather used to read a few chapters of the Gita every day.

(iv) Sometimes this tense is used without an adverb of time. In such cases, the time
may be either implied or indicated by the context. e.g. I learnt Punjabi in Chandigarh.

(v) To indicate another action which happened in the middle of a longer action. e.g.
The light went out while I was watching my favourite TV serial.

Rule for Affirmative Sentences

• Subject + second form of verb+......
e.g.
(a) I played football in the ground.
(b) She sung a song in the party.

Rule for Negative Sentences

• Subject + did not + first form of verb
+..... e.g.
(a) I did not attend the function.
(b) They did not watch television

Rules for Interrogative Sentences

• Did + subject + first form of verb +....?
• Question word + did + subject + first form of verb +........? e.g.
(a) Did you play a game?
(b) Why did she abuse her friends?
(c) When did father go to office?
(d) Why did Supriya not speak the truth?

Past Continuous Tense

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 This tense is used in the following ways

(i) To indicate an action that was happening at some time in the past. The time of action
may or may not be indicated.
e.g. We were watching TV the whole evening.

(ii) Used with always, continually etc for persistent habits in the past. e.g. He was always
sulking.

(iii) The past continuous is also used for an action that was going on during a given period
or at a period of time in the past.
e.g. While Rohan was filling in the hole, his dog was digging another.

Rules for Affirmative Sentences

• Singular subject + was+ first form of verb + ing+.....
• Plural subject + were + first form of verb + ing+...... e.g.
(a) They were making a noise.
(b) She was driving her car.

Rules for Negative Sentences

• Singular subject+ was+ not+ first form of verb +ing +.......
• Plural subject + were + not + first form of verb +ing +..... e.g.
(a) She was not singing a song.
(b) They were not eating mangoes
Rules for Interrogative Sentences
• Was/were + subject + first form of verb + ing+.....?
• Question word + was/were + subject + first form of verb+ ing+.....? e.g.
(a) Were you eating a mango?
(b) When were the milkmen milking the cow?
(c) Why was the blind boy crying?

Past Perfect Tense

This tense is used in the following ways.

(i) To indicate an action that was completed before a definite time or before another
action that took place in the past. e.g.
(a) Manish reached here after you had gone.
(b) The patient had died before the doctor reached him.

(ii) It indicates desires in the past that have not been fulfilled. e.g. I
wish I had not wasted my time.

(iii) It expresses those conditions of the past that were impossible to

fulfill. e.g. If you had questioned him earlier, things would have
improved.

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 Rule for Affirmative Sentences
• Subject + had + third form of verb +.......
e.g. He had cooked the food.

Rule for Negative Sentences

• Subject + had + not + third form of verb +..
e.g. They had not attended the function.

Rule for Interrogative Sentences

• Had + subject + third form of verb +.....? e.g.
(a) Had she watched a movie?
(b) Why had you not gone to Delhi?

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense is used in the following way

(i) It indicates an action which began in the past and continued to a certain point of time
in the past. e.g.
(a) When we met in Lucknow, she had been studying city college for 3
years. (b) At that time, he had been working in the company for two months.

Rule for Affirmative Sentences

• Subject + had been + first form of verb +ing +......+ since/for
+..... e.g.
(a) You had been suffering from fever since Tuesday.
(b) I had been studying for three hours.

Rule for Negative Sentences

• Subject + had + not + been + first form of verb + ing+.....+since/for+........?
e.g. They had not been going to office since 5th July.

Rules for Interrogative Sentences

• Had + subject + been + first form of verb + ing+......+ since/for +....?
• Question word + had + subject + been + first form of verb + ing
+........since/for+.....? e.g.
(a) Had you not been reading the book since morning?
(b) Where had he been playing since morning?

FUTURE TENSE

Future Indefinite Tense (also called Simple Future Tense)

This tense is used in the following ways

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 (i) To say what we believe or think will happen in
future. e.g.
(a) I believe she will join the
office (b) They will go to college.
(c) We shall win the match tomorrow.

(ii) Things which we cannot control and are factual. e.g. The Sun will
rise at 6.00 AM

(iii) To indicate an instant decision.

e.g. It is our first marriage anniversary, I shall give you a precious gift

Rules for Affirmative Sentences

• You/He/She/lt/They (Second and Third Person Pronouns) + will+ first form
of verb +....
• I/We (First Person Pronouns) + shall + first form of verb+........ e.g.
(a) He will sell his house.
(b) I shall purchase a new car

Rules for Negative Sentences

• You/He/She/it/They (Second and Third Person Pronouns) + will +not+ first
form of verb
+......
• I/We (First Person Pronouns) + shall+ not+ first form of verb....... e.g.
(a) We shall not leave the exams.
(b) My friend will not host dinner this evening.

Rules for Interrogative Sentences

• Will/shall+ subject + first form of verb +......?
• Question word + will/shall + subject + first form of verb+.......? e.g.
(a) Will she not come in the party?
(b) Who will help him?
(c) Why will your friend not come here?

Future Continuous Tense

This tense is used in the following ways

(i) To indicate an action that will occur in the normal

course. e.g
(a) She will be cooking the food tomorrow.
(b) I will be meeting him tomorrow.

(ii) To indicate an action that will be in progress at a given point of time in the
future. e.g.

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 (a) At this time tomorrow, we shall be attending the
party (b) We shall be visiting the zoo at this time tomorrow.

Rules for Affirmative Sentences

• You/He/She/lt/They (Second and Third Person Pronouns) + will + be first form
of verb+
ing+.....
• I/We (First Person Pronouns) shall be first form of verb+ ing+ ..... e.g.
(a) I shall be teaching my students.
(b) Next year my teacher will be going to China.

Rules for Negative Sentences

• You/He/She/lt/They [Second and Third Person Pronouns) +will+ not + be+ first
form of verb +ing+.....
• I/We (First Person Pronouns) + shall +not +be +first form of verb+ ing+.... e.g.
(a) They will not be studying in city college.
(b) I shall not be bathing this evening.

Rules for Interrogative Sentences

• Will/shall + subject + be +first form of verb + ing+......?
• Question word + will/shall subject+ be+ first form of verb + ing+.....? e.g.
(a) Will this boy be wandering in the forest?
(b) How long will they be travelling?.

Future Perfect Tense

This tense is used to describe an action which will be completed at some point of time in
the future. e.g.
(a) I shall have finished this work by tomorrow.
(b) They will have reached home by now.
(c) I shall have reached the school before the bell rings.

Rules for Affirmative Sentences

• You/He/ She/It/They (Second and Third Person Pronouns+ will +have +third
form of
verb +....
• I/We (First Person Pronouns) + shall + have + third form of verb +...... e.g.
(a) We shall have cooked the food by the evening.
(b) Your examination will have been over by Tuesday.

Rules for Negative Sentences

• You/He/She/it/They (Second and Third Person Pronouns) + will + not + have +
third form of verb +....
• I/We (First Person Pronouns) + shall + not + have + third form of verb +..... e.g.
(a) I shall not have written the letter by noon.

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(b) The passengers will not have reached the station before the train starts. (c)
Your brother will not have read this novel before next Saturday.

Rules for Interrogative Sentences

• Will/shall+ subject+ have+ third form of verb+......?
• Question word + will/shall + subject have third form of verb+....? e.g.
(a) Will he not have gone before I reach?
(b) What will he have eaten before he sleep?

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense is used in the following way

(i) It describes an action that will be in progress over a period of time that will end in the
future. e.g.
(a) At noon Anuradha will have been singing songs for an hour.
(b) I will have been working round the clock for twenty two years next April.

Rules for Affirmative Sentences

• You/He/She/it/They (Second and Third Person Pronouns)+ will + have + been + first
form of verb + ing+.....
• I/We (First Person Pronouns) + shall + have been + first form of verb + ing+.......
eg. By next April we shall have been leaving for the USA.

Rules for Negative Sentences

• You/He/She/it/They (Second and Third Person Pronouns) + will + not + have + been +
first form of verb + ing+.....
• I/We (First Person Pronouns) + shall + not + have + been+ first form of verb +
ing+......
eg.
(a) I shall not have been writing for half an hour.
(b) Mahima will not have been going to Kanpur for a long time.

Rules for Interrogative Sentences

• Will/shall + subject + have + been + first form of verb + ing+.....?
• Question word + will/shall + subject + have + been + first form of verb + ing+?
e.g.
(a) Will she have been playing for some time?
(b) Why will you not have been going to school since & clock?

TIP: BE CAREFUL! This tense is not commonly used.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

Choose the correct form of tense from the given option.

1. I am attempting the Civil Services exam coming up, so I.......... studying hard these
days.

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a) am b) is c) are d) will
2. I.......... my MBA bythe time you return from abroad.
a) will be passing b) will have passed c) is passing
d) was passed
3.A small boy ............ from the train when it was moving at full speed.
a) was felled b) were falling c) fell d) was falling
4. Can you speak louder please, I.......... hearyou.
a) are not b) am not c) cannot d) will not
5. My grandfather will ................ at home by now.
a) has arrived b) arrived c) be arriving d) have arrived
6. Indians........... a long strugglebefore they...... independence.
a) had fought, attained b) fought, attained c) had fought, had attained d)
fought, had attained
7. My grandmother.......... a walking stickwhen she goes out for a walk.
a) will carried b) carries c) carrying d) carried
8. Anita .......... her finger while she was cooking.
a) burning b) burn c) burnt d) was burning
9. The train........... from Rajkotby 10 PM.
a) will be left b) will have leave c) will leave d) leaving
10. Shashi isn't at home. She ...........out shopping withour father.
a) is b) are c) am d) was
11. The other employees had already left the office but Kanika ..............there.
a) still worked b) was still working c) was still worked d) were still
working
12. I will .......... this taskat this time tomorrow.
a) completes b) had completed c) be completing d) have completed
13.My widower uncle often.......... to our house for lunch on Sundays.
a) coming b) come c) will coming d) comes
14.We saw a bus fallen into a ditch when we .......... to Mussoorie.
a) goes b) were going c) was going d) went
15. The building contractor........... my new house by next month.
a) will finished b) will have finished c) will finishing d) would finished
16. Since he changed his job, he .......... moretime to relax and enjoy his hobby.
a) found b) has found c) have found d) founded
17. While I .............. for my bus Rachita was running after hers.
a) wait b) waits c) waited d) was
18. I think that tomorrow Ramita........... on her new project. waiting
a) starts b) started c) is starting d) will start
19. My class teacher............ a lot of homework for the coming summer holidays.
a) assigned b) probably assigning c) will probably assign d) probably
assigned
20. The entertainment programme ........... by now.
a) will end b) will have ended c) would be ended d) ended

21. I feel proud of my team as it............ very well.

a) performed b) is performed c) performing performs d) has
22. The farmer sold the crop after he ............... it.

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 a) harvests b) has harvested c) had harvested d)
harvesting
23. Look! They...........and........... their time.
a) gossip, while away b)are gossiping, whiling away
c) gossiped, whiled away d) had gossiped, whiled away
24. The train........... before we reached the station.
a) departs b) departed c) had departed d) departing
25.An apple a day...........the doctor away.
a) keeps b) is keeping c) kept d) was keeping

ANSWERS OF MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. a) am 2. b) will have passed 3. c) fell 4. c) cannot 5. d) have arrived

6. a) had fought, attained 7. b) carries 8. c) burnt 9. c) will
leave 10.a) is 11. b) was still working 12.d) have completed 13.d) comes 14.
b) were going 15.b) will have finished 16.b) has found 17.d) was waiting 18.d)
will start 19.c) will probably assign 20.b) will have ended 21.a) performed
22.c) had harvested 23.b) are gossiping, whiling 24.c) had departed
25.a) keeps
PRACTICE EXERCISE

Choose the correct form of tense from the given options.

1. Majid, my best friend,......... in Kanpur for the last five years.
a) staying b) stay c) stayed d) had staying
2. Now Nikhil.......... to move to a bigger city for a better job.
a) wanted b) had wanted c) will want d) wanting

3. Mummy, tell Papa that his phone........... while he........... his bath.
a) was ringing, was having b) were ringing, was having
c) rings, had d) rang, has
4. The famous Dr Prahlad......... on my uncle tomorrow to remove his tumour.
a) operated b) operating c) will operate d) had operated
5. Savita.......... to temple every Monday.
a) is going b) had going c) gone d) goes
6. Sarla's mother............. (stay) in a rented house after her divorce gets through.
a) stays b) stayed c) will stay d) staying
7. Kritika............ her left ankle bone while she ........... at the party.
a) breaks, is dancing b) broke, was dancing
c) will break, danced d) broken, was dancing
8. Tailor Master, are the clothes I .......... for stitching ready yet?
a) give b) has given c) gives d) gave
9. Parveen...........a letter to me since last year.
a) has not written b) had not written c) was not writing d) will not write
10. Teachers,as effective facilitators ,.......... a crucial role in ensuring the holistic
development of students.
a) played b) playing c) play d) plays

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 C) REORDERING OF SENTENCES
Jumbled words or sentences
If you describe things or ideas as jumbled you mean that they are mixed up and not in
order. Solving Jumbled words/sentences just means arranging them in correct grammatical and
meaningful order according to the rules of sentence formation/grammar
Subject + verb + object
Re arrange the Jumbled words/sentences in proper order to make them
meaningful.

Reordering of sentences
1.For/years/have/working/three/I/been/in/firm/this
2.lost/you/me/I/pen/the/have/gave
3.river/the/the/Ganges/holiest/India/of/is
4.In/ accident/right/broke/an/his/he/leg.
5. Shimla/winter/went/we/during/to/holidays
6. was/child/lighted/match/the/a/holding
7. Thieves/catching/are/policemen/now a days
8.request you/I might/full-free studentship/me/to grant
9. neigbhour/is/photographer/a /our/good/very
10. bad/a /very/had/I/dream/night/last
11.market/here/from/far/is/vegetable/The/not
12.the/hands/we shook/with/host
13.than/better/is/a/Ram/you/player/think/I
14.Pain/the/have/shoulder/in/I
15. I have/a/an/hour/half/and/for lunch
16.You/I/hundred/week/shall/pay/a/a/rupees
17. no/hard/alternative/is/to/work/there.
18. Morning/for/have/they/waiting/been/since/you.
19. her/regular/she/in/is/studies/very/not. 20. bullet/the/the/him/struck/in/foot/enemy’s.

Answers
1. I have been working in this firm for three years.
2. I have lost the pen you gave me.
3. The Ganges is the holiest river of the India 4. He broke his right leg in an
accident.
5. We went to shimla during winter holidays.
6. The child was holding a lighted match.
7. Now a days The policemen are catching thieves.
8. I might request you to grant me full-free studentship.
9. Our neighbor is a very good photographer.
10. I had a very bad dream last night.
11. The vegetable market is not far from here.
12. We shook hands with the host.
13. I think Ram is a better player than you.
14. I have pain in the shoulder.
15. I have an hour and a half for lunch.
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16. I shall pay you a hundred rupees a week.
17. There is no alternative to hard work.
18. They have been waiting for you since morning.
19. She is not very regular in her studies.
20. The enemy’s bullet struck him in the foot.
Exercise for practice
1.believed in/people of India/the sacredness of/have traditionally/wild life.
2.It /is/life/we/what/make.
3.the/on/forests /the/industry/oil/depends.
4.the/Indian/English/exploited/the/farmers.
5.Pay/the/had to/poor farmers/high taxes/very.
6.compaigned/birds/he/caged/free/to
7.to/her/first/Sudha/stand/hard/class/is/studying/in
8.he/stepped out/had/hardly/it began/when/to rain.
9. has taught/teacher/the/this/you/lesson.
10.Bimla/her/husband/that/told/a coward/he/was.
11. On my bicycle/to/go/I used to/my school.
12. boy/each/was punished/of the class/yesterday.
13. The few /rupees/I had/I have/spent already.
14. Exploiting/man/been/the/years/has/earth/for.
Transformation of Sentences (MCQ)
1. When the headmaster entered the class a student ______________ on the
blackboard.
(a) Was writing b.is writing c.wrote d.writer
2. He always ________to prove that the earth revolves round the sun.
(a) Tries b.tried c.is trying d.was trying
3. He speaks too fast to be followed.
a.He speaks very fast that everyone can follow b.He speaks so fast that no
one can follow
c.He speaks so fasting that no one can follow 4.
I always love my country
(a) I do not love my country b.I never hate my country
(b) I hate my country c.I never love my country
5. Everybody was present
(a) Everybody was not present b.Nobody was absent
c.Nobody is present d.Everybody was present
6. Who does not love wealth
(a) Everybody loves wealth b.Some person love wealth
c.Nobody loves wealth 7. d.None of these
What a wise man you are !
(a) You are very wise man b.You are not dull
c.You are very dull man d.None of these
8. He is so small that he cannot go alone
(a) He is too small to go alone b.He is very small to go alone
c.He is not small to go alone d.He is too small not to go alone
9. The son is wiser than father
(a) The son is as wise as father b.His father is as wise as the son

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 c.His father is so wise as the son d.His father is not so wise as the
son
10. Running is the best exercise
(a) Running is better exercise than other exercise b.No other exercise is as good as
running
c.Running is not so good as other exercise d.Running is as good as
other exercise
11.We hope that father __________soon.
(a) will come (b) come (c) would come (d) is
coming
12. Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
(a) Everest is the lowest mountain in the world.
(b) Everest is the deepest mountain in the world
(c) Everest is not the lowest mountain in the world
13. choose the correct sentence
(a) I am going away in the end of the month. (b) I am going away on the end
the month of
(c) I am going away with the end of the month (d) I am going away at the end
the month of
14. He is so foolish that he cannot understand you
(a) he is very foolish to understand you. (b) he is too foolish to
you. understand
(c) he is much foolish to understand you. (d) he is not foolish to
understand
you.
15. The train had left before I __________ the station.
(a) reached (b) reach (c ) was reaching (d) reaches
Transform the following sentences into Passive Voice. (MCQ)
16. We should not encourage indiscipline.
(a) Indiscipline should not encouraged by us. (b) Indiscipline could not be
encouraged by us.
(c) Indiscipline should not be encouraged by us. (d) It is us who should not
encourage indiscipline
17. We will not admit children under ten.
(a) Children under ten are not admitted by us. (b) Children under ten are not admitted.
(c) Children under ten will are not admitted. (d) Children under ten will not be
by us. admitted
18. We must listen to our teachers.
(a) Our teachers must be listened by us. (b) Our teachers must be listened to by
us.
(c) Teachers must be listened to by us. (d) Teachers must be listened to.
19. Mother looked after the boy.
(a) The boy was looked after by mother. (b) The boy was looked after by the
mother.
(c) The boy is looked after by mother. (d) The boy is looked after by a mother.
20. He taught me to read Persian.
(a) I was taught to read Persian. (b) I am being taught to read Persian by him.
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 (c) I was taught to read Persian by him. (d) I was taught to read Persian by her.
Direction: Transform the following sentences in Active voice.
21. She was sent an invitation by them.
(a) They sent her invitation. (b) They sent her an invitation.
(c) They send her an invitation. (d) They are sending her an invitation.
22. You will be served lunch on the plane by the cabin crew. (a) Lunch will be served to
you by the cabin crew.
(b) The cabin crew will be serving lunch to you on the plane.
(c) The cabin crew will serve lunch to you on plane.
(d) The cabin crew will serve lunch to you on the plane.
23. He was fined 1000 by the police for reckless driving.
(a) The police fined him 1000 for reckless driving.
(b) Police fined him 1000 for reckless driving.
(c) The police fined him 1000 for driving recklessly, (d) The police has fined him
1000 for driving recklessly.
24. You will be told your results next week by the school.
(a) Your results will be told to you next week by the school.
(b) Your result will be told to you next week by the school.
(c) The school will tell you your result next week.
(d) School will tell you your result next week
25.Rashi was scolded by the teacher for not completing her assignment. (a)
A teacher scolded Rashi for not completing her assignment.
(b) The teacher scolded Rashi for not completing the assignment.
(c) The teacher scolded Rashi for not completing the assignment. (d) A
teacher will scolded Rashi for her incomplete assignment.

ANSWER KEY
1 a 2 a 3 b 4 b 5 b

6 a 7 a 8 a 9 d 10 b

11 a 12 b 13 d 14 b 15 a

16 c 17 d 18 b 19 b 20 c

21 b 22 c 23 b 24 c 25 b

Exercise for Practice:

1. Mahabaleshwar is cooler than Mysore
A) Mahableshwar is as cool as Mysore b) Mysore is not as cool as Mahabaleshwar
c)Mysore is cooler than Mahabaleshwar d) None of these
2.No other boy in our class is as wise as Raman
a) Raman is the wisest boy in our class b) All boys are wiser than Raman in our
class
c)Some boys are wiser than Raman in our class d) None of these
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 3.I met a girl whose eyes are blue.
a)I met a girl in blue eyes b) I met a girl with blue eyes
c) I met a girl for blue eyes d) I met a girl having blue eyes
4.We can prove that our earth is round
a) The earth is round but we can prove it b) The earth is round and we can prove it
c) The earth is round or we can prove it d)None of these
5. That spectacle was very horrible that to be described
a) That spectacle was very horrible that to described
b) That spectacle was much horrible that it cannot be described
c) That spectacle was very horrible that it cannot be described
d) That spectacle was so horrible that it cannot be described
6.He is too weak to walk
a) He is so weak that he cannot walk b)He is so weak that he should
walk
c) He is so weak that he can walk d) none of these
7. Who does not know mahatma Gandhi
a) Everybody knows Mahatma Gandhi b) Nobody knows Mahatma
Gandhi
c) Everybody knows Mahatma Gandhi d) none of these
8.What a lovely shot
a) What is lovely shot b) That shot is very lovely c) It is a very lovely shot d)
none of these
9. What a lovely flower
a) What is lovely flower b) That flower is very lovely c) It is a very lovely flower
d) none of these
10.He says, “I don’t want to play any more
a) He says that he does not want to play any more b) He says that I do not want to play any more
c) He says that I didn’t want to play any more d)He says that he did not want to play any more

SECTION – C

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 LITERATURE
(15 MARKS)

Poem - 1 : “A Photograph” by Shirley Toulson

Introduction
The poem captures three different moods and situations in three stanzas. The first one
tells about a snapshot or an instant cardboard-photo of three girls. They are cousins. The eldest
one,12 years old, became the mother of the poetess after marriage. They are enjoying a sea
holiday, putting on funny dresses. Their uncle clicks the camera and captures the smiling faces
of all the three. Some 20-30 years later, the mother looks at the photo and laughs. She tells the
poetess how her cousins Betty and Dolly had all dressed for the holiday. The outing on the
beach in a quaint dress was the mother’s past. But her laughter has become a thing of the past
for the poetess. The mother passed away some twelve years ago. The void created by her death
has made life dull and eventless.
Summary
The poetess looks at the photograph of her late mother, with her two cousins on a sea
beach. The mother was the eldest of the group, 12 years old, with a lovely face. They were
escorted by the uncle, who clicked the camera. The girls stood in shallow water. The sea waves
seemed to be washing their feet which changed fast with the passage of time. Only the sea has
shown no change in its behavior over the years.
The mother happened to see her photo after a time gap of some 20-30 years. She was
amused to see the strange dresses of all the three girls. She blushed and laughed. She told the
poetess that they had been dressed for the pleasure trip by her cousins Betty and Dolly.
The sea holiday was the mother’s past, but after she had passed away, her laughter
became a thing of the past for the poetess. Both had lost their newness with the passing of time.
The photograph is twisted and faded; the memory of the mother’s laughter has also grown
faint. The mother of the poetess died some 12 years ago. There is nothing but a pall of
silence spread all around. She has nothing to say about that period since the mother left.
Text of the Poem
The cardboard shows me how it was
When the two girl cousins went paddling,
Each one holding one of my mother, hands
And she the big girl-some twelve years or
so. All three stood still to smile through
their hair At the uncle with the camera. A sweet
face.
My mother,s,that was before I was born.
And the sea, which appears to have changed less,

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Washed their terribly transient feet. 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.
Poetic Devices Used in the poem
1.Alliteration – My Mother’s hands
- Stood still to smile
- Terribly transient
-Silence silences
2.Personification – The cardboard shows me how it was
3.Transfered Epithet – Washed their terribly transient feet
4.Oxymoron – Laboured ease

Extracts/Stanzas for Comprehension

Read the stanza carefully and answer the questions that follow :
1. The cardboard shows me how it was
When the two girl cousins went paddling,
Each one holding one of my mother,
hands And she the big girl-some twelve years
or so. Questions
(i) The ‘cardboard ’here refers to:
(a) the note written on a hard thick paper (b) the note written on a sheet of paper
(c) album (d) the photograph pasted on a thick paper

(ii) Here three girls are:

(a) the poetess and her two cousin (b) the poetess’ mother and her two cousins
(c) the poetess’ three cousins (d) none of these
(iii) The three girls went to the…………for paddling.
(a) mall (b) river (c) beach (d) school
2. The cardboard shows me how it was
When the two girl cousins went paddling,
Each one holding one of my mother, hands
And she the big girl-some twelve years or so Questions
(i) Who among the three girls was the eldest one?
(a) Betty (b) Dolly (c) The Poetess (d) Poetess’ mother
(ii) ------------are beautiful sides of nostalgia.
(a) Beach (b) Sea (c) Photograph (d) Camera (iii)
These lines have feelings of:
(a) love (b) togetherness (c) innocent pleasure (d) all of
these

3. All three stood still to smile through their

hair At the uncle with the camera. A sweet face.
My mother’s, that was before I was born.

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 And the sea, which appears to have changed less,
Washed their terribly transient feet.
Questions
( i) Whose sweet face is referred to here?
a) Father (b) Poetess’ mother (c) Uncle (d) Cousins
(ii) The poetic device used in the first line of this stanza is
(a) alliteration (b) metaphor (c) simile (d) allusion
(iii) The endless------------------- has not changed much over time.
(a) Time (b) Sea (c) Transient Feet (d) Mother’s Face

4. All three stood still to smile through their

hair At the uncle with the camera. A sweet face.
My mother’s, that was before I was born.
And the sea, which appears to have changed less,
Washed their terribly transient feet.
Questions
(i) What does in this stanza symbolize eternity ?
(a) Beach (b) Sea (c) Photograph (d) Camera
(ii) The literary device used in the last line of this stanza is :
(a) metaphor (b) repetition (c ) personification (d) transferred
epithet
(iii) The girls’feet are called----------.
(a) Permanent (b)Temporary (c) Transient (d)
Small

5. “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.
Questions
(i) The poetess’s mother laughed at:
(a) the funny dress they wore for the beach (b) the snapshot (c) her uncle
(d) her cousins
(ii) Being grown up the poetess’ mother lost the innocence and pleasure of
her---------
(a) old age (b) Childhood (c) Adult age (d)
infancy (iii) What was the past of the poetess’ mother enshrined in ?
(a) in book (b) in Childhood (c) in school (d) in
photograph Answers:
(i) (a) (ii) (b) (iii) (d)

6. 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.
Questions: (i) The poetess
‘mother breathed her last:
(a) twenty four years ago (b) twenty years ago (c) twelve years ago (d)
a few days ago
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 (ii) The poetess failed to give exact expression to her deep.
(a) pleasure (b) happiness (c) Pain (d)
agitation (iii) The poetess is speechless because:
(a) she is afraid of her own death (b) of deep pain due to her mother’s death
(c) both (a) and (b) (d) neither (a) nor (b)

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who is the poet/poetess of the poem 'A Photograph'?
A. Shirley Toulson B. Rudyard Kipling C. Elizabeth Jennings D. Markus
Natten

2. What is the poem 'A Photograph' about?

A. About poet's childhood memories B. tribute to the poet’s mother
C. Poet's photograph D. Poet's father
3. What was the age of the poet's mother when the photograph was
taken?
A. eleven years old B. thirteen years old C. twelve years old D. fourteen year old
4. When did her mother die ?
A. two years ago B. five years ago C. thirteen years ago D. twelve years ago
5. How many people were in the photograph?
A. two girls .B. three girls C. two girls and one boy D. only her
mother
6. Which material was the frame of the photograph made of?
A. Cardboard B. Wood C. Steel D. Plastic
7. Who are on both sides of her mother?
A. Cousins, Betty and Dolly B. Parents C. Cousins, Dolly and Adam D.
Friends
8. What are the three of them doing in the photograph?
A. playing B. standing beside house
C. holding hands D. holding hands and went for
paddling 9. Who took the photograph of her mother with her
cousin?
A. Her grandfather B. Her uncle C. Her mother's friend D.
Her grandmother
10. What does 'Terribly Transient Feet' mean in the poem?
A. her feet represent the mother, who changed with time while the sea remained
the same B. temporary situation C. age is temporary D. None of
the above 11. After how many years did her mother laugh on seeing the
photograph?
A. twenty-one B. twenty-three C. twelve D. twenty-five
12. What was the favourite memory of her mother?
A. beach holidays B. school memories C. vacations D.
None of the above
13. What was the favourite memory of the poet?
A. her mother's memories B. her mother's laughter
C. her own vacation memories D. her childhood memories
14. What would the mother show to her daughter while showing her the
photograph?

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 A. how her parents dressed her for the beach B. her cousins C.
her own childhood photograph D. the
background
15. What is the meaning of the word 'wry'?
A. ironic B. cry C. sad D. None of the above
16. What Oxymoron literary device was used in the poem?
A. Terribly transient B. Through their C. Both wry ease D.
17. What Epithet literary device was used in the poem? Laboured

A. Terribly transient B. Through their C. Both wry ease D.

Laboured
18. How many phases were depicted in the poem by the poet?
A. one B. two C. three D. four
19. What was the last phase in the poem?
A. after her mother died B. after she grown up
C. after her mother grown up D. None of the above
20. What does she feel in the last phase?
A. pain and grief B. happy and nostalgic C. sad and nostalgic D. pain
and nostalgic

Answers
Extract-1- (i) (d) (ii) (b) (iii) (c )
Extract-2- (i) ( d) (ii) ( c ) (iii) ( d )
Extract-3- (i) (b) (ii) (a) (iii) (b)
Extract-4- (i) (b) (ii) (d) (iii) (c)

Extract-5- (i) (a) (ii) (b) (iii) (d)

Extract-6- (i) (c) (ii)(c) (iii) (b)

POEM – 2 : The Laburnum Top

Introduction: The poem ‘The Laburnum Top’ is written by Ted Hughes. It is about a
repaying relationship between the Laburnum tree and the Goldfinch bird. The tree is yellow,
silent and death-like and is made alive by the bird and her young ones. The yellow bird has her
shelter on the tree where she feeds her young ones. But as soon as the bird leaves to fly in the
sky, the tree becomes silent and death-like again.

Summary:The poem starts with a description of the Laburnum tree whose top was
still and silent. Its leaves had turned yellow and seeds had fallen down. It was a daytime in the
month of September when the tree was standing still and death-like.
The life-less tree becomes alive by the arrival of the Goldfinch bird. She came to feed
her younger ones who are on the thickness of the branch. The tree is her shelter. She arrives at
the end of the branch with the chirping sound. She further moves to the other side of the branch
with rapid and precautionary movement like a lizard. As soon as she arrives, her younger ones
start chirping like a machine and vibrating and flapping their wings. The death-like tree
becomes alive and it trembles and shakes.
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 After feeding them, she flies to the other side of the branch. Her dark coloured face with
the yellow body was barely visible as she vanished behind the yellow leaves. She flew away in
the sky, leaving the tree death-like again.

THEME: • The poem presents the mutual reciprocating relationship between the
laburnum tree and the goldfinch bird. The laburnum tree gives shelter to the bird and its young
ones and the bird, in turn, takes away its dead silence. Thus, the poet wants to tell the readers
the importance of interdependence and having cordial relationships in life.
• Rejuvenation of nature and the celebration of energy is another theme of the poem. The
laburnum tree is silent until the goldfinch comes and enlivens the tree with its activities.
There are all sorts of sounds and movements on the tree. Soon she shoots away into the sky
plunging the tree into surging silence.
• The poet also wants to convey to the readers that life is a process of change and
transformation.
TEXT OF THE POEM

The Laburnum Top is silent, quite

still in the afternoon yellow September
sunlight,
A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen
Till the goldfinch comes, with a twitching chirrup
A suddenness , a startlement, at a branch end
Then sleek as a lizard, and alert and abrupt,
She enters the thickness, and a machine starts up
Of chitterings, and of tremor of wings, and
trillings - The whole tree trembles and thrills It is
the engine of her family.
She stokes it full, then flirts out to a branch-end
Showing her barred face identity mask
Then with eerie delicate whistle-chirrup whisperings
She launches away, towards the infinite
And the laburnum subsides to empty

-Ted Hughes
VOCABULARY

*Laburnum : The Golden Chain tree - A commonly found tree with golden
flowers that hang in bunches
*Laburnum Top :The top of the laburnum tree - its highest branches
*Goldfinch :Wild canary - A small, yellow bird - The male of the species has
black markings across the face, on the wings and tail.
*Twitch :Small, often involuntary movement of a body part
*Chirrup :An onomatopoeic word capturing the sound made by a bird
*Startlement : Amazement - a sudden unexpected action which causes surprise
*Sleek :Smooth - In the context of the poem, it could imply a quick movement without
much disruption.
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 *Abrupt : Sudden or unexpected
*Chittering :An onomatopoeic word capturing bird sounds
*Tremor :Shiver - shake
*Trillings :Singing repeatedly - In the context of the poem, an
onomatopoeic word, capturing bird sounds
*Stokes :Adds fuel - In the context of the poem, the goldfinch feeds its family,
providing the fuel (nutrition) that the machine (the bird's family) needs to be energetic
*Flirts : In the context of the poem, move abruptly or jerkily with light steps
*Eerie : Strange in a frightening or mysterious way
*Infinite :In the context of the poem, the sky
*Launches :In the context of the poem, flies
*Subsides :Returns, reduces in intensity

EXPLANATION:
1.The Laburnum top is silent, quite
still In the afternoon yellow September
sunlight, A few leaves yellowing, all its
seeds fallen.

- In the above lines, the poet says that he saw a Laburnum tree whose leaves were
yellow. The tree’s top is still and silent in the day time of September month. It is autumn
season and all the seeds of the tree had fallen.
The poet has used the word ‘yellow’ for leaves and sunlight. Yellow symbolizes silence,
death, and beauty. He describes the whole scene of the tree with this colour.

2.Till the goldfinch comes, with a twitching

chirrup A suddenness, a startlement, at a branch
end. Then sleek as a lizard, and alert, and abrupt,
She enters the thickness, and a machine starts
up Of chitterlings, and a tremor of wings, and
trillings — The whole tree trembles and thrills.

-A Goldfinch bird comes to end the death-like scene of the tree and makes a sudden
chirrup sound. The bird while being rapid, alert and precautiouns like a lizard, sits on the
branches of the tree. As she moved towards the thickness of the branch, her younger ones
started chirruping and doing vibrations with wings, making a sound like a machine. Because of
the movement of the bird and her young ones, the tree starts to shake and thrill.
The poet has given two opposite scenarios of the tree. The tree first being death-like and
still and then giving life and shelter to bird and her young ones.

3. It is the engine of her family.

She stokes it full, then flirts out to a branch-end
Showing her barred face identity mask

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 -The Laburnum tree and the goldfinch bird is the engine of her family. She provides
food to her young ones and moves to the other branch end. Her dark coloured striped face is
visible as her body is yellow coloured and hides behind the yellow leaves of the tree.

4. Then with eerie delicate whistle-chirrup whisperings She

launches away, towards the infinite And the laburnum subsides
to empty.

After reaching the end of the branch, the bird makes a sweet chirping sound just like
whispering and flies away towards the infinite sky. It again makes the Laburnum tree silent and
death-like.

The Laburnum Top- Literary Devices

1. Alliteration –repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of two or more consecutive

words. The instances of alliteration in the poem are as follows-
September sunlight
tree trembles

2. Simile– comparison between two things using like or as. Sleek as a lizard

3. Metaphor– an indirect comparison between two things. Generally, a quality is compared.

“She enters the thickness, and a machine starts up” – the noise created by the
movement of the birds is compared to the machine’s noise “It is the engine of her family.”
“Showing her barred face identity mask”

4. Personification– the attribution of personal nature characteristics to something

nonhuman
The whole tree trembles and thrills.

5. Transferred Epithet– the figure of speech where the adverb is transferred to another
noun
her barred face identity mask

KEY NOTES
• The poem begins with the description of the laburnum top which is still and silent on a
September afternoon.
• Due to the autumn season, the leaves have started turning yellow and the seeds have fallen
on the ground.
• The seemingly lifeless tree becomes alive on the arrival of the goldfinch.
• The goldfinch perches on the end of the branch with a chirping sound, thereby breaking
the silence of the tree.
• She enters the thickness of the tree and makes her way to the nest with a swift, abrupt and
alert movement of a lizard.
• A machine of chitterings starts up.

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• The young ones start chirping and flapping their wings and the tree is filled up with a
series of short, high pitched, twittering sounds.
• Thus, the quiet and still tree becomes alive and begins to tremble and shake as if it is
excited and thrilled.
• After feeding her young ones, the goldfinch flies to the end of the branch.
• Her striped face with yellow body helps her to camouflage and she is only partly visible.
• She comes out of the branch end and flies away to the sky.
• The laburnum tree becomes calm and quiet again.

COMPREHENSION –Read the extract given below and answer the questions
that follow by choosing the correct options

1.The Laburnum top is silent, quite still in the afternoon yellow September
sunlight, A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen.

Q1. What does ‘Laburnum top’ mean here?

(a) It means the top part of any tree (b) It means the top part of the Laburnum
tree (c) It means the top part of a fictional tree (d) It does not mean anything

Q2. What has happened to the tree?

(a) The tree is being worshipped (b) The tree has been cut down
(c) The leaves of the tree have turned purple and are falling down
(d) The leaves of the tree have turned yellow and its seeds falling down

Q3. Find a word from the extract which is the antonym of ‘noisy’.
(a) Quiet (b) Quite (c) Hush (d) Silent

II. 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.

Q1. Who is ‘she’ in the second line ? Where does she enter?
(a) She is the baby goldfinch who enters the thickness of the Laburnum tree
(b) ‘She’ is a squirrel who enters the thickness of the Laburnum tree (c)
‘She’ is a lizard who enters the thickness of the Laburnum tree
(d) ‘She’ is the mother goldfinch who enters the thickenss of the
Laburnum tree

Q2. What does ‘machine’ refer to in the extract?

(a) If refers to the machine used to drill a hole in the tree
(b) It refers to the machine used to cut the tree
(c) It refers to the nest of the goldfinch where its young ones are staying (d) It
refers to the nest of the squirrel

Q3. Find a word from the extract which is the synonym of ‘entire’.
(a) Abrupt (b) Hole (c) Whole (d) Tremor

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 II. Then with eerie delicate whistle-chirrup
whisperings She launches away, towards the
infinite And the Laburnum subsides to empty.

Q1. What does ‘launches’ mean in the extract?

(a) It means sleeping (b) It means flying (c) It means diving (d) It means
fluttering.

Q2. What effect does the last line create?

(a) It creates the contrast between the liveliness of the tree and its silence
(b) It creates the contrast between the change of seasons
(c) It creates an opportunity to plant more Laburnum trees
(d) It creates the scene for the arrival of new bird species on the tree

Q3. ……….from the extract means the same as ‘strange’ and ‘mysterious’.
(a) Delicate (b) Odd (c) Infinite (d) Eerie

MCQs

Read the following questions and answer by choosing the correct options –
Q.1. How did the poet describe the top of the Laburnum tree in the poem ‘The
Laburnum
Top’?
a. Moving and Angry like b. Still and Silent c. Silent and fast d. None of the
above Q.2. How was the tree standing in the month of September?
a alive b. still and death-like c. green and happy d. still and green
Q.3. Where are the young ones of the Goldfinch bird?
a. On the thickness of the branch b. On the top of the tree
c. on other tree d. they were never there
Q.4. What role does the tree play for the Goldfinch bird?
a. As a shelter b. as a supporter c. as a means to feed her family d. as a
resting place Q.5. How did the bird move to the other side of the branch?
a. smoothly b. slowly c. like a lizard d. by flying
Q.6. Why was Goldfinch’s body barely visible?
a. .because she was brown in colour b. because she was small
c. because of the height of the tree d due to her dark coloured yellow
body Q.7 What happened to the bird in the end of the poem?
a. she flew away b. she stayed at the tree
c. she went to other tree d. she went to bring some food for her younger
ones Q.8 What does the phrase “her barred face identity mask” mean?
a. it has no identity b. due to her dark coloured yellow body
c. bird’s face became her identity and symbol of recognition d. None of the above
Q.9 What is described as ‘machine’ in the poem?
a. Lizard b. family of goldfinch c. Laburnum Tree d. None of
the above Q.10 While entering the thickness, the bird was –
a slow b abrupt c happy d sad

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 Q.11 Why is laburnum called empty even when there are young ones of goldfinch in
the tree –
a because they are sleeping b. because they are very young
c because they are inactive and not making any motion d.because they are busy with
their food
Q.12 What is the theme of the poem –
a. love for family b importance of silence in life
c importance of activities in life d interdependence and mutual love

Answer Key[Multiple Choice Questions]

A Photograph
Q. No. Answer Q. No. Answer
1 A 11 B
2 B 12 A
3 C 13 B
4 D 14 A
5 B 15 A
6 A 16 D
7 A 17 A
8 D 18 C
9 B 19 A
10 A 20 A

The Laburnum Top

ANSWER KEY EXTRACTS
I. EXTRACT 1.b 2.d 3.d
II. EXTRACT 1.d 2.c 3.c
III.EXTRACT 1.b 2.a 3.d
MCQS
1. b 2 .b 3 .a 4 .a 5. C 6. d 7. A 8. C 9. B 10 b. 11 c 12
d

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 TEXTBOOKS: HORNBILL

CHAPTER 1: THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY

KEY POINTS OF THE CHAPTER-
Introduction
• Khushwant Singh was one of the prominent Indian writers.
• In the story the author draws a pen portrait of his grandmother.
• He has beautifully written an account of his relationship with his grandmother.
Pen portrait of grandmother
• Khushwant Singh draws a pen portrait of his grandmother.
• Old woman
• Hard to believe that once she had been young and pretty
Appearance of grandmother
• Old, short, fat, slightly bent
• Wrinkled face
• She looks the same for last twenty years
• She couldn’t walk straight
• She wears white clothes and roams in the house.
• She keeps her one hand on her waist to balance herself.
• She held a rosary in the other hand.
• Her silver locks scattered over her pale face.
• Her lips constantly moved.
• She always prayed to herself.
Close friends
• Narrator and his grandmother were good friends.
• His parents had left him with her in the village.
• She used to wake him up in morning.
• She got him ready for school
• She used to wash his wooden slate and plaster it with yellow chalk.
• She takes an earthen inkpot and red pen and tie them in a bundle and
hand it to him.
• Prepared his breakfast (thick stale chapatti) little butter and sugar spread
on it.
• She also carry some chapattis for village dogs Went to school with the
narrator.
• Grandmother always went to school with him.
• Because school was attached to the temple.
• There a priest taught the children alphabet and Morning Prayer.
• Grandmother sat inside temple
• Spent her time reading holy books
• She would walk back home with him Turning point in relationship
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 • Turning point came in their relationship when his parents call both to the
city
• Narrator and his grandmother shared the same room.
• Now grandmother couldn’t accompany him to school, and she was not
able to help him with his lessons.
• Nor did she like science and music being taught at the new school.
• There was no teaching of God
• There were no dogs in streets
• Grandmother took to feeding the sparrows.
• Now they saw less of each other.
Bond of relationship broken
• Their common link broken when the narrator went to the university.
• Grandmother accepted her loneliness quietly.
• She used to sit at her spinning wheel and recite prayers.
• In afternoon she used to feed the sparrows
• She broke the bread into little bits and threw them to the sparrows.
• Hundreds of sparrows collected around her.
Narrator went abroad
• Narrator went abroad for higher studies.
• Grandmother came to drop him at railway station. (kissed forehead)
• Narrator thought it was his last meeting with her.
• Narrator returned home after five years.
• She collected the neighbourhood women and celebrated his homecoming. The
grandmother’s death
• Next morning, she fell ill.
• She declared that her end was near.
• She continued praying and telling her beads, then her lips stopped moving, the
rosary fell down and she was dead.
• Evening time, sun was setting
• Thousands of sparrows sat near her dead body.
• They did not chirrup.
• Narrator’s mother brought some bread and broke it into little pieces, but birds
took no notice.
• When they carried her dead body outside, the sparrows flew away quietly………

VOCABULARY
1 Criss- cross a pattern of intersecting straight lines
2 Hobbled walked in an awkward way
3 spotless white she wore clean, white coloured dresses
4 Stoop bend one’s body forward
5 Rosary a string of beads for religious prayer
6 Locks hair
7 Scattered disorganized
8 Untidily not neat
9 Puckered a face contract into wrinkles
10 Inaudible unable to be heard
11 Serenity the state of being peaceful and calm
12 Contentment a state of happiness and satisfaction
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 13 Wrinkled having lines or folds
14 Portrait painting or picture
15 Mantelpiece A structure above and around a
fireplace.
16 Revolting unpleasant
17 Absurd Illogical
18 Undignified disrespectful
19 Fables fictitious stories with a moral teaching
20 Prophets Saints
21 Monotonous dull and boring
22 Bothered to be concerned
23 Fetch to go for and bring back something
24 Slate a flat plate of slate used for writing
25 Plastered covered with a layer of plaster
26 Earthen made of baked or fired clay
27 Stale no longer fresh and pleasant to eat
28 Scriptures the sacred writings of a religion
29 Growling making a low guttural sound in the throat
30 Courtyard a roofless area
31 Years rolled by time passed
32 Distressed suffer from extremely sorrow
33 Lewd Associations Indecent or Obscene
34 Harlots Prostitutes
35 Gentlefolk People of noble birth
36 Snapped break suddenly and completely
37Seclusion the state of being away from the people
38 Spinning-wheel a household machine with a wheel attached to it for
spinning yarn
39 Veritable use to describe something interesting
40 Bedlam confusion
41 Chirruping the noise of a small bird
42 Perched alight or rest on something
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. Who is the author of ‘The Portrait of a Lady’?

A. Ruskin Bond B. Kushwant Singh
C. Naipaul D. Vikram Bhatt

2. Who is the main character of the chapter ‘The Portrait of a Lady’?

A. Mother B. Sister
C. Grandmother D. Daughter

3. How did the grandfather in the portrait hang on the wall look
like? A. Old, long white beard, worn big turban B. Old, skinny, wrinkly
C. Young, Handsome, Well-Built D. Old, Well-Built

4. How did the grandmother look?

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 A. Old, Fat, Long B. Long, Fat, Slightly
Bent
C. Old, Short, Slightly Bent, Fat D. Slightly Bent, Fat

5. When did the author’s parents leave him with his grandmother?
A. When he was a kid B. When he was an infant
C. When he became a teenager D. When he failed and became a teenager

6. Which animal did the grandmother used to feed in the village?

A .Dogs B. Cows C. Sparrows D. Cats

7. What did the author eat for breakfast?

A. Thick and stale chapatis with a little butter and sugar spread in it
B. thick bread with butter C. Upma D. rice and curd

8. Why would grandmother accompany the author to his school?

A. to keep an eye on him B. to wait for him to take him back
to home
C. because of the temple attached to school D. she wanted to meet villagers

9. Where were the parents of the author?

A. Abroad B. City C. Other Village D. Other state
10. What would the grandmother do in the temple on a daily basis?
A. Meditation B. Read Scriptures
C. Sing religious prayers D. teach other kids religious prayers
11. What was the turning point of the friendship between grandmother and
author?
A. When he became an adult B. When his parents called both of them to the city
C. When he left her to live in the city with his parents D. When they stopped talking

12. Where did the author go to study in the city?

A. English School in motor bus B. by walking down to
nearby school
C. Hindi School D. No where

13. What made the grandmother unhappy about the author’s new English School?
A. the fact that she could no longer help him with the lessons
B. Because they were in city
C. Because she didn’t understand English
D. Because she didn’t understand English and could no longer help him with the lessons

14. Why didn’t the grandmother like music?

A. It was the monopoly of harlots and beggars and not meant for gentlefolk
B. She liked only religious prayers
C. She liked the traditional folk music
D. She thought it would distract him from studies

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 15. How did the grandmother spend her time in the city?
A. feedings dogs B. reading scriptures C. spinning the wheel D. talking to
neighbours

16. How did the grandmother spend her afternoon every day?
A. by feeding hundreds of sparrows B. by taking a nap
C. by talking to author’s mother D. by going to temple

17. What happened when the author moved abroad to study for five
years?
A. grandmother bid goodbye by silently kissing his forehead
B. No one came to see him
C. Grandmother moved back to village
D. Parents moved with him

18. What change came in the grandmother’s evening schedule?

A. She collected the women of the neighbourhood B. She would go for a walk
C. She would sleep early D. She would talk to his parents

19. What happened when the grandmother didn’t pray for the first time?
A. She fell ill the next day B. She made this her routine
C. She took a break and went to the village D. None of the above

20. How did the grandmother react to her illness?

A. She said her end was near B. She ignored her health
C. She took care of her D. She was admitted to the hospital
21. What did the grandmother do in her final hours?
A. Talked to everyone in the house B. worried about everyone
C. Silently praying and telling her beads D. Went to temple

22. How did the grandmother die?

A. during telling beads lying on the bed B. In the hospital
C. While sleeping D. None of the above

23. How did the sparrows express their sorrow at the death of their grandmother?
A. They didn’t come that day B. they came and sat silently in the verandah
C. They ate the bread crumbs D. they chirruped a lot
24. What happened when they took the grandmother’s corpse away?
A. Neighbours visited them to pay condolences B. they mourned her death in her room
C. birds flew away quietly D. Nothing happened

25. How do you feel about the character of the grandmother in the
chapter?
A. Emotional B. Strong C. Selfless D. Loving

26. Where was the author’s grandfather’s portrait placed?

A. on a shelf B. hung above the mantelpiece

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C. put on the mantelpiece D. on a table

27. Did the author bother to learn the morning prayers that his grandmother
recited?
A. yes B. he listened but did not bother to learn C. he could not learn D. no

28. When was their common link of friendship snapped?

A. when he went to college B. When he went to the university, they
were given separate rooms
C. when he started working D. When he went abroad

29. What was grandmother’s reaction when the author was going abroad?
A. Happy B. sad C. not even sentimental D. Sentimental

30. What was her reaction when he came back after 5 years?
A. Overwhelmed B. clasped the author in her arms and said prayers
C. happy D. sentimental

Answer key
1 B 11 B 21 C
2 C 12 A 22 A
3 A 13 D 23 B
4 C 14 A 24 C
5 A 15 C 25 B
6 A 16 A 26 B
7 A 17 A 27 B
8 C 18 A 28 B
9 B 19 A 29 C
10 B 20 A 30 B

Short Answer Type Questions- (TO BE ANSWERED IN 40-50 WORDS)

Question 1. Give a description of Khushwant Singh’s grandmother according to his
earliest memory of her.
Answer: Khushwant Singh felt that his grandmother could never have been any different
from what he had seen her to be. She must always have been old. She was short, fat and bent.
Her face was covered with wrinkles. She walked with a stoop and always dressed in white.

Question 2. Khushwant Singh said about his grandmother: ‘She could never have been
pretty, but she was always beautiful.’ Explain.
Answer: Khushwant Singh’s grandmother was not pretty in the conventional sense of
having physical beauty, but she had great inner beauty. She had a calm and serene personality.

Question 3. Why was it hard for the author to believe that his grandmother was once
young and pretty?
Answer: The author had seen his grandmother always as an old person. His earliest
memory was that of an old lady. Therefore, as a child, he found it difficult to believe that she
had been any different ever. He could not believe that once she was young and pretty.
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 Question 4. Khushwant Singh’s grandmother was not pretty but was always beautiful.
Explain the meaning of this statement.
Answer: Khushwant Singh’s grandmother was not attractive and good-looking, but she
had an extremely gracious personality. Her serenity and calmness gave her an inner beauty.

Question 5. What was Khushwant Singh’s and his grandmother’s routine in the village?
Answer: The grandmother used to wake Khushwant Singh up in the morning, bathe him, dress
him, and accompany him to school. While he studied, she sat in the temple and read scriptures.
On return, she fed stale ‘chapattis’ to the village dogs. She used to prepare his wooden slate by
plastering it lightly with yellow chalk.

Question 6. Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother.
Answer: The relationship changed from total dependency during their village stay to a hint of
withdrawal during the city stay as the grandmother could not comprehend the efficacy of a
curriculum based on science, sans religious instructions. Later, this changed to an overall
affection for the author.

Question 7. What proofs of the friendship between the grandmother and the grandson do
you find in this story?
Answer: As a very young child, the author shared a very intimate relationship with his
grandmother. She went to school with him and helped him with his lessons. In the city, this
friendship weakened, but love for each other remained.

Question 8. The grandmother was a kind-hearted woman. Give examples in support of

your answer.
Answer: The grandmother was a kind-hearted person. In the village, she used to feed
chapattis to the street dogs. In the city, she started feeding sparrows.

Question 9. What caused a turning point in the friendship of Khushwant Singh

with his grandmother?
Answer: A turning point came about with the author’s shift to the city and admission in
an
English school. Though they shared the same room, the grandmother did not accompany
him to school and was disapproving of its academic and recreational curriculum, leading to
further distancing.

Question 10. Draw a comparison between village school education and city school
education. Answer: In the village school, the author learnt the alphabet and the Morning
Prayer. He wrote on wooden board slates. The city school gave him modern education in
English and science. There was no religious instruction. He was taught music, of which his
grandmother disapproved.

Question 11. Why was the author’s grandmother unhappy with city education?
Answer: The city school education made the grandmother’s help at lessons redundant as
the instructions were in English. She disapproved of science education, balked at his learning
music and was critical of the lack of religious instructions at the school.

Question 12. What was the happiest moment of the day for the grandmother?
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 Answer: The happiest moment of the day for the grandmother was when she fed bread
crumbs to the sparrows. In the afternoons, she used to feed the birds. They became so free with
her that they perched on her shoulders and made great noises.

Question 13. What was the happiest moment of the day for the Grandmother? Why?
Answer: When the grandmother fed the sparrows and they hopped around her. She remained
secluded from the family, but enjoyed the chirping and hopping of the sparrows.

Question 14. Which activity did the grandmother find most relaxing when she lived in
the city? Answer: In the city, the grandmother started feeding sparrows in the afternoon. She
broke bread into small crumbs and scattered around her for the sparrows. They came and ate
and sat on her head and shoulders. She loved this.

Question 15. What did the author think was the last physical contact with his
grandmother?
Was it really so?
Answer: The author received a moist kiss on his forehead from his grandmother when
he was going abroad. He thought this was his last physical contact with her because she was so
old that she might not be alive when he would come back. But she hugged him when he came
back from abroad.

Long Answer Type Questions and Answers-(TO BE ANSWERED IN 120-150 WORDS)

Question 1. “Religion was the dominant feature of her life.” Comment on this statement
in regard to Khushwant Singh’s grandmother as projected in ‘The Portrait of a Lady’.
Answer: The first introduction of the grandmother made by the author depicts her telling
the beads of her rosary with her lips muttering an inaudible prayer.
As the custodian of her grandchild in the village, she said her morning prayers while
engaged in the task of bathing and dressing her grandson. While her grandson studied, the
grandmother studied the scriptures.
She also disapproved of the education at the English school because of the absence of
religious instructions.
In her last moments, she detached herself from her immediate family and preferred
making peace with God. Besides prayers, she was given to animal care, by feeding stray dogs
at the temple door and sparrows in the city home. Thus, her religion stepped beyond ritual to
one of showing kindness to the tiniest creatures of God. Indeed, the grandmother was religious
in body and spirit.

Question 2. Draw a character sketch of Khushwant Singh’s grandmother as portrayed by

him in the lesson ‘The Portrait of a Lady’.
Answer: The grandmother had a strong character. She was a deeply religious woman.
Prayer was of paramount importance to her. She spent most of her time in prayer. She was kind
to animals too. In the village, she fed street dogs and in city, shifted to feeding sparrows. She
remained calm through the various changes in her life. She did not protest, even though she
disapproved of Khushwant Singh’s education. She accepted her seclusion quietly when he was
given a separate room.
When her grandson left for studies abroad, she did not show her emotions and kept
remarkable self-control. In her last moments, she withdrew herself from the family and devoted

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herself to prayer. Khushwant Singh had a long and loving relationship with his grandmother.
She was very affectionate to him. She took excellent care of him while he was a child.

Question 3. Write a character sketch of the author’s grandmother by using the following
words: affectionate, caring, kind and benevolent, religious, a strong woman.
Answer: The author had a long and loving relationship with his grandmother. She was
very affectionate to him. She took excellent care of him while he lived with her as a child in the
village. The grandmother was a deeply religious woman. Prayer was of paramount importance
to her. She spent most of her time in prayer. She was kind to animals too. In the village, she fed
street dogs and in city, shifted to sparrows.
The grandmother was a woman of great strength of character. She did not show her
disapproval of her grandson’s education. She accepted her seclusion quietly. When her
grandson left for studies abroad, she did not show her emotion and kept remarkable self-
control. In her last moments, she withdrew herself from the family and devoted herself to
prayer.

Question 4. The grandmother herself was not formally educated but was serious about
the author’s education. How does the text support this?
Answer: The grandmother took her grandson’s education very seriously. When he was
in her custody in the village, she prepared his wooden slate, accompanied him to school and
helped him with his lessons. In the city when he started learning English, science and music,
which she did not approve of. She did not voice her disapproval or insist on village-like
education but trusted that his father was doing the best for him. Nor did she protest when he
was given an independent room or was sent abroad for further study.

Question 5. Gradually, the author and the grandmother saw less of each other and their
friendship was broken. Was the distance in the relationship deliberate or due to the demands of
the situation? Answer: The relationship between the grandmother and the author traced the
graph of gradual change from a parental role to that of a grandmother, due to changing
circumstances. Moving to the city and the change in the educational curriculum with the
author’s admission into an Englishmedium school led to her first orientation to her changed
circumstances. The grandmother realized that her affection could no longer be a wholly
possessive one.
As the author graduated to the university level, his lifestyle underwent changes and the
grandmother realized that her role as an educator had ceased altogether. She, therefore, adopted
the role of a loveable elder overseeing her grandson’s progress and basking in it. When he
returned from England, the grandmother, was no longer concerned with his day-to-day
achievements, but showed her elation by organizing a musical soiree, even overstraining
herself in her excitement, leading to dire circumstances.

Question 6. Talk with your family members about elderly people who you have been
intimately connected with and who are not there with you now. Write a short description of
someone you liked a lot.
Answer:My Grandfather I was extremely fond of my grandfather. I sometimes felt that
he was fonder of my younger brother than of me. This did not stop me from spending as much
time with him as I could. Much later, I came to know that he had been a freedom fighter. He
had taken part in the freedom movement along with Gandhiji, Nehruji and others. He never
spoke about the hardships of those days, but only of the songs they sang and the help they gave
to one another. To my eight-year-old imagination, his accounts opened up pictures of a
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fascinating life. It was my grandmother who told me of his imprisonment and the ‘lathi blows’
he received. I rubbed his shoulders and arms hoping the chronic pain would ease. He died
when I was twelve. Ever since, I have felt that a strong support from my life has gone.

Question 7. Khushwant Singh’s grandmother wrote a letter to her sister describing her
life with her grandson in the village. Write this letter on her behalf.

Answer: Dear Parminder

May the Guru’s blessings be with you and your family. I am very happy these days as
my grandson, Khushwant, has come to live with me. His parents have gone to the city. The boy
will remain with me till they settle down. Khushwant is a serious and an adorable child. He
listens intently as I recite my prayers while getting him ready for school. I hope he learns them.
I have become busy and my lonely life has acquired meaning. I prepare his wooden slate and
take him to school. While he studies, I remain in the temple and read the scriptures, talk to the
priest. After school as we return, I feed chapattis to the dogs. Khushwant is delighted when the
dogs follow us. I pray that you and your family remain well. With regards to your husband and
love to your children.
Your sister
Satinder

Question 8. As Khushwant Singh’s grandmother, express your views on the education

the boy was receiving in the city school. Compare the situation with education in the village.
Answer: Khushwant now goes to an English medium school in this city. I am not at all happy
with the education he gets. In the city, there is no concern for God and spiritual matters. His
education does not tell him anything about our scriptures or other religious matters. He is
taught English. I cannot help him with his lessons; unfortunately, he has to manage by
himself.
The scientific names and principles are totally new to me.
The most objectionable are the lessons in music. Music is for the lowly; beggars and
harlots to earn their livelihood. It is not for decent folk. However, I do not interfere. In the
village school, he learned about religion and prayer. I think that was better.

Question 9. Khushwant Singh’s mother observed closely the behaviour of his

grandmother when he returned home after studying abroad, her way of celebrating the
occasion, her illness and death. Write an account of this on her behalf.
Answer: This morning my son, Khushwant, returned from England after five years of
studies. All of us were excited including Beeji, his grandmother. Unlike others, she kept her
excitement under check. She insisted on going to the station to receive him. When he arrived,
she hugged him silently, all the time saying her prayers.
In the evening, she took out an old drum and called the women of the neighbourhood.
Together they sang for hours, celebrating the return of her grandson. I was anxious for Beeji
and implored her to stop and not tire herself unduly. This was the only time she was not
praying.
The next day she was down with fever and exhaustion. We were anxious, because in
spite of the doctor’s reassurance, Beeji was sure her end had come.
She stopped talking to us and lay quietly on the bed telling the beads of her rosary. Her
end came peacefully. We came to know only when her fingers stopped moving.

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 CHAPTER 2 :
WE’RE NOT AFRAID TO DIE……. IF WE CAN ALL BE TOGETHER
By: GORDAN COOK AND ALAN EAST ❖

THEME

The story has a string of themes woven into it. First is the human nature of knowing and
exploring the unknown and taking on challenges. Second is human instinct for survival. The
captain and his crew courageously fight the raging storm with intensity and ferocity and
victoriously emerge from the jaws of death. Third, human bravery, grit, courage and
determination exhibited not only by the elders but the children Sue and Jonathan too. Fourth,
being optimistic and having a sharp presence of mind, the qualities which are instrumental in
the Wave walker and its crew’s survival.

❖ CHARACTERS
• The narrator: a 37-year-old businessman. He wants to duplicate the round-the-world journey
made by Captain James Cook 200 years earlier. He spends a long time improving his
seafaring skills and finally begins his journey with his wife Mary, six-year-old son Jonathan
and sevenyear-old daughter Suzanne.
• Mary: the narrator’s wife- a woman with courage. She supports her husband ‘s dream and
improves her sea skills. She joins her husband on their planned three-year voyage.
• Larry Vigil: An American who joins the narrator and Mary at Cape Town to help them tackle
one of the worlds ‘s roughest seas.
• Herb Siegler: A Swiss who also joins them at Cape Town to help them cross the southern
Indian Ocean.
• Suzanne: The narrator’s seven-year-old daughter with patience and perseverance who
displays immense courage throughout their voyage. She dares to endure pain and chooses to
remain silent, not to bother her father. She understands the severity of the situation and
behaves way ahead of her age
• Jonathan: He is the narrator’s six-year-old son who shows immense strength and optimism
even in difficult times. A little boy with great wisdom and understands the importance of
family and wishes to be together even if they all die
❖ KEY POINTS

* The Voyage Begins

• In July 1976, the narrator, a 37-year-old businessman, his wife Mary, 6-year-old son
Jonathan and 7-year-old daughter Suzanne started their sea voyage from Plymouth, England.
• They wished to go round-the-world on a long sea journey just as Captain James Cook had
done 200 years earlier.
• The narrator and his wife had spent 16 years preparing for the round-the-world voyage and
improving their marine skills.
• Their boat Wave walker was a 23 metre, 30-ton boat that was professionally built and they
had tested it in the roughest weather they could find.

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• The first part of their planned three-year, 105000-kilometre journey passed pleasantly as they
sailed down the West Coast of Africa to Cape Town.
• Then they took two crewmen—the American Larry Vigil and the Swiss Herb Siegler before
heading east from Cape Town, to help them tackle one of the world’s roughest seas, the
southern
Indian Ocean

* Problems Begin during the Voyage

• On the second day out of Cape Town, they encountered strong winds and high waves.
• The windstorms continued for the next few weeks.
• The size of the waves was up to 15 metres. On December 25, they were 3500 kilometres east
of Cape Town, but the weather was very bad.
• Despite the bad weather, they celebrated Christmas Day wonderfully. New Year’s Day saw
no improvement in the weather and it worsened with the passing of time.
• On 2nd January, the waves were gigantic. They were sailing with a small storm jib, but still
they were going very fast.
• The boat moved to the top of each wave but the gigantic waves and dangerous wind
continued to terrorise them.
• To minimise the damage, they dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy rope in a loop across
the stern.
• Then they fastened everything, went through their life-raft drill, attached lifelines and put on
oilskins and life jackets and prepared themselves for the worst case scenario.

* Disaster Strikes

• The first indication of impending disaster came at about 6 pm, with an ominous silence.
• The wind stopped and the sky immediately grew dark.
• Then a loud roaring sound was heard. The narrator thought that he saw a cloud coming
towards them. With horror, he realised it was not a cloud but the biggest wave that he had
ever seen. It appeared vertical and double the height of all other waves.
• The wave hit the boat and a tremendous explosion shook the deck. Water poured into the
boat.
• The narrator’s head smashed against the steering wheel of the boat and, he was thrown into
the sea.
• He thought that he was going to die but suddenly his head popped out of the water. He saw
that the boat had almost capsized.
• Suddenly, a wave hurled it upright and the narrator was tossed onto the boat.
• His left ribs were cracked; his mouth was filled with blood and some teeth were broken.
Somehow, he managed to find the wheel, lined up the stern for the next wave and hung on.

* Frantic Survival Attempts

• The boat was flooding with water, but the narrator dared not abandon the wheel to
investigate.
• Suddenly, Mary came and informed him that the boat was sinking as water was pouring in.
He handed the wheel to her and crawled towards the hatch. Larry and Herb pumped the
water out like madmen.
• The wooden beams had broken. The whole starboard side had bulged inwards.
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• Clothes, crockery, charts, tins and toys moved around noisily in water. The boat hadbeen
damaged.
• He somehow managed to reach the children. Sue had a big bump on her head to
which he did not pay much attention. He found a hammer, screws and canvas.
• Somehow, he managed to stretch the canvas and secure waterproof hatch covers across the
gaping holes. Some water continued to come in but most of it could be prevented from
entering the boat. But this was not the end of their troubles.

* Damaged and Lost Equipment

• The hand pumps started jamming with the trash floating around the cabins. Soon their
electric pump got short-circuited and the water rose threateningly.
• He found that their two spare handpumps had been pulled away by currents along with the
forestay sail, the jib, the lifeboats and the main anchor.
• He managed to find another electric pump to drain out the water.
• The night was an endless, bitterly cold routine of pumping, steering and working the radio.
However, there was no response to their Mayday calls as they were in a remote corner of the
world.
• Sue’s head had swollen alarmingly. She had two black eyes and a deep cut on her arm. She
didn’t tell the narrator more of her injuries as she didn’t want to worry him when he was
trying to save them all.

* Pinpricks in the Vast Ocean

• On the morning of January 3, the pumps had reduced the amount of water on board.
• Each of them took rest for two hours by turns.
• They had survived for 15 hours since the wave hit the Wavewalker, but the boat was not
strong enough to take them to Australia.
• The narrator knew that the boat wouldn’t hold together long enough.
• He checked his charts and calculated that the only one hope for them was if they could reach
lie Amsterdam, a French scientific base, one of the two pinpricks in the vast ocean.
• Mary found some corned beef and cracker biscuits and they ate their first meal inalmost two
days.

* we’re not afraid to die……. If we can all be together

• The narrator went to comfort the children. And assure them that they were going to make it.
• Jon said that they were not afraid of dying if they can all be together. This gave the narrator
hope and a reason to fight the sea.
• He tried his best to protect the weakened starboard side of the boat. However, later in the
evening, as more water came into the boat, they felt defeated again.
• On 6th January, the weather improved. The narrator again tried to calculate their position.
• While he was at work, Sue came to him and gave him a card. She had drawn caricatures of
Mary and the narrator.
• The card said that she loved them both and hoped for the best.
• The narrator was filled with optimism. Somehow, they had to make it.

* The Most Beautiful Island in the World!

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• The narrator made several calculations using a spare compass, made some
adjustments and asked Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. He said that, if
they were lucky, they would see the island at about 5 pm.
• Dejected, he went down to his bunk and fell asleep. It was about 6 pm when he woke up.
• He thought that they must have missed the island. Just then, Jon and Sue came to him and
gave him a hug because he was the ―best daddy in the world‖.
• The narrator was confused. Sue announced that the island was just in front of them.
• He rushed out to the deck and saw the most beautiful island in the world! It was lie
Amsterdam, a piece of volcanic rock with little vegetation.
• When his feet touched land the next day, he thought of the cheerfulness and optimism of all
the people on the boat which made them pass through the worst stress.

VOCABULARY

• Voyage – a long journey by sea or space

• Leisure – free time
• Honing – sharpen, improving
• Seafaring – regularly traveling by sea
• Honing our seafaring skills – improving the skills required to travel by sea
• Wooden-hulled – a watertight body of a ship
• Gales – A very strong wind
• Mast – a tall upright structure on a boat or ship
• Atrocious – bad; of a very poor quality
• Gigantic – huge; of a big size
• Jib – a triangular staysail set forward the mast in a ship
• Knots – a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, used especially of ships, aircraft,
or winds
• Mooring – the ropes, chains, or anchors by or to which a boat, ship, or buoy is moored
• Loop – a shape produced that bends round and crosses; bent
• Stern – the back part of a ship or a boat
• Donned – put on, wore
• Oilskins – heavy cotton cloth waterproofed with oil
• Impending – about to happen
• Ominous silence – unpleasant or threatening silence
• Capsizing – be overturned in the water
• Hurled – throw with a great force
• Taut – stretched or pulled tightly
• Boom – pole that controls the angle and shape of the sail
• Scrambled – climb; claw one’s way
• Hatch – door
• Timbers – wood board used in building of a ship
• Debris – rubbish
• Wrenched – pull suddenly, removed
• Forestay – a rope to support ship’s foremast
• Dinghies – a small boat for recreation with mast or sail
• Mayday calls –words used to signal ships stuck in a disastrous situation through radio
• Smashed – badly broken

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• Keel – steel structure along the base of the ship
• Pinpricks – a prick caused by a pin
• Pinpricks in the vast ocean – the two small islands in the vast ocean were very tiny like the
prick caused by a pin
• Abated – something unpleasant to become less intense
• Auxiliary engine – small secondary engine used to board ships to operate a windlass in the
ship
• Rigging – the ropes and wires supporting the structure of the ship
• Sextant – an instrument with graduated arc of 60 degrees for taking altitudes and navigation
• Caricatures – picture of a person; cartoon
• Bunk – bed
• Dozed off – went off to sleep
• Bleak – an area of land lacking vegetation
• Stark – sharply defined
• Anchored – moor a ship to the sea bottom
• Offshore – situated at the sea some distance from the shore
• Ashore – on the shore of the land
• Optimistic – hopeful and confident
--------------------------***********************------------------------------

MCQ
1. From where did the ship sail for the voyage?
A. America B. Mexico C. Germany D. Plymouth, England
2. Why did the author decide to go for a round-the-world voyage?
A.to duplicate the voyage made 200 years ago by Captain James Cook B. to see the
world C. to settle down in different country D. to show his children the world through
ship
3. What was the occupation of the author?
A. Businessman B. Sailor C. Teacher D. None of the above
4. What was the name of the ship of the author?
A. Amazon B. Wave walker C. Wave ship D. Sailor ship
5. What part of the journey was pleasant for them?
A. First leg – from England to Cape town B. Last part of the journey
C. First few months D. Never
6. What were the names of the two crewmen whom the author hired?
A. Shelly and Cabil B. Larry Vigil and Herb
Siegler C. Herb Siegler and Shelly Cooper D. Larry Vigil and Adam
Moore
7. Why did the author hire the two crewmen?
A. to take rest from long the voyage
B. to help tackle one of the world’s roughest seas, the southern Indian Ocean
C. because he could no longer sail the ship D. he wanted to spend some time with his family
8. When did the waves start getting gigantic?
A. December 25 B. January 2 C. November 30 D. December 31
9. What did they do to slow down the boat in the storm?

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 A. Stopped sailing B. dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy
mooring rope C. just dropped the storm jib D. did nothing and waited for storm to calm
down
10. What was the first indication of disaster?
A. around 6 pm when winds dropped and sky grew darker
B. next morning when the ship started creaking
C. when it started raining
D. when winds were strong
11. What happened after the first indication of the disaster?
A. a wave appeared vertical and almost twice the height of other waves
B. it broke the ship from inside
C. the ship turned upside down D. it didn’t affect the ship
12. How did the explosion affect the ship?
A. A torrent of green and white water broke over the ship B. the ship started sinking
C. the ship turned upside down D. None of the above
13. Why did the author accept his approaching death?
A Pirates had attacked the ship B because he was injured by the explosion
C he was thrown in the sea D he was stabbed
14. What did the author see when his head popped out of the water?
A. the ship was sinking B. the ship was nowhere to be seen
C. the ship was near capsizing, her masts almost horizontal D. it was still standing
15. What happened to the author’s body when he managed to reach the deck?
A. his head smashed again B. his left ribs cracked; mouth filled with blood and broken
teeth C. he broke his leg D. his broke his left hand
16. Who said, “We’re sinking!” ?
A. His crewmen B. Mary C. His daughter D. His son
17. What was the condition of the ship?
A. Broken timbers, starboard side bulged inwards; clothes, crockery, charts, tins and toys
sloshed
B. There personal belongings were missing
C. water filled in every room and their clothes were missing D. Can’t say 18.
What had happened to Sue when the author entered their room to check on them?
A. her head hurt as there was a bump B. She was unconscious
C. her legs hurt D. she was fine
19. What was the age of Suzanne and Jonathan?
A. 8 & 9 years old B. 7 & 6 years old C. 10 & 7 years old D. 4 years & 6 years
20. How did the author manage to stretch the canvas?
A. by repairing the holes B. by asking crewmen for help
C. it happened on its own D. the problem got over as the storm had
passed 21. What happened after the hand pumps started to block up with the debris
floating around the cabins?
A. the author connected an electric-pump to an out-pipe
B. by taking out water with the help of bucket
C. by repairing hand pump
D. the author found another hand pump
22. Where did they decide to reach to save themselves and the ship?
A. Australia B. Ile Amsterdam C. Mumbai, India D. Japan
23. What was their first meal in two days?
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 A. Meat loaves B. bread and milk C. noodles D. corned beef and
cracker biscuits
24. Who said, “we aren’t afraid of dying if we can all be together — you and
Mummy,
Sue and I.”?
A. Jon B. Crewmen to each other C. Sue D. Mom
25. When did they reach lle Amsterdam?
A. around 6 pm in the evening B. never reached there
C. at 11 in the next morning D. they decided to take different route
26. What was the status of the ship on January 3?
A. "pumps had the water level sufficiently under control " B. condition was getting
worse
C. they were still struggling to control the pumps D. everything was
just right 27. How long did they take for the ship’s testing and fitting?
A. months B. few days C. 2 years D. few weeks
28. Where had they reached on the 25th of December?
A. 3500 east of Cape Town B. they were suffering the waves away from CapeTown
C. 2500 km from Cape Town D. reached Cape Town
29. What happened when the author’s head smashed into the wheel?
A. he was hurt but steady B. he flew overboard sinking below the waves
C. he was not hurt D. he gained control immediately
30. What does ‘Mayday call’ mean?
A Call made in the month of May B Distress call for help
C Both A and B D None of these
Answer key

Q. No. Answer Q. No. Answer Q. No. Answer

1 D 11 A 21 A

2 A 12 A 22 B

3 A 13 A 23 D

4 B 14 C 24 A

5 A 15 B 25 A

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 6 B 16 B 26 A

7 B 17 A 27 A

B
8 18 A 28 A

9 B 19 B 29 B

10 A 20 A 30 B

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS :SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1.Who was the narrator? What adventurous task did he take on?
OR Why did the author and his wife go for a sea voyage and how did they prepare
for it?
Answer: Author and his wife wanted to duplicate the round the world voyage made 200
years earlier by Captain James Cook. They got a large boat especially designed and
professionally built for this purpose. They had been making formidable preparations for the last
16 years in the rough British waters. OR
The narrator was a thirty-seven-year-old businessman, who along with his family, set
from Plymouth, England, on a round-the-world voyage like Captain James Cook had done 200
years earlier in a 30-ton wooden-hulled boat.

Question 2. How did they prepare for this onerous task?

Answer: For sixteen years, they spent all their leisure time improving their seafaring
skills in British waters. They bought a boat, Wavewalker, a 23-metre, 30-ton wooden-hulled
vessel that had been professionally built. They spent months fitting it out and testing it in the
roughest weather that they could find.

Question 3. How many people were there in the boat? Who were Larry and Herb? What
role did they play?
Answer: Four; the narrator, his wife Mary, son Jonathan, and daughter Suzanne sailed
for 105,000 kilometres to the west coast of Africa to Cape Town. They took on two crewmen
with them an American, Larry Vigil, and a Swiss, Herb Siegler, before settling sail on the
southern Indian Ocean.
They were to help them to tackle one of the world’s roughest seas, the Southern Indian
Ocean. They did their job quite well.

Question 4. What was the first indicator of rough weather?

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 Answer: On their second day out of Cape Town, they encountered strong winds. For the
next few weeks, the gales blew continuously. The gales did not worry the narrator but the sizes
of the waves were disturbing.

Question 5. What ordeal awaited them on 2 January?

Answer: After they celebrated Christmas, the weather changed for the worse. On the
early morning of 2 January, the waves became huge. As the ship rose to the top of each wave,
they could see the vast sea rolling towards them. The wind seemed to be howling.

Question 6. What measures did they take to counter this ordeal?

Answer: They dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy mooring rope in a loop across
the stem to slow the boat, and then double-lashed everything, went through their life-raft drill,
attached lifelines, put on oilskins and life jackets.
Huge waves came rolling towards the boat. The howling of gales and spray was painful
to the ears. First of all, they decided to slow down the boat. The storm jib was dropped. Heavy
mooring ropes were looped across the stern. They went through their life-raft drill and attached
lifelines. Oilskins and life-jackets were donned. Larry and Herb were continuously pumping
out water like madmen.

Question 7. What happened on the evening of 2 January?

Answer: On the evening of 2 January there was a lull before the storm. As the sky grew
dark, they heard a growing roar, and saw a massive cloud rising at the rear of the ship. To their
dismay, it was a huge wave, almost twice the height of other waves, with a fearsome breaking
top.

Question 8. What happened when they tried to ride over the wave?
Answer: When they tried to ride over the wave, there was a loud blast that shook the
deck. Water gushed over the ship, the narrator’s head hit the wheel and he was thrown
overboard into the water. He accepted his impending death, and while he was losing
consciousness, he felt peaceful.

Question 9. How did the narrator get back to the ship after having been thrown into the
sea? Answer: After the narrator felt he was losing consciousness, his head suddenly popped out
of the water. A few metres away, he saw Wavewalker, nearly overturned. Then, a wave threw
it upright. He grabbed the guardrails and sailed through the air into Wavewalker’s main boom.
The waves tossed him onto the deck like a rag doll.

Question 10. How did they manage to throw out water from the ship?
Answer: With the narrator’s wife, Mary, at the wheel, the narrator half-swam, half-
crawled into the children’s cabin, where he found a hammer, screws and canvas, and struggled
back on deck. He secured waterproof hatch covers across the wide-open holes. With Herb and
Larry’s assistance, he managed to throw out the water.

Question 11. What were the difficulties that they faced that night?
Answer: The night was bitterly cold, and they were pumping water out of the ship,
steering the ship and working the radio. Moreover, they were getting no replies to their calls for
help, as they were in a remote comer of the world.

Question 12. What injuries did Sue sustain? What does it reveal about her?
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 Answer: Sue had bumped her head and there was a big bump above her eyes. She had
two black eyes, and a deep cut on her arm. She showed remarkable maturity for a seven-year-
old when she said that she didn’t want to worry them when her father was trying to save all of
them.

Question 13. After the water level receded, what was their next concern? What did they
decide to do?
Answer: Having survived fifteen hours since the wave hit, the narrator checked the
charts and calculated that there were two small islands a few hundred kilometres to the east.
One of them was lie Amsterdam. Knowing Wavewalker would not hold for much longer, they
aimed to reach the island.

Question 14. “But our respite was short-lived.” Why does the narrator say so?
Answer: By 4 January, they ate their first meal in almost two days after pumping out
most of the water. But their breather was short-lived. Soon after, black clouds gathered and the
wind rose to 40 knots; the sea kept getting higher. The weather deteriorated and by dawn on 5
January, the situation turned hopeless, again.

Question 15. What did Jon say that left the narrator speechless?
Answer: When the narrator tried to comfort and reassure the children, Jon said that they
were not afraid of dying if all four of them could be together. The narrator could find no words
to respond, but he left the children’s cabin determined to fight the sea with everything he had.

Question 16. What action did the narrator take, after having decided to fight the sea?
Answer: To protect the weakened starboard side, he decided to heave to with the
undamaged port hull facing the oncoming waves, using an improvised sea anchor of heavy
nylon rope and two 22-litre plastic barrels of paraffin.

Question 17. How did the narrator make his calculations to find out their position on 6
January? Answer: The Wavewalker rode out the storm and by the morning of 6 January, the
narrator worked on wind speeds, changes of course, drift and current in an effort to calculate
their position.

Question 18. What instruction did the narrator give Larry? What did he expect?
Answer: At about 2 p.m., the narrator asked Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees and
said that if they were lucky, they would see the island at about 5 p.m. He was not optimistic
himself so he went below, climbed on his bunk and slept off.

Question 19. Why did the narrator feel that he was not the best captain? What was the
surprise in store for him?
Answer: When Jon called him the best daddy in the whole world and the best captain,
the narrator was dejected for not being able to locate the island, so he refuted the statement.
The truth was that the island was just in front of them.

Question 20. Why did the narrator feel that it was the most beautiful island?
Answer: The narrator saw lie Amsterdam. It was an unwelcoming piece of volcanic
rock, with little vegetation, but to them it was the most beautiful island in the world because it
held for them the hope of their survival.

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 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Question 1. The narrator and his wife had longed to sail. What did they do to accomplish
their dream?
Answer: The narrator and his wife had always dreamt of sailing. They wanted to do a
round-theworld voyage like Captain James Cook had done 200 years earlier. For sixteen years
they spent all their leisure time improving their seafaring skills in the British waters. They took
a boat, Wavewalker, that was 23 metres, and weighed 30 ton. It had been professionally built
and they spent months fitting it out and testing it in the roughest weather that they could find.
Finally, in July 1976, the family set out to sail from Plymouth, England.

Question 2. What were the troubles that they faced on the morning of 2 January? How
did they counter nature’s wrath?
Answer: When they reached the southern Indian Ocean, one of the world’s roughest
seas, they began to encounter strong winds. Apart from the gales, the size of the waves was
alarming. It was as high as the main mast. Things became worse on 2 January when the waves
became huge. The ship rose to the top of each wave and they could see endless waves
approaching them, and the screaming of the wind seemed horrifying to them. To slow the boat
down, they dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy mooring rope in a loop across the stem.
Then they double-lashed everything, went through their life-raft drill, attached lifelines, donned
oilskins and life jackets.

Question 3. “The first indication of impending disaster came at about 6 p.m.” What was
the warning? What was the disaster that followed?
Answer: The first warning of the approaching disaster was the threatening stillness. The
wind dropped, and the sky grew dark. Then with a roar, an enormous cloud seemed to come
after the ship. It turned out to be a vertical wave, almost twice the height of the other waves,
and had fearsome breaking crests. When they tried to move over it, a monstrous explosion
shook the deck. Water broke over the ship, and the narrator’s head hit against the wheel and he
was thrown into the sea. The narrator accepted his impending death, and felt he was losing
consciousness. But soon, he was tossed back into the ship like a ‘rag doll’.

Question 4. How did they deal with the water that had gushed into the ship?
Answer: As Mary took control of the wheel, the narrator made his way towards the
hatch. Larry and Herb were pumping out water frantically. He saw broken timbers hanging, the
starboard side bulged inwards; clothes, crockery, charts, tin and toys sloshed about in deep
water. So, he struggled into the children’s cabin, found a hammer, screws and canvas, and
laboured back on deck. He managed to stretch the canvas and secure waterproof hatch covers
across the gaping holes.
Some water continued to stream below, but most of it was now being deflected over the
side. The problems cropped up when the hand pumps started to block up with the fragments
floating around the cabins and the electric pump short-circuited. The water level rose
ominously. On the deck he missed the two spare hand pumps, forestay sail, jib, dinghies and
the main anchor, which were pitched overboard. He found another electric pump and
connected it to an out-pipe, and this worked.
Question 5. The children braved the situation more maturely than their years. Discuss.
Answer: The children, certainly braved the situation more maturely than their years. Sue
had her head hit and swollen, worryingly. She had two huge black eyes, and a deep cut on her
arm. She did not make much of her injuries because she did not want to worry her father when

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he was trying to save them. Jon, the narrator’s six-year- old son, assured him that they were not
afraid of dying if the family could all be together.
When Sue’s head injury worsened with her blackened eyes narrowed to slits, she held on
to her spirit and gave the narrator a card with drawn caricatures of Mary and him with the
words: ‘Here are some funny people. Did they make you laugh? I laughed a lot as well.’ The
underlying message of love and positive hope overwhelmed the narrator. He was touched with
the thoughtfulness of a seven-year-old girl, who did not want her parents to worry about a head
injury, and that of the boy who was not afraid to die.

Question 6. What difference did you notice between the reaction of the adults and the
children when faced with danger?
Answer: There is a lot of difference between the way in which the adults and the
children reacted when faced with danger. The adults felt the stress of the circumstances but
prepared themselves to face the dangers. They took sufficient precautions to protect the ship
when the rough weather began. They equipped everyone with lifelines, water proof clothes,
and life jackets. Larry and Herb worked cheerfully and optimistically for three days
continuously to pump out water from the ship. Mary replaced the narrator at the wheel when
the deck was smashed, and steered the ship. She also served them meal after two days of
struggle against odds. The narrator performed his role as captain with courage, determination,
resourcefulness and full responsibility. He undertook repair work and provided apparatus and
directions needed to protect the ship. He also helped in steering the ship towards the island.
The children suffered silently and patiently. Sue did not want to bother her father with her
troubles. Jon acted courageously. He was not afraid to die if all of them perished together.

Question 7. Why do you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions in spite of
the risks involved?
Answer: Man is adventurous by nature. The greater the risk, the more the thrill. The
thrill of exploring unknown lands, discovering wealth and beauty lying hidden in far off lands
inspires brave hearts to stake their life of rest and repose. Perhaps they value one crowded hour
of glory more than a long uneventful life of sloth and inactivity. It is true that sometimes
adventures are quite risky and prove fatal. The failures of some persons do not daunt
(discourage) the real lovers of adventure. They draw lessons from the shortcomings and errors
of others and make fresh attempts with greater zeal. Part of the charm of an adventurous
expedition lies in adapting oneself to the circumstances and overcoming the odds. The success
of an adventurous expedition brings name, fame and wealth. History books are replete with
accounts of famous explorers like Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Captain Cook and Captain
Scott.

Question 8. Write the character sketch of narrator.

Answer: The narrator was a married man with two children who had set sail from
Plymouth, England to duplicate the round-the-world voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain
James Cook. He was a 37-year-old businessman who with his wife Mary had dreamt of sailing
in the wake of the famous explorer and for the past 16 years had spent all their leisure time
honing their seafaring skills in British waters until their boat Wave walker was ready. The
captain of the ship who is the narrator of the story was a courageous man who defines what a
man can do with perseverance and dedication when push comes to shove. The narrator had hurt
himself when a tremendous explosion shook the deck of his ship and he smashed his head into
the wheel when a huge wave broke over the ship. He was flung overboard and found himself
sinking below the waves. He thought death was approaching him and he lost consciousness.
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The narrator felt that his death was imminent and he saw that his boat was going to capsize
with her masts horizontal and it was flooded with water. The impact of the waves on the
narrator had nearly led him to believe that he was dying and to accept that fact with composure.
However, the thought of his family's survival pulled him back and he fought really hard until
he had brought them all to safety. He loved his family, especially his two children who were
already exhibiting signs of possessing their father's indomitable courage and resilience.

Question 9. Character sketch of Suzzanne and Jonathan.

Answer: Suzanne: Suzanne was narrator’s seven-year-old daughter. She was very brave.
She was critically injured at the time the huge wave struck the boat. Her eyes were terribly
swollen because of the head injury. There was a cut on her arm also; however, she did not cry.
She repeatedly told her father she was alright; the truth was she was not. She had to undergo
six minor operations to remove the blood clotting from her brain.
Jonathan: Jonathan was Gordon Cook’s 6-year-old son who had accompanied him on
the roundthe-world-journey. After the Wavewalker was terribly broken by the colossal wave,
he also behaved very courageously. He gave a new strength to his father when he said he was
not afraid to die if he could be together with the family. These words filled the author with new
determination and courage. He resolved to fight till the end to save his family from being
drowned in the stormy sea.

Question 10: Theme of We are not Afraid to die…

Answer: The story We’re Not Afraid to Die speaks about the adventures of a family
which is out on a voyage. This story is an encounter described by the author which he
experienced while taking the voyage. You will witness a stream of unfortunate events that lead
to a disaster for this family living its dream of sailing. The story brings many emotions which
helps you to understand the importance of bonding in a family and you will see how each
member of the family perseveres to survive this deadly situation.
The story also shows the struggle of a father determined to save his family and leaves no
stone unturned to bring the situation under control. It also brings the combined efforts of each
character to fight this situation. The little boy Jonathan exhibits a great deal of courage and is
also ready to die if all his family members are together. All that matters is that they are
together. The young girl Suzanne is seriously injured but chooses not to bother her father who
is struggling to save everyone.
This entire story revolves around the family and their positive attitude which saved
everyone. The whole family stands together and fights this situation with an indomitable spirit.
The story shows how unity might help you to overcome the toughest of situations. The family
members trust the author and how their faith in him boost his confidence to fight. In this
chapter, you will learn how your attitude can affect your performance in any situation.

Chapter -3 DISCOVERING TUT: THE SAGA CONTINUES

INTRODUCTION

The chapter deals with the mysteries and various theories regarding the life and death of
the youngest teenaged Pharoah of ancient Egypt- Tutankhamun. Some speculated that he was
murdered. King Tut’s tomb was discovered in 1922 by the famous archaeologist Howard
Carter. After Carter’s investigation, Tut’s mummy was also subjected to an X-ray and a CT
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 scan. These investigations have answered a lot of questions and offered new clues on details of
Tut’s life and the mystery surrounding his death.

THEME
The chapter ‘Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues’ is a description of the exploration
conducted by a team of researchers. It gives an account of the struggles the team faced to
unravel the mystery of the death of a teenaged ruler, KingTut.
The story highlights changes in the methods of archaeology from a few decades back to
the present era of modern technology. It gives us an idea about the kind of exploration
conducted in 1922 by Carter when there was no modern method to extract theremains.
It also helps us understand the revolution in the field of archaeology which is due to
modern equipments and sophisticated methods like computed tomography or CT scan which
are being used to give more accurateresults.
CHARACTERS
Howard Carter: The British archaeologist who discovered King Tut’s tomb in 1922.
His discovery was sensational as it was successful after years of futile searching. Carter’s
investigation caused great damage to the king’s mummy as the hardened material had to be
chiseled away from the body to raise the king’s remains.
Zahi Hawass:The Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. One
of the members of the team of researchers, Hawass scanned King Tut’s mummy for an
accurate forensic reconstruction. He was extremely focused and committed towards his work
as he could not sleep even for a second the night before Tut’s body was taken for scanning.
He was extremely worried thinking of the seriousness of the work of extraction and
reconstruction undertaken by him and felt relaxed only when the task was accomplished and
he was sure that everything was in proper place.
Amenhotep III: King Tut’s father or grandfather, was a powerful ruler who ruled for
almost four decades at the peak of the eighteenth dynasty’s golden age. He was succeeded
by AmenhotepIV.
Amenhotep IV: Successor of Amenhotep III, he promoted the worship of Aten, the
sun disk and changed his name to Akhenaten or ‘servant of the Aten’. He shifted the
religious capital from the old city of Thebes to the new city of Akhenaten, now known as
Amarna. He further outraged the country by
attackingAmun,amajorGod,bysmashinghisimagesandclosinghistemples.Hewascalledod
dand wacky by Ray Johnson.

Tutankhaten: Widely known as King Tut, he was the last heir of a powerful family that
had ruled Egypt and its empire for centuries. He was just a teenager when he became a ruler.
He also changed his name to Tutankhamun, reigned for about nine years and died
unexpectedly. His mummy was the first to be examined by using a CT scan.

GIST OF THE LESSON

Death of King Tut

➢ King Tut just a teenager at time ofdeath

➢ last heir of powerful family that ruled Egypt and its empire forcenturies

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➢ buried and forgotten over years

➢ discovery of his tomb in 1922 made world wonder about cause of untimely death. ➢
brought out of tomb, CT scan done to ascertain reason of death.

CT Scan of King Tut’s mummy

➢ King Tut’s mummy taken out from burial tomb on 5 January, 2005 at 6p.m. ➢ scan done
to unearth medical mysteries surrounding untimely death
➢ rock- cut tomb lay 26 feet underground in Egyptian cemetery ‘Valley of theKings’

➢ angry winds stirred, dark clouds covered the stars when mummy put into scanner for
CTscan
➢ overcast weather entire day, night sky covered by dark-belliedclouds

➢ tourists from around the world visited tomb to payrespect

➢ murals on walls of burial chamber and King Tut’s gilded face on lid of outercoffin

➢ visitors curious, thoughtful; feared pharaoh’s curse would befall those who disturbedhim

➢ Zahi Hawass-blamed Howard Carter- bad condition of mummy

Howard Carter and his findings

➢ Tut’s tomb discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carterin1922

➢ tomb laden with gold; contents- richest royal collection ever found

➢ dazzling works of art in gold caused sensation then and even today

➢ Tut buried with everyday things- board games, bronze razor, linen undergarments, cases
of food, wine etc. needed in life after death
➢ three nested coffins investigated by Carter

➢ contents of first coffin- shroud decorated with garlands of willow and olive leaves, wild
celery, lotus petals, cornflowers- burial took place in March or April
➢ ritual resins hardened, cementing mummy to bottom of solid gold coffin

King Tut’s mummy chiseled out by Howard Carter

➢ Carter faced difficulty extracting mummy out ofcoffin

➢ ritual resins hardened, mummy cemented to bottom of coffin

➢ Carter tried to loosen resins-put mummy outside in sun for hours – mummy heated to149
degrees
➢ Fahrenheit- nothinghappened
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➢ cut hardened material from under limbs and trunk to free Tut’sremains

➢ all this done to protect treasure- precious collars, inlaid necklaces, bracelets, rings,
amulets, ceremonial apron, sandals, sheaths for fingers and toe, inner coffin and mask- all
of pure gold, fromthieves
➢ removed mummy’s head and cut off nearly every major joint to separate king from
ornaments.
➢ reassembled remains of body on layer of sand in wooden box with padding to conceal
damage.
King Tut’s mummy x-rayed
➢ archaeology undergone changes -focuses more on details of life and death than treasures;
uses more sophisticatedtools
➢ anatomy professor x-rayed mummy in 1968, more than 40 years after Howard Carter’s
discovery; revealed astonishingfact
➢ Tut’s breast bone and front ribs found missing beneath resins that caked Tut’schest

➢ mystery of Tut’s death stillunsolved

King Tut and his ancestors

➢ King Tut’s father or grandfather, Amenhotep III- powerful King, ruled for almost
fourdecades.
➢ son Amenhotep IV succeeded; very strangeKing

➢ Amenhotep IV promoted worship of Aten, the sun disk; changed his name to Akhenaten
(servant ofAten)
➢ moved religious capital from Thebes to Akhetaten, now known asAmarna

➢ shocked country- attacked major god ‘Amun’, broke images, closed downtemples ➢ Ray
Johnson, Director of the University of Chicago’s research centre in Luxor, called
ithorrific time.
➢ after Akhenaten’s death mysterious ruler Smenkhkare- ruled for brief period, departed
withhardly any sign
➢ young King Tutankhaten took over throne; soon changed name to Tutankhamun, known
as King Tut
➢ Tut oversaw revival of old ways, ruled for nine years, then died unexpectedly

CT Scanning of King Tut’s mummy

➢ King Tut’s mummy-one among many in Egypt

➢ The Egyptian Mummy Project- recorded almost six hundred mummies, stillcounting

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➢ King Tut’s mummy- first to be CT scanned to ascertain secret ofdeath

➢ scanned by portable scanner donated by National Geographic Society and Siemens, its
manufacturer
➢ team of specialists in radiology, forensics and anatomy worked uponTut

➢ on night of scan, workmen carried mummy its box, from tomb, rose it on hydraulic lift
into a trailer that heldscanner
➢ initially scanner could not function properly due to sand in cooler fan- plastic fans
brought as substitute
➢ king returned to coffin to rest in peace afterscan

➢ CT scan showed image of Tut’s entire body clearly- grey head, neck vertebrae, a hand,
several images of rib cage and a section of skull
➢ Zahi Hawass relieved- nothing had seriously gone wrong- nothinglost

➢ after observations, team left, wind stopped, completesilence

➢ technicians saw Orion constellation, known to ancient Egyptians as soul of Osiris, the
God of afterlife, above entrance totomb
➢ felt as if God was watching over the boyking

VOCABULARY

1. Heir – Inheritor, successor

2. Laden – loaded
3. Speculated- form a theory without evidence
4. Tomb- an enclosure to bury the dead
5. Forensic Reconstruction – the process of recreating the face of an individual
6. Pharaoh- a ruler in ancient
7. Stirred – move or cause to move slightly
8. Ghostly – eerie and unnatural; unreal
9. Resting place- here, the grave
10. Cemetery- a large burial ground
11. Dark-bellied – dark in colour
12. Scudded across – moving quickly; it refers to the movement of the
dark- bellied clouds
13. Veiling – to cover something
14. Casket- a small ornamental box or chest for holding jewels,
letters, or other valued objects.
15. Casket grey – It means that the grey clouds were like a grey coloured casket
which

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 contained the stars. The stars are like jewels which
are kept in a casket.
16. Glided – quite, continuous motion
17. Probe – to investigate, find out
18. Lingering – long-lasting
19. Descended – moved or gathered
20. Cramped – very small to fit into
21. Rock-cut - made in a rock by cutting it
22. Gazed – to look in surprise or in admiration
23. Murals – a painting or other art work executed directly on the wall

24. 23.Gilded – covered with a thin sheet or coating of gold

25. Striking- prominent

26. Whisper- to speak in a low voice
27. Pondering – think about something carefully
28. 26. Futile – pointless; incapable of producing the result of
something.

29. Ransacked – raid; go through a place to steal or damage something

30. Antiquity – age, oldness

31. Resurrection – restoration to life
32. Afterlife- life after death, based on the belief that the essential to
the next life after the death of the physical body.
33. Funerary Treasures – the valuable things with which the king was buried
34. Shroud – a length of cloth in which a dead person is wrapped
35. Adorned – decorated
36. Garlands of willow – a wreath of flowers and leaves
37. Resins – a sticky flammable substance that is insoluble in water
38. Legitimate - reasonable
39. Blazing – very hot
40. Budged – moved or shifted; a slight movement
41. Chiselled away – to cut something with a chisel
42. Circumvented – find a way around; thieves would have found a way
to tackle the guards and remove the gold from
the tomb
43. 43 Inlaid - a decorative pattern on a surface
44. Amulet - an ornament or small piece of jewellery thought to
give protection against evil, danger, or disease
45. Sheaths – a close-fitting cover
46. Adornments – ornaments
47. Concealed- hid
48. Intervening – occur in the time between
events

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 49. Intriguing – to arouse one’s curiosity
50. Startling – unexpected or surprising
51. Computed Tomography – Also called a CT scan, it is a three-dimensional scan of
a body with the help of hundreds of X-Rays
in cross-section together
52. Wacky – amusing in a slightly odd way
53. Eerie detail – strange image of Tut’s head as visible with the help of
CT scan
54. Forensics – the application of the scientific method to investigate a crime
55. Anatomy – the branch of science which deals with the bodily structure
of humans, animals or other living beings
56. Burial – burying the dead
57. Pallbearers – a person who helps to escort a coffin at a funeral
58. Swirling – to spin or twist
59. Hydraulic lift – a lift that uses a machine to lift or move heavy objects with a
Pressure
60. Sprinted – ran at a high speed
61. stood Orion — the constellation that the ancient Egyptians knew as the soul
of Osiris, the god of the afterlife — watching over the boy king.
62. Astonishing – amazing
63. Pixels - a pixel is a single point in a graphic image
64. Spun – to turn around
65. Vertebrae – – series of small bones which form a
backbone

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS:

1. Who is Osiris?
(a) god of nature b.god of afterlife c.god of seasons d. god of
universe
2.What was Tut lavished with?
a) gold, silver, flowers (b) lots of jewels
(c) “glittering goods: precious collars, inlaid necklaces and bracelets, rings,
amulets, a ceremonial apron,sandals, sheaths for his fingers and toes all of pure gold”
(d) expensive clothing
3. “Tut was laid to rest, laden with ……….”
(a) platinum (b) aluminium (c) gold 1(d) silver
4. How did Tut die?
(a) It is a mystery (b) Due to heart attack (c) Due to Cancer (d) During a war
5. When did Tut die?
a.When he was a teenager b.When he was old
c. When he was in middle age d.When he was a child.
6. Who discovered Tut’s tomb and when?
a.Adam Cooper in 1901 b.Howard Carter in 1922
c.Howard Carter in 1930 d.Sam show in
1890 7.For almost show many years did Amenhotep III rule Egypt?
a. 5 years b.20 years c.10 years d.40 years
8. When was Tut’s body taken back in his tomb after CT scan?
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(a) After a day (b) After 3 hours (c) After 12 hours (d) After 5 hours
9. How did the workmen lift the body for the scan?
(a) through the stairs (b) on a hydraulic trailer (c) through sliding (d) through lift
10. When was Tut’s body taken for CT Scan in the 21st century?
(a) January 05 2005 (b) January 10, 2007 (c) June 09, 2001 (d) February 12,
2009 11. When was the mummy examined in X-Ray by the anatomy professor?
(a) In 1945 (b) In 1986 (c) In 1968 (d) Never
12. How did Carter cut the body of Tut?
(a) First head and then every limb (b) first leg and
then head (c) first legs, head and then limbs (d) limb,
hand only 13. Why did the third coffin put Carter in trouble?
(a) It was empty
(b) The resins used to cement Tut to the bottom of the solid gold coffin which was hardened
enough
(c) The material found inside was already looted (d) None of the above 14. How would you
describe Tut’s tomb?
(a) gold-plated (b) rock-cut
(c) wall paintings with gold-plate (d) rock-cut, 26 feet underground, which had wall
paintings

15. For how many years did Tutankhamun rule Egypt?

(a) Nine (b) Eleven (c) Two (d) Five
16. What is the Cemetery of Tut called?
a) Valley of kings b.Tut’s resting place c.Resting peace d.Valley of Flowers
17. What does CT scan stand for?
a) Computed Telegraphy b.Computed Tomography Scan
c.Car Topology d.Computer Technology
18. What were the facts revealed when the mummy was X-Rayed in 1968?
a) His several possessions were missing b.His hip bone was missing
c.His breast bone and front bones were missing d.His feet bone was missing. 19. Who
said,” “the mummy is in a very bad condition because of what carter did in 1920’s?
a) Carter b.Zahi Hawass c.An anatomy Professor d.An Egyptian
Historian
20. How did Howard remove the resins?
a) with the help of chisel and hammer b.with the help of
chemicals
c.with the help of machinery d.with the help of man
power

21. What did Carter and his men do after cutting down his body?
(a) they sent it for X-Ray (b) they examined them
carefully (c) they placed it on the layer of sand in a wooden box (d) they clicked
photographs 22. What was in the first coffin?
a) garlands of olives, lotus petals, and cornflowers b.flowers and coins
c.gold wealth, bronze razor, games, clothes, cases of food and wine d.it was empty
23. Why did the third coffin put carter in trouble?
a) It was empty b.The resins used had
hardened
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 c.The Material found inside was already looted d.None of the above
24. What name did Amenhotep IV change to?
a) Amarna b.Atul c.Akhenaten d.Amenhotep III
25. Why did the procedure stop in between?
(a)As spare fan stopped working (b) as the light went off (c)
As the lift broken (d) none of the above
26. Who promoted the worship of Aten (the sun disk)?
A. Tutankhamun B. Amenhotep III C. Amenhotep IV D. None of the above

Answers

Q. No Answer Q. No Answer

1 A 14 D

2 C 15 A

3 C 16 A

4 A 17 B

5 B 18 C

6 C 19 B

7 D 20 A

8 B 21 C

9 B 22 A

10 A 23 B

11 C 24 C

12 A 25 A

13 B 26 C

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 QUESTIONS / ANSWERS

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. Who was Howard Carter? What was his discovery?

Ans. Howard Carter was a British archaeologist. After years of searching he
discovered King Tut’s tomb in 1922 over 3300 years after his death. Tut died in his teens but
his death was a mystery for all. He was the last heir of the powerful family of pharaohs that
ruled Egypt for centuries. People believed that the king died under mysterious circumstances
and his death might involve every possibility of murder.

Q2. Why did King Tut’s mummy have to undergo CT scan?

Ans. The mummy of King Tut had earned worldwide fame for the riches it was buried
with. Further there arose a great controversy about the manner of his death and his age at the
time of death. Keeping in view this controversy, King Tut’s body was ordered to be scanned
to examine the delayed medical mysteries about his life and death.

Q3. What did the tourists in the burial chamber of King Tut do?
Ans. The tourists from around the world queued up as usual all afternoon into the
narrowed rock-cut tomb. They lined up to pay their homage to King Tut. They looked keenly
at the murals on the walls of the burial chamber. Some also peered at Tut’s gilded face.
Some visitors read from guidebook, whereas others stood silently thinking about the
Pharoah’s curse which stated that death or misfortune would befall those who disturbedhim.

Q4. Why did the artifacts in Tut’s tomb cause a sensation at the time of
discovery? Ans. The stunning artifacts of gold discovered in Tut’s tomb surprised all
present there. They were all made of pure gold. Their shine was brilliant and never fading.
The funerary treasure included precious collars, necklaces, bracelets, rings, amulets, a
ceremonial apron, sandals, sheaths, etc. All these things, including the coffin, were made of
pure gold. It was believed that the king would take these possessions with him in his journey
beyond death. This eternal brilliance of the artifacts was meant to guarantee the king’s
revival from grave.

Q5. Why did Carter have to detach Tut’s mummy from the coffin? How did he
do it? Ans: When Carter and his men were working at the tomb of King Tut, they found that
the ritual resins had hardened and had cemented the mummy of King Tut to the bottom of
his solid gold coffin. The mummy could not be taken out. The solidified material could only
be chiseled away. They removed the mummy’s head and severed nearly every major joint.
This they did in order to separate the body from the adornments. Then they reassembled the
remains on a layer on sand in a wooden box with padding.
Q6. How did Carter defend his action of cutting the mummy free?
Ans. Carter, in his defense, wrote later that if he hadn’t cut the mummy free, thieves
would have escaped the guards and ripped it apart to remove all the gold. The mummy had
been kept with a lot of wealth in the form of gold ornaments and other riches, all of gold.
The funerary treasures would have surely attracted thieves had he not severed the mummy
to make it free from the adornments.

Q7. Why was King Tut’s coffin put in hot sun?

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 Answer: The resins used in the funeral rites of King Tut had dried and hardened and the
body was stuck to the coffin’s base. Carter ordered the coffin to be put in the sun hoping to
melt and loosen the resins. Even with 149 degrees Fahrenheit, the resins did not soften.

Q8. What problem did Carter face when he reached the mummy of King Tut? How
did he find a way out?
Ans. King Tut’s mummy was stuck to the bottom of the coffin because the resins had
melted and hardened Carter decided to chisel the hardened resin from beneath the mummy.

Q9. How was Tut’s body carried to the C.T scanner?

Ans. On the night of the scan, workmen carried Tut from the tomb in his box. Like
pallbearers they climbed a ramp and a flight of stairs into the swirling sand outside. Then
they rose it on a hydraulic lift into the trailer that held the scanner.

Q10. How was King Tut’s mummy scanned by the CT scanner?

Ans. In order to remove the mystery over the death of King Tut, a portable CT scanner
was taken in a trailer to the sandy area near Tut’s tomb. Tut’s body was carried there from
his tomb in a box for scanning. However, a technical snag occurred when the sand entered
the million- dollar portable scanner. A pair of white plastic fans served as replacement or
substitute fans to help in the scanning. The CT machine scanned the mummy from head to
toe, creating 1700 digital X-ray images in cross-section. His entire body was scanned in 0.62
milimetre slices for intricate details.

Q11. What did the CT scan of Tut’s mummy reveal?

Ans. CT scanning gave surprising as well as fascinating images of Tut’s body. The
image of a grey head appeared on the computer screen. Neck bones appeared quite clearly.
Other images of Tut’s body appeared on the screen. They included a hand and several views
of rib-cage and the skull.

Q12. Carter had to take a drastic decision regarding the mummy. What was it? How
did he justify it?
Ans. The hard decision that carter had to take was to chisel away the hardened resins
from under
Tut’s body. This could damage the skeleton. The workers had to remove Tut’s head and
sever nearly all the joints. Carter’s justification was that if he hadn’t cut the mummy free,
thieves would have ripped it apart to get the gold.

Q13. “King Tut’s body had been subjected to repeated scrutiny”. Why?
Ans: King Tut’s body and burial chamber were found intact. The archaeologists hoped
to discover many truths about King Tut and Egypt of his time. Therefore, they investigated
them repeatedly.

Q14.Why was Tut’s body buried with gilded treasures and precious things?
Ans:Tut’s body buried with gilded treasures and precious things because the Egyptians
believed King Tut would need those things in his life after death.

Q15. List some adornments on Tut’s body. Why had the adornments been buried
along with the body?
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 Ans: Stunning gold objects of great beauty like precious collars, inlaid necklaces,
bracelets, rings, amulet, all things needed by the King in his afterlife, board games, linen
undergarments, cases of food and drink. Egyptians believed that the king would need these
articles in his life after death.

Q16.What were the contents of ‘the richest royal collection ever found’?
Ans. Stunning gold objects of great beauty like precious collars, inlaid necklaces,
bracelets, rings, amulets, all things needed by the King in his afterlife, board games, linen
undergarments, cases of food and drink.

.
Q 17. Why did the boy king change his name from Tutankhaten to
Tutankhamun? Ans. Tutankhamun means the living image of Amun. Tut took this name
because he wanted to restore the old ways which had been changed by his father.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. “He was the last of his family line.” What do you learn about Tut’s dynasty from the
extract
‘Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues’?

Ans. Tut’s grandfather, Amenhotep III was a powerful Pharaoh who ruled for almost
four decades at the height of the dynasty’s golden age. His son Amenhotep IV promoted the
worship of the Aten, the sun disk. He changed his name to Akhenaten or ‘servant of the Aten`
He moved his religious capital fromthe old city Thebes to the new city of Akhenaten. He
further shocked the country by attacking Amun, a major God, breaking his images and closing
his temples.
Thus, the ‘wacky’ king started one of the strongest periods in the history of ancient
Egypt. After Akhenaten’s death a mysterious ruler named Smenkhkare appeared briefly and
departed without leaving any sign. Then a very young Tutankhaten took over the throne. He is
widely known today as King Tut. The boy king soon changed his name to Tutankhamun,
meaning ‘living image of Amun’. He supervised the restoration of the old ways.
Tutankhamun ruled for about nine years and then died unexpectedly. The details of his
passing away are not known. The modern world has speculated about what happened to him;
how he died and how old he was at the time of his death are two unanswered questions which
remain unanswered even today.

Q2. AR Williams says, “King Tut is …. in death as in life regally ahead of his
countrymen.” How far do you agree with the assertion and why?
Ans. Perhaps no other Pharaoh of Egypt has fascinated the public mind so greatly as the
boyish King Tutankhamun. Although King Tut died in his teens and ruled for about nine
years only, he introduced certain changes during his brief rule. These were significant as they
marked restoration of the old ways of the worship of Amun. The unanswered questions about
the causes and mode of his death as well as his age at the time of his death kept public
curiosity alive. After his death, his body has been a centre of scientific examination. Howard
Carter, the British archaeologist discovered Tut’s tomb in 1922. In 1968, an anatomy
Professor X-rayed the mummy. The Egyptian Mummy project began an inventory in late
2003. It has so far recorded 600 and is still counting. The next phase of CT scanning with a
portable CT machine began on
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 January 5, 2005. King Tut’s mummy was the first one to undergo CT scan. Hence, the
assertion iscorrect.

Q3. How has Tut’s mummy fascinated the scientists and commoners alike over the
previous decades?
Ans. King Tutankhamun was the last Pharoah left of his line. His funeral marked the
end of a dynasty. He was laid to rest laden with gold as the royals in Tut’s time were
extremely wealthy and thought they could take their riches with them. His tomb was
discovered by Howard Carter, an English archaeologist in 1922, more than 3000 years after
his death. The rich royal collection of jewellery and golden artifacts fascinated Carter.
Visitors thronged the boy King’s tomb. The particulars of King Tut’s death and its aftermath
are not clear. He revealed a startling fact. The breastbone and front ribs of Tut were missing.
On 5th January, 2005 a CT scan was done to obtain precise data for an accurate forensic
reconstruction of King Tut. It was hoped that it would offer new clues about his life and
death. Thus, Tut’s mummy has been the centre of fascination throughout the previous
decades.

Q4. Who was King Tut? What happened when his mummy was being CT scanned?
What did the tourists do?
Ans. King Tut was just a teenager when he died. He was the last heir of a powerful
family that ruled Egypt and its empire for centuries. He was laid to rest laden with gold and
forgotten. In 1922, Howard Carter discovered his mummy and startling facts about him came
to light. When his mummy was CT scanned on January 5, 2005, an angry wind began to blow.
Dark clouds appeared in the sky. The tourists gazed at the murals on the walls in his burial
chamber. They peered at the gilded face. Some tourists stood silently. They wondered if the
Pharaoh’s cursedeath or misfortune falling upon those who disturbed him–was really true. But
except a change in the weather nothing happened.

Q5. What problems did Howard Carter face in regard to King Tut’s mummy? What did
he do to solve them?
Ans. At last, Howard Carter, the British archaeologist, discovered King Tut’s burial
chamber and his gold coffin in 1922. When he opened the last coffin, he found that the ritual
resins had hardened. It had cemented Tut to the bottom of his solid gold coffin. He tried to
loosen it by putting the mummy in the scorching sunshine. But it did not happen. Then he said
the material had to be chiseled away from beneath the limbs and trunk. It was to be done
before it was possible to raise the King’s remains. Carter defended it saying that the thieves
would rip the mummy apart to remove the gold. So, his men removed the mummy’s head and
severed nearly major joint. Then they reassembled the remains on a layer of sand. They put
the mummy in a wooden box.

Q6. What light does the chapter throw on King Tut’s father or grandfather?
Ans. King Tut’s father or grandfather was a powerful Pharaoh. They ruled Egypt for 40
years at the height of the 18th dynasty’s golden age. His son Amenhotep IV succeeded him. He
started certain changes. He promoted the worship of the Aten, the sun disk. He changed his
name to Akhenaten, or ‘Servant of the Aten’ He also moved the capital from Thebes to
Akhenaten. It is now known as Amarna. He shocked the country by breaking the images of
Amun, a major God images and closing his temples. After Akhenaten’s death, Smenkhare
ruled Egypt briefly. Then a very young Tutankhaten sat on the throne. He was the King Tut as

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known today. The boy King changed his name to Tutankhamun, ‘living image of Amun’ He
restored old ways. He ruled for nine years and then died unexpectedly.

Chapter-4: LANDSCAPE OF THE SOUL: Nathalie Trouveroy

SUMMARY
• The story “Landscape of the Soul” by author Nathalie Trouveroy is about art.
• The first narrative is about a famous medieval Chinese artist named Wu Daoji, who
lived in the 8th century under the Tang Emperor Xuan zong rule. He was asked by the
Empror to decorate the walls of his palace.
• Wu Daoji painted a beautiful midline of mountains, waterfalls, river, clouds and blue
skies, wildlife, and people living harmoniously in a radiant environment. He painted a
cave in the foothills of the mountains that was dwelled by a spirit. While painting Wu
clapped his hands near the cave, and the passage of the cave magically opened. Wu gets
inside the cave and vanishes.
• The story became a Chinese legend and part of rich folklore from writers and
philosophers such as Confucius and Zhuangzi.

• Another story is about another painter who believed in the spiritual magic of art. He
painted a magnanimous dragon. However, he did not paint the eyes of the dragon
because he was afraid that the dragon would come to life. The belief he had in his art
was such that he was frightened by the probability of bringing his art to life and falling
victim to a fiery dragon.

• In the third and final story, the writer cites a story representative of Europe during the
fifteenth century in Antwerp, Belgium. There was a blacksmith named Quentin, who
fell in love with a painter’s daughter. The difference between their profession led the
father not to accept their relationship. To earn his beloved hand for marriage, the
blacksmith sneaked into the painter’s studio and painted a fly on his latest panel. It had
such moderate realism that it resembled a real one and tried to fly it as a living
insect.Quentin’s skill, determination and simplicity convinced him and got his daughter
married to him. Finding his true love, Quentin became one of the greatest painters of his
age.
• The Chinese and the European arts are in direct contrast to each other and represent two
contrarian views of art. Western figurative paintings depict scenes exactly as they are,
whereas Chinese painters depict inner space—spiritual and conceptual. The European
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 painter wants the viewer to understand his art exactly as he sees it, whereas Chinese
painter wants the viewer to use his prudence, enjoy the art and come out with his
inference.
• Shanshui means mountain and water. The mountain is symbolic of the male and the
water is symbolic of’ the female element in creation. This is the fundamental notion of
‘Daoism’. In between, there is the Middle Void where their interaction takes
place and is also the space for man. Thus, the Chinese painter’s landscape has a
spiritual character.
• The writer has compared the concept of ‘Shanshui’ with the yogic practice of
‘Pranayama’ breathe in, hold, breath out—the time of the suspension of breath is the
void when meditation occurs. This middle void is crucial-as nothing can happen
without it.
• The concept of ‘art brut’ is about the art of the ones who have ‘no right’ to be artists. It
is because they lack any formal training yet somehow possess artistic talent and insight.
The writer cites the example of Nek Chand’s work at Rock Garden in Chandigarh is a
form of art brut.

VOCABULARY
Dwells – live; stay
Splendid – very impressive; superb
Astonished – greatly surprised or impressed
Disciple – a follower or a pupil of a leader, teacher
Anecdote – a short interesting story of a real person
Flanders – a medieval country in Western Europe
Antwerp – a city of northern Belgium
Delicate Realism – the quality of art that makes it seem real
Swat – hit or crush something
Apprentice – trainee; learner
Illusionistic Likeness – an illusion created which resembles something
Figurative painting – metaphoric representation of an art
Leisurely – unhurried or relaxed
Conceptual Space – relation with an abstract representation
Void – empty; vacant
Conduit – channel; tube
Oppressed – burdened; worried
Lofty – tall or high

MCQ’S BASED ON THE CHAPTER

1. What two forms of art did the author contrast in this chapter? A. Indian
Ancient Art and Chinese Art B. Chinese art and European art
C. American Art ad European Art D. European Art and Greek Art
2. Whom did the Tang emperor Xuan zong commission to decorate a wall in
the palace?
A. Axi Xiami B. Viu Quizi C. Wu Daozi D. Wu Shawmi 3. Who
was the Chinese Emperor during the Eighth Century? A. Tang Emperor Xuanzong

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 B. Yongle Emperor Zhu Di C. Jianwen Emperor Zhu Yunwen
D. Tiacheng Emperor Zhu Changluo 4. Where did the painter draw the
attention in the painting?
A. Sun B. Palace C. Birds D. a cave at the foot of the mountain
5. What happened when the painter entered the cave?
A. the entrance closed behind him B. the painting vanished
C. Nothing happened D. It was only a dream
6. Why didn’t the painter want to draw an eye of a dragon?
A. he feared that the painting would not look good
B. he feared that the dragon would fly out of the painting
C. he feared that dragon will seem real D. because he didn’t wanted to work
7. What do the books of Confucius and Zhuangzi teach?
A. to guide his disciple in the right direction B. to not fear the superiors
C. to not to suppress your thoughts D. None of the above
8. What was the name of the blacksmith in the fifteenth century Antwerp? A.
Adam Mulch B. Sadern Metsys C. Lori Adam D. Quinten Metsys
9. Why didn’t the father approve of the love of his daughter and the blacksmith?
A. due to his profession B. due to his caste C. due to his appearance D.
None of the above 10. What did the two forms of art depict?
A. a perfect, illusionistic likeness in Europe, the essence of inner life and spirit in Asia
B. a perfect, illusionistic likeness in Asia, the essence of inner life and spirit in Euorpe
C. perfect art form in Asia and realness in Europe
D. It depicted nothing
11. What does the word ‘Dao’ mean?
A. perfection
B. both the path or the method, and the mysterious works of the Universe
C. mystery D. royal
12. What does the Chinese Landscape depict?
A. They are not real and one can enter from any viewpoint
B. they produce an actual viewpoint
C. they are not imaginery
D. None of the above
13. What does ‘Leisurely movement’ mean? A. relaxed movement B. hurried
action
C. pleasure action D. None of the above
14. . What did the Chinese Painter want the viewer to do?
A. he wants the viewer to enter his mind
B. he wants the viewers to admire his painting
C. he wants them to imagine the scene
D. he wants them to feel like they are inside of the scene
15. What does the concept of ‘Shanshui’ represent?
A. Imaginery place B. worship
C. ‘mountainwater’ which when used together represents the word ‘landscape’
D. None of the above
16. What does Yin mean?
A. water; horizontal and resting on the earth, fluid, moist and cool
B. Mountain; vertically towards Heaven, stable, warm, and dry in the sun
C. Neutral action D. None of the above
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 17. What does Yang mean?
A. Mountain; vertically towards Heaven, stable, warm, and dry in the sun
B. water; horizontal and resting on the earth, fluid, moist and cool
C. Neutral action
D. receptive, feminine aspect of universal energy
18. What is the role of man in between Heaven and Earth?
A. He is in a path B. He is a sinner
C. He is meeant to do actions D. he becomes the conduit of communication
19. What was Francois Cheng’s expression?
A. the center of the landscape B. the eye of the landscape
C. the center of the universe D. the left side of the yang
20. What does the European Figurative painting mean to the viewer?
A. Illusion B. Imagination
C. exactly as he sees it from a specific angle D. view of the painter 21.
What is the essential third element ?
A. Left Void B. Middle Void C. Yang D. Yin
22. What is the third element compared with?
A. prayer B. travel C. yogic practice of pranayama D. nirvana
23. "Antwerp, a master blacksmith called Quinten Metsys fell in love with a
…………… daughter"
A. emperor’s B. painter’s C. minister’s D. master’s
24. What according to the painter dwells in the cave?
A. a spirit B. magic C. mystery D. dragon
25. Chinese art requires ………… participation of the viewer
A. passive B. emotional C. active D. methodological
26. What is true about Yang and Yin?
A. It is the balance of Good and Evil B.Yang is the darker element, Ying is the lighter
element C.If balanced, you can achieve Nirvana D.The two are opposites forces of nature
27. Which of these is NOT a quality of yin and yang?
A. Light and dark B.male and female
C. aggressive and submissive D.sun and moon

28. What is the most surprising thing about the garden?

A The rocks B The waterfalls C The sculptures D The plants
29. Which of the following is NOT true about the garden now? A. There is a
road for VIPs through the garden.
B. People are still making new sculptures there.
C The local government doesn’t manage the garden.
D You can volunteer to work there
30.Francois Cheng was
A. Chinese-born French academician and writer B.French writer
C.British cartographer D.American poet

MARKING SCHEME MCQ BASED QUESTIONS

QU S NO. ANSWER QUES NO. ANSWER

E

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 1 B 16 A
2 C 17 A
3 A 18 D
4 D 19 B
5 A 20 C
6 B 21 B
7 A 22 C
8 D 23 B
9 A 24 A
10 A 25 C
11 B 26 D
12 A 27 A
13 A 28 C
14 A 29 A
15 C 30 A

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Briefly narrate the story of the Emperor and the Chinese artist.
2. How did stories such as the one about Wu Daozi play an important role in China’s
classical education?
3. Why did the artist agree to get his daughter married to the blacksmith?
4. What is the difference between the Chinese and European art?
5. How does shanshui express the Daoist view of the universe?
6. What is lacking in Shanshui?
7. How is the pranayama compared to the Middle void?
8. Describe the concept of ‘art brut’.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Narrate the tale of the Chinese Emperor and the artist. What message does the story
convey?
2. Narrate the anecdote that brings out that Europeans endeavoured to achieve ‘a perfect,
illusionistic likeness’.
3. Explain the difference between Chinese and Western view of art.
4. What was the revolutionary idea in art that was put forward by Jean Dubuffet? How did
an Indian artist support his theory?
5. Nek Chand’s work is acclaimed as the work of a genius and is appreciated world over.
Justify.

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6. Describe the Daoist view of the universe.

MARKING SCHEME: SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTONS

1. A painter Wu Daozi, who lived in the eighth century was asked to paint a
landscape by the Tang Emperor Xuanzong, to decorate a palace wall. The artist
concealed his work behind a screen, so that only the Emperor would see it. For a
long time, the Emperor admired the wonderful scene.One day the painter
showed him a cave at the foot of the mountain, and said that a spirit dwelt there.
The painter clapped his hands, and the entrance to the cave opened. He then
entered the cave and the entrance closed behind him. Since then nothing is
known of the artist or the painting as the painting vanished off the wall.
2. Such stories played a significant part in China’s classical education. They
helped the master to guide his pupil in the right direction. They were not merely
tales, but were deeply illuminating of the essence of art. The books of Confucius
and Zhuangzi are full of such stories. They reveal that art was considered the
essence of inner life and spirit in Asia.
3. Initially the artist was against the blacksmith, Quinten Metsys, marrying his
daughter. However, one day Quinten slyly sneaked into the painter’s studio and
painted a fly on his latest panel, that was so realistic that the master tried to swat
it away. The artist was so impressed that he admitted Quinten as an apprentice
into his studio and let him marry his beloved.
4. The Chinese and European art are different as the European art is trying to
achieve a perfect, illusionistic likeness in Europe, and the Chinese the essence
of inner life and spirit in Asia. While the European wants you to look at the
landscape through his eyes, the Chinese painter wants you to enter it from any
point, then travel in it. He creates a path for your eyes to travel up and down,
then back again, in a leisurely movement.
5. Shanshui means ‘mountainwater.’ It expresses the Daoist view. The mountain is
Yang and it stretches vertically towards Heaven. It is stable, warm, and dry in
the sun, while the water is Yin. It is horizontal and resting on the earth, fluid,
moist and cool. The interaction of Yin, the receiver, feminine aspect of universal
energy, and Yang, active and masculine, is the fundamental belief of Daoism.
6. The third element, the Middle Void where their interaction takes place, is
lacking in Shanshui. The Middle Void is indispensable. Hence nothing can
happen without it. This is the reason why the white, unpainted space in Chinese
landscape is important. This is also where Man finds a fundamental role, in that
space between Heaven and Earth, he becomes the medium of communication
between both poles of the universe.
7. The Middle Void is vital as nothing can happen without it. This is the reason
why the white, unpainted space in Chinese landscape is imperative. This is also
where Man finds a fundamental role, in the yogic practice of pranayama we
breathe in, retain and breathe out. The suspension of breath is the Void where
meditation occurs.
8. The notion of 'art brut' or 'raw art" was of works that were in their raw state as
regards cultural and artistic influence. Anything and everything from a tin to a
sink to a broken car could be material for a work of artist Nek Chand has taken
the notion of raw art to dizzying heights.

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MARKING SCHEME: LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
1. Tang Emperor Xuanzong asked the painter Wu Daozi, to make a landscape to decorate
a palace wall. The artist had hidden his work behind a screen, so only the Emperor
would see it. The Emperor, for a long time, admired the wonderful scene, discovering
forests, high mountains, waterfalls, clouds floating in an immense sky, men on hilly
paths, birds in flight. One day the painter showed him a cave, at the foot of the
mountain.
He said that a spirit lived there. Just then, the painter clapped his hands, and the
entrance to the cave opened. The artist said that it was infinitely beautiful inside and he
entered the cave. The entrance closed behind him. Since then nothing has been known
of Wu Daozi.
The story underlines the message that the Emperor was only interested
appreciating the outer appearance of the painting but the artist makes known to him the
true meaning of his work. The Emperor admires the territory while the artist is filled
with the ‘spirit’ within.
2. In fifteenth century lived a blacksmith named Quinten Metsys who fell in love with a
painter’s daughter. The father, being an artist, would not accept a son-in-law who was a
blacksmith. So Quinten crept into the painter’s studio and painted a fly on his latest
board. It seemed so real that even the artist thought it was real and tried to swat it away.
It was then he realised what had happened. He immediately took Quinten as a trainee
into his studio. Quinten then married his beloved and went on to become one of the
most famous painters of his age.This story exemplifies what European form of art was
trying to achieve. They wanted a perfect, illusionistic likeness.

3. Chinese art is meant to be metaphorical. An artist in China would not like the onlooker
to look at a particular landscape from a specific angle. The Chinese painter does not
choose a specific viewpoint. One can enter his landscape from any point, and then
travel in it. The artist creates a course for your eyes to journey up and down, then back
again, at an unhurried pace.
This is even truer of the horizontal scroll. The action of slowly opening one
section of the painting, then rolling it up to move on to the other, adds a dimension of
time which is unknown in any other form of painting. It necessitates the active
contribution of the viewer. It is the viewer who decides at what speed he will travel
through the painting. The interaction is physical as well as mental. The Chinese painter
wants you to enter his mind. The landscape is an inner one, a spiritual and abstract.
4. Before the French painter Jean Dubuffet, challenged the concept of ‘art brut’ in the
1940s, people were not interested in the art of the untutored creative thinkers. It was he
who defied this concept. As a consequence this ‘outsider art’ has steadily become the
fastest growing area of interest in modem art worldwide. He felt that there are artists
who have received no formal training, yet show talent and artistic insight. Their works
are a motivating contrast to a lot of conventional ones.
5. At the time Dubuffet was advocating his theory, in India ‘an untutored genius was
creating paradise’. Nek Chand made one of the biggest contributions by clearing a little
patch of jungle to make himself a garden sculpted with stone and recycled material.
This garden is known to the world today as the Rock Garden at Chandigarh. Nek
Chand’s work is acknowledged as India’s biggest contribution to outsider art. The
fiftieth issue of Raw Vision, a UK-based magazine that initiated the outsider art
publications, featured Nek Chand, and his Rock Garden sculpture ‘Women by the
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 Waterfall’ on its anniversary issue’s cover. It reported how Nek Chand had used every
thing from a tin to a sink to a broken down car to create a work of art that took him to
the pinnacles of glory. The Swiss Commission for UNESCO applauded his art as ‘an
outstanding testimony of the difference a single man can make when he lives his
dream’, and decided to honour him. They decided to put up an exhibition of his works.
The five-month interactive show, ‘Realm of Nek Chand’, is to begin in October.
It is to be held at leading museums in Switzerland, Belgium, France and Italy.
However, the greatest honour for him is seeing people enjoy the creation.
6. This concept is expressed as shanshui, literally ‘mountainwater’ which used together
represent the word ‘landscape’. More than two elements of an image, these represent
two complementary poles, reflecting the Daoist view of the universe. The mountain is
Yang — reaching vertically towards Heaven, stable, warm, and dry in the sun, while
the water is Yin — horizontal and resting on the earth, fluid, moist and cool. The
interaction of Yin, the receptive, feminine aspect of universal energy, and its
counterpart Yang, active and masculine, is of course a fundamental notion of Daoism.
What is often overlooked is an essential third element, the Middle Void where their
interaction takes place. This can be compared with the yogic practice of pranayama;
breathe in, retain, breathe out — the suspension of breath is the Void where meditation
occurs. The Middle Void is essential — nothing can happen without it; hence the
importance of the white, unpainted space in Chinese landscape.

TEXTBOOK: SNAPSHOTS

CHAPTER - 1 THE SUMMER OF THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE

HORSE
SUMMARY

Once there lived in Armenia a very poor family. Like other families of Garoghlanian
tribe, this family was very famous for trust and honesty. Honesty was the hallmark of their
family. Aram, who is the narrator of the story,was a nine year old boy.He was very fond of
horses. His cousin Mourad was 13 years old. Mourad was somewhat crazy but very confident
and adventurous. He was ready to take risks and even break rules if they did not cause any
harm. He had a way with animals,birds,farmers,etc.
One day in the early morning hours Mourad came to Aram’s house on a white horse.
Aram was wonder - struck on seeing Mourad on a horse. When questioned by Aram, Mourad
told him that he had stolen the horse for a pleasure ride. He had no intention of selling it. He
wanted to give the horse back to the owner after enjoying the ride of horse. He invited Aram
for a ride. Aram tried but the horse went out of control and he fell down. Mourad used the
horse for sometime and then hid it in a deserted vineyard.
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 Every family has a crazy streak in it somewhere. Mourad was considered to have
inherited the crazy streak from his uncle Khosrove who was a heavily built man with big
moustache and black hair. His usual refrain was “It is no harm, pay no attention to it”.
The owner of the stolen horse, John Byro, was an Assyrian. He came to Khosrove and
told him about his life without the horse. But Khosrove snubbed him about his worries and
anxieties about the horse. After the visit of John Byro,Aram went to Mourad and told him
about the visit of John Byro. He told Mourad that he should keep the horse until he (Aram) too
learned to ride the horse. One day Mourad and Aram came across John Byro. He studied the
horse and felt that it was his own horse. But he knew the honesty of the family to which the
boys belonged. He concluded that the horse must be the twin of his stolen horse. Saying this he
left, somewhat puzzled.
Next day early in the morning they took the horse to John Byro’s vineyard and tied it in
the barn.
When John Byro found the horse, he was overjoyed. He came to share the good news
with Garoghlanian family. Happily, he told them that his horse had been found and it was
stronger and better than before.

KEY POINTS
1. Aram and Mourad were cousins. They were two poor Armenian boys.
2. They belonged to the Garoghlanian tribe.
3. Their tribe was poverty-stricken but famous for its honesty and integrity. 4. One morning
Mourad came to Aram’s house to invite him to take ride of the horse.
5. Aram who is the narrator of the story could not believe that the horse belonged to
Mourad. 6. He thought that Mourad had stolen the horse but no member of the Garoghlanian
family could be a thief.
7. Aram was very fond of riding a horse so he justified stealing the horse saying that stealing
for a ride was not the same thing as stealing it for money.
8. The horse was hidden in the barn of a deserted vineyard.
9. Mourad had a good understanding with a horse while the narrator had none. 10. One day a
farmer named John Byro, an Assyrian, came to uncle Khosrove’s house.
11. Uncle Khosrove was a crazy man. He was impatient and got irritated very soon. His usual
refrain was-It is no harm, pay no attention to it.
12. John Byro told that his white horse had been stolen.
13. One morning Aram and Mourad met John Byro quite accidently.
14. He studied the horse very carefully and declared that it was his horse.
15. John Byro believed that no member of the Garoghlanian could be a thief.
16. He thought that their horse was the twin of his horse.
17.This made the boys realize their mistake.
17. Early the following morning, Mourad and Aram took the horse to John Byro’s house. They
tied it back in the barn.
18. John Byro was very happy after getting back his stolen horse. He informed the narrator’s
mother that he had found the horse and it was stronger and better than before.

VOCABULARY

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 1. Magnificence Very attractive and impressive
2. Crazy Mad, whimsical
3. Longing Strong desire
4. Garoghlanian An Armenian tribe
5. Pious Holy, sacred
6. Orchard Small garden
7. Descendant One who inherits
8. Furious Violent
9. Capricious Changing suddenly and quickly
10. Hind legs Back legs
11. Deserted A lonely place where no one lives
12. Parlour Sitting room
13. Have a way with know the way to deal with
14. Swear Take an oath
15. Whispered Spoke slowly in the ear

MCQ WITH MARKING SCHEME

Q1. Who is the author of “The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse”?
A. AJ Cronin B. William Wordsworth C. William Shakespeare D.
William Saroyan
Q2. What were the hallmarks of the Garoghlanian tribe?
A. Trust B. Honesty C. Both (A) and (B) D. None of the
above Q3. “The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse” is a story of two _________
boys.
A. Armenian B. Arabian C. Assyrian D. African
Q4. Mourad enjoyed being _______ more than anybody else.
A. crazy B. alive C. funny D. None of the above
Q5. What according to Aram, was his first longing?
A. To own a horse B. To become rich C. To ride a horse D. To visit a vineyard
Q6. Why couldn’t Aram believe when he saw Mourad with the horse?
A. Because Mourad was crazy B. Because they were poor to afford a horse
C. Because he was sleepy D. Because he was dreaming
Q7. Where did Aram live?
A. In the centre of the town B. In the country
C. Olive Avenue D. At the edge of town on Walnut Avenue
Q8. How does Aram describe the horse?
A. Magnificent & lovely B. Beautiful white horse
C. Both (A) and (B) D. None of the above
Q9. No member of the Garoghlanian family could be _______.
A. poor B. rich C. a thief D. crazy
Q10. Mourad was considered the natural descendant of his _________.
A. father B. uncle C. grandfather D. great-
grandfather Q11. How would you describe uncle Khosrove?
A. Hot tempered B. Irritable C. Impatient D. All of the above

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 Q12. What did uncle Khosrove do to stop anyone from talking?
A. By beating them B. By walking away C. By shouting at them D. By
ignoring them
Q13. What was uncle Khosrove’s customary line?
A. Ignore it; pay no attention. B. Forget it.
C. It is harmless; ignore it D. It is no harm; pay no attention to it.
Q14. When Aram rode the horse alone, it ran down the road to the
_________. A. vineyard B. irrigation ditch C. field D. countryside
Q15. Mourad had been hiding the horse _________.
A. in a stable B. in a barn of a vineyard C. at a secret place of his house D.
None of the above
Q16. What was the behaviour of the horse initially?
A. It wanted to be trained B. It wanted to rest C. It wanted to run wild
D. All of the above
Q17. What sort of an understanding did Mourad mention with the horse?
A. Mature B. Simple and honest C. Complicated D. Difficult
Q18. John Byro learned to speak Armenian out of ________.
A. necessity B. fun C. eagerness D. loneliness
Q19. Who was the true owner of the horse?
A. John Byro B. Fetvajian C. Dikran Halabian D. Zorab
Q20. For how long did Mourad have the horse before Aram got to know about
it?
A. One day B. One year C. One month A. One week
Q21. At what time did Aram and Mourad ride the horse?
A. Late night B. Early morning C. Evening D. Afternoon hours
Q22. “I have a way with farmers.” Who says it to whom?
A. Aram to Mourad B. Mourad to John Byro C. Aram to John Byro D. Mourad
to Aram
Q23. John Byro said, “A suspicious man would believe his eyes instead of his
heart.” What does it tell about him?
A. He believed in the honesty of Garoghlanian family B. He was
impractical
C. He was foolish D. None of the above
Q24. Why did the boys return the white horse to its owner?
A. Because they were conscience stricken B. Because they were
afraid C. Because they found it difficult to hide the horse D. Because they were accused of
theft
Q25. After the horse was stolen and returned, it became ______.
A. Rougher B. sick & ill C. stronger & better-tempered D. Both (A)
and (C) MARKING SCHEME - MCQ
Q. Answe Q. Answe Q. Answe Q. Answe Q. Answe
No. r No. r No. r No. r No. r
1 D 6 B 11 D 16 C 21 B
2 C 7 D 12 C 17 B 22 D
3 A 8 C 13 D 18 D 23 A
4 B 9 C 14 A 19 A 24 B
5 C 10 B 15 B 20 C 25 D

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SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN 30-40 WORDS

Q.1. To which tribe did Mourad and Aram belong? Which traits of the tribe are
highlighted in the story ‘TheSummer of the Beautiful White Horse’?
Q.2. What were the unique traits of the Garoghlanian tribe?
Q.3. Why did Aram find it hard to believe that Mourad had stolen the horse?
Q.4. Why was Aram delighted and frightened at the same time when he saw his cousin
Mourad on a beautiful white horse?
Q.5. What were the peculiarities in Uncle Khosrove’s behaviour?
Q.6. How did uncle Khosrove react to John Byro’s complaint about the steal of his
horse ? Q.7 What did John Byro say to the boys when he found them walking with the horse
one morning?
Q.8 What do you think, induced the boys to return the horse to its owner?

MARKING SCHEME – SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Ans.1. Mourad and Aram belonged to the Garoghlanian tribe. The Garoghlanians were
extremely poor but they were known for honesty for centuries. They were proud first, honest
next and believed in doing the right deeds. No one of their tribe would ever steal. Everyone
trusted them.
Ans.2 .The unique traits of the Garoghlanian tribe were that they were extremely poor
but still they were 1 famous for their honesty for centuries. They were proud as well as honest;
they believed in doing the right deeds. No one o^ their tribe would ever steal. They were
trustworthy.
Ans.3. Though Mourad was too poor to buy a horse, Aram found it difficult to believe
that he had stolen it. This was because Mourad came from a family that firmly upheld honesty
as their special trait and were proud of it.
Ans.4. Aram was delighted because of the beautiful white horse. He wanted to ride. He
was delighted and frightened by ‘the pious stillness and humour’ in Mourad and the horse. This
means that he was frightened because Mourad was on a horse which he could never have
bought.
Ans.5. Uncle Khosrove, who had a furious temper was known to be crazy. He was so
impatient and irritable that he stopped anyone from talking by roaring, ‘It is no harm; pay no
attention to it.’ His son came to him to tell him that their house was on fire. He silenced him
saying ‘enough’. ‘It is no harm, I say’. He was irritated and snubbed when John Byro told him
about his horse having been stolen.
Ans.6. John Byro was sad that his white horse had been stolen last month and it was
missing even then. Instead of showing any sympathy, uncle Khosrov became very irritated and
shouted:
“It’s no harm. What is the loss of a horse? What is this crying over a horse”?
Ans.7. John Byro met the boys walking with his horse which had been stolen. He studied
the horse, asked its name and examined its teeth. He said if he did not know their parents’
honesty he would swear that it was his horse. He only called it the ‘twin’ of his horse.
Ans.8. The boys belonged to the Garoghlanian tribe which was well known for its
honesty. When John Byro met the boys walking with his horse which had been stolen, he
studied the horse, asked its name and examined its teeth. He said if he did not know their
family’s honesty, he would swear that it was his horse. The boys became conscience-stricken.
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They realized that what they did was wrong and this could bring disgrace to their family. This
made them return the horse.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN 120-150 WORDS.
Q.1. What impression do you form of the narrator (Aram) after reading the story?
Q.2. The narrator mentioned ‘a crazy streak’ running in his family. Which two characters showed
this streak in their behaviour and words? Write briefly about them showing how they could be called crazy.
MARKING SCHEME – LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Ans.1. Aram is a nine year old Armenian boy who narrates the story. He is longing for a
joyride on a horse. He is the only character in the story who not only narrates incidents and
actions but also gives useful information about other characters and their traits as well. He also
provides the description of the Garoghlanian, tribe, their traits, etc.He finds it hard to believe
that Mourad has stolen a horse because he comes from a family that firmly upholds honesty as
their special trait and are proud of it. In his opinion, stealing a horse for a ride is not the
something as stealing something else, such as money. He convinces himself by saying this that
it would become stealing when they offer to sell it. Aram enjoys riding the horse.The
temptation to ride a beautiful horse cannot be resisted by him. Aram loves adventure that’s why
he decides not to talk about the stolen horse.
Ans.2. Mourad and Uncle Khosrove were the two characters who showed a crazy streak
in their behaviour. Mourad was a thirteen-year old Armenian boy. He belonged to
Garoghlanian tribe. He was fond of riding to the point of craziness. He sang out of joy when
riding a stolen horse. He said confidently that he had a way with horses.He was crazy like his
uncle Khosrove and was considered the natural descendent of his crazy uncle. Uncle Khosrove
had a furious temper1 and was known to be crazy. He was so impatient and irritable that he
stopped anyone from talking by roaring, ‘It is no harm; pay no attention to it’. He said this even
when his son came running to tell him that their house was on fire. He got irritated and snubbed
John Byro when he told him about his horse having been stolen.

CHAPTER-2 THE
ADDRESS
SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER
After the war had ended, the narrator felt confident and safe enough to visit her old
place. She started living in a small rented room. Remembering the old times, she decided to
visit the address – House Number 46, Marconi Street. This was the address of her mother’s old
acquaintance Mrs Dorling whom the narrator had only seen once and that was before the war.
She had taken her mother’s precious possessions like cutlery, utensils, silverware, etc. under
the pretext of saving them in case their family had to flee their house protecting themselves
against the Nazi repression. When the narrator reached the address, a broad-backed old lady
opened the door incompletely as if to hide some secret. She was wearing her mother’s green
cardigan. The girl recognized the woman but the woman claimed to know nothing about her.
The girl reminded her of Mrs S, her mother and their house. The woman realized who she was
and enquired how she survived when the rest of her family died in the war and repression. The
girl said that she had returned to the place after the war and wanted to see her mother’s things.
The woman rebuffed her advances and said that she did not have time to get into old stuff at
that moment and that the girl should return some other time. The woman’s daughter asked
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about the visitor from inside the house but the woman claimed that it was nobody familiar. The
betrayal of her mother’s old friend shocked and hurt the narrator. She decided to return with a
heavy heart and dashed hopes. On her way back the narrator remembers the day she came back
to her mother at the beginning of the war. She may have returned from a hostel or a trip. She
looked at the house and the rooms and found that several pieces of furniture, crockery,
silverware etc were not there. She became worried and enquired about the missing stuff from
her mother. Her mother downplayed the issue and instead appreciated her keen observation.
One morning when the girl was striding down the stairs she saw a woman leaving her house
and her mother escorting her out. This woman was carrying their crockery and precious things.
She asked her mother about the woman and why she took their stuff. Her mother told her that
she was Mrs. Dorling, an old friend of hers who had reconnected with her in recent times. She
was taking their things to keep them safe in case they had to flee in an emergency. They would
collect their things after peace was established and they were safe in their place. The girl did
not feel comfortable and found the woman mysterious and sinister. Her mother asked her to
refrain from suspecting her friend as she was helping them at the risk of her own life. She told
the narrator about the woman’s address at Marconi Street. It was house number 46.
Unfortunately, the family was driven to the concentration camps and none survived but the
narrator. Growing frustrated at her last visit, the narrator decided to go back to the same
address and reclaim her mother’s belongings. She was determined and approached the door.
But this time a new face opened the door. It was Mrs. Dorling’s daughter. She asked the
narrator to come inside and escorted her to the drawing-room. The room was filled with the
narrator’s old things that belonged to her mother. The burnt mark on the table cloth to the silver
spoons, everything reminded her of the past. The things looked the same but they were in a
different place, lifeless and strange. They lacked the life they had before; they lacked the touch
of her mother and the smell of their house. They were a reminder of what the narrator had
actually lost and that it could never be recovered. The girl obviously did not know that her
mother was a conniving and wicked woman. The narrator asked her if she knew where her
mother had got those things from. The narrator was soon overwhelmed by the flushing
memories and decided to leave the house and the possessions. Without giving any explanation
to her host, she scampered from the house which became hauntingly difficult for her to stay in.
She made a commitment never to return to the place and those forgotten things. In the end, she
decided to forget the address and all the history associated with it. For her, it was a burden she
was relieved to get off her mind and heart.

VOCABULARY

1. Poignant – pathetic
2. Evoke- arouse
3. Chink- narrow opening
4. Fleetingly- for a short time
5. Musty –smelling damp
6. Jamb-side post of the door or window
7. Lugging-dragging heavy load
8. Crick- muscle problem
9. Reprovingly- in a scolding manner
10. Doing an errand – gone out on purpose
11. Cumbersome – heavy
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 12. Oppressed – troubled
13. Tasteless way – disorderly
14. Muggy – damp
15. Scarcely – hardly
16. Fancied – liked
17. Pewter – zinc, an alloy made of tin and lead
18. Intently – keenly
19. Jingling – metallic sound
20. Severed – separated
21. Beckoned- signalled

MCQs (1 mark each)

Q.1 What was the very first out of her mother’s possessions that the protagonist could
recognize?
(a) Hanukkah candle-holder (b) Woollen table-cloth
(c) White tea pot (d) Green knitted cardigan

Q.2 What was the ‘silver’ that the author was once asked to clean by her mother?
(a) Jewellery (b) Cutlery (c) Sculptures (d) Stones

Q.3 “Her face gave absolutely no sign of recognition.” Who is her?

A. Mrs. S B. Mrs. Dorling’s daughter C. Mrs. Dorling D. Mrs. S’s daughter

Q.4 What was the address that the author’s mother asked her to remember?
A. Number 50, Marconi Street B. Number 46, Baker Street
C. Number 54, Marconi Street D. Number 46, Marconi Street

Q.5. In total, how many times did the author visit the given address?
A. Twice B. Once C. Thrice D. Never

Q6. Why did the objects lose their value for the author?
A. Because their prices fell down B. Because they were difficult to take
along C. Because she had new objects D. Because she saw them in different
surroundings

Q 7.Mrs.Dorling’s harsh behaviour shows that she is

A. Unfriendly B.Ungrateful C.Cruel D.Quarrelsome
Q.8 What was the outcome of the interview between Mrs Dorling and the
narrator
A. Mrs Dorling refused to see her and talk to her B.Mrs Dorling was very sweet
C. Narrator was welcomed D.Her belonging were returned

Q 9 What did the narrator learn about Mrs Dorling from her mother
A. Mrs Dorling was an old acquaintance of the narrator’s mother.
B.Mrs. Dorling was her neighbour.
C.Mrs.Dorling was her aunt
D.Mrs. Dorling was a spy
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 Q.10 How does Mrs Dorling react when the narrator said, “I am Mrs S daughter”?
A. She recognised her B. She was very happy
C She kept staring at the narrator without uttering a word D She fought with her

Q.11Who was Mrs. Dorling?

A. An old acquaintance B. A German Officer
C. A relative D. Best friend

Q12 What is the moral of the story ‘The Address’?

A.The redemption of the past and moving on
B. The post war effects
C.Never forget the old belongings and memories
D.Never trust anyone

Q13 Narrator was a

A.Jew B.German C.Christian D.Non-Jew

Q 14 What did narrator found on the table-cloth?

A. A burn mark B. A hole C. Embroidery D. Her name

Q.15 What was the age of Mrs Dorling’s daughter?

A. About 15 B. About 16 C. About 17 D. About 18

Q.16 In which country does the story take place?

A. Holland B. France C. England D. India

Q.17 How does the author describe the living room?

A. A. Muggy smell B. Strange atmosphere
C. Sophisticated D. Both (A) and (B)

Q.18What was the ‘silver’ that the author was once asked to clean by her
mother?
A. Jewellery B. Cutlery C. Sculptures D. Stones

Q.19 Who is the author of “The Address”?

A. Manon Uphoff B. Marga Minco C. Marente de Moor D. None of the above

Q.20 In what condition did the author find the living room?
A. Haphazard B. Well-arranged C. Empty D. Old fashioned
A 6 D 11 A 16 A

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 B 7 A 12 A 17 D

2
C 8 A 13 A 18 B

3
D 9 A 14 A 19 A

4
A 10 C 15 A 20 A

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

All questions carry 2 marks. Word limit is 30-40 words

Q.1 Why did the narrator want to meet Mrs. Dorling?

Ans. She wanted to get her possessions back which were in the custody of Mrs Dorling.
She had insisted on keeping their things safely till the war was over.
Q.2 How was narrator’s first interaction with Mrs Dorling?
Ans. One day coming downstairs, the narrator saw her mother about to see someone out.
It was a woman, dressed in a brown coat and a shapeless hat, with a broad back; she nodded
and picked up the suitcase.
Q.3 What was the reaction of Mrs Dorling when the narrator said she is the daughter of
Mrs S?
Ans. She reacted weirdly on seeing her. She held her door against the door not wanting
to open it any further. She looked at her without uttering a word.
Q.4 What did the narrator’s mother tell her about Mrs Dorling?
Ans. She was an old acquaintance. She suddenly turned up to renew her contact with the
narrator’s mother. During every single visit she took something or the other valuable article
with her.
Q.5 Why did the author first hesitate to claim her belongings from Mrs. Dorling?
Ans. She began to suspect that the presence of her family articles would remind her of her dear
ones who were no more with her. Besides, she lived in a poor room that looked the oddest
place to accommodate her expensive possessions.
Q.6 Why did the narrator finally decide to forget the address?
Ans. She realised that the objects which are associated with the past had lost their value
as being cut off from them. The easiest way was to forget. So she decided to forget the address.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

All questions carry 5 marks. Word limit is 120-150 words.
Q.1 Describe the narrator’s first visit to Mrs. Dorling’s house in Marconi Street
Ans Narrator went to Mrs. Dorling’s house in Marconi Street. She rang the bell. A woman
opened the door and looked at her searchingly. The narrator came closer and introduced herself
that she was Mrs. S’s daughter. The woman kept staring at her in silence. There was no sign of
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recognition on her face. The narrator thought perhaps she had come to the wrong house. But
she saw the woman was wearing her mother’s green knitted cardigan. She knew at once that
she had made no mistake. She asked the woman whether she knew her mother. The woman
could not deny this. The woman regretted that she could not do anything for her. She asked the
narrator to come some other time and cautiously closed the door. The narrator realized that her
visit was in vain. She stood on the step for a while and then left the place.
Q.2. Describe the narrator’s second visit to Mrs. Dorling.
Ans During her second visit, Mrs Dorling’s daughter opened the door.The narrator said
that she would wait for her. Following her along the passage she saw their old fashioned candle
holder hanging beside the mirror. She saw woollen table cloth, cups, spoons , white tea-pot ,the
pewter plate everything which was a family belonging. But they all looked strange in the
strange surroundings.She no longer had desire to possess them. She got up, walked to the door,
and came out of the house.
Q.3 Write the character- sketch of Mrs. Dorling.
Ans. Mrs. Dorling is an acquaintance of Mrs. S, the narrator’s mother. In the story Mrs.
Dorling exploits Mrs. S’s fears and insecurity during the war. She insists Mrs. S and took away
all her valuable things after giving assurance that she would keep them safe until the war was
over. In fact, Mrs. Dorling had no intentions of returning the valuables as she was sure that
Mrs. S and her family would not survive the war. So when the narrator, Mrs. S’s
daughter, went to Mrs. Dorling’s house to claim those articles to which her mother’s precious
memories were associated, she even pretended not to recognize her. Instead of returning those
articles to the narrator, she shamelessly used them which actually belonged to the narrator’s
mother and also behaved rudely to the narrator.
Q.4 Do you think the title of the story ‘The Address’ is appropriate?
Ans. The story 'The Address' is about an address that the author had been given by her
deceased mother to go to and reclaim her belongings. The address Mrs Dorling, 46, Marconi
Street is the nucleus of the story around which the entire plot develops. The author goes there;
but she is not entertained encouragingly; she goes back; and again comes back to the same
address. Later the author decides not to take back her belongings as it lost its value due to the
tasteless arrangements. According to the author the things also contained the memories of her
mother so she decided not to take it back. The narrator in the end resolves to forget 46, Marconi
Street forever. Hence, the title The Address is quite appropriate and bears a definite meaning
for the story.

Chapter-3
Ranga’s Marriage

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 SUMMARY
It all begins when Ranga, the accountant’s son comes back to his village Hosahalli after
six months. He had gone to Bangalore to pursue his studies, which to mention, not many in the
village get this opportunity. The whole village gets excited to see Ranga and thus, they gather
around his home only to see how he would have changed.
The narrator has beautifully elaborated about their village Hosahalli and how every
authority responsible forgot to mention it in the maps. Moving on, he admires Ranga and wants
to get him married but to his dismay, Ranga has very different views about marriage at that
point. The Narrator stages the entire union of Ranga and Ratna, Rama Rao’s eleven-year-old
niece.
The girl has a very sweet voice and can play Veena and harmonium. At first, the
narrator tells him that she is married to see how it affects Ranga. As expected, Ranga was
disappointed. The narrator then manipulated the village Shastri to say things in his favor.
He then took Ranga to visit him where he predicted that Ranga has a girl on his mind
and her name resembles something found in the ocean. Shyama, the narrator guesses her name
to be Ratna but again, she is married. On their way back, they confirmed that Ratna is not
married only to find Ranga happy and full of hope.
On the other hand, the Shastri disagreed on having staged anything predetermined. He
claims to have said whatever his predictions showed. However, at the end, Ranga and Ratna are
happily married with a three- year old son named after the narrator. Ratna is also pregnant with
another child. To conclude, the narrator makes sure that he didn’t bore his readers.

VOCABULARY
Sahib- a polite title or form of address for a man
Like a flock of sheep- a group of people behaving in the same way or following what
others are doing
Cartographer- a person who draws or produces maps
Karigadabu- a South Indian fried sweet filled with coconut and sugar
Annayya- (in Kannada) a respectful term for an elder
Flea-pestered dog- A flea- pestered dog does not stick to one place but keeps
roamingeverywhere.Flea-pestered means being infested by fleas and ticks
which can cause uncontrollable itching in animals
Behold- see or observe (someone or something, especially of remarkable or impressive
nature)
Rambling- (of writing or speech) lengthy and confused or inconsequential
Janewara- (in Kannada) the sacred thread worn by Brahmins
Considerate- thoughtful, concerned
Troupe- a group of dancers, actors or other entertainers who tour to different venues
Threshold- a strip of wood or stone forming the bottom of a doorway and crossed in
entering a house or a room Betray- portray (here)
Shrivelled- shrunken and wrinkled; especially as a result of loss of moisture
Tutored- taught
Paraphernalia- miscellaneous items, especially the set of equipment required for a
particular activity.
Cowries- a marine mollusc which has a glossy, brightly patterned domed shell with a
long, narrow opening Palmyra- palm tree
Marvellous- causing great wonder; extraordinary

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 Multiple Choice Questions:
Q1. What is the writing style of the author?
(a) Persuasive b.Rambling c.Technical d.None of the above

Q2. The story “Ranga’s Marriage” is set in a village of _________.

(a) Madurai b.Bangalore c.Mysore d.Bhubaneswar

Q3. What is the name of the narrator’s village?

(a) Hosahalli (b) Panchavalli (c) Hadinaru (d )None of the above

Q4. How does the narrator speak of his village?

a) Passively b.Vividly c.Inadequately d.Both (A) and (C)

Q5. What does the narrator mention as a ‘priceless commodity’?

a) To his native language b.To mangoes of his village
c.To flowers of his village d.To English language

Q6. Who was Ranga?

a) The narrator’s son b.The accountant’s son
c.The doctor’s son d.None of the above

Q7. Why was Ranga’s homecoming a big event?

a) Because he brought gifts for everyone
b) Because he was new in the village
c) Because he returned from Bangalore after studying there for six months
d) All of the above

Q8. An old lady checked for Ranga’s ___________.

a) Birthmark b.sacred piercing c.sacred tattoo d.sacred thread

Q9. After knowing that Ranga was the same, the crowd was __________.
a) Disappointed b.happy c.angry d.irritated

Q10. How does the narrator speak of Ranga’s character?

a) Poorly b.Highly c.Manipulatively d.Does not speaks of his character

Q11. “As for his namaskara to me, he did not do it like any present-day boy…” What
does it tell about Ranga?
a) He was well mannered b.He was disrespectful
c. He was forgetful d.He changed his caste

Q12. What was Ranga’s initial take on marriage?

a) He wanted to marry immediately b.He wanted to marry a girl chosen by his parents
c.He wanted to remain a bachelor d.He wanted an arranged marriage

Q13. According to Ranga, what type of girl should one marry?

a) Mature b.Admirable c.Both (A) and (B) d.Not mentioned in the story

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 Q14. According to the narrator, who would make a suitable bride for Ranga?
a) Narrator’s own daughter b.Rama Rao’s niece
c. Narrator’s niece d.Rama Rao’s daughter

Q15. How does the narrator describe Ratna?

a) Pretty girl of eleven b.From a big town
c.Disrespectful d.Both (A) and (B)

Q16. When Ranga reached the narrator’s house, Ratna was __________.
a) Sitting b.painting c.singing d.waiting

Q17. Ranga was ________ about Ratna.

a) Curious b.uninterested c.envious d.annoyed
Q18. “She was married a year ago.” Hearing this, Ranga was ___________.
a) Thrilled b.disappointed c.unconcerned d.surprised

Q19. What is the name of the narrator of the tale?

a) Rangappa b.Shastri c.Rama d.Shyama

Q20. “Come, let’s go and see Shastri.” Who was Shastri?

a) The village doctor b.A village elder
c.The astrologer d.Not mentioned in the tale

Q21. Why was it not important to know Ranga’s star?

a) Because Shastri already knew
b) Because Shastri was taught beforehand by the narrator
c) Because Shastri was not well versed
d) All of the above
Q22. According to the Shastri, what was Ranga’s concern?
a) Concern for a girl b.Concern for his studies
c.Concern for a job d.Concern for his village

Q23. What sort of cue did Shastri suggest for the girl’s name?
a) Something found in the forest b.Something found in the ocean
c.Something found in the sky d.None of the above

Q24. Later on, Ranga got to know that Ratna was __________.
a) Divorced b.widowed c.unmarried d.engaged

Q25. “There’s greater truth in that shastra than we imagine.” Who said this?
a) Shyama b.Shastri c.Ratna d.Ranga

Q26. “Don’t forget, I developed on the hints you had given me.” What does the line
suggest?
a) Narrator tutored Shastri for what to tell
b) Everything that Shastri told was based on his predictions
c) Both (A) and (B)

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 d) None of the above

Q27. Why does the narrator call the couple childish?

a) Because they were immature b.Because they named their child after him
c. Because they were playful d.Because they invited him for dinner

Q28. “It’s Shyama’s birthday.” Who has been referred to in this line?
a) Ranga and Ratna’s child b.The narrator
c.A child in village d.None of the above

Q29. After reading “Ranga’s Marriage”, who (according to you) played a major role in
Ranga and Ratna’s marriage?
a) Rama Rao b.Shastri c.Ranga d.Shyama

Q30. What sort of intentions does the narrator seem to have towards Ranga?
a) He is mean b.He feels responsible for his marriage
c.He is manipulative d.He feels pitiful

Answer Key

Q. No. Answer Q. No. Answer Q. No. Answer

1 b 11 a 21 b

2 c 12 c 22 a

3 a 13 c 23 b

4 b 14 b 24 c

5 d 15 d 25 b

6 b 16 c 26 a

7 c 17 a 27 b

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 8 d 18 b 28 a

9 a 19 d 29 d

10 c 20 c 30 c

Extract based question– Ranga’s Marriage

(I)Ranga, the accountant’s son, is one of the rare breed among the village folk who has
been to the city to pursue his studies. When he returns to his village from the city of Bangalore,
the crowds mill around his house to see whether he has changed or not
1. Who is Ranga?
a. Accountant b.Accountant’s son c.Doctors son d.Tailor
2. Who is the rare breed among the village folk?
a. Ranga b.Ratna c.Shama d.Harsha
3. To which city did he go to?
a. Banagalore b.Hyderabad c.Mysore
d.Managalore
4. Why did he go to the city?
a. To work b.To visit his uncle c.To meet his friends d.To study
(II) Hosahalli is our village. You must have heard of it. No? What a pity! But it is not your
fault. There is no mention of it in any geography book. Those sahibs in England, writing in
English, probably do not know that such a place exists, and so make no mention of it. Our own
people too forget about it. You know how it is —they are like a flock of sheep. One sheep
walks into a pit, the rest blindly follow it. When both, the sahibs in England and our own
geographers, have not referred to it, you can not expect the poor cartographer to remember to
put it on the map, can you? And so there is not even the shadow of our village on any map.
1. Which village is the author talking about?
a) Hoshahalli b.Hamshahalli c.Bangalore d.Mysore
2. Why is the village not well known?
a) Because it is not mentioned in any book and was ignored by British
b) Because people are not educated
c) Because it is not beautiful.
d) Since its population was sparse 3. Who is a Cartographer?
a) A person who makes cars. b.A person who makes graphs.
c.A person who makes maps. d.A person who makes gems.

4. What does narrator compare the people to?

a) Monkeys b.Sheep c.Dogs d.Cats
(III) Just as the mango is special, so is everything else around ourvillage. We have a creeper
growing in the ever-so-fine water of thevillage pond. Its flowers are a feast to behold. Get two
leaves fromthe creeper when you go to the pond for your bath, and you willnot have to worry
about not having leaves on which to serve theafternoon meal. You will say I am rambling. It is

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 always like thatwhen the subject of our village comes up. But enough. If any oneof you would
like to visit us, drop me a line. I will let you knowwhere Hosahalli is and what things are like
here. The best way ofgetting to know a place is to visit it, don’t you agree?
1) Which fruit is mentioned as special by the narrator ?
a. Apple b.Banana c.Dates d.Mango
2)What is the best way to know a place?
a. To locate it on the map b. To read about it
c. To visit it. d. To dream about it. 3)
What does the author do when the topic of the village come up?
a. Ramble on b. Dance c. Sing d murmurs
4) What is the use of the leaves from the pond?
a. Eat on them b. Drape them as clothes
c. Play with them d. Eat them
(IV) What I am going to tell you is something that happened ten years ago. We did not have
many people who knew English, then. Ourvillage accountant was the first one who had enough
courage tosend his son to Bangalore to study. It is different now. There aremany who know
English. During the holidays, you come acrossthem on every street, talking in English. Those
days, we did notspeak in English, nor did we bring in English words while talking in Kannada
1) The narrator is talking about an incident that happened ___ years ago
a. 10 b.15 c.20 d.3
2) Ten years ago what was the prevalence of English
a. Many people knew it b.Only a few knew it
c.None knew it d.Everyone knew it

3)Who was the only one to send his son to the city for higher studies?
a. Accountant b. Sarpanch c. Ranga d Rama Rao
4) What changed about the village from then to now?
a. Now many people know English b. Now all people know English
c. All people know Geography d Still many do not know
English (V) This priceless commodity, the English language, was not sowidespread in our
village a decade ago. That was why Ranga’shomecoming was a great event. People rushed to
his doorstepannouncing, “The accountant’s son has come,” “The boy whohad gone to
Bangalore for his studies is here, it seems,” and“Come, Ranga is here. Let’s go and have a
look.” Attracted by the crowd, I too went and stood in the courtyardand asked, “Why have all
these people come? There’s noperforming monkey here.”
1) According to the narrator what is the priceless commodity?
a. English b.French c.Kannada d.Allthe
above
2) What does the author compare the crowds at Ranga’s house too?
a. A crowd watching performing monkey
b. A crowd watching a street fight.
c. A crowd watching a film shoot.
d. A crowd watching a dance performance
3) Why was Ranga’s homecoming a great event?
a. Because he was the first to return from city after English Education
b. Because he was the first one to get a job

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 c. Because he went to the moon
d. Because he was the accountant’s son. 4) Who does I refer to?
a. Ranga b.Ratna c.Shyama d.Masti
(VI) Ratna came. It was a Friday, so she was wearing a grandsaree. I told her to sit in my
room and requested her to sing asong. I sent for Ranga. While she was singing the song—
Krishnamurthy, in front of my eyes — Ranga reached the door.He stopped at the
threshold. He did not want the singing tostop, but was curious to see the singer. Carefully, he
peeped in. The light coming into the room was blocked. Ratna looked upand seeing a stranger
there, abruptly stopped.Suppose you buy the best quality mango. You eat it slowly,savouring
its peel, before biting into the juicy flesh. You do notwant to waste any part of it. Before you
take another bite, thefruit slips out of your hand and falls to the ground. How do you feel?
Ranga’s face showed the same disappointment when thesinging stopped.
1) Where did Ratna go?
a. Ranga’s house b.Shyama’s house c.To Temple d.To pond
2) Why was Ratna wearing a grand Saree?
a. Because it was Friday b.Because it was her Birthday
c.Because it was Saturday d.Because she got bored of the regular dress.

3) Why did Ratna abruptly stop singing?

a. Because she noticed Ranga b.Because she was tired
c.Because she noticed she was out of tune d.Because she was hungry
4) What does the author compare Ratna’s singing to?
a. A sweet juicy mango b.An Apple
c. Fingernails on chalkboard d.Confectionary

Answer Key

Extract I - 1-b, 2-a, 3-a, 4-d

Extract II - 1-a ,2-a,3-c,4-b
Extract III-1-d, 2-c, 3-a, 4-a
Extract IV-1-a,2-b,3-a,4-a
Extract V-1-a,2-a,3-a,4-c
Extract VI-1-b,2-a,3-a,4-a

Short Answer Type Questions

Q.1. What does the narrator say about Hosahalli?
Ans. Hosahalli village is the scene of action. There is no mention of it in geography
books written by the sahibs in England or Indian writers. No cartographer has put it on the
map. The narrator highlights its importance by comparing it to the filling of the karigadubu—a
festival meal.
Q.2. What are the two special produce of Hosahalli and in what respect?
Ans. First is the raw mango. The sourness of its bite is sure to get straight to
the
brahmarandhra, i.e. the soft part in child’s head where skull bones join later. Second
specialty is a creeper growing in the water of the village pond. Its flowers are a feast to behold.
You can serve afternoon meal to the whole family on its two leaves.

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 Q.3. What exactly had happened ten years ago? How important was it then?
Ans. Ten years ago, there were not many people in the village who knew English. The
village accountant was the first one who sent his son Ranga to Bangalore to pursue his
studies. It was quite an important event then. The narrator highlights it by saying that the
village accountant was the first one who had enough courage to send his son to Bangalore to
study. Q.4. What happened when Ranga returned to his village from the city of Bangalore?
Ans. Ranga’s homecoming was a great event. The crowds milled around his house to see
whether he had changed or not. People were quite excited as the boy was returning home after
studying English at Bangalore. Everyone was surprised to see that Ranga was the same as he
had been six months ago, when he had first left the village

Q.5. How did the old lady satisfy herself about Ranga?
Ans. The old lady ran her hand over Ranga’s chest. She looked into his eyes. She was
satisfied to find the sacred thread on his body. She was happy that he had not lost his caste.
Q.6. “What has happened is disgraceful, believe me” says the narrator. What does he
refer to? How does he illustrate his point of view?
Ans. The narrator refers to the practice of young persons who during the holidays in
village, go on talking in English or bring in English words while talking in Kannada. He calls
this mixing up of languages ‘disgraceful’. He gives the example of the use of the English word
‘change’ to an illiterate person. The old lady, being asked to come the next day, went away
disgruntled. Q.7. Why does the narrator refer to the Black Hole of Calcutta?
Ans. During the British rule, hundreds of persons were kept inside a single room. The
next morning most of them were found dead due to suffocation. The narrator uses the
expression ‘Black Hole of Calcutta’ to suggest the large number of people who had turned out
to see Ranga.
Q.8. How did Ranga greet the narrator? In what respect did he differ from the present-
day boys?
Ans. Ranga greeted the narrator with full devotion. He not only folded his hands, but
also bent low to touch his feet. A present-day boy would stand stiff like a pole without joints,
keep head towards the sun and jerk his body as if it were either a hand or a walking stick. The
narrator, being old fashioned did not approve it. Q.9. When did Ranga plan to marry and
why?
Ans. Ranga did not want to get married at an early age. He wanted to find the right girl.
She should be mature enough to understand his love talk. Secondly, he wished to marry a girl
he admired. He was against marrying quite young girls who had no manners or were not
careful of their face or figure.
Q.10. What examples did Ranga give to explain the importance of marrying late?
Ans. Ranga gave two examples. An officer about thirty, married a girl about twenty-
five. Ranga hoped they would be able to talk lovingly to each other. The second example is that
of Dushyanta falling in love with Shakuntala, who was quite mature.
Q.11. “Ranga was just the boy for her and she the most suitable bride for him” says the
narrator. Who is ‘she’? What led narrator to this conclusion?
Ans. ‘She’ here stands for Ratna, the niece of Rama Rao. She was a pretty girl of eleven.
Both her parents having died, her uncle had brought her home. Being a girl from a big town,
she knew how to play the veena and the harmonium. She also had a sweet voice. All these
qualities made her a suitable bride for a young, educated man like Ranga. Q.12. How did the
narrator let Ranga have a glimpse of Ratna?

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 Ans. The narrator arranged the meeting very systematically. First he called Ratna on the
pretext of sending buttermilk through her. Then he asked her to sing a song. Meanwhile Ranga,
whom he had sent for, reached the door. He became curious to see the singer and peeped in.
His presence at the door blocked the light and Ratna stopped singing
abruptly. Q.13. How did Ranga and Ratna react at their unexpected encounter?
Ans. Ratna stopped singing abruptly on seeing a stranger outside the room. Ranga felt
disappointed when the singing stopped. Ratna stood at a distance with her head lowered. Ranga
repeatedly glanced at her. He blamed himself for the singing to stop and offered to leave. Ratna
was overcome by shyness and ran inside. Ranga enquired about her.
Q.14. How did the narrator handle Ranga’s inquiries about Ratna?
Ans. The narrator did not give him a straightforward reply. He said casually that it did
not matter to either of them who she was. The narrator was already married and Ranga was not
the marrying type. This aroused Ranga’s interest and excitement. He expressed the hope that
she was unmarried. His face showed signs of disappointment on learning that she was married
a year ago.
Q.15. Why did the narrator tell Ranga that the girl was married a year ago?
Ans. The narrator had made up his mind that he would get Ranga married early. First he
brought Ranga and Ratna face to face to arouse his interest in her. In order to test the strength
of his emotions, he told Ranga that she was married a year ago. The shrivelled face of the
young man betrayed his feelings.
Q.16. Why did the narrator visit the village astrologer?
Ans. The narrator wanted to exploit the common human weakness—eagerness to know
the future. He went to the village astrologer and told him to keep ready to read the stars. He
tutored him in all that he wanted the astrologer to say when he would revisit him with Ranga.
Q.17. In what mental /emotional state did the narrator find Ranga? What solution did he
offer? How did Ranga react to it?
Ans. Ranga seemed to be lost in thought. Perhaps he was emotionally upset to learn that
the girl he had seen that morning was already married one. The narrator offered to take him to
Shastri to learn about the stars-whether Guru and Shani were favourable for him or not. Ranga
accompanied him without any protest.
Q.18. “What? Only this morning…” Why was this sentence cut off and by whom? What
would have been the likely impact if the speaker had completed the sentence?
Ans. The narrator got angry when the astrologer said with surprise that he had not seen
the former for a long time. The narrator shouted these words. The astrologer cut this sentence
off and completed it in his own way. If he had not done so, the narrator would have ruined their
plan by blurting out everything.
Q.19. What according to the astrologer was Ranga’s cause of worry? How did the name
Ratna’ crop up?
Ans. According to the astrologer the cause of Ranga’s worry was a girl. She probably
had the name of something found in the ocean. When asked if it could be Kamla the astrologer
did not rule out the possibility. When suggested if it could be Pacchi, moss, the astrologer put a
counter question: “Why not pearl or ratna, the precious stone?” Thus the name Ratna cropped
up. Q.20. “There was surprise on Ranga’s face. And some happiness.” What do you think had
caused these feelings?
Ans. When the narrator learnt from Shastri—the astrologer, that the name of the girl
Ranga was worried about could be Ratna, he was at once reminded of Rama Rao’s niece
Ratna. He asked the astrologer if there was any chance of the marriage being fixed there,
the astrologer gave a firm assurance. This caused happiness and surprise on Ranga’s face.
Long Answer questions (120-150 words)
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 Q.1. Comment on the influence of English — the language and the way of life —
on Indian life as reflected in the story. What is the narrator’s attitude to English?
Ans. The story talks about the influence English language had decades ago in his village.
Not many people in the village at that time could understand or talk in English. Only a few
courageous people would send their children to study in cities like the village accountant sent
Ranga to Bangalore. When Ranga came back to the village, everyone was keen on seeing how
their culture had transformed him.
As far as cultural influence is concerned, the story mentions how Ranga wanted to
marry a girl who was mature, someone who understands him and is compatible with him. This
is completely in opposition to the arranged marriages that were widely prevalent in those times.
The narrator finds it disgraceful when people mix Kannada language with English. He
recounts how one day a lady delivered firewood to Rama Rao’s place and he told her to come
the next morning because he had no “change”. The lady did not know what “change” meant
and left while muttering to herself. The narrator confesses that he too did not know what it
meant until he asked Rama Rao.

Q.2. Astrologers’ perceptions are based more on hearsay and conjecture than
what they learn from the study of the stars. Comment with reference to the story. Ans.
The story throws light upon how Shastri predicted what was going on in Ranga’s mind. He
did it using two sheets of paper, some cowries and a book of palmyra leaves in the form of
his paraphernalia. He even revealed that Ranga has some girl on his mind whose name related
to something that belonged to the ocean. All this made Ranga believe in the power of
Astrology.
While in reality, it was our narrator Shyama, who had tutored Shastri to say so in a
meeting prior to the one with Ranga. Shastri made it seem like no big deal when Ranga left and
Shyama called it “his marvellous shastra”. He said he could have guessed it with his numbers
even if Shyama had not staged it for him.
Hence, the story portrays Astrologer’s perceptions to be based more on hearsay and
conjecture than what they learn from the stars.

Q.3. Indian society has moved a long way from the way the marriage is arranged
in the story. Discuss.
Ans.It is true that Indian society has moved a long way from the way the marriage is
arranged in the story. Earlier, there was no concept of love marriage and only arranged
marriages took place like the one being talked about in the story. Ranga’s marriage was
arranged by his uncle Shyama. In present times, the bride and the groom have a say in the
matter unlike decades ago where even their consent was not considered important.
Our society has come a long way since then, especially when it comes to the rights of
females. Earlier, the bride’s families were pressurized into paying dowry which has been
illegalised now. It is also against the law to marry individuals who have not yet attained a
specific age; 18 in case of girls and 21 in case of boys.

Q.4. What kind of a person do you think the narrator is?

Ans.The narrator is a man of his land as he introduces his village with such enthusiasm
that every reader would want to visit it at least once. His hospitality can also be appreciated as
he promises to take good care of his readers. He is someone who believes in maintaining the
authenticity of his culture that is why, he thinks it’s a disgrace to mix Kannada with English.
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 He is a man with good judgement of character. He knew what type of man Ranga was
and that Rama Rao’s niece Ratna would be a perfect partner for him. Shyama seemed like
someone who knows how to make his own way. The whole set-up he staged with the village
Shastri in order to get Ranga and Ratna married, pose as evidence for that. He is also funny by
way of which he teased the village Shastri. Although clever, he seems to be a man with best
intentions at heart.

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA REGIONAL OFFICE CHANDIGARH

SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER 2021-22 [SET I]
CLASS XI
SUBJECT ENGLISH
TIME 90 MINUTES MM 40
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1.This paper is divided into three sections: A, B and C.(A-13 marks, B-12 marks,
C -15 marks )
2. All the sections arecompulsory.
3. All the questions are MCQ based

SECTION A – READING – (13 MARKS)

Q.1 Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow-(1x8=8 M)
With the successful pre-dawn launch of RISAT-2B satellite, the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) has added another feather to its cap. The satellite will enhance India’s

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 capability in crop monitoring during the monsoon season, forestry mapping for forest fires and
deforestation, and flood mapping as part of the national disaster management programme.
Given that overcast skies are a constant during the monsoon season and during times of flood,
the ability to penetrate the cloud cover is essential. While optical remote sensing that relies on
visible light for imaging gets obstructed by clouds, RISAT-2B will not. Much like the RISAT-
1 satellite that was launched by ISRO in April 2012, RISAT-2B will also use microwave
radiation. Unlike visible light, microwaves have longer wavelength and so will not be
susceptible to atmospheric scattering. Microwave radiation can thus easily pass through the
cloud cover, haze and dust, and image the ground. Hence, RISAT-2B satellite will be able to
image under almost all weather and environmental conditions. Since it does not rely on visible
light for imaging, it will be able to image the ground during both day and night. The satellite
does not have passive microwave sensors that detect the radiation naturally emitted by the
atmosphere or reflected by objects on the ground. Instead, RISAT-2B will be transmitting
hundreds of microwave pulses each second towards the ground and receiving the signals
reflected by the objects using radar. The moisture and texture of the object will determine the
strength of the microwave signal that gets reflected. While the strength of the reflected signal
will help determine different targets, the time between the transmitted and reflected signals will
help determine the distance to the object.

1.As per the given passage, how RISAT-2B satellite will image in the cloudy weather?
I. With the help of its microwave radiation that can pass through cloud cover and dust easily.
II. With the help of visible light that creates images.
III. With the help of electronic rays that creates image of an object.
a.Only I b. Only II c. Only II and III d. Only I and II e. All I, II and
III 2.What does the writer want to convey from the text given in italic – “the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) has added another feather to its cap.”?
I.ISRO has worked hard on building its rapport among the other space research
organisations of the world.
II. ISRO has made an accomplishment that made nation proud on it. III. ISRO
has become the apex space research institute of the world.
a.Only I b.Only II c.Only II and III d.Only I and II e.All I, II and III

3. Which of the following has a similar meaning to “penetrate” in the context of the passage?
a. Enlarge b. Pinch c. Excess d. Invade e. Trespass
4. Which of the following is false in the context of the passage?
I. RISAT-1 uses visible light technology to create images.
II. RISAT-2 is helpful in flood mapping and crop monitoring.
III. The passive microwave sensors of RISAT-2 detect the radiation.
a. Only I b. Only II c. Only I and III d. Only I and II e. All I, II and III
5. What is the transmission rate of
RISAT-2? I. 100 microwave pulse/second
approx.
II. 1000 microwave pulse/second approx.
III. 10000 microwave pulse/second approx.
a. Only I b.Only II c.Only II and III d.Only I and II e.All I, II and III
6. What can RISAT-2B satellite do?
a. crop monitoring b. forestry mapping c. flood mapping d. All of the above

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7. What determines the distance to the object?
a. The moisture and texture of the object b. the strength of the reflected signal
c. the time between the transmitted and reflected signals d. All of the above

8. When was the RISAT-1 satellite launched by ISRO?

a. In April 2012 b. In 2012 c. Both of the above d. None of the above

Q.2 Read the passage given below.

Most cities in India face water shortage problems. According to some reports, 182 cities
requireurgent attention with regards to water and wastewater management. It is estimated
that 35% of water is lost every day in leakages in cities. The effective water supply after
this loss is only 125 litres/day per capita. This is considerably lower than the demand of
210 litres/day per capita. The following graph shows the water demand in some major
Indian cities in MLD (million litres per day).

Wastewater management is becoming a major challenge in cities. Population growth and

urbanisation has put cities under unprecedented pressure. Development of infrastructure and
government regulations have not been able to keep pace with this. The other major concern is
groundwater exploitation. Many towns and cities still depend on hand pumps for their water
supply which depletes the water table.
The way forward – Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM)
The IUWM approach is a completely new way of looking at urban water management. It
encourages cities to align their socio-economic planning to a ‘hydrological’ context,
without losing sight of their developmental priorities. It is based on the following key
concepts:
Participation of public, private and social sectors in urban areas in activities that are water
related. The participation is needed to reach a common understanding of the challenges to
water management and identify a common vision.
Considering the whole urban water cycle as one system. This covers various actions, such
as:
• matching water quality with the purpose of use
• using natural systems for water and wastewater treatment
• considering storm water/rainwater as a potential source of water
. preventing leakage
. strengthening urban water systems that often face acute shortage of water or floods
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 . managing the urban demand and use of water
. Regarding wastewater as a resource. Grey water (used water) can be reused for
domestic purposes, urban agriculture and industrial processes.
. Optimum infrastructure design. This implies the selection of correct technology for
water supply, wastewater treatment and sanitation. The selection is based on factors such as
water quality, economic condition of households, size of population and availability of skilled
manpower, land and institutions.
The IUWM is a holistic approach that links urban water management with overall urban
planning. If the government wishes to adopt IUWM, it has to adjust some of its policies and
regulations, and consider decentralising its activities. It has to also train its technical and
managerial staff and be open to sharing information with public.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, attempt ANY FIVE

QUESTIONS
OUT OF SIX that follow. (1 × 5 = 5M)

i) More than a third of the water in cities is lost due to

a. overuse. b. leakage.
c. lack of wastewater management. d. pollution in the water.

ii) Name two cities which constitute more than 50% of the water demand of all Indian cities
put together.
a. Jaipur and Kanpur b. Mumbai and Delhi
c. Surat and Lucknow d. Bengaluru and Chennai

iii). IUWM approach is a holistic way of looking at urban water management because it
a. ensures the participation of public, private and social sectors in urban water
management. b. supports the use of grey water.
c. aligns urban water management with urban planning.
d. controls population growth.
iv). By ‘hydrological context’ is meant
a. the context of hydroelectric power
b. the scientific study of water
c. the correct technology for water supply, wastewater treatment and sanitation.
d. a perspective that recognizes issues related to water.

v) Grey water can be reused for

a. domestic work b. agriculture
c. drinking after purification d. infrastructural processes

vi) Which of the following cities faced acute water crisis and was about to approach Day
Zero in 2018?
a. Canada b. New York c. New Delhi d. Cape
Town

SECTION –B – WRITING SKILLS AND GRAMMAR (12 M)

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 Q. 3. Answer the following questions for the short composition task by choosing
the
correct option-
(1X3=3 M)
i. What comes first of all in a Notice?
a. Main body b.Date c.Name of the institution d.Heading
ii. One of the following is not part of the Notice-
a. body b.date c.heading d.greetings
iii. What comes in the end of a Notice?
a. Date b.Heading c.Name of writer d.Main body

Q. 4. Answer the following questions based on the Long writing task by choosing
the
correct options- (1X5=5M)
i. A formal letter should be …… to have the desired effect on the recipient.

a. In the proper format. b. To the point and relevant.

c. Grammatically correct. d. All of these.

ii. What would you say in the opening part of a formal letter having which kind of information?

a. Ask how good the weather is in the recipient’s city.

b. Inform the recipient why you are writing the letter.
c.discussing the recipient if he is hale and hearty.
d. discussing how good the weather is in your city.
iii.Where should you write the date on your
letter?
a. Under your address b. Above your address
c. Under the recipient's address d. None of the above
iv. How to write an informal
letter?

a. Write legibly in simple English. b. Ignore grammar.

c. Leave out the date. d. Scribble.
v. This is the part of the letter that includes a word like sincerely and your name
a. Closing b. Opening c. Body d. Heading

Q.5 Answer the following questions by choosing the correct options - (1x4=4 M)
i. I didn’t find …………………………… there.
a. No one b. anyone c. someone d. none ii. This paper _____ twice weekly.
a. is appearing b. appearing c. appears d. none
iii. friends/auxiliaries/animals/necessary/are our/and/survival/for our.
a. Animals are our friends, auxiliaries and necessary for our survival.
b. Animals are our auxiliaries friends, and necessary for our survival.
c. Both of the above
d. None of the above
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 iv. Mary is ill so Sue _______________ (teach) her
1essons today.
a. Is teaching b.Will teach c.Both of the above d.None of the above
SECTION –C – LITERATURE (15 MARKS)
Q.6. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
(1x3=3M) She had always been short and fat and slightly bent. Her face was a Criss- cross of
wrinkles running from everywhere to everywhere. No, we were certain she had always been
as we had known her. Old so terribly old that she could not have grown older, and had stayed
at the same age for twenty years. She could never have been pretty; but she was always
beautiful.

i. Who is ‘She’ in the above lines?

a. narrators’ mother b.narrator's grandmother c. narrator’s mother-in-law
d.none of these ii. What was the physical state of her?
a. Middle-aged b.young c.old d.none of these
iii. Which of the following is the synonym of ‘Fat’?
a. corpulent b.skinny c.Lean d. none of these

Q.7 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
(1x3=3M) At the uncle with the camera. A sweet face,
My mother’s, that was before I was born.
And the sea, which appears to have changed less,
Washed their terribly transient feet.
i. Who is the poet/poetess of the poem?
a. Shirley Toulson b. Rudyard Kipling
c. Elizabeth Jennings d. Markus Natten
ii. What are the three of them doing in the photograph?
a. playing b. standing beside house
c. holding hands and smiling d. holding hands and went for paddling iii.
Who took the photograph of her mother with her cousin?
a. Her grandfather b. Her uncle c.Her mother’s friend d. Her grandmother

Q. 8. Answer the following textual questions by choosing the correct options-

(1x3=3 M) - Hornbill

i. Why did the author decide to go for a round-the-world voyage?

a. to duplicate the voyage made 200 years ago by Captain James
Cook b. to see the world
c. to settle down in different country
d. to show his children the world through ship ii. Which animal did
the grandmother used to feed in the village?
a. dogs b. cows c. sparrows d. cats

iii. How did Carter cut the body of Tut?

a. with the help of chemicals
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 b. with the help of chisel and hammer
c. with the help of machinery
d. with the help of manpower

Q. 9. Answer the following textual questions by choosing the correct options-

(1x6=6 M) – Snapshot

i. An old lady checked for Ranga’s ___________.

a. birthmark b. sacred piercing c. sacred tattoo d. sacred thread
ii. What were the hallmarks of the Garoghlanian tribe?
a. Trust b. Honesty c. Both (A) and (B) d. None of the
above iii. No member of the Garoghlanian family could be _______.
a. poor b. rich c. a thief d. crazy iv.
“Her face gave absolutely no sign of recognition.” Who is her?
a. Mrs. S b. Mrs. Dorling’s daughter c. Mrs. Dorling d. Mrs. S’s daughter
v. Mrs. Dorling took the possessions of the things on the pretence of __________.
a. using them b. selling them c. keeping them safe d. Both (A) and (B)
vi. Later on, Ranga got to know that Ratna was __________.
a. divorced b. widowed c. unmarried d. engaged

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 KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA REGIONAL OFFICE CHANDIGARH
SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER 2021-22 [SET II]
CLASS XI
SUBJECT ENGLISH
TIME 90 MINUTES MM 40
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1.This paper is divided into three sections: A, B
and C. (A-13 marks, B-12 marks, C -15 marks) 2. All
the sections are compulsory.
3. All the questions are MCQ based

MM: 40 MARKS

This paper consists of 3 sections :

Reading Section : 13 marks
Creative Writing Skills & Grammar Section : 12 marks
Literature Section : 15 marks

Total : 40 marks
Note : Its compulsory to attempt all questions.

Reading Comprehension : 13 marks

Q 1. Read the following passage and answer the questions given below: (08 marks)
It was a dark and stormy night. The Whites – Mr. and Mrs. White and their adult son
Herbert – are inside enjoying a cozy evening around the fire. Soon Sergeant-Major Morris
arrives for a cup of tea. He's been in the army in India for the past 21 years. He tells the
Whites stories of his adventures in that faraway orient land and shows them a monkey's
paw that has the power to grant three wishes. Mr. White wants the paw, but Morris tells
him it's cursed – people get hurt when their wishes are granted. He tries to burn the paw in
the fire, but Mr. White snatches it up and buys it. After Morris leaves, Mr. White, following
Herbert's suggestion, wishes for two hundred pounds, the amount of money he would need
to pay off the bank and own the house outright.
The next morning, Herbert goes off to work as usual and Mrs. White watches for the
two hundred pounds to show up. In the evening a man comes from Herbert’s office saying
that he died in a machine accident and says that the company takes no blame for Herbert's
death but wants to give the Whites some money to help with their loss with two hundred
pounds .Mrs. White screams and Mr. White faints.
Full of sadness over Herbert's death, Mr. and Mrs. White bury him in the cemetery
two miles from their home. One-night Mrs. White gets a bright idea: use those other two
wishes to bring Herbert back! She shares her plan with Mr. White. He thinks it's a bad idea
– he could barely look at Herbert's mangled body when he went to identify it. His wife
really turns up the heat, though, and he caves in. Mr. White pulls out the cursed monkey's
paw and wishes Herbert back to life.

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 Nothing happens, so the Whites go back to bed. Soon after, someone – or something
– starts pounding on the door. Mrs. White is sure it's Herbert – it just took him a minute to
get there from the cemetery. Mr. White is sure it's Herbert too, and he doesn't want his son
to get in the house, so he makes his third wish on the monkey's paw. The knocking stops.

Mr. White hears Mrs. White open the door. He hears her scream out in agony because
Herbert is not there. He goes outside with her and sees that the road is completely
empty. Sometimes, unreal stories hit us hard and teach us the lessons of life. (414
words)
(Source: The Monkey’s Paw by W W Jacobs, Adapted)
On the baisis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions by
choosing the right alternative out of the option provided below:
1. Sergeant-Major Morris wanted to burn the monkey’s paw because...........
(a) he did not want to see the White’s grow rich
(b) the wishes when granted gave pain to the owners
(c) the wishes would change their lives
(d) he brought it from a distant land
2. The man in the evening visits the Whites........
(a) for a cup of tea
(b) attend a condolence meet
(c) to give news of their son’s death
(d) to get some document signed
3. The story conveys a message that..........................
a) We should give a thought to a wise advice
b) We should not listen to what others speak
c) We should live in harmony
d) We should always help each other
4. The story has a .............................. element in it .
a.Supernatural b.comedy c.satiric d.humorous
5. Find a word in the passage that means the same as ‘disfigured’
a) caves in b. cemetery c. mangled d.heated
6. Find a word in the passage that is an antonym of ‘occident’
a) cozy b.faraway c.cursed d.orient
7. The actual intent of the family in keeping back the monkey’s paw was to :
a) pay the amount to bank and own the house through the first wish
b) bring back the dead son back to life
c) fulfilling all the desires of Mrs. White
d) not giving it back to Mr. Morris

8. The expression from the text that tells Mr. White becomes helpless before the
demands of his wife is:
a) He hears her scream out in agony
b) people get hurt when their wishes are granted
c) and he caves in
d) Mrs. White screams
Q2 Read the following case study and answer the questions given below: (5 marks) In
the present times of Covid -19, referring internet has gained momentum. Right from the

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issues of survival like, work from home to online education of children, every facility is
availed online within the four walls of home. Added to this, purchase of grocery, clothes
and all kinds of house-hold products is being done successfully online. Consequently
major online services are receiving boom.
Mobiles/smart phones are the biggest weapons of the new normal of every common man
to fight with the challenging times. With both its blessing and banes, a common man finds
his life empty without these possessions.

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The pie chart below illustrates how internet users aged 16+ prefer to access the internet at
home and in other placesThe current graph shows the results of a survey in which
peopleaged 16 and over were asked about their preferreddevices for accessing the internet.
The question referredto going online at home and in other places. Participantsmentioned
four main devices in their answers: asmartphone, a laptop, a tablet and a desktop
computer. Since mobile and portable devices are themost popular choices, it is clear that
many participantsare accessing the internet outside their homes. Thedesktop computer is
the least popular of the four maindevices. In future, we can probably expect to see
moreand more people accessing the internet withsmartphones as their preferred choice.
(388 Words)

On the basis of the above stated fact and the pie chart above, answer the following
questions: ( any 5)
1. Major online services are receiving a boom because:
a) Most of the purchases are being done online
b) Online services are convenient
c) Online services offer discount sometimes
2. The 3% gap between the teens’ choice for internet referring device indicate
that :
a) Laptop is their first choice
b) Laptop is their second choice
c) Both laptop and smart phone are their first choices
3. The least popular device for referring the internet is:
a) Desktop computer
b) Tablet
c) Smart phone
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 4. 67% of the teenagers still depend on the following devices:
a) Laptop, smartphones, desktop, tablet and others
b) Laptop, smartphones, desktop and others
c) Laptop, desktop, tablet and others
5. A phrase that means the opposite of losing ‘popularity’
a) gaining momentum
b) being accessible
c) a great bane
6. The expression new ‘normal’ refers to the times:
a) before the pandemic of Corona
b) of existence during the pandemic of Corona
c) after the end of the pandemic Corona

Writing Skills & Grammar Section( 12 marks )

Q3. Choose the correct alternative out of the options given below: 8 marks

a) A notice is written in :
i. 1st person ii. 2nd person iii.3rd person iv.1st and 2nd person

b) Beginning a ‘Notice’, with greetings like HELLO , HI all, is __________

because it is a __________writing task:
i. correct , informal ii. incorrect , formal iii.
partially agree , formal iv. can’t say , informal

c)We should write ‘Thank You” at the end of a notice before putting our name and
signature:

(i) No ii. Yes iii.Partially agree iv.Can’t say

d) Choose the correct expression used for ending any official letter:
i. yours sincerely ii.Your’s sincerely
iii. Yours Sincerely iv.Yours sincerely

e)Which of the following does not fall in the letter for placing orders:
(i) Placing orders for books
(ii) Placing orders for sports equipment
(iii) Placing orders for eatables
(iv) Placing order for computers from a firm

f)The speech begins with formal greetings to the members of the jury:
(i) No ii.Yes iii.Partially agree iv.Can’t say
g) We use this before we end a speech:
(i) Thankyou (ii) Thank you (iii) Good evening (iv) See you all
h) Registering complaints is a/an ________ letter.
(i) formal (ii) informal letter (iii) enquiry (iv)reply

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 Q4.Choose the correct alternative form of the Verb given in brackets:(2
marks)
1. I shall not go to his house unless he _______(invite) me.
a)invites b) invited c) invitation d) inviting
2. The police ________(catch) the thief last night.
a) had caught b. caught c.will catch d.catch 3.
He thanked me for what I ______(do).
a) Did b.will do c.had done d.does 4.
It is high time he ________(start) studying.
a) will start b) started c) had started d) starts

Q5.Choose the correct alternative out of the options given below: ( 2 marks)

1. How gorgeous is the sunset! ( Transform the sentence into assertive sentence) a)
How is the sunset so gorgeous?
b) The sunset is gorgeous, isn’t it?
c) The sunset is very gorgeous.
d) How gorgeous the sunset is!

2. No other metal is as expensive as gold. (Transform the sentence into superlative)

a) No other metal except gold is expensive.
b) Gold is expensive of all the metals.
c) Isn’t gold the most expensive of all metals.
d) Gold is the most expensive of all metals.
3. This tea is too hot for me. (Transform the given sentence by removing too) a)
This tea is so hot that I cannot take it.
b) This tea is very hot for me.
c) This tea is hot for me.
d)This tea is hot that I cannot take it
4 Buy one shirt and get one free. (Transform the sentence into a complex sentence)
a) If you buy one shirt, you get another shirt free.
b) If you buy one shirt, you get one free.
c) A shirt free on purchase of a shirt.
d) Buy one shirt to get one free.

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Literature Section : 15 marks

Q6. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow. ( 3 marks)

The whole tree trembles and thrills.

It is the engine of her family
She stokes it full, then flirts out to a branch end
Showing her barred identity mask a) What
makes the tree tremble?
(i) the lizard (ii) the poet (iii ) the goldfinch (iv) the machine
b) The ‘engine’ here refers to:
(i) The nest and the little ones in it
(ii) A machine lying under the tree
(iii) The sleek lizard
(iv) The laburnum tree C) She stokes it full, means:
(i) she shakes the laburnum tree
(ii) she feeds her young one
(iii) her young ones shake the tree
(iv) she enjoys sitting on the tree

Q7 Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:( 3 marks) The
sun can beat down like a hammer this far south in Egypt, and Carter tried to use it to
loosen the resins. For several hours, he set the mummy outside in blazing sunshine
that heated it to 149 degrees Fahrenheit. Nothing budged. He reported with scientific
detachment that ‘the consolidated material had to be chiseled away from beneath the
limbs and the trunk before it was possible to raise the king’s remains. a) What
‘resins’ are being referred to in this extract: (i) these refer to the oils used for cooking
(ii)these refer to the oils that were poured over king Tut’s body during the funeral (iii)
these refer to the eatables kept in pharoah’s room

(iv)these refer to the flowers kept over his body

b) Carter was…………..
(i) a king
(ii) a localite of Egypt
(iii) A European Archeologist (iv) King Tut’s close relative
c)The expression ‘scientific detachment’ here refers to:
(i) keeping oneself away from any sentiment
(ii) detachment from loved ones
(iii) detachment from nature
(iv) detachment from the society

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 Q8. Answer the following questions by choosing the right alternative : 3 marks a)
‘Mayday calls’ refer to:
(i)Emergency calls made from the ship in danger
(ii) Calls made during the month of May
(iii) Calls made during any day of May
(iv) blank calls

b) Howard Carter’s investigations were resented because: (i)

he was not worried about the excavation
(ii) he had chiselled away the limbs and trunk of the king
(iii) he had chiselled away the skull of the king
(iv) he had not made use of CT Scan

c) The European view of art advocated:

(i) Daoism ii. Conceptual space iii.Delicate realism iv.Shanshui

Q9. Answer the following questions by choosing the right alternative : 6 marks

a) The boys returned the horse because:

(i) they were afraid of John Byro
(ii) they were conscience stricken
(iii) they were afraid of Uncle Khoshrove
(iv) they were no longer interested in it

b) Uncle Khoshrove’s saying ‘Pay no attention to it’ was a part of his:

(i)crazy streak
(ii)love for John Byro
(iii)concern for the horse
(iv)affection for the boys

c) The girl at the door knew that she was at the right address because:
(i) the lady inside accepted it
(ii) the daughter of the lady welcomed her
(iii) the lady was wearing the green cardigan of her mother
(iv) the lady was wearing the brown cardigan of her mother

d) The narrator of ‘The Address’ decided to forget the address because :

(i) Her belongings in that address had lost their value

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 (ii) It was difficult for her to visit the place again
(iii) She did not like Mrs. Dorling’s attitude towards
her
(iv) Because she liked her daughter’s hospitality

e) Ranga’s homecoming was a big event in the village -

(i) because very few people from the village went for higher education
(ii)because people wanted to see him speaking English
(iii) because people wanted to observe his transformation after coming from a
city (iv) because people wanted to express their resentment on his city education

f) An educated Ranga marries Ratna as the story ends. This tells that :
(i) There were shortcomings in his city education
(ii)It takes time to break off from the cultural ties that binds a person
(iii) Foreign education had invaded rural settings
(iv) Its difficult to disobey the elders of the society

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 KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA REGIONAL OFFICE CHANDIGARH
SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER 2021-22 (SET III)
CLASS XI
SUBJECT ENGLISH
TIME 90 MINUTES MM 40
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1.This paper is divided into three sections: A ,B
and C. ( A-13 marks, B-12 marks ,C 15 marks ) 2 .All the
sections are compulsory .
3 .All the questions are MCQ based

.
Q.NO. SECTION ---- A - READING ( 13 Marks ) MARKS

1 Read the passage carefully -

1. Roshni Bairwa remembers running all the way from her home in Tonk’s 1X8= 8
Mahmood nagar Dhani village to the room where the ‘bal samooh’ (children’s Marks
group) met. “My grandparents are getting me married, you have to do something,”
the then 12-year-old told the 20 or so children sitting there.

2. The children, all aged between eight and 16, trooped up to Roshni’s house
and urged her grandparents to stop the impending wedding. Others, including
village elders and teachers, joined in. The wedding was stopped. She had
discovered a way out of the quagmire with the help of a local NGO and the village
children.

3. When she was in class XII, the pressure to get married returned. This time
her uncle found a match for her. When she resisted, she was taunted and beaten.
People would point to her as the girl who brought shame to her family and asked
their children not to speak to her. “I was 16 years old and alone in the world. I
walked to school with my eyes fixed to the ground. I would think sometimes, I
would cry myself to sleep,” recalls Roshni, who lost her father when she was two
and had been abandoned by her mother shortly after. But even in those dark
moments, Roshni didn’t give up, moving out of the village to Peeplu tehsil in
Rajasthan where she rented a room and attended college.

4. With education and independence came a sense of confidence. “I kept in

touch with the children in the village. Every time there was child marriage, they
would call me and I would go to stop it. I realised I had already been thrown out of
the village, the worst had already happened, what else could the villagers do? So I
went and fought with everyone who was getting their child married,” she says with
a laugh. So far she has stopped over a dozen marriages.

5. Even without the support of the law, young girls have been crusading
against the practice. Earlier this month, 19-year-old Sushila Bishnoi from Barmer

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succeeded in getting her marriage annulled, submitting photographs, and
congratulatory messages from her husband’s Facebook account to the court. The
court accepted

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these as evidence that the union took place when both the bride and groom were 12
years old and declared the marriage invalid.

6. Seema Bairwal (name changed) was 15 when she was married to a man a few
years older. Later when she started attending ‘bal samooh’ meetings with NGO
Shiv Shiksha Samiti and Save the Children, it dawned on her that she had a choice.
“I learnt that my life is mine. I have the power to say no to marriage.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any EIGHT of the
following questions by choosing the correct option -
Question (i)
The brides mentioned in the passage are rebels against
(a) the dowry system
(b) child marriage
(c) purdah system
(d) arranged marriage

Question (ii)
When Roshni was twelve years old, she succeeded in her mission with the help of
…………
(a) 20 children aged between eight and sixteen
(b) her grandparents
(c) 20 children, her grandparents, village elders and teachers (d) children and
an NGO

Question (iii)
When she was sixteen, the people of the village …………………..
(a) taunted her and beat her up
(b) boycotted her
(c) were angry with her
(d) were sympathetic and understanding

Question (iv)
Roshni moved out of the village in order to-
(a) seek a job (b) escape the villagers
(c) attend college (d) marry a boy of her choice

Question (v)
‘Give up’ in para 3 means
(a) stop attending classes (b) stop doing something
(c) very eager (d) voluntary

Question (vi)
‘Annulled’ in para 5 means
(a) To state officially that something is not legally valid
(b) Help somebody
(c) impending doom
(d) social works
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 Question (vii )
Roshni lost her father when she was

(a) Two years old (b) Ten years old

(c) One year old (d) Three years old

Question (viii)
The word having similar meaning to – “about to happen soon” is (paragraph 2)
(a) Impending (b) Remote (c) Distant (d) Gone

Question (ix)
The word having similar meaning to – “realised” is (paragraph 6)
a) sun rise b) dawned upon her c) speak d) open

2 Read the passage and on the basis of your understanding answer the 1x5=5
questions given below . Marks

Here’s good news for tiger conservationists, tiger authorities and wildlife lovers
celebrating International Tiger Day. According to the latest census of 2018
released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on International Tiger Day, India is
home to 2,967 tigers. What makes this figure significant is that it is an increase by
a third as compared to 2014 and more than double as compared to 2006. The latest
census also reveals the states with the highest tiger populations and those with the
lower ones, along with the economic value( Pegged between 4200 crore to 16000
crores annually) of tiger reserves in the country. See the given infographic.

The latest tiger census is very encouraging, and points to the successful strategies,
methods and techniques being adopted and pursued by wildlife authorities and
wildlife conservationists to protect the tiger.

The tiger census 2018 was taken after a painstaking 15months’ work where the
forest officials surveyed 3,81,400 sq km of forested habitats. During the same
period of time, they also installed 26,760 camera traps, with wildlife biologists
going through 35 million images of wildlife. Of this astounding number of images,
76,523 were those of tigers. It is estimated that almost 83% of the entire tiger
population was represented in these images.

The figures are certainly cause for enthusiasm, and a great deal of it was reflected
in the address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on International Tiger Day. In it,
he also stressed on the need for striking a healthy balance between development
and environment. Addressing this issue, he went on to say, “There is a very old
debate- development or environment. Both sides present views as if they are
mutually exclusive. In our policies, in our economics, we have to change the
conversation about conservation. I am confident that India will prosper both
economically and environmentally. India will build more roads and India will have
cleaner rivers. India will have better train connectivity and also greater tree
coverage.

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On the basis of your understanding of the passage, attempt any FIVE of the
following questions :

i) Which of the following would be the most appropriate heading for the above
passage?

a) The Return of the Cats b) The Roar of the Lion

c) The King Makes a Comeback d) The Roar is Back

ii) According to the 2018 survey, tick the statement which is true regarding the
number of tigers in each state.
a) Madhya Pradesh vies closely with Karnataka for the first place.
b) Uttarakhand trails behind Karnataka by 100 tigers.
c) The combined tiger population of Kerala and Tamil Nadu is less than that of
Uttarakhand
d) Assam has more tigers as compared to Tamil Nadu.
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 iii) India achieved its target of doubling its tiger population years ahead of the
target year.

a) 3 b) 4 c) 5 d)
6
iv) The tiger population statistics of the world reveal that the tiger population of
the top three states of India ____________________________ that of the whole
world.

a) is as much as b) is less than c) is equal to d) is more than

v) Among India’s neighbouring countries, which country has the highest tiger
population?
a) Nepal b) Bhutan c) Bangladesh d) Myanmar

vi) What is the ‘old debate’ that the prime minister refers to?
a) conversation vs conservation
b) environment vs development
c) roads vs rivers
d) more roads vs greater tree coverage

SECTION B ---- WRITING AND GRAMMAR 12 MARKS

Answer the following questions by choosing the correct option-
3 i. Arrange following in proper sequence as parts of a Notice 1x3=3
(i) The word NOTICE (ii) Name of the institution marks
(iii) Name of the issuer (iv) Title
(a) i,ii,iii,iv (b) ii,i,iii,iv (c) ii,i,iv,iii d) iv,iii,ii,i

ii .The tone of the notice should be

(a) Relaxed ,detailed and accurate (b) Precise, crisp and accurate
(c) Precise ,crisp and ambiguous (d) Relaxed, ambiguous and formal

iii .A notice is
(a) A formal document (b) An informal document
(c ) A personal document (d) None of the above

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4 i. Which of these is not a part of a letter? 1x5=5
a) Date b) Greeting c) Photo d) Signature Marks

ii . Which of these is mentioned in a letter when an order is placed?

a) Age of the owner b) Nationality of the owner
c) Health of the owner d) Mode of payment

iii .The key point of a Formal letter is written in which part of a formal
letter ?
a) Post script b) Body
c) Opening d)
Closing
iv .Suppose we do not know the recipient’s name, how we can end the letter ?
a) Yours Sincerely b) Affectionately yours

c) Yours faithfully d ) None of these

v. forma l letter should be …… to have the desired effect on the recipient ?

(a). In the proper format. (b). To the point and relevant. (c).
Grammatically correct. (d). All of the above

OR
i.A Speech must always present--------------
a) Facts b) Opinions
c) Suggestions d ) Perspectives
ii. Which of these must be avoided by a speaker? a)
Abstract words b) Short sentences
c) Good pronunciation d) Steady pace

iii .How do we begin the speech ? a ) By addressing the

audience b) By giving thanks c ) Directly starting with
content d) Writing the heading

iv .Which of the following is not an effective strategy in writing a

speech ? a) Avoid jargon b ) Be sensitive to your
audience
c) Write whatever comes to mind. d ) Use contractions.

v .A speech is an .................. to a group of people for a specific purpose . a

) Warning b ) Advice c) Address d) All the above

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5 i. .You can pick ——of the two. 1x4=4
a)-many b)-more c)-either d)-some Marks

ii.——man who is wearing —— white cap is my neighbour.

a)-a, the b) the, a c) the, the d ) a, a
iii.What ________you doing yesterday when I rang you?
a) are b) have c) were d) would

iv. Rearrange the following in proper sequence to form a correct sentence.

a. its best b. is simply c. science d. the common sense at
1. a b d c 2. d b a c 3. b c d a 4. c b d a

SECTION C 15 MARKS
1x3=3
6 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow : Marks

The Laburnum top is silent, quite still

In the afternoon yellow September Sunlight
A few leaves yellowing ,all its seeds fallen

i. How did the poet describe the top of the Laburnum tree in the poem ‘The
Laburnum Top’?
a. Still and Silent b. Moving and Angry like
c. Silent and Motionless d. None of the above

ii. What had happened to the leaves of the Laburnum tree?

a. they were green b. turned yellow
c. fallen down d. new leaves growing

iii Who is the poet of the poem ‘Laburnum

Top” a. Stephen Spenders b .Ted
Hughes c .Shirley Toulson d, Markus
Natten

7 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that 1x3=3
follow: Marks

He was just a teenager when he died .The last heir of a powerful family
that had ruled Egypt and its empire for centuries, was laid to rest laden
with gold and eventually forgotten. Since the discovery of his tomb in 1922 ,
the modern world has speculated about what happened to him ,with murder
being the most extreme possibility .
i .Who is ‘He’ in the above passage ?
a. Ranga b King Tut c Howard Carter d .Jonathan
ii When was his tomb discovered ?
a 1965 b 1923 c 1922 d 1912 iii Who is the author this
chapter? a .Shahid Ali b A.R Williams c Margo minco d
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 Khushwant Singh

8 QUESTIONS BASED ON TEXTS (HORNBILL)

Answer the following questions by choosing the correct option -

i. How did the sparrows express their sorrow at the death of the grandmother? 1x3=3
a. They didn't come that day Marks
b. they came and sat silently in the verandah
c.They ate the bread crumbs
d. they chirruped a lot ii. Where did they decide to reach to save
themselves and the ship?
a. Australia b. Mumbai c., Ile Amsterdam d.
Japan iii. What does 'Mayday call' mean? a Call made in the month of
May
b Distress call for help
c Both A and B
d None of these

9 QUESTIONS BASED ON TEXTS ( SNAPSHOTS) 1X6=6

Answer the following questions by choosing the correct option - Marks

1 Why couldn’t Aram believe when he saw Mourad with the horse?
A. Because Mourad was crazy
B. Because they were poor to afford a horse
C. Because he was sleepy
D. Because he was dreaming

II. Who was the true owner of the horse?

A. John Byro B. Fetvajian
C. Dikran Halabian D. Zorab
III. Why did the boys return the white horse to its owner?
A. Because they were conscience stricken
B. Because they were afraid
C. Because they found it difficult to hide the horse
D. Because they were accused of theft
IV What was the address that the author's mother asked her to remember?
A. Number 50, Marconi Street B. Number 46, Baker Street
C. Number 54, Marconi Street D. Number 46, Marconi Street

V. What message does “The Address” talk about?

A. Importance of things B. Not to trust someone C.
Human predicament of war D. None of the above

VI. Why was Ranga’s homecoming a big event?

A. Because he brought gifts for everyone
B .Because he was new in the village
C .Because he returned from Bangalore after studying there for six months

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 D .All of the above

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA REGIONAL OFFICE CHANDIGARH

MARKING SCHEME 2021-22 SET I
CLASS XI
SUBJECT ENGLISH

SECTION A

Q 1. (1*8=8)
i.a.Only I ii. b.Only II iii.e. Trespass iv. c. Only I and III v. a.Only I vi.
d. All of the above vii. c. the time between the transmitted and reflected signals viii. a.
In April 2012

Q.2. (1*5=5)
i) b .leakage ii) b. Mumbai & Delhi
iii) c. Align urban water management with urban planning iv) b. the scientific study
of water
v) a. Domestic work vi) d. Cape Town

SECTION B
Q.3. (1*3=3)
i.c. Name of the institution ii.dGreetings iii.c. name of writer

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Q.4. (1*5=5)
i.d. All of these. ii. b. Inform the recipient why you are writing the letter.
iii. a.Under your address iv.a.Write legibly in simple English. v. a.Closing
Q.5. (1*4=4)
i.b. anyone ii. Appears iii.a. Animals are
our friends, auxiliaries and necessary for our survival.
iv. c. Both of the above
SECTION C

Q 6. (1*3=3)
i. d.narrator's grandmother ii.d.old iii.a.corpulent

Q 7. (1*3=3)

i.a. Shirley Toulson ii.c. holding hands and smiling iii.b. Her uncle

Q 8. (1*3=3)
i.a.to duplicate the voyage made 200 years ago by Captain James
Cook ii a dogs
ii b with the help of chisel and hammer

Q.9( 1*6=6)
i.d. sacred thread ii.c. Both (A) and (B) iii. c. a thief
iv.c. Mrs. Dorling v.c. keeping them safe vi.a.unmarri
ed

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA REGIONAL OFFICE CHANDIGARH

MARKING SCHEME 2021-22 SET II
CLASS XI
SUBJECT ENGLISH

1)(b) the wishes when granted gave pain to the owners 8 marks
Q 1 Unseen 2) (c). to give news of their son’s death
Comprehe 3)(a) We should give a thought to a wise advice
nsion 4) (a) supernatural
5) (c) mangled
6) (d) orient
7(a) pay the amount to bank and own the house through the first
wish

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 8 (c) and he caves in
Q 2 Case Any 5 out of 6 5 marks
Based 1(a) Most of the purchases are being done online
Comprehen 2(b) Laptop is their second choice
sion 3(a)Desktop computer
4(c) Laptop, desktop, tablet and others
5 a) gaining momentum
6 (b) of existence during the pandemic of Corona
Q 3 MCQs a) (iii) 3rd person 8 marks
Writing b)(ii) incorrect , formal
Section c)(i) No
d)(iv) Yours sincerely
e)(iii) Placing orders for eatables
f)(ii) Yes
g)(ii) Thank you
h) (i) formal

2 marks
Q 4 Gap
Filling 1. a)invites
2. b) caught
3.c) had done
4. c) started

Q NO 5
Transforma 1. ( c)The sunset is very gorgeous.
tion of 2. (d) Gold is the most expensive of all metals. 2 marks
sentences 3. (a) This tea is so hot that I cannot take it.
4. (b)If you buy one shirt, you get one free.

Q6 ( 3 marks
Literature : a) (iii ) the goldfinch
Seen b) (i) The nest and the little ones in it
Comprehen c) ii) she feeds her young ones
sion)
Poetry
Extract

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 Q7 a) (ii)these refer to the oils that were poured over king Tut’s body
Literature : during the funeral
(Seen (b) (iii)A European Archeologist
Comprehen 3 marks
sion) Prose (c) (i) keeping oneself away from any sentiment
Extract

Q8 a (i)Emergency calls made from the ship in danger b 3 marks

MCQ(Flam (ii)he had chiselled away the limbs and trunk of the king
ingo) c (iii)Delicate realism

Delicate realism

Q9 MCQ a) (ii)they were conscience stricken

( Snapshots b) (i)crazy streak 6 marks
) c) (iii)the lady was wearing the green cardigan of her mother
d) (i)Her belongings in that address had lost their value
e) (iii)because people wanted to observe his transformation
after coming from a city
f) (ii) It takes time to break off from the cultural ties that binds
a person

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA REGIONAL OFFICE CHANDIGARH

MARKING SCHEME 2021-22 SET III CLASS XI SUBJECT ENGLISH
SECTION A

Question 1 (1X8 = 8 M)
Question (i) (b) child marriage
Question (ii) (a) 20 children aged between eight and sixteen
Question (iii) (a) taunted her and beat her up
Question (iv) (c) attend college
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 Question (v) (b) stop doing something
Question (vi) (a) To state officially that something is not legally valid
Question (vii) (a) Two years old
Question(viii) (a) Impending
Question(ix) (b) dawned upon her

QUESTION 2 1X5=5 marks i)

a) The Return of the Cats ii) a) Madhya Pradesh vies closely with
Karnataka for the first place. iii) b) 4 iv) b) is less than v) a)
Nepal vi ) b) environment vs development

SECTION B
QUESTION 3 1X3=3 marks
I (c) ii,i,iv,iii
II b) Precise ,crisp and accurate
III (a) A formal document
QUESTION 4 1X5
=5marks i.c) Photo ii.d) Mode of payment iii.b)
Body iv .c) Yours faithfully
v.d). All of these
OR i. a) Facts ii a ) Abstract words
iii .a ) By addressing the audience iv
c) Write whatever comes to mind.
v . c) Address
SPEECH

QUESTION 5 1X4=4 Marks

i.) c) either ii) b)-the, a iii) c)Were iv ) 4) c, b, d, a

SECTION C
Question 6 1X3=3 Marks

i. a). Still and Silent

ii.b). turned yellow
iii.b .Ted Hughes
QUESTION 7 1X3=3 Marks

i.b) King
Tut ii.c) 1922
iii.b) A.R Williams

QUESTION 8 1X3 = 3
Marks i.b). they came and sat silently in the verandah
ii.c.) Ile Amsterdam
iii.b)Distress call for help

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QUESTION 9 1X6 = 6 Marks
I b.) because they were poor to afford a
horse ii a) John Byro
iii a ). Because they were conscience
stricken iv d) Number 46, Marconi Street v
c) human predicament of war
vi.c) Because he returned from Bangalore after studying there for six months

Page 188 of 188