Comprehensive CBSE Question Bank in English Core XII (Term-II)

CBSE II Question Bank in English Core CLASS 12 Features Poetry: Summary, Paraphrase, Word Meanings, Short Answer Questions/Long Answer Questions/Extract Strictly Based on the Latest CBSE Term-wise Syllabus Based Multiple Choice Questions All Three Sections Entirely Solved Reading & Literature Latest Typology of Multiple Choice Questions Prose/ Supplementary Reader: Summary, Word Meanings, Short Answer Questions/Long Answer Questions/Extract Based Multiple Choice Questions



Comprehensive CBSE Question Bank English Core Term–II (FOR CLASS XII)



Comprehensive CBSE Question Bank English Core Term–II (FOR CLASS XII) (According to the Latest CBSE Examination Pattern) by R.K. GUPTA   LAXMI PUBLICATIONS (P) LTD (An ISO 9001:2015 Company) BENGALURU • CHENNAI • GUWAHATI • HYDERABAD • JALANDHAR KOCHI • KOLKATA • LUCKNOW • MUMBAI • RANCHI NEW DELHI

Comprehensive CBSE QUESTION BANK ENGLISH CORE–XII TERM II Copyright © by Laxmi Publications Pvt., Ltd. All rights reserved including those of translation into other languages. In accordance with the Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, translated into any other language or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise. Any such act or scanning, uploading, and or electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitutes unlawful piracy and theft of the copyright holder’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained from the publishers. Printed and bound in India New Edition ISBN : 978-93-93738-21-9 Limits of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties. The advice, strategies, and activities contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. In performing activities adult supervision must be sought. Likewise, common sense and care are essential to the conduct of any and all activities, whether described in this book or otherwise. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable or assumes any responsibility for any injuries or damages arising here from. The fact that an organization or Website if referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers must be aware that the Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. All trademarks, logos or any other mark such as Vibgyor, USP, Amanda, Golden Bells, Firewall Media, Mercury, Trinity, Laxmi appearing in this work are trademarks and intellectual property owned by or licensed to Laxmi Publications, its subsidiaries or affiliates. Notwithstanding this disclaimer, all other names and marks mentioned in this work are the trade names, trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. & Bengaluru 080-26 75 69 30 & Chennai 044-24 34 47 26 Branches & Guwahati 0361-254 36 69 & Hyderabad 040-27 55 53 83 & Jalandhar 0181-222 12 72 & Kochi 0484-405 13 03 & Kolkata 033-40 04 77 79 Published in India by & Lucknow 0522-430 36 13 Laxmi Publications (P) Ltd. & Ranchi 0651-224 24 64 (An ISO 9001:2015 Company) C— 113, GOLDEN HOUSE, GURUDWARA ROAD, DARYAGANJ, Printed at : Ajit Printing Press, Delhi. NEW DELHI - 110002, INDIA Telephone : 91-11-4353 2500, 4353 2501 www.laxmipublications.com [email protected]

Contents Pages Section A: Reading (1-33) 1. Unseen Passage 1 1 2. Unseen Passage 2 (Case Based Factual Passages) 18 Section B: Writing Skills (34-62) 1. Short Writing Tasks 34 2. Long Writing Tasks 43 Section C: Literature (63-184) Flamingo (Prose) (63-111) 1. The Rattrap 63 2. Indigo 91 Flamingo (Poetry) 112 (112-128) 120 1. A Thing of Beauty 129 2. Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers 145 162 Vistas (Supplementary Reader) (129-184) 1. Should Wizard Hit Mommy? 2. On the Face of It 3. Evans Tries An O-Level (v)



Syllabus ENGLISH CORE CLASS XII TERM–II MARKING SCHEME SECTION TERM II WEIGHTAGE (IN MARKS) A Reading Comprehension: (Two Passages) 14 • Unseen passage (factual, descriptive or literary/ (8 + 6 Marks) discursive or persuasive) • Case Based Unseen (Factual) Passage B Creative Writing Skills: 3 + 5 marks • Short Writing Tasks Total = 08 Formal & Informal Invitation Cards or the Replies to Invitation/s • Long Writing Tasks(One) Letter of Application for a Job Report Writing C Literature: Questions based on extracts/texts to assess comprehension and appreciation, analysis, inference, extrapolation Book–Flamingo (Prose) 11 Marks: • The Rattrap • Indigo for Flamingo + 7 Marks Book–Flamingo (Poetry) for Vistas • A Thing of Beauty = 18 Marks • Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Book–Vistas (Supplementary Reader) • Should Wizard Hit Mommy? • On the Face of It • Evans Tries An O-Level TOTAL 40 ASL 10 GRAND TOTAL 40 + 10 = 50 Prescribed Books 1. Flamingo: English Reader published by National Council of Education Research and Training, New Delhi 2. Vistas: Supplementary Reader published by National Council of Education Research and Training, New Delhi (vii)



CHAPTER Section A: Reading Unseen Passage 1 1 Read the passages given below carefully and based on your understanding of each passage, answer ANY EIGHT questions out of the NINE. Passage I I saw ‘Jaws’, the popular shark movie, the summer it came out, in 1975 and became paranoid about sharks. Though I kept swimming after Jaws, it was always with the vague fear that a shark’s teeth could tug on my leg at any moment. Never mind that there’d been only two shark bites since 1900 on the Connecticut coast, where I lived. So, when I got this assignment for the National Geographic magazine, I decided to accept and do what I’d never wanted to do: swim with the sharks. I had to go to a place in the Bahamas known as Tiger Beach and dive with tiger sharks, the species responsible for more recorded attacks on humans than any shark except the great white. It was to be my first dive after getting certified—which meant it would be my first dive anywhere other than a swimming pool or a quarry—and without a diver’s cage. Most people who got wind of this plan thought I was either very brave or very stupid. But I just wanted to puncture an illusion. The people who know sharks intimately tend to be the least afraid of them, and no one gets closer to sharks than divers. The divers who run operations at Tiger Beach speak lovingly of the tiger sharks the way people talk about their children or their pets. In their eyes, these sharks aren’t man-eaters any more than dogs are. The business of puncturing illusions is never just black and white. My fellow divers had hundreds of dives under their belt and on the two-hour boat ride to the site in the morning of our first dive, they kept saying things like, “Seriously, I really can’t believe this is your first dive.” All this was okay with me until I reached the bottom and immediately had to fend off the first tiger shark, I had ever laid eyes on. However, when I watched the other divers feeding them fish and steering them gently, it became easy to see the sharks in a very benign light. I think it would be unfair not to mention that though tiger sharks are apex predators, they act as a crucial balancing force in ocean ecosystems, constraining the numbers of animals like sea turtles and limit their behaviour by preventing them from overgrazing the sea grass beds. Furthermore, tiger sharks love warm water, they eat almost anything, have a huge litter and are the hardiest shark species. If the planet and its oceans continue to warm, some species will be winners and others will be losers, and tiger sharks are likely to be winners. (439 words) (CBSE Term II 2021–22) 1

2 English Core XII (Term 2) 1. Cite a point in evidence, from the text, to suggest that the writer’s post-Jaws fear was not justified. Ans. The writer’s post-Jaws fear was not justified as according to the first paragraph, there had been only 2 shark bites reported in 75 years, i.e. from 1900–1975. 2. State any one trait of the writer that is evident from lines 5-10 and provide a reason for your choice. Ans. The writer was brave as he was aware of the fact that the sharks were dangerous, yet accepted, as his very first assignment, that required him to face them. 3. “People thought the writer was ‘either brave or very stupid.’” Why did some people think that he was ‘very stupid?’ Ans. People considered the writer as brave or stupid because he was risking his life and could be bitten by the sharks as other people were. 4. Why does the writer say that people who know sharks intimately tend to be least afraid of them? Ans. The writer says so because they find the sharks to be harmless. 5. Rewrite the given sentence by replacing the underlined phrase with another one, from lines 10–20.  Some academicians think that reward, as a form of discipline, is a simple right or wrong issue. Ans. Some academicians think that reward, as a form of discipline, is a simple black and white issue. 6. What does the use of the phrase ‘benign light’ suggest in the context of the writer’s viewpoint about the tiger sharks? Ans. Tiger sharks did not seem to be that harmful/dangerous. They seemed fairly docile/ less dangerous than the other sharks. 7. Select a suitable phrase from lines 15–25 to complete the following sentence appropriately. I agree the team will find this experience tough, but competing will be easier next time after they get this tournament __________________________. Ans. I agree the team will find this experience tough, but competing will be easier next time after they get this tournament under their belt. 8. “Apex predators serve to keep prey numbers in check.” How can we say that tiger sharks are apex predators? Ans. We can say so because tiger sharks restrict the number of sea turtles (by feeding on them), and act as a balancing force in the ecosystem. If the numbers weren’t constrained, it would result in the depletion of sea-grass which supports other marine life forms. 9. Analyse why having a large litter is one of the features that empowers tiger sharks to emerge winners if global warming persists. Ans. Reduces possibility of extinction or destruction due to harsh conditions, as large numbers would ensure that some definitely survive.

Unseen Passage 1 3 Passage II 1. What’s the one thing that you associate with your college days? For me, it was consuming copious amounts of chai. A cup of tea was a panacea to all troubles and the companion to all joys. In this exclusive interview, we caught up with 65-year-old Deepak Garg, owner of Ganga Dhaba, a spot that every officer from National Academy of Administration has visited multiple times. 2. Deepak begins, “My family has been here for almost 90 years. It was my grandfather who first started working here as the supplier to the hotel that existed then.” In 1964, when Deepak was all of eight, he lost his father and the responsibility of raising four children, fell on his mother. 3. “Our growing up years were a huge struggle. My mother used to teach home science at a local balwadi school, and which was also where my siblings and I studied,” he says. In 1978, Deepak says that he started a food joint that he named Om Chinese restaurant. “In those days, there was a huge liking for Chinese food and hence the name and the choice of cuisine,” he says. 4. For almost 17 years, things continued and then Deepak got a Public Call Office (PCO) installed for the Officer Trainees. The business did so well that soon he had installed more than ten telephones, with separate cabins, to allow them some privacy while they made and received their calls. 5. The OTs who would talk on the PCO from here would always refer to the place as ‘Ganga Dhaba.’ It was because this place is so close to the Ganga hostel inside the academy, that slowly the name changed and it became Ganga Dhaba. “Since it was the OTs that gave us our identity, we decided to change the name and call it Ganga Dhaba,” he says. 6. There have been instances when Deepak and his family members have learnt dishes from the OTs. He says, “So many dishes on our menu today are because some officer came in and decided to teach us how to make them.” 7. We have seen two generations of officers, served the parents, who now as the parents come back to drop their children at the academy and tell us to take care of them. What more can we ask for ? While the money we make is not great, the respect and the love we have accumulated over the years is what keeps us going,” says Deepak, proudly. (400 words) (CBSE Term 1 2021–22) 1. What, according to the author, gave him solace during his bad times in his college days? Ans. tea 2. ‘Soon he had installed ten telephones.’ In the light of the above statement write a sentence that lists the right inference. Ans. He was successful and flourishing in his business. 3. The gesture of changing the name of the food joint to ‘Ganga Dhaba’ speaks of Deepak’s __________. Ans. respect and tribute to OTs

4 English Core XII (Term 2) 4. ‘... his family members learnt dishes from OTs.’ Write a sentence that lists the inference with reference to the above statement. Ans. His family had close association and good rapport with OTs. 5. As per paragraph 7, write a sentence that sums up the personality of Deepak Garg. Ans. He is a person who upholds dignity and esteem in life, not materialistic. 6. ‘... OTs that gave us our identity.’ What does Deepak mean to say? Ans. It was OTs who patronised his canteen business. 7. Write a sentence that aptly defines Deepak Garg’s life story ‘from struggling childhood days to becoming a successful businessman.’ Ans. Where there is a will, there is a way. 8. ‘... many dishes on our menu today are because some officer came in and decided to teach us.’ Write a word that rightly reflects the tone of the speaker. Ans. humility 9. ‘... tell us to take care of them.’ Write a sentence that lists the appropriate reason behind the statement. Ans. Parents trust and respect Deepak Garg’s hospitality. Passage III 1. I got posted in Srinagar in the 1980s. Its rugged mountains, gushing rivers and vast meadows reminded me of the landscapes of my native place – the Jibhi Valley in Himachal Pradesh. Unlike Srinagar that saw numerous tourists, Jibhi Valley remained clouded in anonymity. That’s when the seed of starting tourism in Jibhi was planted. I decided to leave my service in the Indian Army and follow the urge to return home. 2. We had two houses – a family house and a traditional house, which we often rented out. I pleaded with my father to ask the tenant to vacate the house so that I could convert it into a guest house. When my family finally relented, I renovated the house keeping its originality intact, just adding windows for sunlight. 3. I still remember the summer of 1992 when I put a signboard outside my first guest house in Jibhi Valley! The village residents, however, were sceptical about my success. My business kept growing but it took years for tourism to take off in Jibhi Valley. Things changed significantly after 2008 when the government launched a home stay scheme. People built homestays and with rapid tourism growth, the region changed rapidly. Villages turned into towns with many concrete buildings. Local businesses and tourists continued putting a burden on nature. 4. Then, with the 2020–21 pandemic and lockdown, tourism came to a complete standstill in Jibhi Valley. Local people, who were employed at over a hundred homestays and guest houses, returned to their villages. Some went back to farming; some took up pottery and some got involved in government work schemes. Now, all ardently hope that

Unseen Passage 1 5 normalcy and tourism will return to the valley soon. In a way, the pandemic has given us an opportunity to introspect, go back to our roots and look for sustainable solutions. 5. For me, tourism has been my greatest teacher. It brought people from many countries and all states of India to my guest house. It gave me exposure to different cultures and countless opportunities to learn new things. Most people who stayed at my guest house became my repeat clients and good friends. When I look back, I feel proud, yet humbled at the thought that I was not only able to fulfil my dream despite all the challenges, but also play a role in establishing tourism in the beautiful valley that I call home. (394 words) (CBSE Sample Paper Term 1 2021–22) 1. What does the scenic beauty of Srinagar make the writer feel? Ans. nostalgic. 2. ‘A collocation is a group of words that often occur together.’ The writer says that Jibhi valley remained clouded in anonymity. Write a word that correctly collocates with clouded in. Ans. doubt 3. Complete the given dialogue suitably as per the context in paragraph II. Father: Are you sure that your plan would work? Writer: I can’t say (1) ………………………… Father: That’s a lot of uncertainty, isn’t it? Writer: (2) ………………, father. Please let’s do this. Ans. (1) that I would be able to deal with the funding; (2) Well begun is half done 4. The writer would have chosen a signboard for his 1992 undertaking, in Jibhi Valley. Write an appropriate text for the signboard. Ans. WELCOME TO JIBHI’S FIRST TOURIST HOME 5. What is the relationship between (1) and (2)? (1) … tourism came to a complete standstill in Jibhi Valley. (2) … tourism has been my greatest teacher. Ans. (1) sets the stage for (2). 6. The writer mentions looking for sustainable solutions. He refers to the need for sustainable solutions because he realises that ______________. Ans. for an economic recovery to be durable and resilient, a return to ‘business as usual’ and environmentally destructive investment patterns and activities must be avoided 7. What is the customer review for the writer’s project? Ans. Comfortable and peaceful. Neat room with ample sunlight. Pleasant and warm host. 8. How would you summarise the writer’s feelings about the pace of growth of tourism in Jibhi Valley? You can write a slogan, a quote or a sentence. Ans. We kill all the caterpillars, then complain there are no butterflies.  —John Marsden

6 English Core XII (Term 2) 9. Write two conclusions from the text. Ans. (1) The people of Jibhi valley gradually embraced tourism. (2) The writer was an enterprising person. Passage IV “Who doesn’t know how to cook rice? Cooking rice hardly takes time.” said my father. So, I challenged myself. I switched from news to YouTube and typed, “How to cook rice?” I took one and a half cups of rice. Since I didn’t have access to a rice cooker, I put the rice in a big pot. Firstly, the rice has to be washed to get rid of dust and starch. I thought I won’t be able to drain the rice and that it will fall out of the pot. I observed the chef as I swirled the rice around and used my dexterous hands to drain it, not once, not twice, but three times. I looked down at the sink and saw less than 50 grains that made their way out of the pot. Suffice to say, I was up to the mark. The video stated that the key to perfect rice is equal amounts of rice and water. I have heard that professionals don’t need to measure everything; they just know what the right amount is. But as this was my first time in the kitchen, I decided to experiment by not measuring the water needed for boiling the rice. I wanted the rice to be firm when bitten, just like pasta. I don’t enjoy the texture of mushy rice. It has to have that chutzpah; it has to resist my biting power just for a bit before disintegrating. After what seemed like 10 minutes, all the water disappeared. I went in to give it a good stir. To my surprise, some of the rice got stuck to the pot. I tried to scrape it off but to no avail. At the same time, there was a burning smell coming from it. I quickly turned the stove off. “What have you done to the kitchen?” shouted Mother, while coming towards the kitchen. I managed to ward her off. Finally, when the time came to taste my creation, I was surprised! It wasn’t bad at all. The rice had the desired consistency. Sure, a little more salt would’ve been better, but I just added that while eating. The experience was fairly rewarding and memorable. It taught me a new sense of respect for those who cook food on a regular basis at home or engage in gourmet creations professionally. (392 words) (Sample Question Paper 2020–2021) 1. Father’s question to the narrator, about knowing how to cook rice, was intended to ___________. Ans. make the process sound simple 2. ‘I switched from news to YouTube …’ write a sentence in which the meaning of ‘switch(ed)’ is NOT the same as it is in the passage. Ans. ‘He switched on the radio to listen to the news while having dinner.’ 3. Based on your understanding of the passage, write the correct sequence of the process. 1. Use water to wash the rice. 2. Repeat the process thrice. 3. Drain the water off. 4. Put rice in a utensil. 5. Swirl the water in and around the rice. Ans. 4., 1., 5., 3., 2.

Unseen Passage 1 7 4. ‘The narrator says that he has dexterous hands. He would have had a problem had it been the opposite.’ NOT BEING dexterous means, being ____________. Ans. clumsy 5. How did mother react to the burning smell? Ans. She enquired about it. 6. According to the passage, the fact that the narrator risked experimentation, on his maiden attempt in the kitchen, shows that he was ____________. Ans. presumptuous 7. Write a sentence showing the CORRECT use of the word ‘chutzpah.’ Ans. It is the court’s duty to dispense chutzpah to everyone irrespective of caste or creed. 8. What DID NOT happen after the writer checked on the rice? Ans. She did not turn the stove off. 9. The narrator’s creation was ____________. Ans. almost perfect to taste Passage V 1. All of Earth’s oceans share one thing in common: plastic pollution. Discarded plastic bags, cups, and bottles make their way into the sea. Today, it seems that no part of the ocean is safe from plastic trash. In recent years, oceanographers have searched in vain for a pristine marine environment. They have found plastic everywhere they have looked. “It is a common global problem, we can’t point to a single habitat or location with no plastic.” 2. One of the biggest impacts of plastic pollution is its effect on sea life. Seals, sea turtles, and even whales can become entangled in plastic netting. They can starve to death if the plastic restricts their ability to move or eat. Or the plastic can cut into the animals’ skin, causing wounds that develop severe infections. 3. Sea turtles eat plastic bags and soda-can rings, which resemble jellyfish, their favourite food. Seabirds eat bottle caps or chunks of foam cups. Plastic pieces may make an animal feel full, so, it doesn’t eat enough real food to get the nutrients it needs. Plastic can also block an animal’s digestive system, making it unable to eat. 4. Plastic and its associated pollutants can even make it into our own food supply. Scientists recently examined fish and shell-fish bought at markets in California and Indonesia. They found plastic in the guts of more than a quarter of samples purchased at both locations. In organisms that people eat whole, such as sardines and oysters, that means we’re eating plastic too. In larger fish, chemicals from plastic may seep into their muscles and other tissues that people consume. 5. One way to keep the ocean cleaner and healthier is through cleanup efforts. A lot of plastic waste caught in ocean currents eventually washes up on beaches. Removing it can prevent it from blowing out to sea again. Beach clean-up is ocean clean-up. 6. Cleanup efforts can’t reach every corner of the ocean or track down every bit of

8 English Core XII (Term 2) microplastic. That means it’s critical to cut down on the amount of plastic that reaches the sea in the first place. Scientists are working toward new materials that are safer for the environment. For example, Jambeck and her colleagues are currently testing a new polymer that breaks down more easily in seawater. 7. “Individual actions make a big difference,” says Jambeck. Disposing of plastic properly for recycling or trash collection is a key step. “And simple things like reusable water bottles, mugs, and bags really cut down on waste,” she says. Skipping straws or using paper ones helps too. Ocean pollution can seem overwhelming, but it’s something everyone can help address. This is a problem we can really do something about. (452 words) 1. Plastic puts _______ in peril. Ans. marine life as well as human life 2. Reduction of the quantity of plastic entering the sea is _______. Ans. a must 3. Instead of plastic, we must _______ reusable water bottles, mugs, and bags. Ans. promote 4. Sea pollution _______. Ans. can be tackled with 5. ‘Critical’ here corresponds to ‘_______.’ Ans. serious 6. The central idea of the passage is that we must _______. Ans. not pollute the oceans 7. The author wants to _______ us. Ans. update 8. “We pollute the seas and then we consume seafood.” It reflects our _______. Ans. ignorance 9. The title of the passage could be: _______. Ans. Deplorable effects of plastic pollution Passage VI 1. The therapeutic value and healing powers of plants were demonstrated to me when I was a boy of about ten. I had developed an acute persistent abdominal pain that did not respond readily to hospital medication. In total desperation she took me to Egya Mensa, a well known herbalist in my hometown in the Western province of Ghana. 2. After a brief interview, he left us waiting in his consulting room while he went out to the field. He returned with several leaves and the bark of a tree and one of his attendants immediately prepared a decoction. I was given a glass of this preparation, it tasted extremely bitter, but within an hour or so I began to feel relieved. The rest of the decoction was put in two large bottles so that I could take doses periodically. Within about three days, the

Unseen Passage 1 9 frequent abdominal pains stopped and I recall gaining a good appetite. I have appreciated the healing powers of medicinal plants ever since. 3. My experience may sound unusual to those who come from urban areas of the developed world, but for those in the less affluent nations such experiences are a common occurrence. In fact, demographic studies by various national governments and intergovernmental organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicate that for 75 to 90 per cent of the rural populations of the world, the herbalist is the only person who handles their medical problems. 4. In African culture, traditional medical practitioners are always considered to be influential spiritual leaders as well, using magic and religion along with medicines. Illness is handled with the individual’s hidden spiritual powers and with application of plants that have been found especially to contain healing powers. 5. Over the years I have come to distinguish three types of medicinal practitioners in African societies and to classify the extent to which each uses medicinal plants. The first is the herbalist, who generally enjoys the prestige and reputation of being the real traditional medical professional. The second group represents the divine healers. They are fetish priests whose practise depends upon their purported supernatural powers of diagnosis. The third is the witch doctor, the practitioner who is credited with ability to intercept the evil deeds of a witch. 8. For health, social and economic reasons, it seems clear that developing countries should begin an extensive programme aimed at an examination and research into the properties of the most important medicinal plants. In most countries, the information on such plants is dispersed and unorganised. Much of it is in the heads of aging herbalists, who represent a dying breed. (439 words) 1. The decoction administered by the herbalist _______. Ans. worked wonders 2. What do the WHO demographic studies indicate? Ans. The most of the rural populations depends on herbalists for health care. 3. What is the status of traditional medical practitioners in African culture? Ans. highly considered healers as well as spiritual leaders 4. The author _______ healing powers of plants through this write-up. Ans. appreciates 5. The author _______ the need for research into the properties of the most important medicinal plants by the developing countries. Ans. stresses 6. ‘The author’s experience may sound unusual to those who come from urban areas of the developed world.’ Why? What do you infer? Ans. because maybe they have not come across herbalists who have cured them 7. The author talks of _______ types of physicians in the current passage. Ans. three

10 English Core XII (Term 2) 8. Find a word in the current passage which conveys a similar meaning as ‘pertaining to changes concerning people.’ Ans. demographic 9. The title of the passage could be: _______. Ans. Healing Powers of Plants Passage VII 1. The sage of science, Einstein, was sitting in a depressive and pensive mood one evening. His eyes were brimming with tears. The pain was evident on his face. He peeped out of the window of his room. The sun had set a few minutes back. The sky was filled with a reddish glow. At this sunset, he felt that it was humanity that had sunk into devilish darkness and the reddish glow in the sky was the blood of humanity spilling all over the sky from earth. With tired steps, he walked back to his chair and settled down. It was the 9th of August 1945. Three days back, he had felt the same agony as if someone had torn him apart. He was deeply hurt and depressed when he heard on the radio that America had dropped an atom bomb on the Japanese city, Hiroshima. Today, within three days another bomb was dropped on another city, Nagasaki and lakhs of people had been killed. 2. He had heard that the blast released so much energy that it had paled all past destructions in comparison and death had played out a pitiable dance of destruction. The flames that broke out of the bomb were burning, melting and exploding buildings. Scared of the heat of the bomb, people had jumped into lakes and rivers, but the water was boiling and the people too were burnt and killed. The animals in the water were already boiled to death. Animals, trees, herbs, fragrant flowering plants were all turned into ashes. The atomic energy destruction had just not stopped there. It had entered the atmosphere there and had spread radiation that would affect people for generations to come and would also bring about destructive irreversible biological changes in animals and plants. 3. Eventually, Roosevelt had abused Einstein’s equation of E = mc2 that resulted in the destructive experiments. As the news of the atomic attack reached Einstein, and he became aware of the glaring horror of the abuse of atomic energy, his distress and restlessness knew no bounds. He could not control himself and picked up his violin to turn his mind on to other things. While playing the violin, he tried to dissolve his distress in its sad notes, but couldn’t. He was burning on the embers of destruction; his heart was filled with an ocean of agony and tears just continued streaming uncontrollably out of his eyes. Night had fallen. His daughter came up and asked him to eat something as he had not taken anything for the last four days. His voice was restrained and he said, ‘‘I don’t feel like eating.’’ (431 words) 1. America’s atomic attack on the Japanese cities was _______. Ans. poignant 2. ‘…the reddish glow in the sky was the blood of humanity…’ is an example of the literary device called _______. (a) simile

Unseen Passage 1 11 3. ‘Einstein’s distress and restlessness knew no bounds.’ His distress and restlessness _______. Ans. was very great 4. ‘…the blast released so much energy that it had paled all past destructions in comparison…’ It means that _______. Ans. all past destructions were smaller than the disaster mentioned in the passage 5. America’s act was _______. Ans. inhumane and frightening 6. Fill in the blanks appropriately. ‘Those who teach _______ should be taught _______ too. Without harmony between science and spirituality, the destruction would continue _______.’ Ans. science, spirituality, unabated 7. The author condemns _______. Ans. America 8. Explain ‘brimming, with tears.’ Ans. having tears about to overflow 9. ‘His voice was restrained.’ His voice was _______. Ans. calm Passage VIII 1. ‘But have you been to Nimtita? Have you been to the palace there?’ asked the old man in the tea-shop, with the thatched roof. We were in the village of Lalgola, one hundred and fifty miles from Kolkata, and we had just seen our thirteenth nobleman’s palace and found it unsuitable. 2. ‘Nimtita? Where is that?’ we asked without much interest. We had never heard of the place. ‘It is sixty miles to the North of here. You drive up the highway. Then you come to a river which you have to cross. A ferry will take your car across. Then up the highway again for twenty miles. A sign tells you where to branch off... It’s on the river Padma, on the eastern bank. It’s the palace of the Choudharys. I’ve been listening to your talk, and I feel you ought to see this one before you give up.’ We tossed a coin to decide whether to go or not. The coin said, ‘Go!’ and we set out on our sixty-mile journey. 3. It was when I was in bed with my right leg in plaster that I had decided the film on Tarasankar Banerji’s famous short story, ‘The Music Room (Jalsaghar).’ Here was a dramatic story which could naturally bring in music and dancing, and distributors loved music and dancing. But here, too, was a story full of feelings. So, it would be satisfying for me as an artist. But the most important thing was to find a palace. As we had a low budget, there was no question of having studio-built sets. 4. Nimtita turned out to be everything that the old man had claimed—and more. No one could have described in words the feeling of utter sadness that surrounded the palace. The river Padma had changed its course over the years, so that now there were endless stretches

12 English Core XII (Term 2) of sand where once had been villages. The palace itself—Greek pillars and all—was a perfect realisation of my dream image. It stood looking out over the stretches of sand with a sad dignity. It had somehow escaped being totally destroyed when the river changed its course. 5. On returning from our first trip to Nimtita, I telephoned the author, Mr. Banerji. He had been just as anxious about the location as we were. 6. ‘We’ve found our palace at last, Mr. Banerji,’ I said. 7. ‘Have you? And where is it?’ 8. ‘At a little known place called Nimtita.’ 9. ‘Nimtita?’ There was a note of recognition in his voice. ‘You don’t mean the palace of the Choudharys, do you?’ 10. ‘That’s the one.’ 11. ‘But that’s extraordinary! I have’t been to Nimtita myself, but I have read about the Choudharys in a history of Bengal zamindars, and it was the music-loving Upendra Narayan Choudhary who served as the model for my rajah.’ (481 words) 1. The writer of the passage is a _______ by profession. Ans. filmmaker 2. What helped the author and his friends decide whether or not to go to Nimtita? Ans. tossing of a coin 3. Why was the idea of building a set for shooting given up? Ans. They didn’t have money for a set. 4. Who is the central character in the story, ‘The Music Room?’ Ans. a zamindar 5. What did the author like most about the palace? Ans. its Greeks pillars 6. The author wants to _______. Ans. narrate the incident of how he happened to find an appropriate palace for his film 7. The suitable title to the passage could be ‘_______.’ Ans. Nimtita—My Dream Image 8. The author got the idea of making the film, when _______. Ans. his right leg was in plaster 9. The author’s film was inspired by a _______. Ans. short story Passage IX 1. Too many parents these days can’t say ‘no.’ Consequently, they find themselves raising children who respond greedily to the advertisements aimed right at them. Even getting what they want doesn’t satisfy some kids; they only want more. Now, a growing number of psychologists, educators and parents think it’s time to stop the madness and start

Unseen Passage 1 13 teaching kids about what’s really important: values like hard work, contentment, honesty and compassion. The struggle to set limits has never been tougher – and the stakes have never been higher. One recent study of adults who were overindulged as children, paints a discouraging picture of their future: when given too much too soon, they grow up to be adults who have difficulty coping with life’s disappointments. 2. Psychologists say that parents who overindulge their kids set them up to be more vulnerable to future anxiety and depression. Today’s parents themselves raised on values of thrift and self-sacrifice, grew up in a culture where ‘no’ was a household word. Today’s kids want much more, partly because there is so much more to want. The oldest members of this Generation Excess were born in the late 1980s, just as PCs and video games were making their assault on the family room. They think of MP3 players and flat-screen TVs as essential utilities, and they have developed strategies to get them. One survey of teenagers found that when they crave something new, most expect to ask nine times before their parents give in. By every measure, parents are shelling out record amounts. In the heat of this buying blitz, even parents who desperately need to say ‘no’ find themselves reaching for their credit cards. 3. Today’s parents aren’t equipped to deal with the problem. Many of them, raised in the 1960s and ’70s, swore they’d act differently from their parents and have closer relationships with their own children. Many even wear the same designer clothes as their kids and listen to the same music. And they work more hours; at the end of a long week, it’s tempting to buy peace with ‘yes’ and not mar precious family time with conflict. Anxiety about the future is another factor. How do well-intentioned parents say ‘no’ to all the sports gear and arts and language lessons they believe will help their kids thrive in an increasingly competitive world? Experts agree: too much love won’t spoil a child. Too few limits will. 4. Children need limits on their behaviour because they feel better and more secure when they live within a secured structure. Older children learn self-control by watching how others, especially their parents, act. Learning how to overcome challenges, is essential to becoming a successful adult. (448 words) 1. “Too many parents these days can’t say ‘no.’” It reflects parents’ ______. Ans. reluctance and inability 2. The psychologists, educators and parents want to teach the children ______. Ans. about the values of life like hard work, contentment, honesty and compassion 3. What is essential to become a successful adult? Ans. Learn how to overcome challenges. 4. Why do children need limits on their behaviour when they live within a secured structure? Ans. They feel more secure and better. 5. What is the drawback of giving children too much too soon? Ans. They fail to cope with life’s disappointments when they grow up. 6. The author criticises ______ through this write-up.

14 English Core XII (Term 2) Ans. parents and children 7. Today children are not satisfied with what they get because they ______. Ans. aspire for more 8. According to the author, the children take the modern gadgets as ______. Ans. necessities 9. According to the passage, parents say ‘yes’ because they ______. Ans. want peace in their families Passage X 1. Till as late as the 1960s, we believed that one of the major differences between us and the rest of the animal kingdom was our ability to make and use tools. But then, our egos suffered a devastating blow: in the jungles of Gombe in Africa, Jane Goodall observed a chimpanzee pluck and trim a stem of grass and insert it into a termite mound. The furious termites climbed up the stem only to be happily eaten up by the chimp. The chimp kept repeating the process. He had, in fact, fashioned his own fishing rod and gone fishing for termites. We were not alone! And that was not all. Chimps were also observed using rocks to bash open hard shells and fruits (which other monkeys also do), to throw them at their enemies and wave sticks around. Even worse, adolescent females, especially, were seen sharpening sticks with their teeth and thrusting these like spears into hollows where bush-babies were hiding in fear and then checked the spear tips for blood! Chimps were also seen chewing up leaves and using these like sponges to suck up water from the waterholes to enable them to drink. 2. The gorillas and orangutans were not far behind. In 2005, a western lowland gorilla (a lady, this time) was observed picking up a stick and using it to check the depth of a pool she wanted to cross. Then, she used it as a walking stick. Orangutans (as well as chimpanzees) have been observed using broad leaves as umbrellas during downpours – and orangutans that are accustomed to our company (never a good influence) imitate the way we wash clothes by the riverbank or use a saw to cut wood. 3. Elephants designed fly-whisks and backscratchers from branches, and used strips of chewed up bark to plug small waterholes (which they had dug) to prevent the water from evaporating. Dada bulls would heave heavy logs or rocks at electric fences to short-circuit or simply destroy them. 4. So yes, animals use tools but we needn’t worry. None of them have, as yet, discovered how to make fire. Though, our very own black kite will – with its goonda friends – spread a wildfire by dropping burning twigs in unburned areas so they can snap up even more fleeing insects and rodents. But yes, these so-called tools are primitive. 5. We had the best brains and so were able to design miraculous tools. But look where we have ended up: we’ve gassed up the earth’s air, poisoned the water and have stocked enough weaponry to destroy ourselves a million times over. So really, who is the monkey with the wrench? (443 words)

Unseen Passage 1 15 1. ‘Chimps making their own fishing rods’ indicates that _______. Ans. animals and man have similar interests 2. We know that chimps are intelligent because they _______. Ans. use their brains to find solutions to problems 3. Orangutans use big leaves during a downpour because _______. Ans. the leaves can keep the rain off their bodies 4. The black kite may start a fire because it _______. Ans. is hungry and looking for food 5. Big male elephants throw logs at electric fences because they _______. Ans. want to be free 6. The author _______ through this write-up. Ans. praises animals’ intelligence and criticises us for our misdeeds 7. On the basis of the current passage, fill in the blanks. But then, do animals really need (i). _______ tools to get what they want? Cheetahs accelerate (ii) _______ than Ferraris, pit vipers have heat-seeking sensors, eagles can (iii) _______ a rabbit in a field from kilometers away, sharks smell a drop of blood in a whole ruddy ocean, bats use sonar – the list is (iv) _______! Ans. (i) sophisticated; (ii) faster; (iii) locate; (iv) endless 8. Supply an appropriate title to the passage. Ans. Wise Animals 9. ‘So really, who is the monkey with the wrench?’ The author _______. Ans. calls man the monkey with the wrench Passage XI Once an organ donor’s family gives its consent and the organs are matched to a recipient, medical professionals are faced with the onerous challenge of transporting organs while ensuring that the harvested organ reaches its destination in the shortest possible time. This is done in order to preserve the harvested organs and involves the police and especially the traffic police department. The traditional method of transporting organs by road is referred to as a “green corridor”. This process entails police escorting an ambulance, so as to move around traffic - usually a specific traffic lane is chosen and all signals on the route stay green to ensure it to reach its destination in the shortest possible time. A ‘green corridor’ is a route cleared and cordoned off by the traffic police to ensure the smooth and steady transportation of harvested organs, on most occasions, to those awaiting a life-saving transplant. Organs tend to have a very short preservation time, such as the heart which has to be harvested

16 English Core XII (Term 2) and transplanted within four hours or the lungs which can be preserved for only six hours once they are harvested. The first green corridor in India was created by Chennai Traffic Police in September 2008 when they accomplished their task of enabling an ambulance to reach its destination within 11 minutes during peak hour traffic. That organ saved a nine-year-old girl whose life depended on the transplant. Similarly, such green corridors have been created by traffic police of various cities such as Pune, Mumbai, Delhi NCR etc. Personnel are stationed at selected points to divert, control and clear the traffic giving way to the ambulance. Apart from this, a motorcade of police vehicles accompanies the ambulance ensuring that it does not face any problems. Delhi Traffic Police provided a green corridor from IGI Airport to Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in Vasant Kunj for transportation of a liver. The distance of 14 kms was covered in 11 minutes. Experts point out the lack of a robust system to transport organs to super-speciality hospitals in least possible time. National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), the country’s apex organ donation agency, is now framing a proposal to airlift cadaver organs and will send a report to the Union Health Ministry. “Cadaver organs have a short life and so transplant should be done within a few golden hours.” Director (NOTTO) expressed, “Therefore, we are preparing a proposal for airlifting organs at any given moment.” Most states do not have enough well-trained experts to retrieve or perform transplant procedures. Also, there is an acute shortage of advanced healthcare facilities to carry out a transplant. So, it is referred to other big centres in metropolitan cities. Organs retrieved from Aurangabad, Indore, Surat, Pune are sent to the Mumbai as these cities do not have super-speciality healthcare centres, informed officials. (476 words) (CBSE 2020) 1. The first green corridor in India was created in Ans. Chennai. 2. The organisation which is framing a proposal to airlift cadaver organs is: Ans. National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation. 3. The onerous task the author is talking about in para 1 is: Ans. to carry the harvested organ in the shortest possible time. 4. Most states refer organ transplant cases to big hospitals because Ans. they don’t have a pool of harvested organs. 5. Heart retrieved from a body is alive only for ______ hours. Ans. four 6. What is a ‘green corridor’? Ans. ‘Green corridor’ is a traditional method of transporting organs by road.

Unseen Passage 1 17 7. Why is smooth transportation of the retrieved organ necessary? Ans. because they tend to have a very short preservation time 8. What opinion do you form of Chennai Police with regard to the transportation of a harvested heart? Ans. Chennai Police took the initiative of creating a Green Corridor to enable steady transport of harvested organs, which reflects their efficiency. 9. What does the author mean by ‘a few golden hours’? Ans. the time available for transplant of the organ after harvesting it

CHAPTER Unseen Passage 2 (Case Based Factual Passage) 2 Read the passages given below carefully and based on your understanding of each passage, answer ANY SIX questions out of the SEVEN. Passage I Changing food preferences have brought about rapid changes in the structure of the Indian diet. The rapid proliferation of multinational fast-food companies and the influence of Western culture have replaced traditional home-cooked meals with ready-to-eat, processed foods thus increasing the risk of chronic diseases in urban 5 Indians. Therefore, nurturing healthy eating habits among Indians from an early age would help to reduce health risks. To date, little is known about the quality and quantity of foods and beverages consumed by urban Indian adolescents. This lack of evidence is a significant barrier to the development of effective nutrition promotion and disease prevention measures. 10 Therefore, a self-administered, semi-quantitative, 59-item meal-based food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was developed to assess the dietary intake of adolescents. A total of 1026 students (aged 14–16 years) attending private, English-speaking schools in Kolkata completed the survey. A sample percentage of the food consumption pattern is displayed (Fig. 1) 18

Unseen Passage 2 19 The survey results report poor food consumption patterns and highlight the need to 15 design healthy eating initiatives. Interestingly, while there were no gender differences in the consumption of legumes and fried snacks, the survey found more females consumed cereals, vegetables and fruits than their male counterparts. In conclusion, the report suggested that schools ought to incorporate food literacy concepts into their curriculum as they have the potential of increasing the fruit and 20 vegetable intake in teenagers. Additionally, healthy school canteen policies with improved availability, accessibility, variety and affordability of healthy food choices would support the consumption of nutritious food in students. (260 words) (CBSC Term II, 2021–22) 1. What does the researcher mean by ‘changing food preferences?’ Ans. By ‘changing food preferences,’ the researcher means urban population’s transition from healthy home-cooked meals to junk or ready-to-eat-processed foods. 2. Why was this survey on the food consumption of adolescents undertaken? Ans. This survey on the food consumption of adolescents was undertaken to learn the food consumption pattern of urban adolescents as well as to make recommendations based on the data. 3. With reference to Fig. 1, write one conclusion about students’ consumption of energy-dense drinks. Ans. Close to 47% drink three or more servings of energy dense beverages while a mere 5% said ‘no’ to more than one serving of the beverage. 4. What can be concluded by the ‘no intake’ data of fruit consumption versus energy dense snacks, with reference to Fig. 1? Ans. Nearly half the respondents (45%) consumed no servings of fruit in contrast to 95% that had some form of energy dense snack. 5. ‘There were no gender differences observed in the consumption of healthy foods, according to the survey.’ Substantiate. Ans. Females had more nutritious dietary intake as they consumed more cereals, vegetables and fruits compared to their male counterparts. 6. Why is ‘affordability’ recommended as a significant feature of a school canteen policy? Ans. The consumers are school children and therefore, food should be affordable. 7. Identify a word from lines 9–18 indicating that the questionnaire was specifically designed to be completed by a respondent without the intervention of the researcher collecting the data. Ans. self-administered Passage II 1. Air pollution is a major threat to human health. The United Nations Environment Programme has estimated that, globally, 1.1. billion people breathe in unhealthy air. The

20 English Core XII (Term 2) World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that urban air pollution is responsible for approximately 800,000 deaths and 4.6 million people lose their lives every year around the globe. 2. Traffic and transportation problems, inadequate drainage facilities, lack of open spaces, carbon emission, and the accumulation of waste aggravate the problem. Air pollution is associated with increased risk of acute respiratory infections (ARI), the principal cause of infant and child mortality in developing countries. 3. Urban air quality in most mega cities has been found to be critical and Kolkata is no exception to this. An analysis of ambient air quality in Kolkata was done by applying the Exceedance Factor (EF) method, where the presence of listed pollutants’ (RPM, SPM, NO2, and SO2) annual average concentration are classified into four different categories; namely critical, high, moderate, and low pollution. Out of a total of 17 ambient air quality monitoring stations operating in Kolkata, five fall under the critical category, and the remaining 12 locations fall under the high category of NO2 concentration, while for RPM, four record critical, and 13 come under the high pollution category. The causes of high concentration of pollutants in the form of NO2 and RPM have been identified in earlier studies as vehicular emission (51.4%), followed by industrial sources (24.5%) and dust particles (21.1%). 4. Later, a health assessment was undertaken with a structured questionnaire at some nearby dispensaries which fall under areas with different ambient air pollution levels. Three dispensaries have been surveyed with 100 participants. It shows that respondents with respiratory diseases (85.1%) have outnumbered water-borne diseases (14.9%) and include acute respiratory infections (ARI) (60%), chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) (7.8%), upper track respiratory infection (UTRI) (1.2%), Influenza (12.7%), and acid-fast bacillus (AFB) (3.4%). 5. To live a healthy life and have better well-being, practising pollution-averting activities in one’s day-to-day activities is needed. These pollution-averting practices can only be possible when awareness among the masses is generated that the air, they breathe outdoors, is not found to be safe. Pollution in India Power plants Brick 4.8% Kilns Dust 9.2% 11.5% Industries 17.2% Diffused sources Transport GenDeire1as2te.lo2r%sets22.7% 22.5% Fig. 1 (353 words) (CBSE Term 1 2021–22)

Unseen Passage 2 21 1. What is the main idea of the passage? Ans. to educate people about the threat of air pollution 2. Describe the correct ‘cause and effect’ relationship as mentioned in the passage. Ans. Cause: Air pollution; Effect: Respiratory diseases 3. The author’s opinion on the development of Mega cities is that Ans. urbanisation leads to deterioration of air quality. 4. What are the author’s recommendations to the people? Ans. He wants people to be aware that air pollution is a major threat. He advises people to follow pollution averting activities seriously. 5. What does the author want to say through Fig. 1? Ans. Pollution caused by transport is much more than the pollution caused by industries. 6. Read the following statements and say if they are true or false. (i) Air quality in Kolkata is less than critical. (ii) 12 locations were selected for measuring ambient air quality. (iii) Most of the mega cities are suffering from the problem of poor air quality. Ans. (i) and (ii) are false but (iii) is true. 7. ‘Accumulation of waste aggravates the problem.’ Write a sentence that best describes the ‘problem’ with reference to the above statement. Ans. More developments lead to more waste. Passage III 1. Over the last five years, more companies have been actively looking for intern profiles, according to a 2018–19 survey by an online internship and training platform. This survey reveals that India had 80% more internship applications—with 2.2 million applications received in 2018 compared to 1.27 million in the year before. The trend was partly due to more industries looking to have fresh minds and ideas on existing projects for better productivity. What was originally seen as a western concept, getting an internship before plunging into the job market, is fast gaining momentum at Indian workplaces. 2. According to the survey data, India’s National Capital Region has been the top provider of internships, with a total of 35% internship opportunities, followed by Mumbai and Bengaluru at 20% and 15%, respectively. This includes opportunities in startups, MNCs and even government entities. The survey also revealed popular fields to find internships in (Fig 1). There has been growing awareness

22 English Core XII (Term 2) among the students about the intern profiles sought by hiring companies that often look for people with real-time experience in management than B-school masters. 3. The stipend has been an important factor influencing the choice of internships. The survey data reveals that the average stipend offered to interns was recorded as `7000 while the maximum stipend went up to ` 85,000. According to statistics, a greater number of people considered virtual internships than in-office internships. Virtual internships got three times more applications than in-office, since a large chunk of students were the ones already enrolled in various courses, or preferred working from home. 4. Internship portals have sprung up in the last three to four years and many of them already report healthy traffic per month. Reports suggest that on an average, an internship portal company has around 200,000-plus students and some 8,000 companies registered on it. It gets around two lakh visits online every month. The Managing Director of a leading executive search firm says that though these web platforms are working as an effective bridge between the industry and students, most established companies are still reluctant to take too many interns on board for obvious reasons. (355 words) (CBSE Sample Paper Term 1 2020–21) 1. Make a correct inference with reference to the following: ‘Over the last five years, more companies have been actively looking for intern profiles…’ Ans. There were lesser companies searching for intern profiles earlier, as compared to those in the recent five years. 2. What is the central idea of the paragraph likely to precede paragraph 1? Ans. knowing more about internships 3. What does Fig. 1 display? Ans. Management internships’ popularity is more than twice that for Media. 4. Based on your reading of paragraphs 2–3, write the appropriate counter-argument to the given argument. Argument: I don’t think you’ll be considered for an internship just because you’ve been the student editor and Head of Student Council. Ans. I have real-time experience in managing a team and many companies consider it more meritorious than a degree in Management. 5. Give an example that displays the correct cause-effect relationship. Ans. Cause: Several students had academic courses to complete. Effect: Students applied for online internship. 6. The survey statistics mention the average stipend, indicating that _______. Ans. most interns were offered around ` 7,000 7. The phrase ‘healthy traffic’ refers to the ________. Ans. sizeable number of visitors to the portal per month. Passage IV The present generation is well updated in the use of internet and computers. The rapid development in computer technology and increase in accessibility of the internet for

Unseen Passage 2 23 academic purposes has changed the face of education for everyone associated with it. Let’s look at the data arising out of a recent survey that was done to ascertain the time spent on utilisation of the computer and internet: At present, many schools and universities have been implementing internet-based learning, as it supplements the conventional teaching methods. The internet provides a wide variety of references and information to academics as well as scientific researchers. Students often turn to it to do their academic assignments and projects. However, research on the Net is very different from traditional library research, and the differences can cause problems. The Net is a tremendous resource, but it must be used carefully and critically. According to a 2018 Academic Student e-book Experience Survey, conducted by LJ’s research department and sponsored by EBSCO, when reading for pleasure, almost 74% of respondents said they preferred print books for leisure whereas, 45 % of respondents chose e-books rather than the printed versions, for research or assignments. When asked what e-book features make them a favourite for research, the respondents were clear. Having page numbers to use in citations, topped the list (75%); followed by the ability to resize text to fit a device’s screen (67%); the ability to bookmark pages, highlight text, or take notes for later reference (60%); downloading the entire e-book (57%); and allowing content to be transferred between devices (43%) were the varied responses.  (266 words) (CBSE Sample Question Paper 2020–21) 1. According to the passage, one of the reasons for the recent transformation of education is the ___________. Ans. easy availability of the internet 2. Pick the option that lists statements that are NOT TRUE according to the passage. 1. Internet-based education can only complement familiar methods of education. 2. Net-based learning will replace face-to-face education.

24 English Core XII (Term 2) 3. The resources that the net provides are a danger to the education system. 4. The current times have seen a rise in the convenience of using the internet for academic purposes. Ans. 2. and 3. 3. The word ‘tremendous’, as used in paragraph 3, means the same as Ans. ‘incredible.’ 4. ‘… but it must be used carefully and critically.’ The idea of being careful and critical while using the internet, is mainly a reference to _____________. Ans. plagiarism 5. Based on the given graphical representation of data in the passage, choose the option that lists the statements that are TRUE with respect to the usage of email. 1. The everyday usage of email is more than the everyday usage of computer for personal use. 2. About 18% people use email once a week. 3. There are a smaller number of email users using it 2-3 times a week than the ones using it once a month. 4. Less than 5% of people never use the email. Ans. 2. and 4. 6. Based on the given graphical chart, write a sentence that lists the area of zero response from respondents. Ans. never using the internet for work and leisure 7. In the cartoon, the student’s reaction reveals that he is ___________. Ans. indignant Passage V The roar began at the back of the crowd and swept like fire in heavy growing crescendo until it seemed to toss thousands of hats above their heads. The band in the courtyard struck up the Mexican national air, and Villa came walking down the street. He was dressed in an old plain khaki uniform, with several buttons lacking. He hadn’t recently shaved, wore no hat, and his hair had not been brushed. He walked a little pigeon-toed, humped over, with his hands in his trousers pockets. As he entered the aisle between the rigid lines of soldiers he seemed slightly embarrassed, and grinned and nodded to a friend here and there in the ranks. At the foot of the grand staircase, Governor Chao and Secretary of State Terrazzas joined him in full-dress uniform. The band threw off all restraint, and, as Villa entered the audience chamber, at a signal from someone in the balcony of the palace, the great throng in the Plaza de Armas uncovered, and all the brilliant crowd of officers in the room saluted stiffly. It was Napoleonic! Villa hesitated for a minute, pulling his moustache and looking very uncomfortable, finally gravitated toward the throne, which he tested by shaking the arms, and then sat down, with the Governor on his right and the Secretary of State on his left.

Unseen Passage 2 25 Señor Bauche Alcalde stepped forward and pronounced a short discourse, indicting Villa for personal bravery on the field on six counts, which he mentioned in florid detail. He was followed by the Chief of Artillery, who said: “The army adores you. We will follow you wherever you lead. You can be what you desire in Mexico.” Then three other officers spoke in the high-flung, extravagant periods necessary to Mexican oratory. They called him “The Friend of the Poor,” “The Invincible General,” “The Inspirer of Courage and Patriotism,” “The Hope of the Indian Republic.” And through it all Villa slouched on the throne, his mouth hanging open, his little shrewd eyes playing around the room. Once or twice he yawned, but for the most part he seemed to be speculating, with some intense interior amusement, like a small boy in church, what it was all about. He knew, of course, that it was the proper thing, and perhaps felt a slight vanity that all this conventional ceremonial was addressed to him. But it bored him just the same. Finally, with an impressive gesture, Colonel Servin stepped forward with the small pasteboard box which held the medal. General Chao nudged Villa, who stood up. The officers applauded violently; the crowd outside cheered; the band in the court burst into a triumphant march. Villa put out both hands eagerly, like a child for a new toy. He could hardly wait to open the box and see what was inside. An expectant hush fell upon everyone, even the crowd in the square. Villa looked at the medal, scratching his head, and, in a reverent silence, said clearly: “This is a hell of a little thing to give a man for all that heroism you are talking about!” And the bubble of Empire was pricked then and there with a great shout of laughter. (434 words) (Adapted from “The Rise of Pancho Villa” in Insurgent Mexico by John Reed (1913)) 1. When the author describes the entrance of Pancho Villa as ‘Napoleonic,’ he is referring to the __________ of the occasion. Ans. grandeur 2. What was the reason for the roar sweeping like wildfire? Ans. arrival of Villa 3. Villa’s testing of the throne shows Ans. his discomfort and doubt 4. The way Villa was dressed shows that Ans. he didn’t believe in vanity. 5. What was Villa’s reaction on seeing the medal? Ans. He was completely dissatisfied. 6. Find a word from the passage that means ‘deferential.’ Ans. reverent 7. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE? I. Villa was very appropriately dressed for the occasion. II. Villa believed that the reward of heroism should be extraordinary. III. Villa was a revered man in Mexico. IV. Villa was being given a very elaborate honour. Ans. only I

26 English Core XII (Term 2) Passage VI The rapid transition to online learning, as a consequence of COVID-19, has highlighted the risks of student disengagement, and the subsequent impact on lower student achievement across multiple courses. 1. The recent pandemic has changed how millions around the globe are educated. New solutions and innovations in the education system are the need of the hour. Looking at the new digital split, the approach may increase the equality gaps. More than 500 million students across the globe had to pause their on-going studies at various levels. These changes have and will create a degree of inconvenience, but at the same time would promote innovations and future transformations within the education system. 2. The ‘pile-on effect’ of the coronavirus is that, during the global COVID-19 pandemic, interruptions to education can have long term implications—especially for the most vulnerable. There is a real risk of regression for children whose basic, foundational learning (reading, math, languages, etc.) was not strong to begin with. And millions of children who have already been deprived of their right to education, particularly girls, are being more exposed to health and well-being risks (both psychosocial and physical) during COVID-19- 3. Girls: Young and adolescent girls are twice as likely to be out of school in crisis situations and face greater barriers to education and vulnerabilities such as domestic/ gender-based violence when not in school. 4. Refugees, displaced and migrant children: These populations often fall between the cracks as national policies might not necessarily include these vulnerable groups and they must be included and catered for in any global responses to this crisis if this has not already occurred. 5. Children and youth with disabilities: Along with other marginalised populations, including children from minority groups, are neglected in the best of times and have lower educational outcomes than their peers. 6. Young people affected by trauma or mental health issues: Schools and learning centres are places for communities to address health related issues, including mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), which the most vulnerable students rely on for their wellbeing and development in order to learn. “I want to show “Why should I “I was sceptical you this helpful start using this but I should have technology?” tried this eartier!” tool I found.” “I guess I can “I have to be give it a try, but I the first to try need help.” this.” Enthusiasts Visionaries Pragmatists Conservatives Sceptics 2.5% 13.5% 34% 34% 16% The graphic above, made by the consulting firm CB&A, shows how the adaption curve typically impacts in the online learning method users.

Unseen Passage 2 27 Advantages of online learning Barriers to online learning 1. With the recent shift to online education, the world saw __________. Ans. a decreasing trend in school dropouts 2. According to the adaption curve, people fastest to adjust were the __________. Ans. visionaries & enthusiasts 3. Online classes were advantageous for some learners due to __________. I. self-paced courses II. family interactions III. cost efficiency IV. reduced commuting Ans. I, III, IV 4. Write a synonym of ‘aggravation’ (para 2). Ans. inconvenience 5. ‘Pragmatist’ refers to __________. Ans. someone who acts sensibly 6. The ‘Pile-on effect’ has affected the _________ the most. Ans. children with weak basic foundations 8. The new digital split will __________. Ans. diminish equal opportunities

28 English Core XII (Term 2) Passage VII 1. While there is no denying that the world loves a winner, it is important that you recognise the signs of stress in your behaviour and be healthy enough to enjoy your success. Stress can strike anytime, in a fashion that may leave you unaware of its presence in your life. While a certain amount of pressure is necessary for performance, it is important to be able to recognise your individual limit. For instance, there are some individuals who accept competition in a healthy fashion. There are others who collapse into weeping wrecks before an exam or on comparing mark-sheets and finding that their friend has scored better. 2 Stress is a body reaction to any demands or changes in its internal and external environment. Whenever there is a change in the external environment such as temperature, pollutants, humidity and working conditions, it leads to stress. An example of the change in the external environment is the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic as reflected by the following figure. Besides, in these days of competition when a person makes up his mind to surpass what has been achieved by others, leading to an imbalance between demands and resources, it causes psycho-social stress. It is a part and parcel of everyday life. 3. Stress has a different meaning, depending on the stage of life you are in. The loss of a toy or a reprimand from the parents might create a stress shock in a child. An adolescent who fails in examination may feel as if everything has been lost and life has no further meaning. In an adult the loss of his or her companion, job or professional failure may appear as if there is nothing more to be achieved. 4. Such signs appear in the attitude and behaviour of the individual, as muscle tension in various parts of the body, palpitation and high blood pressure, indigestion and hyper- acidity. Ultimately the result is self-destructive behaviour such as eating and drinking too much, smoking excessively, relying on tranquilisers. There are other signs of stress such as trembling, shaking, nervous blinking, dryness of throat and mouth and difficulty in swallowing. (358 words) 1. External or internal transformation in the surroundings results in ______. Ans. stress 2. Handling of stress ______. Ans. is similar everywhere

Unseen Passage 2 29 3. According to the passage, ______. Ans. pressure leads to performance 4. A stressed person can be identified if he/she ______. Ans. is overeating or overdrinking, or smoking excessively 5. ‘It is a part and parcel of everyday life.’ It means that stress is an ______ part of life. Ans. essential 6. Write the most appropriate title to the passage. Ans. Stress—Causes and Symptoms 7. Choose the correct option(s) based on the figure given in the current passage. I. Nearly 80 in 100 say that coronavirus pandemic is a significant source of stress in their life. II. Nearly 70 in 100 say that coronavirus pandemic is a significant source of stress in their life. III. Nearly 80 in 100 say that they have experienced increased stress over the course of the pandemic. IV. Nearly 70 in 100 say that they have experienced increased stress over the course of the pandemic. Ans. I. and IV. Passage VII 1. The art of living is learnt easily by those who are positive, observant and optimistic. From humble and simple people to great leaders in History, Science or Literature, we can learn a lot about the art of living, by having a peep into their lives, autobiographies or biographies. The daily routines of these great men not only reveal their different, may be unique, life styles but also help us learn certain habits and practices they followed. Here are some: read, enjoy and follow in their footsteps as it suits you. 2. A private workplace always helps. Jane Austen asked that a certain squeaky hinge should never be oiled so that she always had a warning whenever someone was approaching the room where she wrote. William Faulkner, lacking a lock on his study door, detached the doorknob and brought it into the room with him. Mark Twain’s family knew better than to breach his study door – they would blow a horn to draw him out. Graham Green went even further, renting a secret office; only his wife knew the address and the telephone number. After all, every one of us needs a workplace where we can work on our creation uninterruptedly. Equally we need our private space too! 3. A daily walk has always been a source of inspiration. For many artists, a regular stroll was essentially a creative inspiration. Charles Dickens famously took three hour walks every afternoon, and what he observed on them fed directly into his writing. Tchaikovsky made do with a two-hour jaunt but wouldn’t return a moment early; convinced that doing so would make him ill. Ludwig van Beethoven took lengthy strolls after lunch, carrying a pencil and paper with him in case inspiration struck. Nineteenth century composer Erik Satie did the same on his long hikes from Paris to the working-class suburb where he lived, stopping under street lamps to jot down ideas that came on his journey; it’s rumoured that when those lamps were turned off during the war years, his music declined too. Many great people had limited social life too. One of Simone de Beauvior’s close friends puts it

30 English Core XII (Term 2) this way: ‘There were no receptions, parties. It was an uncluttered kind of life, a simplicity deliberately constructed so that she could do her work.’ To Pablo the idea of Sunday was an ‘at home day.’ (394 words) 1. The passage is about ______. Ans. what we can learn from the routines of geniuses 2. The writers in the past ______. Ans. followed a perfect daily routine 3. In their daily routines ______. Ans. they had unique life styles. 4. Some artists resorted to walking as it was ______. Ans. a creative inspiration 5. Write an appropriate title to the passage. Ans. The Art of Living 6. What did Jane Austen like? Ans. She loved to see people who came unexpectedly. 7. The current passage stresses the ______ during workhours. Ans. desolation and privacy Passage IX 1. If one early June morning, you are suddenly stopped in your walk by a ringing ‘pip-piu-pie-pee-piu-piu’ call coming from the trees in your park or garden, you will feel your heart suddenly lifted. Look around and you may see two large, handsome, black-and- white birds with long coattails chasing each other among the trees. They are pied cuckoos, that have come from Africa, and are said to announce the arrival of the greatest show on earth—the Indian monsoon. Be assured, the curtains will rise in a month or so. 2. To get a proper view of the onset of the monsoons, you really need to be stationed on the coastline of India or up in the hills. The grand show of grey clouds approaches like an airborne army, preceded by cool breezes, filling the air with electric charge so that you feel very happy. Spear of lighting flickers in the sky and the sound of thunder makes you feel excited. 3. And then, it pours. This is what the birds have been waiting for. Most birds have spent the spring and summer courting and now it’s time to settle down. Baby birds need a lot of high protein at frequent intervals, which the rich supply of insect life so happily provides: caterpillars are eaten up in millions, as are furry moths, earthworms slurped down like noodles, spiky dragonflies beaten to bits to soften them up into baby food. The long-legged storks and herons get busy with fishing. As for the big guys like lions and tigers in the jungles: they too had it relatively easy during the summer when their thirsty prey came to the waterholes. Now, with water easily available, in streams and ponds all over, they need to work harder for their meals. But yes, this is, perhaps, compensated by the arrival of baby deer, and fawns are sweet and soft, not very experienced in the merciless ways of the lions and tigers, even if they may seem more like a snack than a main course meal. The animals get a rest from us, parks and sanctuaries too close down, not so much out of kindness as because the roads become impassable. (361 words) 1. The winged messengers from Africa ______. Ans. bring the message that the rains are coming soon

Unseen Passage 2 31 2. Baby birds benefit from the rains because ______. Ans. the rain brings a lot of insects which they eat 3. Humans don’t visit the animals in sanctuaries during the rainy season because ______. Ans. the paths to the sanctuaries become waterlogged 4. In rainy season, lions and tigers ______. Ans. find it difficult to hunt their prey 5. ‘Onset’ as used in the passage corresponds to ‘______.’ Ans. commencement 6. Name the literary device used in the line, ‘…earthworms slurped down like noodles…’ Ans. simile 7. Write a sentence which uses ‘court’ as used in the current passage. Ans. The male will sometimes court the female for hours. Passage X Papaya is the healthiest fruit with a list of properties that is long and exhaustive. Papaya favours digestion as well as cures skin irritation and sunburns. You can munch on it as a salad, have it cooked or boiled or just drink it up as milkshake or juice. The most important of these virtues is the protein-digesting enzyme in the milky juice. The enzyme is similar to pepsin in its digestive action and is said to be so powerful that it can digest 200 times its own weight in protein. It assists the body in assimilating the maximum nutritional value from food to provide energy and body-building materials. Papain in raw papaya makes up for the deficiency of gastric juice and fights excess of unhealthy mucus in the stomach, dyspepsia and intestinal irritation. The ripe fruit, if eaten regularly, corrects habitant constipation, bleeding piles and chromic diarrhoea. The juice, used as a cosmetic, removes freckles or brown spots due to exposure to sunlight and makes the skin smooth and delicate. A paste of papaya seeds is applied in skin diseases like those caused by ringworms. The black seeds of the papaya are highly beneficial in the treatment of cirrhosis of the liver caused by malnutrition, alcoholism etc. A tablespoon of its juice, combined with a pint of fresh lime juice, should be taken once or twice daily for a month. The fresh juice of raw papaya mixed with honey can be applied over inflamed tonsils, for diphtheria and other throat disorders. (250 words)

32 English Core XII (Term 2) 1. Write the three advantages of papaya. Ans. Papaya overcomes the intestinal irritation. Papaya is a very strong digestive. Papaya can cure throat disorders. 2. Cirrhosis of the liver is treated by Ans. the papain in raw papaya. 3. If you are deficient in gastric juice, you should eat Ans. the raw papaya. 4. If I have habitant constipation, I should opt for Ans. the ripe papaya. 5. Arrange the nutrients—protein, fat, carbs and fibre—found in one cup of papaya in descending order, according to their quantity. Ans. carbs, fibre, protein, fat 6. Following are assertion (A) and reason (R). Do you agree with them? (A) The multi uses of raw as well as ripe papaya and papaya seeds make papaya a versatile fruit. (R) Papaya is not versatile fruit as it has enough calories. Ans. Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect. 7. Correct the statement. One cup of 1 inch papaya pieces has 72 calories. 2 Ans. One cup of 1 inch papaya pieces has 62 calories. Passage XI The following pie chart shows the headache types included in the 80 studies reviewed. A headache is usually caused due to spinal misalignment of the head due to poor posture. Sleeping on the stomach with the head turned to one side and bending over position for a long time makes it worse. It is known that any shift in the level of body hormones and chemicals, certain foods and drinks, and environmental stress can also trigger it. Modern life includes computers, driving, hand-held devices, and watching TV; all create severe

Unseen Passage 2 33 stress on our neck and shoulders. While we know we should take constant breaks from these activities, we “forget!” Holding our arms out in front of us and/or cocking our necks to see the screen properly, we put pressure on our neck and shoulders that our body wasn’t built for. This results in muscle and joint strain and pain. In migraine headaches (one-handed headaches) the pain is usually on one side of the head and may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, irritability and bright spots and flashes of light. This headache is made worse by activity, especially bending. The throbbing pain in the head gets worse by noise and light. Certain triggers for migraines may be chocolate, caffeine, smoking or MSU in certain food items. The pain may last from 8 to 24 hours and there may be a hangover for two to three days. Work on your posture and customise the keyboard and monitor height to your needs. (250 words) 1. What are the various reasons that cause headaches? 1. Spinal misalignment of the head due to the poor posture 2. Certain foods and drinks 3. Environmental stress 4. Computer and driving 5. Any shift in the level of body hormones and chemicals Ans. Reasons 1., 2., 3., 5. 2. If one suffers from a headache that is accompanied by nausea or flashes of light, one could be suffering from __________. Ans. migraine 3. The two things that can make migraine even worse are __________. Ans. activity like bending, and noise and light 4. A migraine can last for __________. Ans. 8 to 24 hours 5. Name the four headaches and arrange them in descending order as per their percentage. Ans. Migraine, tension type headache, chronic daily headache, cluster headache 6. What can act as a trigger for migraines is __________. Ans. chocolate, caffeine, smoking or MSU in food items 7. While working at computers, we __________. Ans. should work on our posture; and should customise the keyboard and monitor height to our needs



ISBN: 978-93-93738-21-9 7 8 79 83 99 33 5723 78 42 51 49 0 1 T12-6744-249-COMP.CBSE QB ENG(C) T-II XII