CBSE Board Question Paper 2009
Class – XII (Delhi)
Subject : Functional English
Time Allowed : 3 hours Maximum Marks : 100
General Instructions :
(i). The paper is divided into four sections : A, B, C and D. All the sections are compulsory.
(ii). Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions very carefully and follow them faithfully.
(iii). Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
SECTION – A (Reading) 20
1. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow :
1. Some people in the corporate sector believe that the highest job satisfaction is enjoyed by those in least-paying jobs, like in NGOs and social organizations. This sounded ironical but still exciting enough to mull over for those of us in the corporate world who chase a mirage called job satisfaction and often confuse it with high salaries.
2. Five years ago, I was posted in Kolkata. This is where I had the soul-stirring experience of meeting Ravikant at Belur Math, the Ramkrishna Mission's headquarters. Away from the city's boisterous roads, Belur is tranquility personified. It had been 18 years since Ravikant and I had passed out from IIT Kanpur, where we spent our days in neighboring hostel rooms. In the course of lunch that day at Belur, he unfolded his post-IIT story, which marked a turning point for my own view towards life.
3. Ravikant Jadhav was ranked second across India in the JEE and completed his B.Tech. in computer science with a perfect 10 CPI. A recipient of the President's gold medal at IIT, he spurned all offers of plum scholarships from top foreign universities. Instead, he went on to do his Ph.D. from IIT, Kanpur. As his neighbor I was familiar with Ravikant's leanings towards Swami Vivekananda and Ramkrishna Paramhans. Often, when I barged into his room for a chat session, I would find him deep into reading their teachings. These had an impact on his day-to-day actions as well. An example of his austerity was the fact that he managed to pass those four years with just a pair of white kurta-pyjamas. He spent a lot of time teaching the mess workers' children besides other poor employees of IIT. Top brain that he was, the toughest assignments were cracked by him in a jiffy.
4. His entire family along with many of us, egged him on to study abroad. I occasionally mocked his convictions and told his parents he would eventually succumb to the lure of dollars, just like several of his batch-mates. But, he couldn't be deterred from his single-minded pursuit of serving humanity. He would explain, "Just like Silicon Valley, social sectors too desperately need intelligent people."
5. He continues to positively impact the lowest rung of the social ladder. Recently, he helped save the life of 12-year-old Rashi, who developed a hole in her heart. Her operation in Bangalore cost Rs. 3 lakh and on reading Ravikant's email, I had contributed my bit, but was doubtful if he would meet the target. But, as I recently found out, Rashi was back home in Kanpur after a successful surgery, making me put my faith in Ravikant's words that, "There are a lot of good people in the world, we just need to reach out to them."
6. Unmarried, he has dedicated his entire life towards a social cause. He joined the Ramkrishna Mission after his octorate and, by now has taught computer science to several thousand students at their university, besides managing various projects spread across the country. He also humbly believes that Belur Math has given him the opportunity to achieve his mission. Yet, his journey continues.
7. Ravikant's story is beyond inspiration. When I look around at my batch-mates, many of whom head companies, I consider Ravikant the biggest success story of IIT. His story should be a catalyst for all those who want to bridge the social abyss created by market forces and government inaction. As I write a cheque for Rs. 15,000 for my three-year-old son's quarterly fee, I'm reminded of an education system gone horrendously wrong. Unlike many of us who keep trod ding known paths, Ravikant Maharaj - as he is popularly known in Belur - has clearly found his own path and left a trail.
- Off the Beaten Track (Times News Network)
(a) On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions :
(i) Why, according to the author, is job satisfaction a mirage ? 1
(ii) Mention two interests of Ravikant other than studies. 2
(iii) Why did the author mock at Ravikant's convictions ? How did Ravikant prove him wrong ? 2
(iv) What were Ravikant's pursuits after he completed his doctorate ? 2
(v) Explain - He clearly found his own path and left a trail. 1
(b) Pick out words/phrases from the passage which are similar in meaning to the following :
(i) noisy and energetic (para 2)
(ii) lack of luxuries and comfort (para 3)
(iii) to lose the determination to oppose something (para 4)
(iv) person that causes great change (para 7)
2. Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions that follow :
Technological change is one reason for companies to look again at how they manage and develop human resources, and in particular the essential powers of creativity and adaptability. But there is another: the changing demography of world populations and of national work forces. Here again we are faced with an exponential curve of change. The global workforce is changing in size and shape. It took all of human history until the early 1800s for the world's population to reach the first billion. It took 130 years to reach the second billion in 1930, 30 years to add the third in 1960, 14 years to add the fourth in 1974 and 13 years to add the fifth in 1987. In 1999, the world's population reached 6 billion. This billion increase in 12 years was the most rapid increase ever. The United Nations medium projections show that another billion people will be added in just 14 years and that world population will be about 9.4 billion by 2050.
Most of the world's population growth is taking place in less developed countries. Currently, 84 million people are being added every year in less developed countries compared with only about 1.5 million in more developed countries. According to the UN. today's more developed country populations are projected to remain relatively constant throughout the next century, while less developed country populations are projected to keep growing.
• China is the world's most populous nation with a 1998 population of 1.2 billion. Its population is increasing by 1% each year, assuming minimal migration. India has fewer inhabitants (989 million) but a higher annual growth rate of about 1.9%. India is likely to surpass China as the world's most populous country by the middle of the 218t century.
• In the 1990s, most of the world's fastest-growing countries were in the Middle East and Africa. Kuwait's 1998 population of 1.9 million grew by about 3.7% a year. At that rate the population will double in 19 years unless there is a significant decline in fertility or increase in emigration. The population of the African continent is growing at 2.5%, yielding a doubling time of only 27 years.
• In contrast many countries are experiencing extremely slow growth and even natural decrease because death rates have risen above birth rates. Deaths exceeded births in 13 European countries including Russia, Germany and the Czech Republic in the late 1990s. In some countries net immigration provides the only population growth.
• The United States is the third most populous nation in the world, behind China and India. The US population increased by an estimated 2.5 million people during 1997. Legal and illegal migrants accounted for one quarter of population growth during the 1980s and about one-third of growth during the 1990s. According to the US Census Bureau projections, the US population could reach 394 million by 2050.
The changing patterns and demography of world population will have profound effects on the patterns of economic activity and trade.
(a) Make notes on the passage given above in any format using recognizable abbreviations. Give a suitable title to the passage. 5
(b) Write a summary based on the notes you have made in about 80 words. 3
SECTION – B (Writting) 25
3. Parul / Puneet has lost her/his school bag in a public bus. She/He drafts an advertisement to be put in the newspapers. Draft an advertisement giving the relevant details. (Word limit 50 words) 5
OR
Your school is leading an awareness campaign against Environmental Pollution in the neighbourhood. Design a poster highlighting the dangers of pollution and the measures to be undertaken to fight it. (Word limit 50 - 80 words) 5
4. Mr. Raj, the Physics Department head wants to place an order for some lab equipment like lenses, galvanometers, prisms, glass cubes, etc. He writes a letter placing the order to M/s Scientific Equipment Ltd., Nai Sarak, Delhi-41. Write this letter. (Word limit 100 words) 10
OR
Read the following headlines :
SAINA WINS WORLD BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIP
SACHIN HIGHEST RUN GETTER IN THE WORLD
BINDRA WINS OLYMPIC GOLD
VISHWANATHAN ANAND : WORLD CHESS CHAMPION
Write a letter to the Editor of a National Daily expressing your happiness at the new emerging face of Indian Sports. Discuss the reasons for this rise and suggest some measures that could further enhance the situation. (Word limit 150 words) 10
5. Sohini / Sohan reads the following statistics showing the male - female ratio in many of the states in India : 10
| State | Male | Female |
| Haryana | 1000 | 863 |
| Bihar | 1000 | 756 |
| Kerala | 1000 | 902 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 1000 | 888 |
She/He is extremely disturbed after reading the above statistics about the condition of the girl child which is still a matter of deep concern. Referring to these figures she/he writes an article for the school magazine discussing the reasons for this imbalance in the population and the consequences of this trend. She/He also suggests measures that could be taken to combat this problem. As Sohini / Sohan, write the article. (Word limit 200 words)
OR
Read the following poster :
| KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CONSUMER CAUGHT IN THE WEB BECAUSE .…………… - Lacks quality consciousness - Lacks consumer awareness - Misleading advertisements - Corrupt practices of shopkeepers
Issued in Public interest by - Ministry for Consumer Affairs |
Reeju Ray attended a seminar where the rights of a consumer were discussed and the above poster was displayed. Taking help from the points raised in the poster she prepared a speech to be given on National Consumer Day in school. As Reeju, write the speech. (Word limit 200 words) 10
SECTION – C (Grammar) 20
6. Rearrange the following sentences sequentially to make complete sense : 5
(a) At the root of this decrease in numbers is the elephant intrusion in villages.
(b) Though the numbers have officially increased, the population has declined in the southern and north-eastern states.
(c) The elephant is fighting a grim battle for survival in the wild as well as in captivity.
(d) Lately they have resorted to poisoning the beasts, killing at least 122 in Assam.
(e) Elephants are thus killed for fear of attacks.
7. As a member of your School Social Service Club, Rajesh has been asked to interview a flood victim in Bihar. Based on the input given below complete the conversation. The first one has been done as an example. 5
• losses incurred
• saved some cattle
• time taken for help to arrive
• after 24 hours
• food supply
• packets dropped from helicopters
• medical aid
• few doctors and nurses visited
• problems faced in the camps
• unhygienic conditions/inadequate drinking water/insufficient food
• support from state government
• minimal
Example -
Rajesh : Namaste, I would like to express my sympathy at your loss. Were you able to save anything from the floods ?
Villager : Well I was a bit luckier than my neighbors. I have managed to save some of my cattle.
The following passage has ten errors. Identify the errors in each line and write them along with the corrections as shown in the example : 5
Most people with stable heart disease who is who - which
(a) monitored and controlled should has no problem
(b) travelling. However, travel was not recommended for
(c) people by uncontrolled angina, abnormal heart
(d) arrhythmia, but uncontrolled congestive heart failure.
(e) In general, air travel does not pose great risk to
(f) more heart patients. Cardiac "incidents" occur only
(g) in one or two patient per million during air travel.
(h) However, some patients need to avoid flying, on least
(i) temporarily, because of a increased risk posed by
(j) being confined with a high-altitude (and therefore low-oxygen) compartment.
Anil Kumble retired after a fulfilling career in cricket. As a sports journalist you have been asked to interview him. Frame ten questions you would like to ask him based on the items given below : 5
age started playing - coaching where - debut match - career best - family support - favorite fellow cricketer - any regrets - toughest opponent - favorite playing ground - plans after retirement
SECTION – D (Literature) 35
10. Choose any one of the following extracts and answer the questions that follow :
My cold parchment tongue licks bark
in the mouth when I see her four
still sensible fingers slowly flex
to pick a grain of rice from the kitchen floor.
(a) Name the poem and the poet. 1
(b) What characteristics of the mother are being highlighted in the above lines ? Mention any two. 1
(c) Why does the narrator refer to the four fingers still being `sensible' ? 2
(d) What impact does this have on the narrator ? 1
(e) Identify and explain any one literary device used in the above lines. 2
OR
A poem should be motionless in time
As the moon climbs,
Leaving, as the moon releases
Twig by twig the night-entangled trees,
(a) Name the poem and the poet. 1
(b) Explain the contradiction in the first two lines. 2
(c) What is being meant by the phrase `night-entangled tree' ? 1
(d) What effect does the moon have on these trees ? 1
(e) Mention any two characteristics of a good poem as described in the above lines. 2
11. Answer any two of the following in about 50 words each : 2x4=8
(a) How does the title `Curtain' bring out the central theme of the poem ?
(b) Discuss the statement, `Autumn is a season of abundance', with reference to the poem `Ode to Autumn'.
(c) What are the future plans that the narrator has for himself and Sally in the poem `Sally in our Alley' ? What prompted him to make these plans ?
12. Answer any one of the following in 80 - 100 words :
(a) `I shall be remembered for not what I am but for what I did.' What do these lines reveal about Alexander's character ? How did this philosophy control his actions throughout his life ? 5
OR
(b) ‘As I wished it twisted in my hand like a snake.’
(i) What does `it' refer to ? 1
(ii) Did it really twist in the speaker's hand ? Give reasons for your answer. 2
(iii) How did his family members react to his statement ? 2
13. Answer any two of the following in about 50 words each : 2x4=8
(a) How does Mrs. Malik respond to the sketch of the woman drawn by the architect ? How does it prove to be ironic later on in the story `A Room 10' x 8" ?
(b) Discuss the role of ambition in motivating students as explained in the lesson `On Education'. Comment on both its positive as well as negative aspects.
(c) What influence did Doronin have on Lisa's life ?
14. Answer any one of the following in 100 - 120 words : 7
Suzanne is tired of warding off the proposals from the two comedians. She writes to her friend Janette expressing her feelings for both the suitors and how she is going to deal with the problem without hurting their feelings.
OR
After the war of Kalinga, Asoka is deeply moved by the magnitude of the death and destruction caused by him. He writes a diary entry recording his feelings about his change of heart and planning the changes he was going to bring about in his method of ruling his kingdom.
CBSE Board Question Papers Class 12th 2009