Examination Papers 2009

Class XII

All India [Set – I, II, III]

Time Allowed : 3 Hours                                                                    Max. Marks: 100

General Instructions :

(i) The paper is divided into three Sections: A, B and C All the Section are compulsory.

(ii) Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions carefully and follow them faithfully.

(iii) Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions:

                                                                Section A [Reading]                     Marks: 20 Marks

1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :                        12

(i). The role friends play in our lives has become significantly greater than at any other time-in our history. Today many of us live and work great distances from where we were born or grew up and are separated from our original families. The pain we feel when we are away from our families can be significant.

(ii). The happiness of the individual relies on friendships which form a necessary human connection. It is perfectly normal to need and want friends and depression is more prevalent among those who lack friends. They lack the intimacy and richness friends can bring into our lives. Frequently friends reflect similar values to us. Yet these values are often different from the ones we grew up with; they are the values we created for ourselves in our adult lives.

(iii) Communication skills are fundamental in all friendships. The more friends and acquaintances one has, the greater are one's communication skills. Some call these, people skills.

(iv) Like watering a plant, we grow our friendships (and all our relationships) by nurturing them. Friendships need the same attention as other relationships if they are to continue. These relationships can be delightfully non judge mental, supportive, understanding and fun.

(v) Sometimes a friendship can bring out the positive side that you never show in any other relationship. This may be because the pressure of playing a `role' (daughter, partner or child) is removed. With a friend you are to be yourself and free to change. Of course you are free to do this in all other relationships as well but in friendships you get to have lots of rehearsals and discussion about changes as you experience them. It is an unconditional experience where you receive as much as you give. You can explain yourself to a friend openly without the fear of hurting a family member. How do friendships grow ? The answer is simple. By revealing yourself; being attentive; remembering what is most import-ant to your friend and asking them about it; putting yourself in their position; showing empathy; seeing the world through the eyes of your friend, you will understand the value of friendship. All this means learning to accept a person from a completely different family to your own or perhaps someone from a completely different cultural background. This is the way we learn tolerance. In turn we gain tolerance and acceptance for our own differences.

(vi). Friendships are made by being considerate which means all the communication skills come into play: active listening skills, questioning skills, negotiation skills, reflecting content skills, reflecting emotion skills, and editing yourself.

(vii). Friendships offer a great opportunity to learn about yourself because a friend can reflect back to you ‘how you come across in the world'. They also allow you to practice skills in dealing with ‘personal boundaries' by looking after yourself as well as your friend. They help you develop resilience in relation to the wider social world beyond your family.

(a). (i) Why do friends play a more significant role today than ever before ?            2

       (ii) Why is friendship considered an essential human need ?                             2

       (iii) How is friendship different from other relationships ?                               2

       (iv) Mention two essential human values that help friendship to grow.              1

       (v) Which communication skills help in building friendship ?                             2

(b) Pick out words from the passage which mean the same as each of the following :        1x3=3

       (i) basic / essential (para 3)

       (ii) mutual discussion to reach an agreement (para 6) (iii) chance (para 7)

2. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :                         8

Effective speaking depends on effective listening. It takes energy to concentrate on hearing and concentrate on understanding what has been heard.

Incompetent listeners fail in a number of ways. First, they may drift. Their attention drifts from what the speaker is saying. Second, they may counter. They find counter arguments to whatever a speaker may be saying. Third, they compete. Then, they filter. They exclude from their understanding those parts of the message which do not readily fit with their own frame of reference. Finally they react. They let personal feelings about speaker or subject override the significance of the message which is being sent.

What can a listener do to be more effective ? The first key to effective listening is the art of concentration. If a listener positively wishes to concentrate on receiving a message his chances of success are high. It may need determination. Some speakers are difficult to follow, either because of voice problems, or because of the form in which they send a message. There is then particular need for the determination of a listener to concentrate on what is being said.

Concentration is helped by alertness. Mental alertness is helped by physical alertness. It is not simply physical fitness, but also positioning of the body, the limbs and the head. Some people also find it helpful to their concentration if they hold the head slightly to one side. One useful way for achieving this is intensive note-taking, by trying to capture the critical headings and sub-headings the speaker is referring to.

Note-taking has been recommended as an aid to the listener. It also helps the speaker. It gives him confidence when he sees that listeners are sufficiently interested to take notes; the patterns of eye contact when the note-taker looks up can be very positive; and the speaker's timing is aided - he can see when a note-taker is writing hard and can then make effective use of pauses.
Posture too is important. Consider the impact made by a less competent listener who pushes his chair backwards and slouches. An upright posture helps a listener's concentration. At the same time it is seen by the speaker to be a positive feature amongst his listeners. Effective listening skills have an impact on both the listener and the speaker.

(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it using headings and sub-headings. Use recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary.                             5

(b) Write a summary of the passage in not more than 80 words using the notes made and also suggest a suitable title.    3

                                          SECTION - B [ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS]                35 Marks

3. Samta Public School in Delhi requires cricket and hockey coaches. Draft a suitable advertisement in not more than 50 words for the ‘Situations Vacant’ column of the ‘Daily Herald’, stating your requirements regarding age, qualification, experience etc. You are Principal of the School.                   5

                                        OR

As Librarian of Crescent International School, Gwalior, draft a notice in not more than 50 words asking all students and teachers to return the library books they have borrowed, two days before the commencement of the examination.

4. You are Naren, a class XI student of Preet Public School, Chezinai. You attended a week-long training programme organized by The Debating Society, Chennai to develop debating skills. Mentioning the number of participants, speakers and the skills taught such as listening, concentration, effective speaking etc., write a report in 100-125 words for your school magazine.                                               10

                                       OR

Write a factual description of the new library cum reading room in your school for the primary claiss students in 100-125 words. Include details of the layout, display facility, seating arrangement etc.

5. SAF Public School, Chandigarh is planning to take a group of 40 senior students to Shimla on an excursion during the summer vacation. Mr. Mohan Das, the teacher in-charge of ‘Excursions & Field Trips’ writes a letter to JJ Tours & Travels, Chandigarh asking them to organize the tour. Write this letter giving details of preference such as dates of journey, transport, accommodation, etc.                             10

                                      OR

You are Navneet of 65, P.H. Road, Mangalore. Recently you bought a mobile phone from The Phone Point', 83, Mount Road, Mangalore. The phone instrument developed a problem within a month of purchase. Write a letter to the dealer giving details of the nature of the problem and asking him/her to rectify the defect or replace the set.

6. Teenage is commonly perceived as the most joyful period of an individual's life. Vidya who represents the teenagers of today feels that the pressure of the competitive world they live in has made teen years less exciting and expresses her ideas in an article entitled, ‘On Being a Teenager’ for the ‘Youth Times’. Write the article in 150-200 words.                     10

                                      OR

Every activity that man indulges in creates waste of some kind. Some of the waste can be recycled or reused. In fact the need of the hour is to conserve the earth’s resources in all possible ways. Write an article on the topic 'Conservation, Need of the Hour' in 150-200 words. You are Brinda, a keen environmentalist.

                                                   SECTION - C [LITERATURE]                      45 Marks

7. (a) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :                        4

Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkened ways

Made for our searching : -

(i) What are the flowery bands that hind us to the earth ?                 2

(ii) What message do the above lines convey ?                                 2

                                   OR

..and felt that old

familiar ache, my childhood's fear,

but all I said was, see you soon, Anima,

all I did was smile and smile and smile ...

     (i) What was the childhood fear that now troubled the port. ?            1

     (ii) What do the poet's parting words suggest ?                                  2

     (iii) Why did the poet smile and smile ?                                            1

(b) Answer any three of the following questions in 30 - 40 words each :                      2x3=6

    (i) Why does Stephen Spender say that the pictures and maps in the elementary school classroom are meaningless ?

    (ii) What is the exotic moment the poet Pablo Neruda wishes for ?

    (iii) Describe the tigers created by Aunt Jennifer.

    (iv) Why does Robert Frost sympathise with the rural poor ?

8. Answer the following questions in 30 - 40 words each :                     2x5=10

(a) What was the mood in the classroom when M. Hamel gave his last French lesson ?

(b) What does the writer mean when she says, ‘Saheb is no longer his own master’ ?

(c) Why did Gandhi agree to the planters' offer of a 25% refund to the farmers ?
(d) How did Douglas finally get rid of the fear he had of water ?
(e) What were the positive qualities of Subbu that the writer admired ?

9. Answer the following in 125 - 150 words :                               10

Describe how the story, ‘The Rattrap’ shows that basic human goodness can be brought out by understanding and love.

                                  OR

Contrast Sophie's real world with her fantasies.

10. Answer the following in 125 - 150 words :                                  7

How did Dr. Sadao rise above narrow prejudices of race and country to help a human being in need ?

                              OR

Why did Jo disapprove of Jack's ending of the story of Roger Skunk ? How did she want it to end ?

11. Answer the following questions in 30 - 40 words each :                  2x4=8

(a) How did the tiger king acquire his name ?

(b) What was the objective of the ‘Students on Ice Programme’ ?

(c) What clues did the answer sheet of Evans provide to the Governor ?

(d) When did Bama first come to know of the social discrimination faced by the people of her community ?

Set-II (Un-common Questions to Set-I)

3. As Principal of Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, Lucknow draft a notice in not more than 50 words informing students of the change in school timings with effect from the 1st of October. State valid reasons for the change.            5

                                           OR

As Secretary of the Literary Club of St. Anne's School, Ahmedabad, draft a formal invitation in not more than 50 words for the inauguration of the club in your school.

5. Read the advertisement given below and write a letter applying for the job. Also give your detailed resume to be sent along with the letter. You are Praveen Kumar of 95, HAL Colony, 'Bangalore.                          10

                                                         OR

As Store In-charge of Goodwill Public School, 47, M.G. Marg, Allahabad, write a letter complaining about the poor quality of biscuits in the latest consignment received from Messrs Mangla Confectioners, Allahabad seeking immediate replacement.

10. Answer the following in 125-150 words :                         7

What impression do you form of Jack as a father ? (Should Wizard Hit Mommy ?)

                                      OR

What kind of discrimination did Bama and Zitkala experience ? How did they respond to their respective situations ?

11. Answer the following questions in 30 - 40 words each                     2x4=8

       (a) What happened to the tiger provided by the Dewan Saheb ?

       (b) How do geological phenomena help us to know about the history of human kind ?

       (c) Describe the precautions taken by the prison authorities for a smooth conduct of Evans' examination.

       (d) How did Zitkala-Sa try to prevent the shingling of her hair ?

Set-III (Un-common Questions to Set-I & 11)

3. You are Secretary of the History Club of Vidya Mandir School. Draft a notice in not more than 60 words informing students of a proposed visit to some important historical sites in your city.                  5

                                OR

You are Manisha of 10, Rajaji Nagar, Bangalore. You want a Maths teacher for your son who is a class 10 student. Draft a suitable advertisement in not more than 50 words stating your requirements.

4. You are Sujay, a staff reporter of The Herald'. Write a report in 100 - 125 words covering the Book Fair prganised in New Delhi in the month of January by the leading publishers of the country.            10

                                 OR

You visited your friend who is residing in a school hostel. Write a factual description in 100 -125 words including the facilities such as accommodation, food, entertainment, sports etc., provided there.

9. Answer the following question in 125-150 words :                            10

Give examples from the story, ‘The Rattrap’ to show how the ironmaster is different from his daughter.
                                        OR

Describe the character of Sophie’s father and the role played by him.

10. Answer the following in 125-150 words :                                         7

Describe the difficulties faced by Dr. Sadao when he decided to help the enemy soldier.
                                     OR

How did Charley reach the third level of Grand Central ? How was it different from the other levels ?