Table of Contents
CBSE Previous Year Question Papers Class 12 English 2017 Outside Delhi
Time allowed : 3 hours
Maximum marks: 100
General instructions:
- This paper is divided into three sections : A, B and C. All the sections are compulsory.
- Separate instruction are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions very carefully and-follow them faithfully.
- Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
** Answer is not given due to change in present syllabus
CBSE Previous Year Question Papers Class 12 English 2017 Outside Delhi Set – I
Section – A
(READING) 30
Question 1.
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: [12]
1. We sit in the last row, bumped about but free of stares. The bus rolls out of the dull crossroads of the city, and we are soon in the open countryside, with fields of sunflowers as far as the eye can see, their heads all facing us. Where there is no water, the land reverts to the desert. While still on level ground, we see in the distance the tall range of the Mount Bogda, abrupt like a shining prism laid horizontally on the desert surface. It is over 5,000 metres high, and the peaks are under permanent snow, in powerful contrast to the flat desert all around. Heaven lake lies part of the way up this range, about 2,000 meters above sea level, at the foot of one of the highest snow-peaks.1
2. As the bus climbs, the sky, brilliant before, grows overcast. I have brought nothing warm to wear. It is all down at the hotel in Urumqi. Rain begins to fall. The man behind me is eating overpoweringly smelly goat’s cheese. The bus window leaks inhospitably but reveals a beautiful view. We have passed quickly from the desert through arable land to pasture and the ground is now green with grass, the slopes dark with pine. A few cattle drink at a clear stream flowing past moss-covered stones; it is a Constable landscape. The stream changes into a white torrent, and as we climb higher I wish more and more that I had brought with me something warmer than the pair of shorts that have served me so well in the desert. The stream (which, we are told, rises in Heaven Lake) disappears, and we continue our slow ascent. About noon, we arrive at Heaven Lake, and look for a place to stay at the foot, which is the resort area. We get a room in a small cottage, and I am happy to note that there are thick quilts on the bed.
3. Standing outside the cottage, we survey our surroundings. Heaven Lake is long, sardine-shaped and fed by snowmelt from a stream at its head. The lake is an intense blue, surrounded on all sides by green mountain walls, dotted with distant sheep. At the head of the lake, beyond the delta of the inflowing stream, is a massive snow-capped peak which dominates the vista; it is part of a series of peaks that culminate, a little out of view, in Mount Bogda itself.
4. For those who live in the resort, there is a small mess-hall by the shore. We eat here sometimes, and sometimes buy food from the vendors outside, who sell kabab and naan until the last buses leave. The kababs, cooked on skewers over charcoal braziers, are particularly good; highly spiced and well-done. Horse’s milk is available too from the local Kazakh herdsmen, but I decline this. I am so affected by the cold that Mr. Cao, the relaxed young man who runs the mess, lends me a spare pair of trousers, several sizes too large but more than comfortable. Once I am warm again, I feel a pre-dinner spurt of energy—dinner will be long in coming—and I ask him whether the lake is good for swimming in.
5. “Swimming ?” Mr. Cao says. “You aren’t thinking of swimming, are you ?”
6. “I thought I might,” I confess, “What’s the water like ?”
7. He doesn’t answer me immediately, turning instead to examine some receipts with exaggerated interest. Mr. Cao, with great off-handedness, addresses the air. “People are often drowned here,” he says. After a pause, he continues. “When was the last one ?” This questions is directed at the cook, who is preparing a tray of mantou (squat, white steamed bread rolls), and who now appears, wiping his doughy hand across his forehead. “Was it the Beijing athlete ?” asks Mr. Cao.
On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer the statements given below with the help of options that follow : [1 × 4 = 4]
(a) One benefit of sitting in the last row of the bus was that:
(i) the narrator enjoyed the bumps.
(ii) no one stared at him.
(iii) he could see the sunflowers.
(iv) he avoided the dullness of the city.
Answer:
(ii) No one stared at him
(b) The narrator was travelling to :
(i) Mount Bogda
(ii) Heaven Lake
(iii) a 200 metre high snow peak
(iv) Urumqi
Answer:
(i) Mount Bogda
(c) On reaching the destination, the narrator felt relieved because:
(i) he had gotten away from the desert.
(ii) a difficult journey had come to an end.
(iii) he could watch the snow peak.
(iv) there were thick quilts on the bed.
Answer:
(iv) there were thick quilts on the bed.
(d) Mount Bogda is compared to :
(i) a horizontal desert surface.
(ii) a shining prism.
(iii) a Constable landscape.
(iv) the overcast sky.
Answer:
(ii) a shining prism.
Answer the following questions briefly: [1 × 6 = 6]
(e) Which two things, in the bus, made the narrator feel uncomfortable ?
Answer:
As the bus climbs higher, the sky grows overcast and the narrator has not brought anything warm to wear. Also, the man sitting behind the narrator starts eating overpoweringly smelly goat’s cheese which made the narrator uncomfortable.
(f) What made the scene look like a Constable landscape ?
Answer:
A few cattle were drinking at a clear stream flowing past moss-covered stones. It made the scene look like a Constable landscape.
(g) What did he regret as the bus climbed higher?
Answer:
The narrator regreted that he didn’t bring anything warm to wear other than of a pair of shorts.
(h) Why did the narrator like to buy food from outside ?
Answer:
The narrator liked to buy food from outside because the kebabs cooked on skewers over charcoal braziers were particularly good, highly spiced and well done.
(i) What is ironic about the pair of trousers lent by Mr. Cao ?
Answer:
Mr. Cao lends the narrator a spare pair of trousers and the irony about it was that those trousers were several sizes big.
(j) Why did Mr. Cao not like the narrator’s wish to swim in the lake ?
Answer:
Mr. Cao did not like the narrator’s wish to swim in the lake because he had seen people drown in the lake.
(k) Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following : [1 × 2 = 2]
(i) sellers (para 4)
(ii) increased (para 7)
Answer:
(i) vendors
(ii) exaggerated
Question 2.
Read the passage given below and answer the following questions that follow : [10]
1. Thackeray reached Kittur along with a small British army force and a few of his officers. He thought that the very presence of the British on the outskirts of Kittur would terrorise the rulers and people of Kittur and that they would lay down their arms. He was quite confident that he would be able to crush the revolt in no time. He ordered that tents to be erected on the eastern side for the fighting forces, and a little away from the western slopes, tents be put up for the family members of the officers who had accompanied them. During the afternoon and evening of 20th October, the British soldiers were busy making arrangments for these camps.
2. On the 21st morning, Thackeray sent his political assistants to Kittur fort to obtain a written assurance from all the important officers of Kittur rendering them answerable for the security of the treasury of Kittur. They be accordingly, met Sardar Gurusiddappa and other officers of Kittur and asked them to comply with the orders of Thackeray. They did not know that the people were in a defiant mood. The commanders of Kittur dismissed the agent’s orders as no documents could be signed without sanction from Rani Chennamma.
3. Thackeray was enraged and sent for the commander of the Horse Artillery, which was about 100 strong, ordered him to rush his artillery into the fort and capture the commanders of the Desai’s army. When the Horse Artillery stormed into the fort, Sardar Gurusiddappa, who had kept his men on full alert, promptly commanded his men to repel and chase them away. The Kittur forces made a bold front and overpowered the British soldiers.
4. Meanwhile, the Desai’s guards had shut the gates of the fort and the British Horse Artillery men, being completely overrun and routed, had to get out through the escape window. Rani’s soldiers chased them out of the fort, killing a few of them until they retreated to their camps on the outskirts.
5. A few of the Britishers had found refuge in some private residences, while some were hiding in their tents. The Kittur soldiers captured about forty persons and brought them to the palace. These included twelve children and a few women from the British officers’ camp. When they were brought in the presence of the Rani, she ordered the soldiers to be imprisoned. For the women and children she had only gentleness, and admonished her soldiers for taking them into custody. At her orders, these women and children were taken inside the palace and given food and shelter. Rani came down from her throne, patted the children lovingly and assured them that no harm would come to them.
6. She, then, sent word through a messenger to Thackeray that the British women and children were safe and could be taken back any time. Seeing this noble gesture of the Rani, he was moved. He wanted to meet this gracious lady and talk to her. He even thought of trying to persuade her to enter into an agreement with the British to stop all hostilities in lieu of an inam (prize) of eleven villages. His offer was dismissed with a gesture of contempt. She had no wish to meet Thackeray. That night she called Sardar Gurusiddappa and other leading Sardars and after discussing all the issues, they came to the conclusion that there was no point of meeting Thackeray who had come with an army to threaten Kittur into submission to British sovereignty.
On the basis of your understanding of the above passage complete the statements given below with the help of options that follow: [1 × 2 = 2]
(a) Thackeray was a/an:
(i) British tourist
(ii) army officer
(iii) adviser to Rani of Kittur
(iv) treasury officer
Answer:
(ii) army officer
(b) British women and children came to Kittur to:
(i) visit Kittur
(ii) enjoy life in tents
(iii) stay in the palace
(iv) give company to the army officers
Answer:
(iv) give company to officers
Answer the following questions briefly: [1 × 6 = 6]
(c) Why did Thackeray come to Kittur ?
Answer:
Thackeray came to Kittur as he believed that the presence of the Britishers on the outskirts of Kittur would terrorise the rulers and people of Kittur due to which they would lay down their arms. He was quite confident that he would be able to crush the revolt in no time.
(d) Why did the Kittur officials refuse to give the desired assurance to Thackeray ?
Answer:
The Kittur officials refused to give the desired assurance because they were in a defiant mood. Moreover, no documents could be signed without sanction from Rani Chennamma.
(e) What happened to the Horse Artillery ?
Answer:
When the Horse Artillery stormed into the fort, Sardar Gurusidappa, who kept his men on full alert, promptly commanded his men to repel and chase them away. The Kittur forces made a bold front and overpowered the British soldiers.
(f) How, do we know that the Rani was a noble queen ?
Answer:
The Kittur soldiers captured about forty people and brought them to the palace. These included twelve children and a few women from the British officers’ camp. The Rani ordered the soldiers to imprison all the man, whereas for the women and children, she was gentle and admonished her soldiers for taking them into custody. At her order, the women and children were taken inside the palace and given food and shelter. The Rani came down from her throne, patted the children lovingly and assured them that no harm would come to them.
So, this is how we come to know that the Rani was a noble queen.
(g) How in your opinion, would the British 3. women have felt after meeting the Rani ?
Answer:
The British women must have felt guilty as their husbands attacked the queen who was so humble and generous to them.
(h) Why did the Rani refuse to meet Thackeray?
Answer:
Rani refused to meet Thackeray because there wasn’t any point in meeting a person who had come with an army to threaten Kittur and its people for submission to the British sovereignty.
(i) Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following : [1 × 2 = 2]
(i) entered forcibly (para 3)
(ii) aggressive/refusing to obey (para 2)
Answer:
(i) (i) stormed
(ii) defiant.
Question 3.
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow : [8]
The most alarming of man’s assaults upon the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with lethal materials. This pollution is for the most part irrevocable; the chain of evil it initiates is for the most part irreversible. In this contamination of the environment, chemicals are the sinister partners of radiation in changing the very nature of the world; radiation released through nuclear explosions into the air, comes to the earth in rain, lodges into the soil, enters the grass or com, or wheat grown there and reaches the bones of a human being, there to remain until his death. Similarly, chemicals sprayed on crops lie long in soil, entering living organisms, passing from one to another in a chain of poisoning and death. Or they pass by underground streams until they emerge and combine into new forms that kill vegetation, sicken cattle and harm those who drink from once pure wells.
It took hundreds of millions of years to produce the life that now inhabits the earth and reached a stage of adjustment and balance with its surroundings. The environment contained elements that were hostile as well as supporting. Even within the light of the sun, there are short wave radiations with power to injure. Given time, life has adjusted and a balance reached. For time is the essential ingredient, but in the modern world there is no time.
The rapidity of change and the speed with which new situations are created follow the heedless pace of man rather than the deliberate pace of nature. Radiation is no longer the bombardment of cosmic rays; it is now the unnatural creation of man’s tampering with the atom. The chemicals to which life is asked to make adjustments are no longer merely calcium and silica and copper and all the rest of the minerals washed out of the rocks and carried in the rivers to the sea; they are the synthetic creations of man’s inventive mind, brewed in his laboratories, and having no counterparts in nature.
(a) One the basis of your understanding of the above passage make notes on it using headings and sub-headings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever necessary-minimum four) and a format you consider suitable. Also supply a title to it. [5]
Answer:
(a)
THE DEGRADATION OF ENVIRONMENT
I. Contamination of the environment.
1. Pollution is for most part irrevocable
i. Initiates an irreversible chain of evil.
2. Chemicals are the sinister partners of radiation
i. Radiations released through nuclear exp.
ii. Comes to Earth in F. O. rain.
iii. Enters the body of humans and remain till death.
3. Chemical & lying in soil
i. Passes from one to another in F. C.
ii. kills veg.’ sickens cattle etc.
II. Establishment of life on earth.
1. Took hundreds of millions of yrs.
2. The env. contained elements that were hostile and supporting.
III. Changes in life on earth
1. Life has adj. and reached balance.
2. i. Time is essential but modem world has no time.
3. The heedless pace of man
i. Radiation no longer the bombardment of cosmic rays.
ii. The chemicals are no longer natural.
iii. They have tinned out to be synthetic.
Key:
| (i) | exp. – | explosions |
| (ii) | F.O. – | form of |
| (iii) | F.C. – | food chain |
| (iv) | veg. – | vegetation |
| (v) | yrs. – | years |
| (vi) | env. – | environment |
| (vii) | adj. – | adjusted |
(b) Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words. [3]
Answer:
SUMMARY
The above passage tells us about the degradation of environment since the human life has evolved on this planet. The chain of evil initiated by pollution is for the most part, irreversible and irrevocable. The various chemicals that come to the Earth in the form of rain and are sprayed in the soil get transferred through the food chain and remain there till the death of the host organisms. The modem world does not have much time to spare as it is well-adjusted and balanced. But the rapidity in change follows the heedless pace of man rather than the deliberate pace of nature. The radiations and chemicals are no longer natural but, rather synthetic or man-made.
Section – B
(WRITING SKILLS) 30
Question 4.
Your friend, PV. Sathish, has invited you to attend the wedding of his sister, Jaya. You find that you have an important paper of pre-board examination on the day of the wedding. Thus you cannot attend the event. Write in about 50 words a formal reply to the invitation expressing your regret. You are Puneet/Puneeta Vij, M-114, Fort Road, Chennai. [4]
OR
You are Vikram/Sonia, an electronics engineer, who has recently returned from the U.S., and are looking for a suitable job in the IT industry. Draft an advertisement in about 50 words for the Situations Wanted column of a national newspaper. Your contact number is 9193010203.
Answer:
M-114
Fort Road
Chennai
14 May 20XX
Subject: Reply to the invitation of the wedding
Dear Sathish,
Thank you for your kind invitation for the wedding of your sister Jaya. I am sorry to say that I shall not be able to attend the wedding as I have to appear in an important Pre-Board exam on the same day. I wish her all the best for the future.
Congratulations
With warm regards
Puneet/Puneeta.
OR
| SITUATION WANTED B.E. (Electronical Engineer), topper of university with a rich experience of working in the U.S., seeking a job in. or around Mumbai in the IT industry. Familiar with Java and C++. Expected salary 1 lac p.m. Contact : Vikram/Sonia, 342, Dadar Mumbai. Contact No. 9193010203 |
Question 5.
Mountview Public School, Kalka is run by an NGO to give quality education to the children of the deprived sections of society. The Principal of the school feels that blackboards in the classrooms need to be replaced. She decides to ask the chairperson of the NGO named, ‘Education for All’ for funds. Write her letter in 120-150 words. Her name is Shweta Pandit. [6]
OR
National Book Trust organised a week-long book fair at Anna Grounds, Chennai. You visited the fair and bought a few books, You were pleased with the arrangements, enthusiasm of the visitors and the fact that books have not yet lost their relevance in the world of the Internet. Write a letter in 120-150 words to the editor of a local newspaper to express your feelings. You are Lalit/Latha, 112, Mount Road, Chennai.
Answer:
Mountview Public School
Kalka
6 May 20XX
The Chairperson
Education for All
New Delhi.
Subject : Replacement of Blackboards in classrooms
Sir,
Through this letter, I want to bring to your notice that the condition of the blackboards in the classrooms are very pathetic. Students are not able to read what is written on them properly. Hence, lessons in classrooms are not unders tood by the students effectively and quality teaching is hampered. Keeping in mind the inconvenience caused to the students, I request you to get them replaced. There are 25 classrooms in the school, so there is a need for 25 blackboards.
It will be very kind of you to do this before the commencement of the session.
Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Shweta Pandit
OR
112, Mount Road
Chennai
6 May 20XX
The Editor
The Hindustan Times
Chennai
Subject: Visit to the book fair
Sir,
Through the column of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to share my pleasant feelings of visiting the book fair at Anna Grounds.
I, along with my friends went to the book fair and was thrilled and overjoyed to find among so many books that I love. There were many stalls with books on different subjects. There was a rich collection of English Literature which I was looking forward to. The arrangement was superb. Though there was a big crowd of people, we could move around and search books of our interest smoothly. There was a lot of enthusiasm as well as discipline among the visitors. What was amazing is the fact that books have not yet lost their relevance in the world of internet. I bought a few books. It was a thrilling experience. I am looking forward to visit the fair again.
Yours truly
Lalit.
Question 6.
Every teenager has a dream to achieve something in life. What they are going to become tomorrow depends on what our youth dream today. Write an article in 150-200 words on ‘What I want to be in life’. You are Simranjit/Smita. [10]
OR
History Society of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Krishna Nagar sent a group of students to visit a place of historical interest. You, Anant/Anita, were its leader. Write a report in 150-200 words for the school newsletter on the tour, describing the place, its history, how you reached there and all that you have learnt.
Answer :
WHAT I WANT TO BE IN LIFE
By Simranjit/Smita
Ten years down the line, we will be reading books and admiring the people associated with them. I developed a habit of reading books and as a result, I happened to read about Kalpana Chawla, a girl from a small town, who touched the skies. In her message to the college students of Chandigarh, she said that it is always neccessary to realise one’s dream. One could get success provided he had the vision and the courage.
This germinated the seed of dream in my mind and I also aspired to soar high and achieve something big. Her struggles and achievements gave me courage to nurture my dream. I want to go into the fashion industry. I doubt whether my parents would approve my idea or not. But I have decided not to give up on my dream for any wrong reasons. I enjoy watching fashion shows and designing clothes. I am also very good at fine arts. It is my passion. I visualise myself as the most successful fashion designer in the future, designing dresses for the biggest celebrities. So, I will work hard to achieve it.
OR
A VISIT TO THE TAJ MAHAL
By Anant/Anit
I, along with a group of ten students, visited the Taj Mahal last week. It was a trip of five days organised by the History Society of our school. It was done to enhance students’ interest in History and historical places.
The place was a unique marvel. Shah Jahan gave India the gift that no one has given ever. His profuse love for his wife gave birth to his eternal beauty. Its captivating charm left us stunned. More than being the wonder of the world, it is a brand. It is built on emotion and drenched in it. It is the undying marble refusing to lose its shine. Rarest talent and unrestricted investment went into the making of it.
Its stunning symmetry and enticing inlay makes every Indian proud.
When the President of USA, Bill Clinton visited the Taj Mahal in the year 2000, he was spell bounded by its beauty. After visiting the Taj Mahal, he said that there are two types of people in the world-those who saw the Taj Mahal and those who didn’t. It’s immensely beautiful and that’s why it is reckoned as one of the seven wonders of the world.
Question 7.
Holi is a festival of colours. It expresses pure and simple joy. Sometimes, we start throwing coloured water and that too on strangers. As the Head boy/girl of your school write a speech in 150-200 words that you will deliver in the morning assembly of your school, describing why Holi is played and how it should be played.
[10]
OR
“It is cruel to put stray dogs to sleep.” Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the motion.
Answer:
HOLI
Good Morning respected teachers and my dear friends.
Today, I am here to share my views on why Holi is played and how it should be played. Holi is a festival of colours. It is celebrated every year on a full-moon day in the month of March. It is also known as the festival of love, joy, happiness, unity, renewal and triumph. We celebrate it with vibrant colours indicating joy and happiness. There is a great reason, belief and significance behind celebrating this festival.
Long ago, there was a king Hiranyakashyap; he had a sister, Holika and a son, Prahlad. Prahlad was devoted to God. He was a holy spirit. His father, however, was keen on having everyone worship him. But, his son Prahlad did not worship him. He kept worshipping God. This enraged the king and he planned to kill him by burning him. He asked his sister to sit in the fire with Prahlad in her lap. Holika had a boon that fire could not harm her. So, she was ready to do so. But she died in the fire and Prahlad was saved by the Lord. This originated the celebration of Holi.
So, we should celebrate Holi to spread joy and happiness, to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. We can enjoy the day by playing with colours, meeting near and dear ones and having lots of fun throughout the day safely.
Thank you.
OR
IT IS CRUEL TO PUT STRAY DOGS TO SLEEP
Honourable Chairperson, members of the Jury and my dear friends. I am Pulkit and I am here to speak for the motion “It is cruel to put stray dogs to sleep.”
It is rather perplexing to see humans torturing the poor and silent souls and putting them to permanent sleep. Is it because they cannot speak; express their pain and suffering ?
I want to ask who gives this right to them ? In fact, every living being has the right to survive on this planet. God has granted us the wisdom, but we steep down so low that we kill another living creature, that too for sheer pleasure. Is putting someone to sleep a pleasure ? It is a shameful thing. Such an act on our part is heinous and all living beings have the right to breathe in the open air.
Instead of killing them, we should find a different solution and relocate them to a place where stray dogs could be put together without causing anyone any problems. Dogs are very faithful and loyal by nature. If we take care of them, they respond very lovingly in their own manner. Putting them to sleep, either out of fear or out of joy, is not a sensible thing. It is high time that we take it seriously and punish the offenders adequately.
Section – C
(LITERATURE : TEXTBOOKS AND LONG READING TEXT) 40
Question 8.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow : [1 × 4 =4]
At back of the dim class
One unnoted, sweet and young. His eyes live in a dream,
Of squirrel’s game, in tree room, other than this.
(a) Why is the class dim ?
(b) How is the young child different from others?
(c) What is he doing ?
(d) What is a tree room ?
OR
Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her wool Find even the ivory, needle hard to pull.
The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand.
(a) What is Aunt Jennifer doing with her wool?
(b) Why does she find it difficult to pull her ivory needle ?
(c) What does ‘wedding band’ stand for ?
(d) Describe the irony in the third line.
Answer:
(a) The class is not maintained properly. It is dim-lighted and ill-equipped.
(b) The young child is not sad or morbid like the other children.
(c) He is lost in his dreams of having a bright future.
(d) A tree room is the hiding place of the squirrel in the hollow of a tree trunk.
OR
(a) Aunt Jennifer is weaving the image of tigers with her wool.
(b) She finds it difficult to pull the ivory needle through the tapestry more because of mental suppression by her husband than because of her physical weakness.
(c) Wedding band stands for male authority and power. She is trapped in gender oppression and feels burdened by the authority of her husband which is represented by her wedding band.
(d) The irony is that the wedding band might be small and light but it has burdened her spirit. She seems to have lost her identity under its weight.
Question 9.
Answer any four of the following questions in 30-40 words each: [3 × 4 =12]
(a) Why were some elderly persons occupying the back benches that day ?
Answer:
(a) After the announcement that German was to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine, the elderly people came to the school that day to attend the last French lesson.They, perhaps, wanted to thank M. Hamel for his valuable service of teaching, and it was also to pay homage to their country that was not theirs anymore.
(b) WhydidJansiediscourageSophiefromhaving dreams ?
Answer:
Jansie discourages Sophie from dreaming because dreams are wild and unachievable. She feels that it is Sophie’s immaturity, trying to pursue such dreams as they can lead her astray.
(c) Having looked at her mother, why does Kamala Das look at the young children ?
Kamala Das looks at the young children as they are in contrast to her mother’s pale and old face. They are full of life, energy and vitality.
(d) How would keeping quiet affect life in and around the sea ?
Answer:
The fishermen cause harm to the whales and the men at sea hurt their hands in their effort to gather salt. Stopping these activities will allow whales to live a wholesome life without any fear of being trapped and it will bring peace, healing and tranquility to the lives of men at sea.
(e) Why did the Maharaja decide to get married?
Answer:
The Maharaja decided to get married because he had to kill 30 more tigers to complete his tally of a hundred tigers. So, he wanted to marry a girl in the royal family of a state with a large tiger population.
(f) What is mother Skunk’s role in the story ?
Answer:
Mother Skunk’s role in the story is to keep a balance. Her act indicates that what is natural is not ungraceful. Taking any deviation is the violation of nature. Moreover, parents are quite well known about what is best for their children.
Question 10.
Answer the following question in 120-150 words :
“For the children it is wrapped in wonder, for the elders it is a means of survival.” What kind of life do the rag-pickers of Seemapuri lead ?
OR
The peddler believed that the whole world is a rattrap. How did he himself get caught in the same ? [6]
Answer:
The childern of slums like Seemapuri are the offsprings of homeless ragpickers. As they live in poverty and hunger, they start picking rags at an early age. They grow up in shifting shacks, without drainage or running water. For elders, garbage is a means of survival but for children, it has surprises. Finding a coin or a currency note by chance, thrills them. This profession gives them a roof over their heads, even if it leaks.
OR
The peddler believed that the whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. It baited people in the form of riches and joys. The peddler could not make ends meet, so he had to indulge into begging and petty theft. As he got lured by the bait of thirty kronors, the world closed in on him and trapped him. He got lost in the forest. At that moment, he realised that his end was near.
Question 11.
Answer the following question in 120-150 words: [6]
In India, the so-called lower castes have been treated cruelly for a long time. Who advised Bama to fight, when and how, against this prejudice ?
OR
To choose between professional loyalty and patriotism was a dilemma for Dr. Sadao. How did he succeed in betraying neither ?
Answer:
Bama’s brother Annan advised her to fight against the prejudice. One when Bama saw an elder person holding the packet of food with its string without touching its content, she narrated the incident to her brother who told her that the person she saw, belonged to their community which doesn’t get respect or honour. He asked Bama to study hard in order to prosper in life and shed all indignities as only then could lower caste community earn the honour and respect that it deserved.
OR
Dr. Sadao succeeded as a doctor as well as a true citizen. As a doctor, he took the enemy home and treated him. He even did an operation and gave a post-operative treatment to the prisoner. He did all this amidst the opposition of his servants and a risk of arrest. But as a patriot, he informed the General about the whole incident and did not allow himself to get emotionally involved with the prisoner.
Question 12.
Answer the following question in 120-150 words :** [6]
Attempt a character sketch of Dr. Kemp as a law-abiding citizen.
OR
Lammeter sisters have money but not class or education. What do you think about them ?
Question 13.
Attempt the following question in 120-150 words : ** [6]
Why and how did Griffin burglarise the vicarage ?
OR
How did Silas’ treatment of Sally Oates affect his life at Raveloe ?
CBSE Previous Year Question Papers Class 12 English 2017 Outside Delhi Set – II
Note : Except for the following questions, all the remanining questions have been asked in previous sets.
Section – B
(WRITING SKILLS)
Question 4.
The Principal, Sunshine Public School, Dindigul has invited the Inspector of Police (Traffic) to deliver a lecture on ‘Road Safety in her school. Draft a notice in about 50 words informing the students to assemble in the school auditorium. [4]
OR
Publicly we proclaim that dowry is an evil. Privately we want our sons to fetch good dowries. Right from our school days we should be taught that demanding and even giving dowry is not only illegal but immoral too. Draw a poster in about 50 words highlighting dowry as a curse. You are Vikram/Sonia.
Answer:
|
SUNSHINE PUBLIC SCHOOL, DINDIGUL 10th MAY, 20XX ROAD SAFETY A lecture on ‘Road Safety’ has been organised by the school. It will by delivered by the Inspector of Police (traffic) on 20th May, 20XX at 9:00 AM. All the students have to assemble in the school auditorium. |
OR
Question 5.
There is a senior secondary school running right in the middle of Manu Vihar, a middle class colony full of housing society flats. In the morning as well as in the afternoon, the road passing in front of the school is congested with school buses, mini buses, private cars, etc. Write a letter in 120-150 words to the Dy. Commissioner (Traffic) to provide at least two traffic police constables to regulate the traffic. You are Gautam/Gita, A-21. Akashdeep Apartments, Manu Vihar, Delhi. [6]
OR
Sunshine Public School, Pune requires two sports coaches (one male and one female). Each should be a degree holder in physical education as well as an SAI certified coach in athletics. You have seen their advertisement and you know that you have these qualifications. Write an application in 120-150 words along with your resume. You are Praveen/Praveena, M-114, Najafgarh. Delhi.
Answer:
A-21
Akashdeep Apartments
Manu Vihar
Delhi
6 May 20XX
The Deputy Commissioner
Traffic Police
Gole Market
New Delhi
Subject: Monitoring the traffic
Sir,
Our colony is full of housing society flats. I want to bring to your notice the inconvenience caused to the common man due to traffic jam in the area. There is a senior secondary school running right in the middle of Manu Vihar. In the morning as well as in the afternoon, the road passing in front of the school is congested with school buses, mini buses and private cars. At that time, it gets difficult to pass through the road. Nobody cares for the traffic signal.
Much of this nuisance will be dealt with if a traffic police officer is there at that time. It will be so kind of you if you could provide at least two traffic police constables to regulate the traffic during the morning and the afternoon hours. Thank you
Yours sincerely
Gautam/Gita
OR
M-114
Najafgarh
Delhi
10 May 20XX
The Principal
Sunshine Public School
Pune
Subject : Application for the job of a sports coach.
Sir,
This is with reference to your advertisement in The Times of India, dated 2nd May, 20XX, for the job of a sports coach.
I am, at present, working in a private school in Delhi. Since my family is stationed in Pune, I want to shift to the city. Hence, I am looking for a job in Pune.
I have 3 years of experience and can assure you of my best services, if given a chance.
I am enclosing my resume for your perusal.
Yours faithfully
Praveen/Praveena
Encl. Resume
RESUME
Question 7.
After the rainy season is over, mosquitoes start breeding. They cause malaria, dengue, chikungunya, etc. These diseases can sometimes prove to be fatal. As the Principal of your school, you have decided to deliver a speech on protection from mosquitoes. Write that speech in 150-200 words. [10]
OR
“A career counsellor (not you, yourself) is the best person to guide you in the choice of a career.” Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the motion.
Answer:
PROTECTION FROM MOSQUITOES
Good morning dear students, today I want to make you aware of the outspread of malaria, chikungunya and dengue. These may take a great toll on health if precautions are not taken. So, it is pertinent on our part, that we save ourselves by keeping the mosquitoes away.
For this, we should not allow water to stagnate at a place that becomes a breeding place for mosquitoes. We should be very alert and cautious to make sure that water is removed from our coolers, pots and from other such areas where there is a likelihood of water to stagnate. We should spray insecticides, use mosquito nets or repellents at night. We should also cover our bodies properly to avoid mosquito bites. Thus, we can avert the dengue, malaria and chikungunya menace by putting a very little effort on our part. In case, we feel any symptoms of the fever, we must immediately consult the doctor.
OR
Honourable Chairperson, Members of Jury and my dear friends, I am Pulkit and I am here to speak for the motion “A career counsellor is the best person to guide you in the choice of a career.”
The world is changing at a fast pace. New avenues are coming up; but how the young children can be made aware of the opportunities For students, it is their moulding period. They focus mainly on studies. But not all students are bright academically and it does not mean that they can’t do anything. They might be gifted with another type of talent or skill like : music, atheletics, visual intelligence. The good thing in it is that there are good opportunities out in the world for such talent. A Career Counseller works as a guide to help them to understand and utilise those opportunities. Finding their worth, recognising their interests and choosing the right career path for themselves becomes too much of a burden for the students. So, the role of a career counsellor is to help them to find and acknowledge the area of their interest and guide them to the right career options. They provide career mapping support and motivation to the students and help to boost their morale. So, let us not be a parasite on the society. Let us make an intelligent and professional move and step ahead in the right direction with the help of those who are more aware and informed.
Section – C
(LITERATURE: TEXT BOOKS AND LONG READING TEXT)
Question 9.
Answer any four of the following questions in 30-40 words each : [3 × 4 = 12]
(a) “What a thunderclap these words were to me!” (Franz). What were those words and what was their effect on Franz?
Answer:
(a) Franz was thunderstruck when Mr. Hamel announced that French will not be taught any longer. He was there to teach his last lesson of French that day. They had received orders from Berlin that teaching French was being barred. Franz felt very sorry for not learning his French lessons. He felt very sad.
(b) Why did Douglas fail to come to the surface of the pool as he hoped to ?
Answer:
Douglas failed to come to the surface of the pool because when he reached the bottom, he felt his lungs were ready to burst. He tried to spring up, but came up slowly. He could see and feel nothing but water. He felt too suffocated. Fear gripped him and his legs seemed to have been paralyzed. Before he knew it, he was sinking back to the bottom.
(c) What was Kamala Das’s childhood fear ?
Answer:
Since her childhood, Kamala Das had a fear that she would lose her mother in some way or the other or she would be separated from her. Now that her mother was sixty-six years old and had a deteriorating health, the poet’s fear returned with an even greater intensity.
(d) How is the Earth a source of life when all seems dead on it ?
Answer:
When everyting seems to be dead, the Earth still remains alive. Stillness cannot be confused with total inactivity. The seed that lie dormant through the winters, come to life in the spring season. So, there is a life under apparent stillness.
(e) How does Mr. Lamb react when Derry enters his garden?
Answer:
Derry enters Mr. Lamb’s garden by climbing over the wall. When Mr. Lamb saw him entering his garden, he was startled, derry tried to explain that he didn’t intend to steal anything, but Mr. Lamb welcomed derry instead of getting angry and treated him as his friend. He also asked him to pick up the apples lying in the long grass.
(f) Which problem did the Maharaja face when he had killed seventy tigers ? How did he solve it ?
Answer :
After killing seventy tigers, the Maharaja found that the tigers had become extinct in his kingdom and thirty tigers were still remained to be killed. So, he decided to marry a girl in the royal family of a state which has a large tiger population.
CBSE Previous Year Question Papers Class 12 English 2017 Outside Delhi Set – III
Note : Except for the following questions, all the remanining questions have been asked in previous sets.
Section – B
(WRITING SKILLS)
Question 6.
To have a fair complexion is an obsession in our society. Demand for fair brides in matrimonial columns and sale of fairness creams are evidence enough. Write article in 150-200 words giving your view, on ‘Beautiful mind, better than a fair complexion.’ You are Natwar/ Nimmi. Use the following clues : [10]
- The west, people like to be tanned
- Fair complexion, only skin deep
- Beautiful mind
- Attiude to life
- Behaviour in society, etc.
OR
Your school is situated near a road intersection. Last week, in the morning, a bus coming at a great speed overturned when it braked suddenly. Senior students of your school rushed out and did everything to save the passengers. You were part of the rescue efforts. Write a report in 150-200 words on the accident and your friends’ role, for your school newsletter. You are George/Mary.
Answer:
BEAUTIFUL MIND, BETTER THAN A FAIR COMPLEXION
By Natwar/Nimmi
Beauty is not in the face but is a light in the heart. There is much difference between looking beautiful and feeling beautiful. Fair complexion is about visual and superficial beauty Complexion preference varies from person to person, for intstance, people in the west like to get tanned voluntarily., The term ’beauty’ refers to the inner beauty. Inner beauty is based on personality traits such as attitude and behaviour.
But, demand for brides in matrimonial columns and sale of fairness creams make it clear that to have a fair complexion is an obsession in our society. There is a clear discrimination being carried out across our country and society. It is shocking that such trend is not only ruling our mind but is being shamelessly marketed across our TV screens as well.
Our real progress will occur when we get rid of such racist mindset within the general masses of our society.
OR
A GHASTLY BUS ACCIDENT
By George/Mary
Death and disasters come uninvited. They have no time-table. Last week, dated 6th May, 20XX. I was at my school gate in the morning when I heard a loud screeching of brakes. A blue line bus was approaching at a dangerously fast speed while the students of our school were crossing the road intersection. The bus was moving so rapidly that the driver could not stop it and it overturned when he applied the brakes suddenly. The scene became a havoc. Passengers were badly injured. Some senior students and I rushed out and tried to save the passengers. The bus driver fled from the scene. There were people with multiple fractures and injuries. Many people came to help. Injured people were rushed to Safdar Jung Hospital where as two people died on the spot. It was a tragic sight. Rash driving of a driver took away the lives of the innocent people. I wonder how long will this recklessness continue!
Section – C
(LITERATURE: TEXT BOOKS AND LONG READING TEXT)
Question 9.
Answer any four of the following questions in 30-40 words each : [3 × 4 = 12]
(a) How were the parents and M. Hamel responsible for the children’s neglect of the French language ?
Answer:
M. Hamel feels that the parents and he himself are responsible for the children’s neglect of the French language. Parents preferred to have their children work on their farms or in the mills. Even Hamel used to send the children on petty errands for his convenience or would dismiss the classes when he wanted to go fishing, thus, making them miss their lessons of french language.
(b) How did Douglas’ introduction to YMCA pool revive his childhood fear of water ?
Answer:
The YMCA pool revived unpleasant memories of Douglas’ childhood. He recollected the experience on the beach in California when he was three or four years old. He remembered how waves overpowered him despite his father’s presence. He had nearly drowned and felt his limbs got paralysed. But, he was determined to learn swimming. So, he decided to learn it by imitating.
(c) In the last line of the poem, ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’, why does the poet use the word ‘smile’ repeatedly ?
Answer:
The poet uses the word smile repeatedly to cover up her pain and fear of losing her mother. She tries to put on a brave front by hiding her fear behind a smile.
(d) How is total inactivity on the Earth in the winter months full of life ?
Answer:
Total inactivity on Earth does not mean that everything is dead. The Earth is still alive. Life goes on as usual. The seeds that lie dormant through winter come to life in the spring. So, there is a life under apparent stillness.
(e) When did the Maharaja decide to double the land tax for a village ?
Answer:
The Maharaja decided to double the land tax for a village when he was not able to locate the tiger in the forest suggested by the villagers. This had infuriated and frustrated the Maharaja as he was just left with one more tiger fio complete his target of killing hundred of them, but he missed it.
(f) What kind of garden does Mr. Lamb have ? Why does he like it ?
Answer:
Mr. Lamb’s gk. len is a place where there is an occasional round of birdsongs and rustling of tree leaves. There are crab apple trees and Mr. v Lamb shares the apples with the children who come t^his garden. His philosophy is to love all the creatures of God so he likes his garden as it gives him a chance to be in contact with the nature and people
Question 13.
Attempt the following question in 120-150 words : ** [6]
Describe the circumstances that led to the unveiling of Griffin’s invisibility.
OR
How did Dunstan Cass meet his end ?
