SUBJECT-ENGLISH CORE

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN

GURGAON REGION

Chief Patron

Shri Avinash Dikshit

Commissioner

Patron

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan

Mani

Co-Ordinator

Shri C

Deputy Commissioner
Sangathan

Kendriya Vidyalaya

Gurgaon Region
Shri B.L.Morodia
Assistant Commissioner
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan
Gurgaon Region
Advisors
Shri C S Azad
Sharma
Assistant Commissioner
Commissioner
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan
Vidyalaya Sangathan
Gurgaon Region
Region

Shri A K
Assistant
Kendriya
Gurgaon

Study Material Produced under the

supervision of
Mrs. Dolly Gulati Agnihotri
Principal
KV No 1 Faridabad
Team Members
Mrs Amita Kohli ,PGT English, KV No 1
Faridabad(Support Material Co Ordinator
and Moderator)
Mrs Seema Sharma,PGT English, KV No 3
Faridabad
Mrs Nisha Garg, ,PGT English, KV No 2
Faridabad
Mrs Anita Kohli,PGT English, KV Sector 12
Dwarka
Mrs Neetu Saraswat PGT English, KV AFS
Gurgaon
Mrs Manisha,PGT English, KV Sector 8,II
shift ,Rohini
Mr Ramesh Chander , PGT English ,PGT
English, KV Sector 5 Dwarka

Mr Narendra,PGT English, KV Palwal

Mrs Suprabha Vaid,PGT English, KV Sector
3 Dwarka

This is a purely educational publication with no commercial interests.

FOREWORD
It gives me immense pleasure to place the Class XII English
study material 2014-15 in your hands. A lot of hard work
with great dedication & perseverance has been put into
preparing this material so that the users are able to get it in
good time & are able to make optimum use of it.
I would like the students & teachers to go through this
material word by word & practice it thoroughly to score well
in the board exams. I would advise the teachers & the
students to go through the latest exam specifications 201415 very carefully as there is a change in the question paper
pattern, weightage to units/ sections etc.
This material has been prepared by a team of Principal &
experienced teachers of English from KVs of Gurgaon Region
& I hope the students will make best use of it. Four Sample
Papers and one with marking scheme and blueprint has
been included in the material. Also every section includes
some solved questions for the guidance of the students
Any suggestions are most welcome.

C Mani
Deputy Commissioner
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan

Gurgaon Region

Table of Contents
Examination Specifications
Tips to score better
Section A-Reading Unseen passages and Note
making
Section B-Advanced Writing Skills
Section C- Literature Textbooks and Long
Reading Text
Flamingo
Vistas
The Invisible Man
Question Bank on Section C
Four Sample Papers(One with marking Scheme
and Blue print)
CBSE 2013-14 Question Paper (All India)
CBSE 2013-14 Question Paper (Delhi)

Examination Specifications
ENGLISH CORE
CLASS - XII

SECTION A
Reading Comprehension
30 Marks

Reading Unseen Passages and Note making

Two unseen passages with a variety of very short answer or MCQ

questions to test comprehension, interpretation and inference.
Vocabulary such as word formation and inference of meaning will also
be tested.
The total length of the two passages will be between 1100 - 1200
words. The passage will include two of the following:
a. Factual passages, e.g., instructions, descriptions, reports.
b. Descriptive passages involving opinion, e.g., argumentative,
persuasive or interpretative text.
c. Literary passages, e.g., extract from fiction, drama, poetry, essay or
biography. A poem could be of 28-35 lines.
The passages can be literary, factual or discursive to test
comprehensions. The length of one passage should
be between 600-700 words.
A third passage of 400-500 words for note-making and abstraction.
SECTION B
Writing Skills
30 Marks
Short Answer Questions, e.g., advertisement and notices,
designing or drafting posters, writing formal
and informal invitations and replies.
Long Answer Questions: Letters based on verbal / visual input.
Letter types include
Business or official letters (for making enquiries, registering
complaints, asking for and giving information,
placing orders and sending replies)
Letters to the editor (giving suggestions on an issue or opinion on
issue on public interest
Application for a job
Very Long Answer Questions: Two compositions based on visual
and/or verbal Output may be
descriptive or argumentative in nature such as an article, a debate or
a speech.
SECTION C
Literature Textbooks and Long
Reading Text
40 Marks
Flamingo and Vistas
Very Short Answer Questions - Based on an extract from poetry to
test comprehension and
appreciation.
Short Answer Questions - Based on prose and poetry from both
the texts.
Long Answer Question - Based on texts to test global

comprehension and extrapolation beyond

the texts to bring out the key messages
and values.
Long Answer Question - Based on texts to test global
comprehension along with analysis and extrapolation.
Long Answer Question - Based on theme, plot and incidents from
the prescribed novels.
Long Answer Question - Based on understanding appreciation,
analysis and interpretation of the
character sketch.
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
Note: Long answer questions based on values can be given in the
writing section or in the literature section.
Names of the lessons deleted
Flamingo 1. Poets and Pancakes
2. The Interview
3. A Road Ride Stand (Poetry)
Vistas
4. The Third Level
5. Journey to the End of the Earth
Long Reading Text / Novel The INVISIBLE MAN

Tips for good preparation

Or
Tips to score well
The following steps might help:
A1- Reading Comprehension

To develop reading skills ,start on short and easy passages

Read the passage thoroughly

Read the Questions; find the answer in the passages

Guess the words nearest to the meaning while attempting vocabulary

in the context of the passages. If in doubt, leave one line space, go on
the next question and come back to the question after attempting all
the question.

Remember that you can score well in the reading question if you do a
lot of extra- unseen reading

A2- Note Mating

This seems to be difficult but is not

A scoring question

Read the passage carefully

Note down the keywords and phrases paragraph wire in rough

Do not uses complete sentences; use points only.

Each idea must have one main point and required sub-point

Do not give examples and quotations

Give key / glossary of the abbreviations used (6-10)

Clue to the title can be taken from the beginning of the passage

Title should be short not more than 6 words

Summary must not exceed 80 words and must be based on the notes
made.
The notes should be numbered and indented.
Remember note mating has 4 value points (title notes, glossary,
summary)

B3- Short compositions

Classified advertisements

Clearly state the category at the top- e.g. - for sale , to let etc

Give all necessary details in point using commas

Give contact address, name, and telephone number.

Put the matter in a box

Display advertisement

Give a catchy caption

Present the matter attractively using slogans, metaphors and catchy

phrases.
Give name and address of the advertiser

Put the mattes in a box

Notice

Use the word NOTICE followed by name of organization /institute

Give a suitable caption

Give the required information briefly

Context- what (event), when (date, time), where (venue)

End with signature and designation.

Posters
Use a catchy presentation
Write relevant slogans and catchy phrases (min. 4)
Give appropriate visual appeal
Give important information (e.g. venue, date, time, occasion, purpose)
Use different sizes of letters and different placing

Draw simple sketches if you can

Mention issuing authority at the end with address, telephone number,
website etc.
Present the matter in the box.
Invitation

Start with name, designation and address of the host

Give details about the function (date, time, venue and chief guest )

Write RSVP on the left hand corner bottom

Use a single sentence , third person pronoun, formal language

Informal invitation begin with you are cordially invited to .. (date,

time, place etc) . The language to be warm and personal

Replies may also follow the same pattern

B4 Factual Description

Could be description of a building (location, appearance, interiors,

surroundings etc.)

Use interesting and descriptive words.

Could be on description of objects (appearance, parts, function etc)

Could be eye witness accounts

Could be describing a process or an experiment

B-5 Letter Writing

Types of letters
Business letters
1.Official letter
2.Making enquiries
3.Placing orders
4.Complaints

Letter to the editor

1. Discussing
problems,
Social issues and
giving suggestions

Application for job

1.covering letter to
apply for a job
2. curriculum vitae/
resume

Tips

Make a rough draft

Use crisp and to the point language

Include necessary details

Always end letter on a positive note

Curriculum vitae should include name, fathers name ,date of birth,

qualifications, sex, marital status, nationality, contact address and
telephone number , e-mail id , and most importantly two references

B6- Writing an article/speech/debate

Follow the coder which means

C = collect ideas

O = organize them sequentially and logically

D = develop into a rough draft

E = edit for errors in expression

R = rewrite neatly

Give a title for the article followed by the writers name

Adders the audience in speech and debate sub satiating your opinion
clearly
Arrange in paragraphs

Literature Section

Be thorough with the texts.

Use key words and phrases from the text.

For this section each lesson of both books been dealt with at great length
in study material.

Students should not miss working out the short answer and long answer
question which are given for practice.

Repeated reading of chapters will help in fixing all in details students

memory.

Write value points for the long answer question so that not much time is
wasted in bringing to mind the main points.

Stick to the word limit.

Time management is must. Manage time well. Practice minimum 4
model papers and complete them in three hours each.

READING SECTION

Guidelines for Reading Comprehension:-Comprehension means understanding or perception. Reading is a skill that can be
acquired. Anyone can learn to read better and faster and thereby comprehend in lesser
time.
Rather than concentrating on words on the page, look for the main ideas. Follow the main
thread of the ideas consciously at a fast pace. Try to comprehend the development of
thought. Minor details can be avoided.
The following points are to be carefully noted. While attempting questions on
comprehension
1) Read the questions first and try to catch the theme of the passage.
2) In FIRST READING go through the passage carefully and mark the difficult words
3) Word attack strategy:(i) remove prefix or suffix and try to reach to the core word
(ii) Read one or two lines ahead or preceding the words to guess the meaning
contractually
4) Read questions again
5) In SECOND READING-mark the areas where you can locate the answer of the
questions
6) In THIRD READING-mould your answers using simple language
7) Answer should reveal your understanding of the passage
8) Answer should be brief and to the point. Avoid irrelevant material.
There are many possible sources of reading texts.books aimed specifically at a teenage
audience are particularly suitable and you may find useful ones in your school library.
Here are some suggestions for other places to look.
Factual texts reference books tourist brochures, newspapers
Discursive texts---magazines as Newsweek
Literary texts---novels and magazines

SOLVED PASSAGE
1. Read the following passage carefully :
The titanic, in its watery grave, is a great museum of human history and is at
risk of being lost forever because of curious voyagers and treasure hunters,
fears Bob Ballard, who first discovered the remains of the iconic ship in 1985.
Famous for discovering the great ship, Ballard is a former US Navy Officer

and a professor of oceanography.

Titanic is a museum of human history without door and guard. I am deeply
concerned about not only the Titanic but all the ancient history that is now at
risk. If we cannot save this iconic ship, then there is very little hope we can
save ancient ships. The world should realize that you dont have to go down
and take everything and you do not have to do a treasure hunt. This is a
common heritage of all of us and if we really want to take steps to preserve
human history in the ocean, we need to start with Titanic, Ballard said in a
telephonic interview from London.
Ballard, as part of a tie-up, is presenting a documentary called Save the
Titanic on the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the great ship April 15,
1912. The ship and her fate continue to fascinate, largely because of the
horror that took place that night, with 1,522 passengers and crew losing their
lives.
Ballard says that despite being on the ocean floor for 100 years, the ship is full
of human footprints. You will find pairs of shoes everywhere. The sea and
the life below has claimed everything but they do not know what to do with
shoes so you will find a pair of mothers shoes next to her little daughter and
thats their gravestone. At her wreckage, we almost felt that we were
surrounded by the lifeboats of all the people that were in the water at that
spot.
Ballard says that the fate of Titanic continues to fascinate so many years after
it sank because it is irony personified in history. The story has all the
ingredients to make it timelessly fascinating. You have this revolutionary ship
thats unsinkable, and carrying a cross section of people in society. And then,
it goes and hits an iceberg and sinks on its maiden journey. Its an irony
personified in history.
Talking about his discovery, which came after great research and 75 years
later, Ballard, says it was a somber moment went they first spotted the boiler
o the Titanic. In the 90s, advanced technology gave us double diving
capabilities in the Atlantic Ocean. I knew that the Titanic was sitting at almost
12,000 feet. What led me to her discovery was a simple technique that I
followed. We decided to look for the debris trail instead of the ship.
Ballard says the ship, if preserved well and not subjected to constant
submarine journeys, will last for a long time on the Atlantic floor. The deep
sea, because of its darkness, its cold temperatures and its great pressure,

creates a high state of preservation. With a little caution, we can protect the
Titanic for future generations to visit.
Ballard has also connected to the people of Belfast, who refused to talk about
the tragedy The ships construction took place at Belfast. After the tragedy,
families of the workers refused to talk about it because of the shame and
sadness in the loss of life involved.

1.1 on the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the

following questions by choosing the best of the given choices:(a) The Titanic sank on-----------------(i) its 100th anniversary
(ii) 15th April 1912
(iii) an iconic voyage in 1985
(iv) leaving the port of Belfast
(b) the Titanic continues to attract attention
because---------i) it is irony personified in history
(ii) its advanced technology gave double diving
technologies
(iii) it is a treasure hunt
(iv) it is a common need
Ballards
titled--------------------

documentary

on

(i) a museum of human history

(ii)the titanic
(iii) save the Titanic
(iv) 75 years later
1.2 Answer the following question briefly:-

the

Titanic

is

(a) what happened on April 15,1927?

(b) who is bob Ballard and what did he discover?
why does Bob Ballard call it a museum of human
history?
(d) why did the people of Blfast refuse to talk about
Titanic?
(e) what did Bellard do as part of the 100 th anniversary
of the
sinking of the Titanic?
(f) Explain it is irony personified
1.3 Find the words from the passage which mean the same
as:(a) first of its kind
(b) very solemn or serious(para6)

1. a.

ANSWERS

ii) 15 April 1912

b.

i) It is irony personified n history

c./

iii) save the Titanic

2. a.
On April 15,1912 the Titanic ship, on its maiden journey,
hit an iceberg and sank in the Atlantic Ocean As many as 1522
passengers and crew lost their lives on that fateful night.
b.
Bob Ballard is a former US Navy officer and a professor
of oceanography. He first discovered the remains of the Titanic in
1985.

c.
Bob Ballard calls its museum of human history because
it is full of human footprints. At her wreckage one feels
surrounded by the life boats of all the people that were in the
water at that spot.
d.
The Titanic ship was constructed at Belfast. After the
sinking of the ship, the people of Belfast refused to talk about the
tragedy because of the shame and sadness in the loss of life
involved.
e.
Ballard presented a documentary called Save the
Titanic as part of the 100th anniversary of the Titanic.
f.
It means that Titanic which could have proved safest
ironically turned out to be disastrous. It killed 1522 passengers.
History has witnessed and recorded it.
3. i) maiden

ii) somber

Passages for Practice

PASSAGE 1
Everyone knows about super-achieving students. They get high marks, all right, but only
by becoming dull grinds, their noses always stuck in a book. Theyre no good at sports
and failures when it comes to the opposite sex.
How then, do we account for Domenica Roman or Paul Melendres ?
Roman is on the Tennis team at her school. She also sings in the school choir,
serves on the student council and is a member of the Mathematics Society. For two years
she has got top marks in every subject.
Melendres, now a first-year college student, was Student Body President at his
high school. He played soccer and basketball for his school, had his project exhibited at
the schools science fair, was honoured or academic excellence, character and service,
and was the best student in his class.
How do super achievers like Roman and Melendez do it? Brains arent the
only answer. Top grades dont always go to the brightest students, declares a professor
of education. Knowing how to make the most of your innate abilities counts for more.

Infinitely more.
Hard work isnt the whole story, either. Its not how long you sit there with the
books open, said one of the many top students were interviewed. Its what you do while
youre sitting.
The kids at the top of the class get there by mastering a few basic techniques that
others can readily learn. Here, according to education experts and students themselves
are the secrets of high achieving students.
Set priorities :- Top students brook no intrusions on study time. Once the
books are open, phone calls go unanswered, TV shows unwatched, snacks
ignored. Study is business; business comes before recreation.
Study anywhere or everywhere : Claude Olney, a university business
professor assigned to tutor failing college athletes, recalls a cross country
runner who worked out everyday. Olney persuaded him to use the time to
memorize Biology terms. Another student pasted a vocabulary list on the
medicine cabinet. He learnt a new word everyday while brushing his teeth.
Some worked late at night when the house was quiet. Others woke up
early. Still others studied as soon as they came home from the school when
the work was fresh in their minds. All agreed, however, on the need for
consistency. Whatever I was doing, I reserved time everyday for studying,
says college student Ian Macray.
Get organized : In school, Macray took part in athletics, played rugby and
was in the bank and orchestra. I was so busy, I couldnt waste time looking
for a pencil or missing paper. I kept everything right where I could put my
hands on it, he says.
Even students who dont have a private study area remain organized. A
bag or drawer keeps essential supplies together and cuts down on time
wasting searches.
Learn how to read : The best class I ever took, says Christopher Campbell,
was speed-reading. I not only increased my words per minute but also learnt
to look at a books table of contents, graphs and pictures fast. Then, when I
began to read, I had a sense of the material, and I retained a lot more.
The secret of good reading, says an expert, is to be an active reader one
who continually asks questions that lead to a full understanding of the authors
message.
Schedule your time : When a teacher assigns a lot of work, Domenica Roman
draws up a time table, dividing the project into small pieces so it isnt too

overwhelming. Its like eating something, she says. You chew it one bit at
a time.
Of course, even the best students procrastinate sometimes. But when that
happens, they face up to it. Sometimes it comes down to late nights. Still, if
you want top marks, you make sure to keep to deadlines.
Take good notes and use them : Reading the textbooks is important, but the
teacher is going to test you on what he or she emphasized. Thats what you
find in your notes.
The top students also take notes while reading a text assignment. He draws
a line down the centre of a note book, then writes notes from the text on one
side and those from the teachers lecture on the other. This way he is able to
review both aspects of the assignment at once.
Just before the bell rings, most students close their books, put away papers,
whisper to friends and get read to rush out. Anderson uses that few minutes to
write a two or three sentence summary of the lessons principal points, which
she scans before the next days class.
Clean up your act : Neat papers are likely to get higher grades than sloppy
ones. The student who turns in a neat paper, says professor Olney, is
already on the way to a top grade.
Speak up : If I dont understand the principle my teacher is explaining in
economics, I ask him to repeat it, says Christopher Campbell. Class
participation goes beyond merely asking questions, though. Its a matter of
showing intellectual curiosity.
Study together : The value of hitting the books together can show results. On
an average Asian Americans scored higher than students from similar
academic backgrounds. Treisman found that the Asian-Americans discussed
homework problems together, tried different approaches and explained their
solutions to one another.
The others, by contrast, studied alone, spent most of their time reading and
re-reading the text, and tried the same approach time after time even if it
was unsuccessful.
Test yourself : As part of her note-making, Domenica Roman highlights
points she thinks may be covered during exams. Later she frames tentative
test questions based on those points and gives herself a written examination
before test day. If I cant answer the question satisfactorily, I go back and
review, she says.

Do more than youre asked : If her maths teacher assigns five problems,
Christi Anderson does ten. If the world history teacher assigns eight pages
of reading, she reads twelve. Part of learning is practicing, says Anderson.
And the more you practice, the more you learn.
The most important secret of the super-achievers is not so secret. For almost all, the
contribution of their parents was crucial. From infancy, the parents imbued them with a
love for learning. They set high standards for their kids, and held them to those
standards. They encouraged their sons and daughters in their studies but did not do the
work for them. In short, the parents impressed the lessons of responsibility on their kids
and the kids delivered.
Question-Answers
1) What Claude olney used to memorize for biology terms?
2) What is the expert advice on how to read?
3) What are the benefits we get when we are organized?
4) How do the best students meet deadlines?
5) How does the note-taking at the time of classroom teaching help the top students?
6) How does class participation help Christopher compel?
Multiple choice questions:
1) Who is an active reader?
(i)read para 4-5 times
(ii)read slowly
(iii)understanding text while reading
(iv)reading continually and ask question
2)What is the secret of high achieving students?
(i) playing outside
(ii) sit for a long time with book open
(iii) Take good notes and use them
(iv) to avoid group study
3)test yourself shall help the students
(i)in preparing notes
(ii) give written in examination
(iii)revise the notes
(iv)add to his worries
Give antonyms of the following:
1)Innate 2) Intrusion
Passage 2

Upon this barren land

Once stood a great tree
In the once brown rich sand
For mortal eyes to relish and see.
Its leaves were emeralds,

Its fruits were rubies, bright and fair.

Squirrels leaped about as heralds
For the spring that was in the air.
Spring passed and autumn came to dwell.
The trees leaves blushed and fell,
Fluttering in the wind like a ships sail.
But the tree bowed not to the gale.
Winter came and did its worst,
Coated the tree with a shower of snow.
But the tree did not freeze and burst,
It stood to offer perch to the homeless sparrow.
The tree survived natures ravages,
To bloom again in summer.
But came along man the savage;
Hacked it down and called it lumber.
Is it so that man, a creation
Turn upon the Creator and other?
We cut down trees, calling it deforestation
And take trees from Nature their mother and ours
Question-Answers
1)What was the condition of land before becoming barren?
2) How did squirrel react to the spring season?
3) Did the tree bow to the strong wind?
4) flattering in the wind like a ships sail? Explain
5) What happened to the trees in the winter season?
6) What harm does the man cause to the mother earth?
Multiple choice questions:
1)In poem ,man the savage would reflect the image of the human as
(i) polite
(ii) cruel
(iii) angry
(iv) cumber
2) barren land,reflects which stage of mortal people
(i) lifeless
(ii) stage of death
(iii) full of hope of life
(iv) craving for wealth
3) Who proved to be dangerous for the tree
(i) the winter season
(ii) the summer season
(iii) snow
(iv) the man

c)Pick up the words from the paragraphs which meanings are same as the given below :1)Bright green colour
2) Resting of a bird on a branch
Passage 3
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given at the end:-Parsons and Markwardt are the two characters of the story. They are both blind,
but that is where the resemblance ends. Parsons is introduced to us as a gentleman, a
person who is successful in life as he has made it his business to take his handicap as
something which is unavoidable and does not allow it to stand in his way. Parsons is
grateful that he has been given the gift of life and is an insurance agent whereas earlier he
had been nothing more than a skilled labourer.
On the other hand there is Markwardt, who uses his blindness to gain sympathy
from all whom he meets and he turns into a common beggar. Fate brings the two men
together. Markwardt attempts to sell Parsons a cigarette lighter and on being questioned
about the cause of his blindness, he tells Parsons an all too familiar tale.
Markwardt relates the story of an incident which had taken place fourteen years
earlier, a chemical explosion at C shop at the Westbury plant. In this explosion a hundred
and eight people had been killed and two hundred injured. According to Markwardt he
was one of those who had been crawling to safety when another man had climbed on top
of him, hauled him back, trampled him and got out. At this point of the story. Parsons
tells him that the story is true, except for one detail Parsons had been the one who had
been trampled upon by Markwardt.
We now realize the difference between the two men. It is a fact that both are blind,
but it is only Markwardt who does not see and has no eyes. Parsons sees the beauty in
life and thanks God for giving him life. He celebrates the fact that he is alive and makes
use of the faculties he still has. Markwardt is truly blind, wrapped up in his disability,
and self pity, so plagued by his guilt that perhaps he has rationalized the fact that he is the
one to blame for anothers handicap or perhaps death. It appears as though he actually
believes what he is saying. The story has a message for the reader, a message that tells us
to look at life positively and make the most of all Gods blessings.

Answer the following questions briefly:--1) Who was the blind beggar who met mr. Parsons? Describe him
2) Why is it said that mr. Parsons was glad to be alive?
3) How had markwardt got blind?
4) What was the flaw in markwardts story?

5) Who was the man who had no eyes? Give reason for your answer.
MCQ
6) What is parsons opinion towards his life?
(i) guilty
(ii) thankful
(iii) self-pitty
(iv) none
7) What was Markwardt opinion towards his life:
(i) guilty
(ii)self-pitty
(iii) both (i) and (ii)
8)________________blames another for his handicap
(i) Parsons
(ii) Markwardt
iii) beggar

Passage 4
Stress is a disease of modern times. It afflicts people regardless of their situation in life.
Stress is present in the lives of the rich and poor, literature and illiterate, men and women.
Stress is, however, more evident and is probably more widespread in technologically
advanced countries, and is common among higher qualified professionals.
Stress is of various kinds physical emotional and intellectual and it is
characterized by a feeling of being burned: of being unable to cope. At a physical level
modern technology and facilities have actually increased workloads and decreased
relaxation. Mobile phones and laptops have made it easy to carry the office to the home.
Emotional stress increases when there is disharmony and friction in relationships.
Unfortunately the trend today is to take the easy way out people prefer to break away
from relationships rather than repair them.
The answer to stress can be found in the very letters of the word, stress, S stands
for strength : physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. Physical and emotional
weakness leads to irritability. A strong healthy body developed through proper diet,
exercise and pranayama techniques helps reduce stress at the physical level. Love
compassion and friendship are valuable strength gives that help us cope with stress.
The scriptures say that knowledge of the self cannot be gained without inner
strength. Rabindranath Tagore, in a poem, prays to the Lord not to remove all obstacles,
but instead , he asks for strength to bear them. Before the start of the Mahabharata war
Arjun was seized with a bout of emotional weakness and he refused to fight the war.

Lord Krishna rescued him by giving him emotional strength.

T stands for traffic control. We need to regulate and control our thoughts. We
can cope with stress best if our thoughts are orderly and methodical. Unnecessary
accumulation leads to clogging of the mind. The key lies in being able to love one
moment at a time. Eat while eating work while working, and leave the home at home and
the office I the office. Remember, however, long we have to travel we can only take one
step at a time. Worrying only reduces efficiency and then even simple tasks cannot be
completed correctly and in time.
R is for redesign. We tend to view life and ourselves through our own
philosophy. A readjustment or reorientation in this philosophy our capacity to bear
heavier loads.
E stands for erase: the ego. Anger, fear and jealousy are negative emotions that
reduce efficiency, leading to mental weakness, causing stress. Too much emphasis on the
ego increase stress Abrogation of doer-ship can help us to distress. Sri Rama asked Sri
Hanuman how he was able to cause so much havoc in Lanka and yet return unscathed .
Hanuman disclaimed all responsibility. He said, I did not do it, you did it trough me.
There is a higher power or strength working through us.
S stands for sharing: share your wealth, knowledge, workload or anything else
you have. By and large people do not know how to share or delegate.
The last but most important is the S which stands for surrender to the Lord. Free
your mind from the weight of worries and become an instrument, adopting an attitude of
service.
Question-answers
1) How has the stress become a universal disease?
2) Name the various kind of stress?
3) What is responsible for physical stress?
4)When does emotional stress increase?
5) How can one develop increase strength?
6)What does the word stress stand for?
Multiple choice question (MCQ)
1) We need not regulate and control our thought by :
a) if our thought are orderly and methodical
b) if our thoughts are clogged
c) if we are go on worrying
d) if we take up many jobs at one time
2) Erasing the ego can be achieved through:
a) if we control our negative emotion-anger,fear,jealousy
b) if we keep the feeling of doer-ship
c) if we claim the responsibility

d) the help of things causing stress and mental weakness

3) Stress is common among:
a) in the lives of rich only
b) in the lives of poor only
c) in the lives of people of technologically advanced countries
d) in the lives of highly qualified professionals
c) Find words from the passage, which have similar meanings as the following words
1) Holy books (para5) 2)collection (para 6)

Passage 5
THE FALLEN LEAVES
Why should I be the first of all
Of all the leaves on this old tree ?
Though sadly soon I know that all
Will lose their hold and follow me.
While my birth-brothers bravely blow,
Why should I be first to go ?
Why should I be that last to cling
Of all the leaves on this bleak bough ?
Ive fluttered since the fire of spring
And I am worn and withered now.
I would escape the winter gale
And sleep soft-silvered by a snail.
When swoop the legions of the snow

To pitch their tents in roaring weather

We fallen leaves will lie below
And rot rejoicingly together ;
And from our rich and dark decay
Will laugh our brothers of the May
Question-Answers
1) What is the speaker in the poem unwilling to do?
2) What does roaring weather mean?
3) rot rejoicing together the leaf wants to lie low and rot and yet feel happy. Why?
4) Find out the words in the poem which means the same, diversified or manifold.
5) Why is the leaf feeling worn and withered?
6) Explain--- will laugh our brothers of the may?
Multiple choice questions:
1) What is the fate of leaves on the tree ?
(i) they will be on branches permanantaly
(ii) they will wither and dry
(iii) they will change into flowers
(iv) they will never die
2)The fallen leaf was:
(i) Rejoiced
(ii) Unhappy
(iii) Satisfied
(iv) sorry
3) What is the poetic device used in the line12:
(i) Personification
(ii) Metaphor
(iii) simile
(iv) irony
Vocabulary
1) Find out the words in the poem which means the same as
(i) Diversified or manifold
(ii) Use freshness or vitality

NOTEMAKING
Guidelines for attempting note-making:1) Minimum three readings are necessary to comprehend the content.
(i) First reading mark the difficult words

(ii) Second reading mark the important lines, deleting examples and data and quotations.
(iii) In Third reading, mould the chosen sentences in note form.
2) charecteristics of good notes:
(i) Brevity:- Notes should be brief and to the point
(ii) Relevance:- notes should be relevant to the topic
(iii) Clarity:- the notes should not be so brief that their clarity is lost

3) Formats & indentation

Title
A1___________subtitle
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
A2---------------------subtitle
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
A3------------------------------(i)

(ii)
(iii)
A4-------------------------------(i)
(ii)
(iii)

b) In a tabular form
c)Flow chart:--

4) Abbreviations and symbols( four minimum)

(i) standard abbreviations should be used. capitalized first letter of words
For examples: UNO for United Nation Organization
(ii) Pick up first three or four letters and put dot.
For examples: exa. , feb.
(iii) Pick up first , middle and last letter
For example: LKW for lucknow, VNS for Varanasi
(iv) Symbols:
For example- e.g
Because :.
Therefore .:
Percentage % etc.
Marking in note making
Title --------1 mark

Abbreviation(4)------ 1 mark
Notes with subtitles------3 marks
5)What is to deleted:-(i) examples
(ii ) quotations
(iii) data
Solved passage
Inferiority complex or low self esteem is variously defined as poor self image, feeling
of worthlessness, sense of insecurity, state of self doubt, timidity etc. It is a major
hurdle in the path to success and glory. High self-esteem is feeling good about oneself,
knowing the strengths and weaknesses of one and accepting them accordingly. However,
it should not be confused with an inflated ego, which is the prime reason behind the
premature death of many promising careers.

Success and self-esteem have a close and direct relationship. Success is important for the
growth of positive feeling about oneself and affirmation of worth. A child with high
self-esteem can use a failure as a learning experience while a child with low self-esteem
gets bogged down. We experience lows and highs from time to time. Feeling unsure
and suffering from doubts is all right, but persistent feeling of worthlessness and
insecurity are a matter of grave concern.

Children with high self- esteem are able to express themselves in a controlled manner and
generally succeed in influencing other peoples behaviour in a positive way. These
children approach new challenges with confidence and show a lot of independence and
responsibility. Failures do not easily frustrate them. Through perseverance they turn
failure into resounding success.

Children with low self esteem are low on confidence and generally speak in self
derogatory terms. They are always on the defensive and avoid situations, which may
cause confrontation and tension. They are unable to form their own opinions and rely on

others judgment. They constantly blame others for their problems and are not open to
reason. They even feel powerless when faced with any challenging situation, avoid new
experiences and shy away from interactions. Children with low self esteem have low
frustration tolerance. Thus they tend to give up without putting in a worthwhile effort.
These children use the crutches of fate and luck to plod along an ill-defined path that
leads nowhere.

Every child is born a winner but his success in later life depends upon a complex
interplay of several related factors. Children develop into positive personalities only if
are encouraged by people and circumstances, which ensure that their self-esteem is
carefully nourished throughout the crucial growing up years. Genetic endowment or the
potential to succeed may be present but it can be blocked by adverse environmental
factors operating at home, at school and in society. When this happens, it can result in a
collapse of confidence and withdrawal from the struggle towards worthwhile
achievement.
TITLE _______________________ (Supply a suitable title)
Notes

Inferiority complex / low self esteem characteristics :

poor self-image

feelings of worthlessness and self-doubt

________________________

High self esteem :

feeling good about oneself.

knowing ________________

Success & self esteem :

success-imp. for _____________________ .

failure a learning experience for high-esteemed child

Traits of children with high esteem :

express with confidence

independent & responsible

Children of low self-esteem-traits :

speak in derogatory terms

always _______________.

unable to form opinions

_________________________.

Every child a winner :

_____________ --develop into +ve person

needs crucial ________________ .

potential not blocked by ________ -very damaging.

Hints

are closely related

adverse factors

when encouraged

ones strengths & weaknesses

lack confidence

insecurity and timidity

positive feelings

persevere in spite of failures

powerless & shy

nourishment of self-esteem

Passage 1

The crow and the bat are both flying creatures. The crow belongs to the class of
animals called Aves whereas the bat belongs to the class Mammalia. Both of them
are however, warm-blooded vertebrates and have an exo-skeleton of feathers and fur.
The bird has forelimbs which are modified into wings each bearing three clawless
digits. The hindlimbs are adapted for walking, perching or swimming. The bones
forming the skeleton are spongy, light in weight and contain air cavities. Birds have a
horny beak. The heart is four-chambered. The most important characteristic is that they
are oviparous. The egg has a yolk which is covered with albumen. The birds are up early
with dawn and rest at night.
The bat has eyes which are very small and the vision is weak, very unlike the bird
which can see from the sky and swoop down on its prey. The bat is gregarious in nature
and lives in large colonies of hundreds. They produce ultrasonic sound waves which on
striking solid objects are reflected back. They are picked up by their ears quickly in
flight. The forelimbs are developed into a wing. It has a hard skeleton. It is nocturnal in
habit. During the day they spend their time sleeping in caves or dark sheltered places.
They come out in the dark for feeding. The bat does not lay eggs. It gives birth to young
ones like most mammal

BIRDS AND THE FLYING MAMMAL

Similarities

flying creatures

warm-blooded

..

..

Differences

Birds

Bats
Class- Aves
Have horny beaks
Sharp vision
Oviparous
Do not produce ultrasonic sounds
waves.
.

Class- mammalian
Does not
.
.
Produces them

Nocturnal

b) Oviparous means

c) We know that the bat is gregarious. This means that

d) the ultrasonic sound waves help the bat

because

Passage 2

By A Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI, August 1: While the symptoms
shown by a gastro and a cholera patient may be
the same, municipal corporation doctors said,
the two are different ailments.
The causative organism for cholera is vibrio
cholori and antibiotic medicines are

There are fine differences in the way the

two work. Though both gastro and cholera
cause profuse loose motions, the former
will be accompanied by stomach aches; the
latter is said to be effortless and painless.
Though the stool will be watery in
both instances, for a gastro patient it may

recommended for treatment to kill the germ

and its carrier stage. Otherwise, the
treatment is the same, the doctor said.
Gastroenteritis, the doctor said was a
diarrhoeal disease which can have seven
causes some of them being typhoid or paratyphoid, spigela, rota virus, food poisoning or
metallic poisoning.

carry blood or mucus. For the cholera

patient, the discharge will be whitish,
the colour of starch used to stiffen
garments.
Additionally, dehydration sets in much
sooner for a cholera patient than a gastro
patient and is usually accompanied by
cramps. A gastro patient will not get
cramps, said the doctor.
Times of India, 1st August 1995

Symptoms are the same.

Some diff. are
CHOLERA

GASTROENTERITIS

1. Causative organism-vibrio cholori

1. ______________________
______________________

2.(antibiotic medicines-cure both)

2. ______________________

3. ____________________________

3. loose motions and stomach ache.

____________________________

4. Stood __________________

4. Stool watery, whitish, rapid dehydration

__________________________

5. Cramps

5. ________________________

Passage 3
Modern food has become our enemy. We have become so besotted by taste and
presentation, that we eat food for its entertainment value not for its nutritional benefit.

Each restaurant boasts of a new cuisine, which is a mixture of refined flour, oil and sugar,
pasta, noodles, which rice, white bread and maida based products like pizzas, burgers,
naan and rumali roti are the grain option in Italian, Chinese, Indian or Mexican. The
cuisines vegetarian dishes are either overcooked or have a lot of cornstarch and fat. A
process of deprivation and elimination, however, cannot achieve perfect health. The idea
is to nourish the body; you might achieve some weight loss, but you will lose on your
health.
I have been providing solutions to people suffering from obesity and its related
problems like high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and asthma. I
realized that by advising a health-plan for these disorders, people lost excess baggage
automatically. This means that weight loss can be a natural by product of a health
regime; you dont have to eat less to lose weight but to choose your food correctly. In
fact the link between ideal body weight and health is so crucial that if one were to
concentrate completely on achieving good health one would automatically achieve some
amount of weight loss.
Food influences almost every aspect of your being. It influences your nails, hair,
skin, hormones and bones. The vegetables that you eat will affect the texture of your
skin. The fact that the right kinds of fats are essential to achieve good health comes as a
surprise to many people. Fat is the raw material for many hormones that influence
various functions in your body. Most people try to cut calories by going on fat-free diets.
While eating less fat is not a bad idea, going on a fat-free diet has its own set of
problems. Fats make eiconsanoids which influences vital aspects of your body right
from blood pressure to premenstrual syndrome to pain sensitivity as in arthritis. For
example PUFA based oils, oil and MUFA based oils like til oil, mustard oil, groundnut oil
increase pain and inflammation of the joints. It is primarily composed of fat. The right
fat intake (walnuts, almonds, tulsi seeds) would naturally influence your concentration,
memory, and ability to conceptualize, calculate and comprehend life better. The brain is
the vital organ that regulates the body and makes living possible. If you deprive your
body of the right fats, your might fall prey to depression and other mental disorders. Fat
is as essential to your health as vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates are. Therefore
whilst embarking upon any weight loss programme, remember that health is so much
more than just weight loss, at the same time achieve ideal body weight in a healthy way
does provide a basis for achieving perfect health.

Passage 4

Television and of late the computer, has impinged on the reading time of children,
resulting in the waning of reading habits. To inculcate the reading habit in children, they
should be exposed to books and reading situations at an early age. While television has
found a place of honour in many households, very few homes have even a small
collection of books. Fewer still are the homes where children find their elders reading
and / or have stories read out to them. Only public libraries can provide pre school
children with opportunities to see and handle books as well as to find adults read and
listen to stories being read out.
Though, these children are frowned on by librarians and are kept out of the public
library, even if it has a childrens section. The tiny tots are considered beyond te purview
of library service, presumably on the ground that the library is 70 meant to serve only
those who have mastered the technique of reading. This attitude, however, is untenable.
Unlike in olden times when libraries were repositories of printed documents only, today,
besides books and periodicals, libraries are expected to be equipped with projectors,
audio / video cassette / CD/ VCD players, television sets and / or computers which are
good media to reach out to non literate children.
In addition to these, toys and indoor games too may be included in the stock-intrade of the public library to facilitate extending library service to pre school children.
Many librarians may argue that the utility of play things generally as an
instrument of education is questionable and that the library is neither a crche nor a
nursery school to provide playthings to its clientele. But it must be accepted and there
are many playthings that have educational value. Playthings undeniably, are invaluable
not only as tools to allure pre school children into a fold of the library clientele but
also as a means to liaise with those involved in the upbringing of these children.
It behaves the library to co-ordinate its work with all agencies like crches and
nurseries, balwadis and kindergartens even primary schools that serve children and
are interested in their intellectual growth. In the task of serving pre school children it
should necessarily view parents as allies and work in tandem with them. But, in our
country, the social milieu that makes the parent conscious of this responsibility is
missing; nor do most parents have the necessary educational background, a vast majority

of them being only first or second generation literates, if not illiterates. Although
neither the librarian nor the teacher can ever replace the parent as the childs first teacher,
the librarian can certainly seek the parents co-operation to bring the little children to the
library.
The library must have attractive talking and picture books, which children who
do not know the alphabet would enjoy looking through. The kids who come to the
library to play may be encouraged to look through those books. The librarian should read
out from books to children so that they will begin to look upon books as a source of
pleasure. This impression would remain in their minds and once they learn to read they
would take to reading books for pleasure.
Passage 5
E-learning is a trend that is here to stay. In the US, more than 41 million people
log on to their computers and double click into virtual classrooms. And not only
undergraduates, students too pursue graduation degrees in fields as diverse as nursing,
business, engineering and technology. Experts predict that in the US, e-learning will
become a US $2 billion industry within four years and it wont be long before a student
can go through Harvard or Wharton Business School course sitting right at home.
The trend is here to stay, not only in the US but in other countries, like India as
well. It wont be long before Internet and web-based tools take over our classrooms in a
significant manner. The drift started with a few renowned institutions leveraging the Net
to impart education. As they started reaching out to a large number of students, some
not-so-long colleges also flooded the Net with electronic pages, chat rooms and bulletin
boards as virtual classrooms. The net result was poor design and content that left students
in the lurch.
Luckily, a reversal is on the cards. A proper design and content with the right
instructions and methodologies has now made e-learning a rewarding experience for
students. Now all that a student has to do is to register at the web site and send in a
cheque. A demand draft or a credit card can also be used to pay for the course. A course
packet containing the study material is then sent to the student. The student can log on to
the site and go through the syllabus, study or download the material. As an electronic
page is very different from that of a text book, the education portals challenge lies in
making web pages more effective than textbooks. Through the use of chat and other
software, learning becomes a real experience for a student in a virtual classroom.

Many on-line course offer features like student teacher live chats, online
assignments, and a playback facility of recorded classrooms with expert faculty. Some
sites even go a step further and provide personal interactive classroom sessions, offline,
in select cities. What gives e-learning an edge over traditional learning is accessibility:
you need not wait for buses that are overcrowded at peak hours to reach your school.
Classes come directly to your home, the desktop to be precise. Also, unlike regular
classes, students can work as well as study at their own pace and interact with the faculty
when they have doubts. The training offered is of certain standard and so is the content
presented. With features like recorded classrooms, the problem of missed classes does
not arise anymore.
The flip side is obvious as well. As there is no personal interaction with the
teacher, the going may get a bit tough for students who have not understood a concept.
There is obviously no way for the teacher to delve into the mind of his student.
Moreover, PC penetration is very low in India with few students having access to
computers and even fewer knowing about online courses. E-learning also requires a lot
of self-driven study methods. In India; many people have phobias concerning computers
while others balk at any type of computer interaction. Hence, mindset issue is a serious
concern that has to be overcome.
Then there are other drawbacks including the method of assessment. As some
portals accept assignments on the web, it gives students more scope for cheating. It also
makes learning slower for a student used to the traditional method of teaching. Online
teaching, feel some, can never replace the chalk-and-talk method. It seems our students
still feel more comfortable being taught in traditional classrooms.

SECTION B : ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS (30

Marks)
THIS QUESTION INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING SHORT COMPOSITIONS : 50
WORDS:
4 MARKS
1.
Notice
2.
Advertisements Classified and Display
3.
Posters
4.
Invitations and replies
1.

Notice (4 Marks / 50 Words)

A Notice is a written or a printed information or news announcement. Notices are

either displayed at prominent places or published in newspapers / magazines. It is meant
only for a select group. Since a notice contains a formal announcement or information,
its tone and style are formal and factual. Its language should be simple and formal. A
notice is always brief and to the point. Remember, Circulars are also written like notices,
but unlike notices, they carry more than one message, and they are circulated through a
messenger.
POINTS TO BE FOLLOWED WHILE WRITING NOTICES:
Adhere to the specified word limit of 50 words.
Name and place of the school, organization or office issuing the notice should be
mentioned.
Write the word NOTICE at the top.
Give an appropriate heading.

Write the date of issuing the notice.

Clearly mention the target group (for whom the notice is to be displayed)
Mention the purpose of the notice.
Mention all the relevant details (date, venue, time)
Mention whom to contact for extra information.
Signature, name and designation of the person issuing the notice.
Put the notice in a box.
Name of the School / Organization
The word ------NOTICE
A suitable heading
Date __________
Content _______
__________________________________
__________________________________
Signature
Designation of the issuing authority

Marking Scheme
1 Mark for the format,
1 Marks for the content and
1 Marks for expression, accuracy and coherence.
Content With all the relevant details clearly written, without any grammatical ,
punctuation or spelling errors.
Note : If you exceed the word limit by one or two words. mark will be deducted. If
you exceed the word limit by three or more words. 1 marks will be deducted.
1.

You are the Principal of Bloom Public School, Mathura. Write a notice in not
more than 50 words informing that admissions for the New Session have begun.

Bloom Public School, Mathura

ADMISSION NOTICE
10TH February, 20XX
The admission for the new session shall begin from the first week of March. The
prospectus and admission forms can be purchased from the school office from 15 th
March to 29th March, 20XX. The last date for the submission of the duly filled
forms is 30th March, 20XX.
Principal

You are Rudra / Ria, the Secretary of Gen X Welfare Society, Babulvadi,
Guwahati. Draft a notice for all the members of the society informing them to
attend a meeting to discuss the issues related to the security of the residents of the
society.
Gen X Welfare Society
Babulvadi, Guwahati
NOTICE
Meeting
20TH April, 20XX
All the members of the Gen X Welfare Society, Babulvadi, Guwahati are
informed that a meeting of the residents of the society has been scheduled for 25 th
April, 20XX at 3 pm at the community hall. You are requested to be present there
on time.
Agenda of the meeting
Security issues of the residents of the society
Rudra
Secretary

3.

You are Neeti, Secretary, Himachal Handicrafts Association. Write a notice

regarding a Mega Sale to be organized on 1st and 2nd November on the occasion of
Diwali in not more than 50 words.
Himachal Handicrafts Association
NOTICE
Mega Sale
27th October, 20XX
The Himachal Handicrafts Association is organizing a Mega Sale on the occasion
of Diwali on Saturday/ Sunday, 1st and 2nd November respectively from 10 am to 6
pm at Sector-17, Parade Ground
Items available
Kullu Shawls
*
Paintings
Crockety
*
Sweaters
Pottery
*
Brassware
Neeti

Secretary

4.

You are Rohit / Rashi. As the Secretary of the Cultural Club of your school, you
have organized a Cultural Evening as a thanks giving programme on the last day
of your school . Write a notice for your school notice board, giving necessary
information about this event in not more than 50 words.
Cultural Club
HOLY CHILD ACADEMY, MANIPUR
5 Feb. 20XX
NOTICE
THANKS GIVING CEREMONY
The Cultural Club is organizing a thanks giving ceremony as per details given
below :
Date :
20th February 20XX
Time :
6 pm onwards
Venue: School Auditorium
Cultural Programme and refreshment will follow. Please be in your seats by 5.50
P.M.Maintain decency and decorum.
Rohit / Rashi
Secretary

NOTICES FOR PRACTICE (WORD LIMIT 50)

1.

You are Scout Master / Guide Captain of K.R. Sagar Public School,
Mysore. You have decided to send a troop of scouts and guides of your
school to the jamboree to be held at Lucknow for a week. Draft a notice
in not more than 50 words to be placed on the school notice board inviting
the names of those scouts and guides who are interested to participate in
the jamboree. Invent the necessary details.

2.

Due to a sudden landslide and unfavourable weather, St. Francis School.

Vasco has to be closed for a week. As principal of that school, draft a
notice in not more than 50 words to be displayed at the school main gate
notice board.
You are Secretary of Gymkhana Club, Madurai. Write a notice in not
more than 50 words informing the members to attend an extraordinary
meeting of the governing body. Include details like date, time venue, etc
sign as Prabhu / Pratibha.

3.

4.

You are Srinivas / Srinidhi of D.P. Public School, Nagpur . As student

Editor of your school magazine, draft a notice in not more than 50 words
for your school notice board inviting articles / sketches from students of
all classes.
5.
You are Rohit / Ritu , Secretary, Welfare Association, ABC Colony,
Chennai, Write a notice in not more than 50 words to be placed on the
notice board informing the residents that there would be no water supply
for two days in your colony due to major pipeline repair work.
6.
You are the Secretary of your school Literary Association. Write a notice
in not more than 50 words for your school notice board, giving details of
the proposed inauguration of the Literary Association of your school. You
are XYZ of Jain Vidyashram, Cuddalore.
7.
As sports Secretary of G.D.g. Public School, Pune draft a notice in not
more than 50 words for your school notice board informing the students
about the sale of old sports goods of your school. You are Rohini / Rohit.
8.
As Teacher Co-ordinator of the Quiz Club of AMM School, Pune, draft a
notice in not more than 50 words informing students of the inter class
quiz, context asking them to register their names with the Secretary of the
Club within a week.
9.
As secretary of the Eco Club of St. Annes School, Ahmedabad, draft a
notice in not more than 50 words informing the club members about the
screening of Al Gores Film. Inconvenient Truth in the schools audio
visual room.
10.
You are secretary of the History Club of Vidya Mandir School. Draft a
notice in not more than 50 words informing students of a proposed visit to
some important historical sites in your city.
Advertisements: (4 Marks / 50 words)
An ADVERTISEMENT is a kind of public notice asking for or offering services
or buying and selling property, goods etc. or providing information about missing
persons, pets etc. There are two kinds of advertisements : 1 Classified 2.
Commercial / Display.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

You will come across classified advertisements in the columns of newspapers and
magazines. The important features of a Classified Advertisement are

No blocks, no design and language to be factual.

Simple and formal and to the point
Comprehensive : yet must leave out no important matter
Never be too lengthy6 (confine to the word limit)

Marking Scheme : Format suitable Heading / Classification 1 mark

Content relevance
11/2
Mark
Expression (Grammatical , Accuracy, Spellings suitable style
& Selection of words
11/2
Marks
Important Points to be followed:
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS
Clearly state the category at the top e.g. For Sale, to let etc.
Give all necessary details in points using commas (telegraphic language)
Give contact address, name and telephone number
Put the matter in a box.
Kinds of Classified Advertisements
1.
Situation / Vacant / Wanted 2. Lost and Found
3.
Sales and Purchase
4.
Accommodation wanted
5.
Educational
6.
Placement Services
7.
To let
8.
Tuition
9.
Packers and movers
10.
Kennel
11.
Travels and Tours
12.
Public Appeal.

SAMPLES OF CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENT

SAMPLE-1
1.

You are personal Assistant to GM., ABC Metal Tools Company, Mumbai. Your
General Manager has asked you to draft a Classified advertisement for a local
daily for the post of two engineers. Draft the advertisement in not more than 50
words.

SITUATION VACANT

Required two well qualified Mechanical Engineers with a minimum experience of five years.
Remuneration with the performance and output of the candidate. Send the Curriculum Vitae within seven
days to the Personnel Manage, ABC Metal Tools Company,7, Vashist Complex, Malad East, Mumbai,
along with scanned copies of necessary certificates within a week at [email protected] Ph26090003, 26093330

SAMPLE-2

You are Aurag/aprna of 110, Swasthya Vihar, New Delhi. You wish to let out a
portion of your newly house. Draft an advertisement in not more than 50
words for publication in the To-Let column of the Hindustan Times, giving
all necessary details.

TO LET
Available 1500 sq. ft. ground floor of a newly built house in Swasthya Vihar with two spacious
bedrooms, attached bathrooms, drawing-com-dining room, kitchen and interiors. Rent expected-Rs.
7000/-. Interested persons may pleas contact _Anurag Swasthya Vihar, New Delhi Phone27439543/[email protected]

NECESSARY INFORMATION

SITUATION VACANT
Specify the post and number of
Vacancies
Qualities of the person required
name of the Company(optional)
*Age and Sex of the candidate

TO LET
Type of accommodation, No of
rooms/floor
Whether its Independent or an
apartment
Rent expected
Type of tenant required- Bank
employee/small family
Whom and when to contact
Contact and address/phone number

LOST AND FOUND

* Begin with LOST/FOUND
* Description of the article
* When where the article
was Lost/Found

KENNEL
Breed of dog
Age
Colour
Training
Price
Contact address and phone number

Situation Vacant
B & B Associates requires a customer care executive for their office in shahdara Delhi.
Write an advertisement for the column Situation vacant of a local Daily.
Situation vacant
Require one Customer care Executive M/F for our office at shahdra. The candidate must be a
graduate, literate and have good communication skills.
At least one year experience in a reputed company is a must. Apply with detailed bio-data and a
recent passport size coloured photograph to the Director, B & B Associates, Industrial Area,
Shahdara, Delhi. Contact: 673434, 981909.
You are Anurag/Aparna of 110.Swasthya Vihar, New Delhi and wish to let out a portion
of your newly built house, Draft advertisement in not more than 50 words for publication
in the To Let coloumn of the Hindustan Times, giving all necessary details like location,
Type of accommodation to be rented out, rent expected, contact address including
telephone number etc.

TO LET
Available on rent basis the ground floor of a newly built house at Swasthya Vihar. Three bed-rooms with
attached baths, a drawing-cum-dining room and a large kitchen, Garage with car parking facilities also
provided. Rent expected around 10,000 p.m. Govt. officers preferred, Contact Tel. No. 22527894 or
Anurag/Aparna. 110, Swasthya Vihar, New Delhi.

Sale/Purchase
You are Gaurav Gupta of Chandigarh, you have to go aboard immediately for a few
years, you intend to sell a few household items of your house. Write an advertisement for
the classified column sale sale/purchase of a National daily.
Sale/purchase
For Immediate Sale
A brand new Samsung AC tone. All the items in excellent working condition. Owner going aboard.
Gaurav Gupta, Mobile No. 9876545421
Missing Person/Lost and Found
A girl has been missing for seven days, Using the information given below in the input ,
write an advertisement for the classified column Missing persons of a national daily in
about 50 words.
A 10 year old girl-120 cm in height- wheatish complexion- a scar on forehead-wearing
pink frock and white sandals.
Missing Person
A 10 years old girl missing since 4th July, 20XX from Ashok Nagar area.
Height-120 cm, complexion-wheatish, has a scar on her forehead, wearing frock and white sandals,
Anyone giving information shall be suitable rewarded. Please contact : Ravinder Bajpai, C112, Ashok
Nagar, Sultanpur. Ph. No. 09876454521
Educational Institutions
Draft an advertisement on behalf of your institute which is shortly starting computer
course of 3 months. Give necessary details about the features of the course and other
details.

CFC announces the commencement of its computer course of 3 months for the beginners and learners,
Apart from basic course we also teach C++ and Java Eligibility- Higher Secondary. Excellent faculty.
Free demo class.Assured gift after course completion.Send in your application by 28th February20XX or
contact
Secretary,011-22662632.
Other topics can be To LET, Missing persons/PFT, animals, Travel and Tour.

Display Advertisements
Features
More spacious, usually attractive
Use of catchy slogans, punch lines, witty expressions.
Artistic image. Like pictures, diagrams of sketches.
Varying space utilization with systematic arrangement.
Remember details such as
Name of the company/institute/organizers, etc.
Details regarding the product/event/educational course. Etc.
Special discount offers if any.
Additional features to set it apart.
Address of the company/institute/organizers/etc.
Draft an advertisement to promote the sale of timeline watches.
TIME LINE
EXCLUSIVE RANGE OF WRIST WATCHES
FOR MEN N WOMEN
WATCHES WHICH ARE MORE THAN STYLE STATEMENTS

Check out our exclusive range of beautiful designer watches today !

Our showrooms at :
Shop No.6
Ashok Vihar, 25555432

G-17
B-61
Vikas Marg, 4147435 Preetam Colony, 09866546626

You are the Manager of ABC Academy . Write out an advertisement to be published in a
daily to attract students of classes X and XII for coaching for appearing in board exams.
ABC ACADEMY
CRACKING THE BOARDS
IS A LOT SIMPLER NOW !
All you have to do is to enroll yourself and leave the rest to us. Our
highly qualified faculties will do all the hard work to get you
phenomenal success in your board exams!
We offer
Student teacher ratio of 1:8

 Extra guidance for weak students without any extra cost.

Rigorous revision sessions
24 x 7 guidance by experts
Hurry! Our next batch begins from June 5, 20XX
SCO: 17, 18, Sector 22D, Chandigarh. Contact 0172-2556541,
097824134161

Questions for Practice

1.

M/s. Metro Shirts have introduced their new summer range of mens shirts and TShirts. Prepare an attractive advertisement for the range.

2.

M/s. Pen India has brought out a new gel pen in amy colors. Prepare an eye
catching advertisement for the pen, giving all relevant details.

3.
Draft an advertisement announcing the launch of special health drink by Health
Care Private Ltd., highlighting its nutritive value.
4.

You are working for an advertising agency. Draft an attractive advertisement for
the company called Modern Machines which is launching washing machines.

5.

You have recently started a Yoga Centre for school children. Draft an
advertisement to be published in a local daily about it, giving all relevant details.

6.

You are Harish of No. 10 , Kailash Ganj and Lucknow. Draft an advertisement to
be published in the daily. The Hindustan Times , under classified columns to
dispose off your car as you are going abroad.

7.

You have recently started a Centre for Personality Development for school
children. Draft an advertisement to be published in a local daily about it, giving
all relevant details.

8.

You are Manisha. You have started hobby classes for children of 6 to 12 12 years.
Prepare a suitable advertisement giving all the required details (50 words)

9.

You are Mohan of Raja ki Mandi, agra. You want a dance teacher for your
younger sister. Write an advertisement to be published in the classified columns
of a local daily.

10.

You propose to sell your flat as you are going aborad. Draft an advertisement to
be published in the classified columns of The Times of India, New Delhi.
Invent necessary details.

Posters
Lets understand.
A poster is a written form of announcement on any matter of public interest.The main
purpose of writing a poster is to catch peoples attention to make them aware of that
particular issue for their support or action. It can at times be in the form of caution or
warning as well.
Posters can also be made for advertising different movies, announcing concerts of
musicians, NGOs, various parties and their campaigns.
The Poster that you are designing should have .
a striking layout so as to make it visually prominent.
loud prints so that is visible from a distance.
clarity in the message conveyed.

While Designing a Poster

Remember to
keep in mind the target audience for whom the poster is being designed.
Write in simple yet powerful language.
Put your message in a box.
Use any style or size of letters.
Observe the given word limit.
Posters should always have a mass appeal.

Format of poster
There is no particular format of a poster as such, Nevertheless, you can note a few
important tips on how to write a poster.
The poster must have the main subject, theme of topic.
It should include all the important details related to the topic concerned.
It should include all the date, time, place and other essential details related to the
topic.
Highlight your message, appeal, warning or invitation with impressive slogans
and caption.
Mention the same of the organization, party or individual issuing it.

MARKING SCHEME
2 Marks for the expression and 2 Marks for the content of the Poster.
Expression means
Appropriate sequencing and style of language.
Creativity in terms of content and designing.
No grammatical of spelling errors.
Content means
Correct format and expression containing all the value points.
Delhi Police intends to warn people against unclaimed objects like briefcases,
boxes, etc. lying at public place to avert bomb blasts. Design a poster on the same.
Be alert
And
Avert

A BOMB EXPLOSION
Avoid touching or going near any unclaimed or suspicious objects, articles such as:
Briefcase
Transistor, laptop etc.
Box
Kept in a bus, train, metro, railway or bus stations etc.
JUST DIAL 100 OR INFORM THE POLICE
Delhi Police: Always there for you
e-mail [email protected]. in website: www.delhipolice.nic.in
Issued in Public Interest by:
Delhi Police

You are making an effort to spread the message of Communal Harmony, Design an
attractive poster to be displayed in the school campus, word limit: 50 words.
We may be branded
Hindu
Muslims
Sikhs
Christians
But We are children of the same God.
Together we can:
Lead our nation to unfathomable heights.
Preserve our cultural heritage.
Set an example of unity in diversity.
UNITY IS STRENGTH
Lets pledge
To Maintain peace and Harmony
UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL
Issued in public Tnterest by:
ABC NGO New Delhi

Poster on ill-effect of plastics on the environment

Say No To Plastics

Non Biodegradable

Always Remember
3 Rs.
Reduce , Reuse and Recycle

Burning causes air pollution

Dumping polybags pollutes the
Environment
Toxic chemical cause lung cancer

Draft a poster on World Environment Day.

Tips to Avoid
GLOBAL
Warming and save the Environment

Save Oil Save Energy

Harvest Rainwater
Conserve Water
Recycle Paper/ Water
Plant and Nurture Trees
Segregate Your Household Garbage into
Biodegradable and Non-biodegradable
Waste

Dont Litter Indiscriminately

Use Jute or Cloth Bags Instead of Plastic
Bags
Always Dispose E-Waste Properly

Use Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL)

Install Solar Heating / Lighting
Adopt Green Building Technology

Always Remember
3 Rs. Reduce , Reuse and Recycle
Save the Environment
Lets adopt one tree each to nurture
And protect
The ENVIRONMENT
Issued By-The Ministry Of Environment

A POSTER ON WARNING AGAINST THE CHILD LABOUR IN THE CRACKER

FACTORIES.
Dont burn their future in smoke
COME LETS JOIN HANDS
Participate in large numbers in the rally
Organized against the exploitation of children

Date
September 7, 20XX

Venue
ABC School

Time
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

CELEBRATE DIWALI WITHOUT

CRACKERS THIS YEAR
Issued By
ECO CLUB
ABC School, Mayapuri, Delhi
Issued By-Ministry of Women and Child Welfare
Exercise for Practices
1.

Write a poster on SAVE THE EARTH on behalf of the Pollution Board,

Rajasthan State.

2.

You are the Secretary, Red Cross, New Delhi, Get a suitable poster designed
prompting the citizens to volunteer themselves for BLOOD DONATION at
various camps organized by the Red Cross in the city.

3.

Design a poster for the Anti Smokes Day creating awareness among the general
masses about the harms of smoking.

4.

You are Rajeev Nanda, Secretary Welfare Assocation, Faridabad City , Design a
suitable poster highlighting the EVILS OF DOWRY.

5.

Akshay Jain of Jain Mahasabha, Karnal. Write out a poster on CRUELTY TO

ANIMALS to create love and sympathy for animals in the general masses.

6.

To create awareness among the people regarding the importance of rain water
harvesting, prepare a poster about it to be displayed at an exhibition (Word limit
50 words).

7.

Design an attractive and instructive poster on behalf of the Delhi Police to educate
and warn the people against unclaimed stray articles like dolls, tiffin boxes or
transistors lying in public places / trains / buses to avert bomb blasts.

8.

Draft a poster for your library on the Value of Books and Reading in your life
today. You may use a visual to make it meaningful.

9.

You are the Secretary of the Creative Arts of your school. Your club is organizing
a On the spot Painting Competition at the school campus on the coming
Sunday . Prepare a graceful poster for the occasion.

10.

Design a poster for Science Exhibition You are going to organize in your school.

INVITATIONS AND REPLIES

(Formal and Informal)

An invitation is a short compostion. Through an invitation we call our relatives, friends,

clients and members of the public on occasions like engagements , marriages, births,
deaths and celebrations of numerous types. An invitation boosts love, affection, affinity,
cooperation and unity among individuals, families, communities and society as wide as
covering a nation and even the world. It brings people in close contact. In the modern
society, the scope of contact is worldwide, thanks to expansion of Information
Technology (IT)
WRITING FORMAL & INFORMAL INVITATIONS AND REPLIES
There are two main types of letters of invitation:
a)
The formal letter
b)
a)
Characteristics of the Formal Letter
1.
2.
3.
4.

The ordinary letter

It is written in the third Person.

There is no counter signature
The address is written at the bottom without the date of writing.
The simple Present Tense is being used

5.
6.
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)

The abbreviation R.S.V.P. (meaning please reply) is inserted at the bottom.

The layout of the letter incorporates separate line:
the name(s) of the person (s) given in the invitation :
the standard expression request the pleasure of the company of ;
the reason;
the time and date of the event.

b)

Characteristics of the Ordinary (Informal ) Letter:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

It is written in the First Person.

There is no inside address.
The salutation is dear + name
The complimentary close is Yours sincerely
The date of writing is given without the year.
The writers address appears in the usual place.
Various tenses are used to suit the sense.
The letter does not seek a reply, but the last sentence anticipates some reply.

Replies :
i)

Formal

*
*
*

Acknowledge the invitiation.

Express your gratitutde in third person
Mention acceptance on report specifying valid reason.

ii)

Informal

*
*
*

Acknowledge the invitation in first, second person

Mention acceptance or refusal specifying reason.
Use simple language.
FORMAL PERSONAL INVITATION

Mr. & Mrs. Malhotra

Request your esteemed presence at
DINNER
(On the occasion of their first wedding anniversary)
On Sunday , 26th March,2011 at 8 p.m.
At their residence
26 Malcha Marg, New Delhi
RSVP : Rati 30213453
Example of 1 1 b (ii)
FORMAL PERSONAL INVITATION NOTE FORMAT
Mr. & Mrs. Malhotra request your esteemed presence at dinner , on the occasion

of their first wedding anniversary on Sunday 26th March, 2007at 7.30 p.m.
at their new residence
26 Malcha Marg
New Delhi
5th March, 2011

Reply of Acceptance
23 March
New Delhi
Ms. Yana and Mr. Ashraf accept with pleasure the kind invitation of Mrs. Valsamma and
Mr. Rajan Mohan for the Dinner on Sunday , June, 25, 20XX at their residence.

Reply of Refusal
23 March
New Delhi
Ms. Yana and Mr. Ashraf thank Mrs. Valsamma and Mr. Rajan Mohan for invitation to
the dinner on Sunday , June, 25, 20XX on the occasion of their first wedding
anniversary.however they regret they will not be able to attend the dinner
because of a prior engagement

Acceptance (Formal)
June 1, 20XX
Mrs. And Mr. Julius Seymore have great pleasure in receiving the invitation from Dr.
Kapoor for the work shop on Child Care being held on June 156, 20XX at his clinic at
B-9-UV, Keshav Puram, Delhi from 9 a.m. onwards. They confirm their presence with
thanks.

Refusal (Formal)
D-2, Greater Kailash 1, New Delhi
June 2, 20XX
Mrs. & Mr. V.K. Nair thank Mrs. And Mr. Bhatnagar for the invitation to the inauguration

of their showroom Regalia on Sunday , June 10, 20XX at 10 a.m. at B-2 , Pitampura,
Delhi . However, they express their inability to be present on the occasion due to a prior
engagement
With best wishes
The Nairs
Informal Invitation
12 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi
June 20, 20XX
Dear Ashraf
Would you like to join us with your family for dinner on Sunday, 25th June at 7 0Clock at
our residence ? We are organizing a small get together on the occasion of our twenty
fifth wedding anniversary. Only close friends and relatives are invited. Hope to see you.
With Warm regards
Rajan Mohan
Reply of Acceptance
10, Park Avenue
New Delhi
June 23, 20XX
Dear Rajan
Heartiest congratulations on your twenty fifth wedding anniversary. It will give us
much pleasure to join you for dinner on Sunday, June 25 at 7 oclock. Thanks for
thinking of us.
Ashraf

Example of 1-c
FORMAL LETTER FORMAT (Invitation as Chief Guest0
Example of I-c
Formal Letter Format (Invitation as Chief Guest)
Principal
Modern School
Vasant Vihar
New Delhi

February 20, 2007

Mrs. Shiela Dixit
Chief Minister
Govt. of Delhi
New Delhi
Dear Sir
Sub. : Invitation as Chief Guest
I am pleased to inform you that our school will have its investiture ceremony on March
28, 2007 at 10 AM. I request you to be the Guest of Honour on the occasion. I hope you
find time to come and encourage our children. Kindly confirm your availability at the
earliest.
Thanking you
Yours sincerely
(Principal)

Example of I-2a
INFORMAL PERSONAL INVITATION LETTER FORMAT
26 Malkha Marg
New Delhi
March 6, 2007
Dear Mohit
I am throwing a party on 26th March to celebrate my placement with NDTV. I am inviting
our entire gang. Reach my place at 7.30 PM. We can all go to Barista from there. So see
you on the 26th
Yours sincerely
Arjun

Example of II- 1a
FORMAL REPLY TO INVITATION (ACCEPTANCE) NOTE FORMAT
Mr. & Mrs. Ahuja have pleasure in accepting the invitation of Mr. & Mrs. Malhotra to
dinner on 26th March at 8 PM

6 Mall Road
New Delhi
March 20, 2007
Example of II 1b
FORMAL REPLY TO INVITATION (REGRET) NOTE FORMAT
Mr. & Mrs. Ahuja thank Mr. & Mrs. Malhotra for their invitation to dinner on 26th March
at 8 PM
But regret their inability to accept due to a prior engagement.
5 Station Road
New Delhi
March 20, 2007
Example of II 2a
FORMAL REPLY TO INVITATION (ACCEPTANCE) LETTER FORMAT
15 Pancheel Encalve
New Delhi
March 20, 2007
Dear Arjun
Thank you for inviting me on the 26th. I will surely be the first one to reach and of course
like all other times the last to leave. Want me to get some coke cans ?
Yours sincerely
Mohit

Example of II 2b
INFORMAL REPLY TO INVITATION (REGRET) LETTER FORMAT
15, Pancheel Enclave
New Delhi
March 20, 2007
Dear Arjun
Thank you for inviting me on the 26th. I would have loved to come but I will be away at
Banglore attending a conference on the 26th. Dont lose heart, we will meet up some other

time. Hope you have a great party.

Yours sincerely
Mohit

Marking Scheme :
Content
1 1/2 marks
Expression 1 1/2marks (grammatical accuracy, spellings suitable style)
Format-1 mark

Practice Questions :

You are Sajjan Raj. S/o Dharam raj of Greater Kailash, New Delhi. Your father
wants you to draft a formal invitation to be sent on the occasion of your sister,
Anita Rajs Wedding, Prepare the invitation (2005)

You are Mohan / Moly. You have been invited by the Lions Club to act as one of
the judges for a fancy dress competition for children. But due to a previous
engagement you cannot accept the invitation. Write a formal reply to the President
of the Club regretting you inability to accept the invitation (2004)

Suman / Suresh has cleared the PMT examination. The family is elated at the
achievement and they decide to have a get-together for all their friends. Draft a
formal invitation for the get-together (CBSE Sample Paper)

As Secretary of the Literary Club of St. Annes School, Ahmedabad, draft a

formal invitation in not more than 50 words for the inauguration of the club in
your school.

Your friend Rajat, 15 Mall Road, Dehradun has invited you to attend the wedding
ceremony of his sister, Preeti, Acknowledge in not more than 50 words endorsing
the invitation. You are Karim.

You have invited by your friend Diptesh at his 16 th birthday party. Write an
informal letter expressing your ability to join him.

As the Principal of Hindu Vidyapeeth, Sonepat, design an invitation card to be

sent to th eparents and invitees at the Annual Day fete of school to be held on 27 th
Feb. The Education Minister has consented to be the chief guest (Word limit 50
words.)

You are Pradhan and have been invited by the Rotary Club to act as one of the
judges of the jury over a debate competition to be held on 14 th November. Write a
formal reply to accept the invitation.

LETTER WRITING
Format for formal letter
Senders Address

Date
Addressees address

Sir, / Dear Sir

Sub. : ______________________________________________ (maximum 6 words)
This is _________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Yours truly / sincerely
Signature
Name in capital letters
Encl. : if any
Remember to :
1. Leave a line after
Senders Address
Date
Addressees Address
Sir
Subject
Body of letter

2. Write the spelling of sincerely correctly. Remember that it begins with a smalls.
3. Write the subject clearly in just 6 words. Eg. Complaint about Whirlpool Washing
Machines / Water Scarcity in Vasant Kunj etc.
4. Add Thanking you, only if a request has been made.
5. Mention in your letter any document enclosed with the letter.
6. If you know the person (the Principal), end the letter with Yours sincerely. If you do
not know the person (editors, publishers etc.) end with Yours faithfully or Yours
truly (Avoid using Yours respectfully, obediently etc.)
Marks for letter writing are awarded on the following lines :
Format
Content
Expression
And
Accuracy

:
:
:

2 marks
2 marks
2 marks

Format : two marks can be deducted for not using the proper layout that includes
date, receivers designation, address, salutation, subject, complementary close and
designation of the writer.
Content : It includes the relevancy of ideas in accordance with the letters, in a
letter to the editor, we must give both sides of the picture. In a discursive topic,
write the pros and cons of the situation. Present tangible points for solution.
Expression : The ideas should show relevancy and a logical origination. Before
answer the letter, keep in mind about the overall topic. Collect the ideas and
arrange them sequentially. We must remain polite and positive in our views.
Accuracy : It involves that the letter should be free from grammatical mistakes.
We should use simple and straightforward language.

SOME USEFUL HINTS

Letters to the Officials :

Reveal your identity
Write your purpose directly
Request for action/ compliance etc.

Letters to the Editors

Draw the attention
Problem and its effect
Suggestion, if any

Letters to Colleagues and Known Persons

Inform the purpose / view
Pleasing tone and politeness

Letters to the Employers :

Respectful, polite, pleasing tone
Specify the purpose

Business Letters :
Quoting reference number if any,
Purpose / complaint / argument etc.
Polite tone

SAMPLE LETTERS

(Business Letters)
1.

Enquiry

You are Megha/Maya of class XII of t. Peter School, Pitampura, Delhi. Write a letter to
the Manager of Book World, RK Puram, New Delhi inquiring about the availability of
few books you need for your school library. Write a secretary of your school library.
St. Peters School
Pitampura
Email : [email protected]
17 October 20XX
The Manager
Book World
RK Puram, New Delhi
Sub. : Inquiry Regarding availability of required books
Sir,
We are in need of some books for our school library. I wish to inquire if those books are
available at your prestigious store.
We would like to purchase two copies of each of the following books
1. English

Class XII

2. Math

Class XII 3. Physics

2. History
XII

Class XII

5. Economics Class XII

6. Chemistry

Class XII
Class

Kindly reply as soon as possible at the above mentioned address. Also please send the
latest catalogue mentioning new arrivals and discounts extended.
Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Megha Chandra
(Secretary, School Library, Class XII)

2. Complaint
Your are Buavik/Bhawna of Class XII of Tejas International School, Vijay Nagar,
Bulandshaher. Write a letter to the Manager of the sports Store, Meerut, complaining
about a defective sports watch you purchased from their store. Write as a Sports Secretary
of your school.
Tejas International School
Vijay Nagar,
Bulandshahar
Email : [email protected]
27 August 20XX
The Manager
Sports Store, Meerut
Sub. : Defective stop watches purchased on 13th October 20XX
Sir,
I am writing this to express my extreme displeasure at the quality of the watches I
purchased from your store two days ago.

As soon as I reached the school and opened the packet, I realized that two of the four
watches I had purchased were not working. The third one has started giving trouble since
yesterday.
The button to stop is quite stiff.
Obviously, I am deeply disappointed at this purchase. Our schools sport meet is on the
anvil wherein these watches are needed urgently.
I was not able to check those watches properly on the day of purchase as I was in hurry.
But the salesman had advised me to buy them and I had trusted him.
I do hope that you would show me some consideration and either repair or replace these
stop watches.
Thanking you
Yours sincerely
BHAWNA
(Sports Secretary)

2. Reply to Placing an Order

You are the Manager of Vats Sports Company. Write a reply to the above letter stating
your quotation for the enquiry made therein.
Mss. Vats Sports Company
23, Hapur Road, Meerut
The Sports Secretary
Jagijiwan Memorial School
12/100, Patparganj, Delhi
Sub. : Delay in the delivery of the Items
Sir,
With reference to your letter dated 25th July 20XX this is to inform you that two of the
goods you had ordered i.e. footballs and cricket bats are presently not in stock. However,
we shall be getting those items in a couple of days time. This would delay the delivery of
goods for just two days. The inconvenience caused to you is regretted.
Please rest assured of the quality and excellent packing of goods.
Thanking you
Yours truly
Rajat Jain
(Manager)

Letters to the Editor

The letters to editor are addressed to the editor of a newspaper you are writing to , in
order to voice your reaction or opinion towards a certain news item, or any issue of
social, political or economic importance.
Remember to :
: The format of this letter remains same as that of the business or official letter
: The letter should be addressed to the editor of the newspaper or magazine you are
writing to.
As a regular commuter by bus from Noida to Delhi, you have been witnessing rash
driving by the bus drivers daily without an exception. Write a letter to the Editor, The
Times of India drawing the attention of the General Manager, Delhi Transport
Corporation to this problem. Your are Priti/Prakash, 15 Udyog Vihar, Noida.

15, Udyog Vihar

Noida
March 9, 2013
The Editor
The Times of India, Delhi
Sub. : Concern Regarding rash drivers by bus Drivers.
Respected Sir,
Through the columns of your esteemed daily. I would like to highlight the issue of rash
and reckless driving by the bus drivers on the city roads, I am a regular commuter by bus
from Noida to Delhi, I have been witnessing rash driving by bus drivers daily without an
exception.
Most of buses plying on these routes are private owned. These people are in a continuous
fight for the passengers. They drive very fast in order to take over others and most of the
time end up having quarrels and fights. Only last weekend the bus I was in met with an
accident. It was shocking to know that the bus driver did not possess a valid driving
license. Drunken driving cases, by these drivers are also on a rise.
Its a time to take certain measures to rectify the prevailing conditions. The licenses of the

defaulters should be rejected. Check posts should be deployed in different places to keep
a tab on them. Applying a strict time table for the buses will certainly end the fight for
passengers.
This is my request to the concerned authorities to please take a note of situation.
Hope my letter gets published in your newspapers.
Thanking you
Yours faithfully
Priti

Job Application :
These are formal letters written generally in response to the job vacancies published in
the newspapers or posted on the net.
Remember to

These letters are generally accompanied by a biodata of the application

The biodate includes the name, date of birth, current address, contact number,
marital status, educational qualification, experience, if any, salary expected and
reference.
These letters are extremely formal, to the point and specific.

Read the given advertisement and then write a suitable application in response to it. Sign
yourself as Medha / Mohit.
Tulip Sr. Secondary School
We are an upcoming CBSE Sr. Sec. School located at Meerut. We require dynamic,
innovative and creative faculty to teach. Urgently needed PGT as English with a degree
in Education. Expereince must, Salary negotiable.

B/23, Rajendra Nagar

Ghaziabad
22 June 20XX
The Principal Tulip Sr. Sec. School, Meerut
Sub. : Application for the post of an English Teacher
Sir,
This is in reference to the advertisement in The Times of India dated 15 th june, 20XX, for the
vacancy of an English teacher in your school. I wish to apply for the same. I have the required
qualification and experience for the post. Please find enclosed my detailed bio-data for your kind
consideration and perusal.
If selected, I assure you that I will give more than hundred percent to my profession and work to your
full satisfaction.
Hoping for a favourable response from your side.
Yours faithfully
Mohit Suri
Encl. Biodata

BIO DATA
Name

Mohit Suri

Sex

Male

Fathers Name

Mr. Jayant Suri

Marital Status

Unmarried

Current Address

B/23, Rajendra Nagar, Ghaziabad

Cont. No.

01202345987, 09870001213

Educational Qualification

BA from CCS University, Meerut (72% marks)

MA(English) from Punjab University, Chandigarh

(60% marks)
B.Ed. from Govt. College of Education,
Chandigarh (65% marks)
Work Experience

5 Years
Currently working in DAV Public School,
Merut since two years.

Worked in Govt. Model Senior Sec. School

Sec.-35, Chandigarh, for two years (against
leave vacancy)

Scholarship Awarded
XII

Have been a Scholarship holder from Class XI to

Prize Won

Won Gold Medal in Graduation for highest Score

Salary Drawn

Rs. 25000/- per month

Expected Salary
increment

U.P. Govt.Grade with minimum one additional

Refernces

Mr. Y.H.Sharma, Principal, DAV College, Meerut

Dr. L.M.Mahajan, Sector-16, Chandigarh

D. Letter to the Principal

Someone was stealing mangoes from an orchard. It falls on the way to your school. You
saw him falling from tree and you were unknown till the time his being a mango thief.
You scaled the fence and found him badly injured. Thus, you washed his wound and tied
it with the hanky you had. You then decided to take him to the nearest clinic. However,
the guard in the meantime rushed to you and recognized that the man was a mango thief.
Both of you were thus, taken to police station and an FIR was lodged. Your father was
called and asked by SHO to produce principals certificate on your fair conduct and
characteristics. You are Umesh/ Uma of DPS Dwarka, New Delhi-110059. Write an
application to your Principal with the brief account of that contingent situation.
Police Station
Dwarka, New Delhi-110059
Oct. 5, 20XX
The Principal
D.P.S.
Dwarka
New Delhi-110059
Sub. : Application for certification of my fair conduct emergency.
Respected Sir,
You and the entire school know that I under no circumstances, can indulge in stealing
anything, but a strange situation has landed me up today in a police station, You are,
therefore requested to convince the SHO about my integrity in an instant note from you.
Fact of the matter is that I was on way to my school today at 8.300. I saw a person falling
from a mango tree inside the orchard. I did not know that he was a habitual thief. An
impulse of empathy compelled me to scale the fence and save the man by giving him first
aid and to assist him reach the nearest clinic. I washed his injuries using water from the
bottle. I had tied the wound using pieces of my hanky. When it was done, it gave him
support to come anyhow on the road, but exactly at the same time, a guard appeared. He
has forcibly taken both of us to the police station and an FIR has been lodged. Now, the
SHO has asked for you to certify that I am honest and a gentle student.

Please do the needful and ensure my immediate release from this dungeon.
Yours obedient pupil
Umesh

Questions for Practice

You are Suresh/Smita. You come across the following advertisement in a national
daily. You consider yourself suitable and eligible for the post. Write an application
in response to the advertisement.
Applications are invited for the post of a Nursery Teacher in a reputed school of
Delhi. The candidate must have at least 5 years experience of teaching tiny-tots.
The applicant must have a pleasant personality. He/She should be creative and
innovative, attractive salary. Interested candidates should apply to the Principal
AKS International, Indirapuram, New Delhi within 10 days with detailed resume.

Write a letter to the Editor, The Times of India, New Delhi, about the frequent
traffic jams in Guragon, especially during the rains, stating the problems faced by
the people and also suggesting ways to cope with it. You are Prayas/Preeti 12,
Shradhanand Colony, Gurgaon.

You are Renu/Ravi, 21, Kasturba Nagar, Adyar Chennai. An open and well
maintained park meant for the children and residents of your area would soon be
covered into a shopping complex. Write a letter to the Commissioner, Municipal
Corporation, Chennai, requesting him not to disturb the park which is the only
open space in your area.

You are Raman/Rama, a member of Parent-Teacher Association of Little Valley

Sr. Sec. School Hyderadabad. Write a letter to the Principal of the school asking
him to introduce vocational stream in the school providing facility of teaching
such subjects as computers, insurance etc. so that the students may not needlessly
continue academic studies. You are residing at 15, Anand Colony, Hyderabad.

Write

a letter to the Manager (Publication) of Little Flower Company,

Hyderadabad placing an order for 4 books on Management and Administration

recently published by them. You are Rohit / Rohini, Librarian. H.P. Engineering
College, Tirupathi

Judith Public School Pune has recently introduced Diploma Course in Lab
Technology under vocational stream. The prospects of this course are not clear to
your mind. Write a letter to the Principal of the school inquiring about the future
propects of this course and requesting him to send a prospectus, if any,. You are
Chaman/Chanchal 25, Ashirwad Appartment., Kolahpur.

Write a letter to the Municipal Chairman of New Town, North Arcot District
about the dilapidated condition of a public monument requesting him to take
urgent steps for the preservation of this valuable heritage. Your are
ANarkali/Akbar, 10, Pudupet, New Town.

You are Rohit/Yashmin, a resident of 10, Civil lines, Saharanpur. During your
college life, you participated in various curricular and co-curricular activities with
meritorious performance. Write a letter to the Principal of your college, i.e.
Gurunanak College, Ambala requesting him to issue you a testimonial including
the details of your performance.

As Cultural Secretary of G.D.Birla, School, Jamshedpur, you are organizing an

inter school poster making competition in connection with the Diamond Jubilee
Celebration of your school. Draft a circular letter to be sent to various schools in
your city requesting their participation, Invent details.

Write a letter to the Dean, DPI School of Management, Mumbai, requesting him
to apprise you of the details such as eligibility criteria, fees, hostel facitlity
prospects of placement etc. for admission to P.G.Diploma in HRM. You are
Ram/Romala of 21, Civil Lines, Bareily.

Write a letter to the Editor, Deccan Times, Bengaluru about the inadequate
parking facilities in the Commercial Street, MG Road, which is causing a lot of
inconvenience to the people. Offer your suggestions. Your are Anoop/Ritu, 24,
Hennus Road, Bengaluru.

Write a letter to the editor of Deccan Chronicle about the poor and unhygienic
condition of the Corporation land adjoining your school premises. It has become a
health hazard for your school children. You are Amrita/Anurag of S.S.V.G. Sr.
Sec. School, Chennai.

Speech Writing
There is subtle difference in writing a speech as compared to an article. The speech
begins with a formal salutation to the Chief guest(s) fellow speakers and the audience.
The most challenging task before the speaker is to make the audience interested. A speech
also ends with a note of thanks to the audience in the end. Now lets check out the basic
structure of a speech.

Format of a Speech
Introduction

Exposition of the Topic

Summing up

Conclusion

Now, lets understand each of the components of a speech in detail .

Introduction

You could start with a striking pre-speech note to interest your audience.
You could also refer to some recent issue that affects the audience, an anecdote or
a story or historical reference could give you a good beginning.
The next step is to greet the Chief Guest(s) fellow speakers and the audience.
Specify that occasion of the speech.
Announce the topic of your speech.

Exposition of the Topic

Build up a sequence of ideas
To support your ideas, look for most relevant examples, evidences or date. Draw up
arguments for and against the topic. Advantages, disadvantages etc.
Present your evidence in an interesting way. Paint verbal picture, personalize it or
dramatize it.

Summing up
Summarise the most important points in your speech but DO NOT REPEAT THEM
Conclusion
Depending on the purpose of your speech, conclude with a call for action, an appeal, a
warning, a request or an expression of thanks.
Marking Scheme
Format :
1 Mark
The layout with title and speakers name
Content :
Marks
This includes your creativity involved in the presentation of ideas and thoughts.

Expression :
Marks
This includes grammatical accuracy and no spelling errors, also, the ideas you present
should be relevant to the topic and organized coherently.

SAMPLE SPEECHES

1. A recent health check-up in your school revealed that many among your classmates
were suffering from weak eye-sight. You feel concerned at it.
Write a speech in 150-200 words to be delivered in the morning assembly on How to
Protect Your Eye Sight. Make use of the following clues :
* Reading in bad light
* wrong direction, from which light is coming
* regular washing of eyes
* enough sleep

* bad posture
* excessive TV viewing
* eat more green vegetables

Ans.

PROTECTING EYE SIGHT

By Bindia Gupta of XII-C
Good Morning to Revered Principal, teachers and dear friends, good morning to all.
I am Bindia Gupta of XII-C and have to speak on some very important topic of Protecting
our Eye-Sight. I will put forth some of the valuable tips in this regard. I hope you will act
upon them in the best interest of our health and hygiene.
Eyes are the most precious gift of His Almighty who has enable us to see everything in
this world. These add colour to our life and smoothen our working in the daily cycle. In
case, we show the slightest carelessness, we are likely to fall a victim to one of diseases
in our eyesight. A recent health check up in our school has detected many cases of poor
eyesight. In this respect we can contribute a lot to maintain our eyesight.

In the very first instance we should wash our eyes at regular intervals and early morning
wash is a panacea for us. We should enjoy morning walk with bare foot in the grass.
Using green vegetables only accompanied by salad and vitamin C add to our power of
visibility.
In case we addicted to TV and sit in a bad posture, we are likely to have eye-problem.
Dim light and direct rays of the light always put a deep pressure on our eyes. We should
avoid and never sit in a wrong direction. In order to give rest to our eyes, we should enjoy
proper sleep and cover them with our hands for timely rest.
Thus these are some of the valuable tips that can be help us in saving our precious eyes.
2. Write a speech in 150-200 words for your school magazine on the topic, Obesity
among School Children. You are Mohini/Mohit
Ans.

OBESITY AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN

Mohini, Class XII

Respected Teachers and My Dear Friends. Today I will speak on Obesity Its causes
and its remedies. Please listen and make use of it.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, it is a well known dictum that is proved to
be correct in the case of today school going children. Every one out of ten children
suffers from obesity, study says. The concept of obesity is most prevalent in the school
going children. Now-a-days life has become too fast and hectic, even for children that
they do not get time for playing outdoor games. Children have become more prone to
diseases like obesity due to their poorly managed life-style. They want to play indoor
games like the games on computer or the video games in which they do not perform any
physical exercise. Moreover, their eating styles are rubbish. They are more inclined

towards junk rather leafy and nutritious food. They prefer momos, pizzas and all that
rather than having sprouts, green and leafy vegetables etc. additionally, they are like
addicts to cold drinks. Whereas, a study has revealed that excessive use of cold drinks
contribute to obesity.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

You are Ram/Rama, Head Boy/Girl of ABC School. Write a speech, in 150-200
words, that you would deliver in the prayer assembly on the need for students to
inculcate in themselves virtues like truthfulness, punctuality etc. so that they may
not only succeed in their own life but also prove role models for others.

You are Raj/Rani, the Head Body/Head Girls of ABC Public School, Patna. You
have to deliver a speech in your school assembly on the World Peace Day on the
topic, Lets Practise Non-Violence. Write the speech in 150-200 words pointing
out the recent acts of terrorism that claimed innocent lives, and highlighting the
value of non-violence which is the need of the hour.

Write your views on the following issues in the form of a speech to the delivered
in the morning assembly of your school ;

Female Foeticide
Tree Plantation
Importance of Games and Sports in Life
Treatment of Older Generation
Rain Water Harvesting
Literacy to All
Right to Information
Scams and Scandals are Hampering our Progress
T.V. Watching by Children
Avoiding Wastage of Food in Marriages

Regular practice of yoga can help in maintaining good health and even in the
prevention of so many ailments. Write a speech in 150-200 words to be delivered
in the morning assembly on the usefulness of yoga.
Topic 1 : Article Writing

Lets Understand ..
An Article is a highly structured and directional piece of writing, written for a specific
purpose like to inform, to persuade, to entertain or to convince the reader . It essentially

has several paragraphs containing a distinct beginning, a middle and a conclusion.

While Writing an Article

Remember to ..
Be directional This means all the sentences, paragraphs should logically lead to
the objective for which the article is being written.
Divide your article into several paragraphs.
Use the information provided in the input after interpreting it properly.

Format of an Article

Title/Heading : There are no predetermined rules as such, but it may comprise a

single word, a phrase or a sentence of 4-6 words. The title should be thought
provoking and catchy and should highlight the theme.
Introduction : Keep the topic in perspective; specify it keeping the readers
interest intact by providing some surprising information or interesting facts,
related to the context.
Description of the topic : Highlight various facets of the topic like the cause and
effects, advantages and disadvantages etc.

Ending : Wind up your article with your own views, criticism or suggestions, etc.
Conclusion : End the article with a desire, an appeal or a warning.
Name of the writer : Sign off your article with your name towards the end. The
Name can come immediately after the heading as well.
Marking Scheme

Format
Mark
The layout with title and writers name.

Content
Marks
Your creativity involved in the presentation of your ideas and thoughts.

Expression
Marks
Grammatical accuracy, no spellings errors, relevant ideas organized coherently.

Sample Articles
1.
The growing population has become a global problem. How is the population
growth affecting the Indian scenario ? Write down your views in the form of an article
for a newspaper. You are Shikha / Shailesh.
The Bane of Rising Population of India
By Shikha
India stands only second after China as the most populous country in the world. Excess of
anything is bad, and excess of population is worst especially for the growth of India. In
fact, the ever-growing population is proving to be the greatest hurdle in the
transformation of India into a developed nation from a developing one.
Crossing the one billion mark, Indias population accounts for 16 % of the total world
population but occupies only 2% of the world area. The growing population has severe
repercussions as poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, exploitation of the masses and so on.
How can a nation tread the path of advancement when it is entangled with such serious
problems ? We need to strike a fine balance between our population and our resources to
come in the league of developed nations.
Although the government has been taking adequate steps to curb the population growth, it
is high time that it takes some concrete measures before it is too late. With the help of the
powerful media, information technology and other mediums of communication, it is
easier now to reach out to masses and spread awareness. This is the only way we can
check the growth of population. Unless we do something about this rising menace we
cannot even dream of becoming a super power ! Till now we have managed somehow,
but how long can we support a burgeoning population craving for resources is
everybodys guess.
2.
Write an article in 150-200 words on the topic, Poverty is the cause of all evils,
to be published in then Young World of the The Hindu, Chennai.

Poverty is the Cause of all Evils

By ABC
As the margin of the rich and the poor widens, global poverty today has increased.

Poverty in todays global scenario has become the root cause of all evils, because it has
the power and the ability to make people compromise their once held and respected moral
values, cultural and religious beliefs. Poverty has created a new race of people with
common marks of frustrations, loss of hope, prospects and value for life.
It has no borders. Poverty has pushed societies to lose human hearts and compassion for
others. If one is hungry and no means of stuffing the aching stomach with food, stealing
will be an opted solution. Life becomes the survival of the fittest, in order to survive
people engage in crime of all sorts including fraud, money laundering robbery, snatching,
drug trafficking and corruption. Now and then one can find headlines in the papers about
their criminal activities.
The riches of the world entice them to resort to crimes as they cannot have them.
Education is touted as the means to escape poverty and it often is. The poor get little or
no education. Thus, they often dont even know certain things that may help them
improve their situation. It is the duty of the prosperous, class to help those who struggle
to make a living.
3. Write an article in 150-200 words for your school magazine on the topic Obesity
among School Children. You are Mohini/Mohit

Obesity Among the School Children

By Mohit
Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challengers of the 21 st century.
The problem is global and is slowly but steadily affecting many children, particularly in
urban areas. Obesity is defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may
impair health. This fat accumulation can be attributed to the junk food which has high
calorie content.
The modern day children dont like to eat the healthy food being cooked at home instead
they prefer a treat for their taste bunds. Though their taste buds get drenched
unfortunately the calorie consumption goes through the roof. Accompany this with the
lack of exercise and we have a perfect setting for an overweight child. The life style of

the children is also to be blamed for this situation.

Obesity leads to many diseases. Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of
premature death and disability in adulthood. But in addition to increased future risks,
obese children experience breathing difficulties, increased risk of fractures, hypertension
and early markers of cardiovascular disease.
The prevention is pretty easy. Low calorie intake and mild exercise can save many trips
to the doctors.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

India is a country with diverse cultures, traditions, religious and political beliefs. To
keep such a country together, to bind the people and take the nation ahead on the
path of progress, democracy is the most suitable form of government, write an
article in 150-200 words. You are Revti/Ravi.

What people read is what people believe. You are concerned about the ongoing
controversy regarding medias role in sensationalizing news, moulding public
opinion and moral policing. Write an article emphasizing the responsibility of
media. You are Nayna Batra/Naresh Sharma (word limit : 150-200).

The number of women in police force seems insufficient specially when we see the
increasing involvement of women in terrorist activities. Write an article in 150-200
words for Hindustan Times, on need of having more women in the police force.

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 earths
resources in all possible ways. Write an article on the topic, Conservation, Need of
the Hour in 150-200 words. You are Kamal/Kamla, a keen environmentalist.

Today the 24 hour television news channels give us instant news from every nook
and corner of the world. But the fact remains that the importance of the newspaper
remains intact. Write an article in 150-200 words expressing your view on The
Relevance of Newspapers. You are Sunil/Sunita.

Your family has recently shifted from Kota in Rajasthan to Ernakulam in Karela,
where your house is situated in the midst of beautiful flowering plants and fruityielding trees. Every minute and every second, your are experiencing the joy of

being in the lap of nature. Write an article in 150-200 words on the diversity of
nature that you have experienced. You are Latha / Lalith of Class XII.

Spurt of violence previously unknown in Indian Schools makes it incumbent on the

educationists to introduce value education effectively in schools. Write an article in
150-200 words expressing your views on the need of value education. You are
Anu/Arun.

Dance, as shown in some reality shows on TV, seems to be a mix of gymnastics and
P.T. exercises. Actually it is neither. India has a rich tradition of classical of folk
dances. Write an article in 150-200 words on the need to have a reality show
exclusively based on Indian classical dances. You are Anu/Arun.

Write an article on the evils of dowry system for Indian Express, Delhi. Your article
should not exceed 200 words.

With the onset of the monsoons, the mosquitoes have also arrived. Radha Saxena
decides to write an article for her school magazine about the mosquito menance and
the popular ways in which people protect themselves against it. Write the article in
not more than 200 words.

DEBATE
A debate is different from an article or a speech. Generally, debate is a contest in form of
an argument, dispute, controversy and discussion. It is mostly arranged between two
teams. First of all, the chair is addressed and topic is explained. Subsequently, debate is
started abiding by decorum and instruction by the chair. One team does its best to speak
in favour of the topic. Many authentic instances are referred to. This is done to
substantiate the topic. With the same tone and address the participants in other team
speak against the topic. The chair observes and overseas thoroughly this battle of
arguments and pleas. It finally allocate marks according to the performance of the
contestants. The team that scores higher marks is declared the winner. This verbal
performance is first drafted in split notes and we call it debate writing.

Need for Debate Writing :

Many times, we need to prove our point more correct than the others. In fact, truth is
always one and absolute, but owing to different perceptions of every individual, we are
confused in deciding upon topics of public interests. In that circumstances, people call a
meeting and each among them puts forth his ideas or outlook on the issue. For instance,
in law courts, auditoriums, both chambers or Parliament, we find individuals submitting
their pleas and arguments. A consensus is finally arrived either by voting or at the
discretion of the chair or jury. In other words, a debate is generally held on issues not
unanimously accepted by people or in the state of difference of opinion looming large.

JOINT FAMILY IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE WAY OF LIFE

For the Motion
Respected Chairperson, honourable judges, members of staff and friends !
I, Rohit stand before you to speak for the motion on Joint Family is the most appropriate
way of life in the context of our old-age culture. You know that our culture lays much
emphasis on human values of love, affection, pity, mercy, sympathy, help, compassion
etc. Then human life and survival are the most important aspects of life. Such a way of
life is possible only in a joint family. In a joint family, the eldest member has all the
worries of caretake of his entire family. In return he is respected and is honourable for all.
Children and women are paid due attention as they are the future of the family lineage.
Duties are shared as the joint family becomes a fine example of the division of labour.
The weak and the old are equally looked after. Thus the joint family becomes the most
desirable way of life in which members progress and are helped by all. Cooperation,
sharing of work, taking care of the children, the weak and the elderly are its important
aspects. The old dont become victims of negligence as they become in a nuclear family.
Against the Motion
Respected Chairperson, honourable judges, members of the staff and dear students.
I, Anil stand before you to speak against the motion on Joint family is the most
appropriate way of life;. My dear friend has stated the desirability of this system as the
most appropriate way of life. I would say that in a joint family system children, women
and the old, as he has said, are never taken care of. But they are more neglected. In fact in

an nuclear family the childrens individual qualities are noticed and then these are for
misguiding the students. Thats why many centres disappear overnight when their
realities are out. My knowledgeable friend has spoken favourably about prestigious
coaching centres. But their fees are so high that many students cant afford them. What I
want is that those centres which mint money without doing good should be punished.
Then school and college education should be improved.
Practice Questions for Debate

Your school is organizing an Open House Debate Competition on the topic

Change in our Education System is beneficial. You have to speak against the
motion. Write your debate in about 120 words.
In an Inter School Debate, you have to speak in favour of The Modern Gadgets
have made us slaves to machines. Prepare the debate using your views in not more
than 120 words.
You are Rohan/Renuka, Head Boy/Head Girl of G.D.Doenka Public School,
Vasundhara. You are asked to prepare a debate in favour of the Topic The use of
mobile phones has lowered (our) active social life and has become an addiction.
You are Anuj/Anukriti. You have been asked to prepare a debate on Should the
Countrys Police System be made fully autonomous ? Prepare a debate in favour of
the motion in not more than 120 words.

You are Varun/Vaitasta. You have been asked to prepare a debate against the topic
Should the countrys Police System be made fully autonomous ? in about 120
Words.
Rohit is the President of the Debate Club of his school and has to speak on the topic
In the field of education whose contribution is more effective-Private Institution
or Government Institutions? for the Inter-House Debate Competition. Draft the
debate either in favour or against the topic in about 120 words.
You are required to speak in favour of the topic Students should be allowed to use
cell phones in schools for the Inter Class Debate Competition. Draft the debate in
about 120 words.

Draft a debate against the topic Gadgets make people dependent and lazy. You are
Saumya, Head Girl of D.P.S. Meerut. The debate should be about 120 words.
Your school is organizing an Inter School Debate on the topic Cricket should be
our National Sports. Draft a debate either for or against the motion in about 120
words.
You have to participate in a debate on the motion. Gandhian Philosophy is
irrelevant in todays world. Draft the debate either in favour of or against the
motion in not more than 120 words.

Section CText Books and Long Reading Text

40 marks
FLAMINGO

THE LAST LESSON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Alphonse Daudet is a renowned French novelist and great short story writer .The Last
Lesson is set in the days of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) in which
Prussians(Germany ,Poland and Austria) were triumphant and two French districts Alsace

and Lorraine were captured by Prussians and adverse effects of it on life at school.
THEME
The lesson brings out the pain that is inflicted on the people of a territory by its
conquerors by taking away the right to study or speak their own language.
ABOUT THE LESSON-A glance
M.Hamel is a devoted, committed and disciplinarian teacher who wants to
inculcate passion for learning French language Mother tongue
Franz is not willing to go to school as he has not learnt rules of participles.
He wants to enjoy fascinating beauty of Nature , brightness of sunshine, the birds
chirruping in the woods ,Prussion soldiers( Germany, Poland and Austria) drilling.
Bulletin board always gave news of lost battles ,misfortunes, the drafts and orders
of the commanding officers.
Franz noticed tremendous changes in the school;
M.Hamel does not scold him and behaved softly and humbly.
The teacher wore special dress which he used to put on Inspection Prize
days.
Instead of noisy classrooms everything was as still as Sunday morning ,no
hustle and bustle in school.
Villagers including former Mayor and former postmaster occupied last
benches to pay tribute to M.Hamel for his forty years sincere and
dedicated service.
M.Hamel made the announcement that that would be the last French lesson and
German teacher would replace him. German language would be taught in schools
of Alsace and Lorraine
Franz realizes that he does not know even his own mother tongue ,regretted why
he had not taken his lessons seriously. He wonders sarcastically if Prussians could
force pigeons to coo in German.
M.Hamel realizes that the children, the parents and he himself are to be blamed
for losing respect and regard for the mother tongue - French language.
He affirms that always keep the mother tongue close to your heart as it is the key
to the prison of slavery.
M.Hamel advocates that French is the most beautiful ,the most logical and
clearest language in world
becomes emotional ,could not speak and wrote on the black board
Long Live France
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q1 What was more tempting to Franz than going to school and why?
Value points
Had not learnt rules of participles, weather was pleasant ,warm and bright . Chirruping of
birds tempted him to enjoy the day, the soldiers drilling in the field were also outdoors.
Q2. What was Franzs greatest fear as he moved towards school ?
Value points
Franz was very late for school as he was scared of being scolded. He had not learnt rules
of participles .He did not know even the first word about them .Thus he dreaded the
teachers indignation.
Q3. What was the bad news put up on the bulletin board?

Value points
All the bad newsthe lost battles, the orders of the commanding officer were displayed
on the notice board for the last two years . Only German language would be taught in the
schools of Alsace and Lorraine was displayed on the notice board which made the crowd
gather there to read the news.
Q4 What change did Franz observe in the school on that day?
Value points
No noisy atmosphere , no bustle of opening and closing of the desk, no lesson repeated
loudly, that day was as quiet as Sunday morning. The back benches were occupied by the
village people. M. Hamel wore his special dress which he used to wear on Inspection and
Prize day.
Q5. Why were village elders seated on back benches on that day ?
Value points
. Villagers occupied back benches as a tribute to the teacher who had put in forty years of
sincere service .They also expressed their regret for not learning their mother tongue
when they had the chance to learn French, expressed their patriotism and solidarity with
France.
Q6. Why did M.Hamel ask his students and elderly to guard French language?
Value points
. He said that French is the most beautiful language in the world- the clearest and the
most logical . He appealed them to guard it so that they can be united and fight back for
their liberty.
Q7. How did M.Hamel bid farewell to his beloved students and the villagers?
Value points
To arouse patriotic feelings in his students and village elders for their mother tongue
.Urged them to safeguard it among themselves, gathered his strength and wrote on the
blackboard as large as he could Vive La France and dismissed the school.
QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE
Q1Why did M.Hamel not punish Franz even though he was late?
Q2 Why was Franz unwilling to go to school?
Q3. What announcement did M.Hamel make and what was its impact?
Q4. What do you think was written on the bulletin board?
Q5. Why did not M.Hamel get angry with Franz for being late ?
Q6. What changes came over little Franz after he heard M.Hamel s announcement?
Q8. Do you think that the story touches upon the brutalities of war ? Explain
Q9 . How does Hamel arouse patriotism in people of Alsace?
Q10. What message does the writer want to convey to the readers through the Last
Lesson ?
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q1 Draw a Pen portrait of M.Hamel on the basis of your study of the story, The Last
Lesson..
Value points
Dedicated ,disciplinarian, hard task masterkept his terrible ruler under his arm
transformed after Berlins order, shockedmore soft and gentle towards his students
not scolded any studentemotional and completely disturbedvillagers assembled to
pay tribute to his sincere service for forty years in the same schoolloved France deeply

considered French as the most beautiful language of the world--- safeguard it and
never forget it .
VALUE BASED QUESTION
Q1 Franzs feelings about M.Hamel and school changed gradually by the end of the text,
though he had a great disliking for both in the beginning of the story .It is said that first
impression is the last impression..Is it true in context of ,The Last Lesson ,?
Write a small paragraph of about 100 words penning down your views on A person can
be best judged in his first appearance only.
Value points.
A well known dictum states that appearance are deceptive Infact ,it is true that one
can not be judged in just one meeting .Actually ,one or more meeting are not enough to
judge a persons personality .Every person reacts differently on different situation at
different times .So it is not a matter of single appearance to form a judgement about a
person.
Now-adays every person appears to be gentle and social. No matter what their
background is ones clothes, gestures habits etc. do not define ones personality.
Sometimes a life remains short to know a person. Hence ,it is not a matter of first or last
impression but issue of time , needed to know one in ones right colors .
VALUE BASED QUESTION FOR PRACTICE
M.Hamel The Last Lesson says to the people of Alsace about the necessity of their
mother tongue French We must guard it among us and never forget it because
people are enslaved , as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key
to their prison.
Mother tongue is the language of ones thoughts and ideas .Rejecting ones mother
tongue is denying ones own culture and identity . Do you think so ? Write your
reflections on the above statement in the form of an article.

LOST SPRING
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Anees Jung ,a prolific Indian writer who received her education in India and US. Her
parents were also both distinguished writers .She began her career as a writer in India
.She has been an editor and columnist for major news papers in India and abroad. This
chapter is an excerpt from her book titled Lost Spring , Stories of Stolen Childhood .She
analyses the grinding poverty and traditions which condemn these children to a life of
exploitation.
THEME
The Lesson brings out
The plight of street children forced into labour early in life and denied the opportunity of
schooling.
The callousness of society and the political class to the sufferings of poor.
ABOUT THE LESSON

Anees Jung analyses and examines the miserable ,sub- human conditions and
traditions which condemn these slum children to a life of exploitation and
suppression. They are devoid of education and basic amenities of life.
Saheb e- Alam , a rag picker and around 10,000 barefoot ragpickers live in
Seemapuri, a wilderness a place on the periphery of Delhi .They are
poverty- stricken and live a life of scarcities and hunger .Survival in
Seemapuri means ragpicking.
Slum dwellers do not have other identifications other than ration cards.
Children do not go to school And they are excited at the prospect of finding
a coin and sometimes ten rupee note from heaps of garbage..
Saheb e-Alam means the Lord of the Universe but lives in impoverished
conditions and struggles badly.
Saheb works in a tea stall and he is paid Rs. 800 and meals but he is
dissatisfied with this new job as he lost his carefree look and liberty .He feels
that steel canister is heavier than the rag picking bag.

The author narrates a pathetic story of Mukesh , a victim of injustice and

exploitation in Firozabad U.P. He wants to become a motor mechanic.
Around 20000 children work illegally in the glass furnaces at high
temperature and in the suffocated factories .They lose the brightness of their
eyes in dingy cells and face health hazards.
Bangle makers face acute poverty and hardships .His father failed to renovate
the house.
Savita ,a young girl does not know the sanctity of bangles.. They are caught
in the vicious web of the money lenders , middle men , police and the
traditions.
Mukesh is a young , sensible and practical boy who genuinely wants to
remove the poverty of his family. No bangle maker dreams but Mukesh
dreams of driving a car.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q1. Why did people migrate from the village in Dhaka to Delhi?
Value points
Natural calamities like cyclone compelled to migrate , better education ,more job
opportunities, better living conditions and looking for comforts.
Q2. Saheb is no longer his master says the writer, what does she mean ?
Value points
The author means that Saheb gets employment in a tea stall , he has lost his carefree
look or independence that he enjoyed as ragpicker .He is paid eight hundred rupees
to supplement the family income but he is unhappy .Infact he has lost his freedom.
Q3. Survival in Seemapuri means ragpicking . Comment.
Value points
Ragpicking is no more a dirty and filthy job for slum dwellers . It has become their
bread earner and means of survival .Sometimes they find rupees ,silver coins in
heaps of garbage.
Q4. Why does the author say that the bangle makers are caught in a vicious web of
poverty ?value points

. The bangle makers are victims of injustice and exploitation in Firozabad. They are
caught in web of moneylenders , middlemen ,policemen ,politicians and
bureaucrats .they are fear-stricken and suppressed.
Q5. What was Mukeshs dream ?
Value points
Mukesh belonged to marginalized family ,disliked the profession of bangle
making .He wanted to become a motor mechanic ,seemed practical and determined
to achieve his goal, matured understanding for his life.
Q6. Describe hazardous health conditions of the bangle makers?
Value points
Worked in the glass industry of Firozabad in sub-human conditions ,dingy cells and
at high temperature. Lost the brightness of their eyes and fell in vicious circle of
moneylenders and middlemen.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q1 .Lost Spring is a miserable story on the political system of our country that
condemns thousand of people to a life of abject poverty. Comment
Value Points
Saheb ,ragpickers and slum dwellers in Seemapuri lead a life of sorrows and
exploitation Saheb likes going to school but no opportunitylive in structures of
mud with roofs of tin and tarpaulin--- no identity except ration cards to buy grain --survival in Seemapur means ragpicking
Bangle makers work in inhuman conditions-dark room ,hot temperature in glass
furnacescaught in vicious circle of moneylenders, policemen ,sahukars and
politiciansunaware of child labour actabolition of child labour under article 24
lose eyesight before becoming adults.
QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE
Q1 .Justify the title of the story Lost Spring.
Q2. What is the irony in the name of Saheb-e-Alam?
Q3 Promises made to poor children are never kept Explain with examples from the
lesson.
Q4 Food is more important for survival than identity for ragpickers of Seemapuri.
Comment on this statement.
Q5 Do you think Mukesh will realize dream of becoming a car mechanic?
Q6 His dreams look like a mirage. Whose dreams are being referred to and why
are they compared to a mirage ?
Q7 Having been born in the community of bangle makers has become both a
destiny and a curse .How?
VALUE BASED QUESTION
Q. Everyone wishes to live life in a big city . Big cities provide big dreams in ones
eyes . these attract everyone especially from villages and small towns.
After reading the text Lost Spring you must have been able to point out the possible
reasons behind migration from one place to other . Write a paragraph in about 100
words for a social magazine highlighting the issue The reasons for the migration
of people from villages and cities

Value points
. Due to urbanization , education ,employment ,safety and basic amenities more and
more are migrating from villages to the cities. In the lesson at hand , people have
fled from Bangladesh because their fields and houses were swept away by storm .
The settlement of Seemapuri is a fine example of this kind . In addition one can see
that the pressure on the land has increased due to population and mechanized
farming . So the requirement of labour is very acute . Consequently people flee
towards the cities for work .Youth do not want to stay in unhealthy and unhygienic
rural surroundings.
Not to speak of this , all sorts of village craft have been replaced with machines .
The market is full of competition and cheap goods .The villagers fail to compete
with the new system of heavy industrialization . So the people migrate from the
villages to cities to attain a city like presence for themselves.
Q1. VALUE BASED QUESTION.
Mukesh says I will be motor mechanic . I will learn to drive a car
Not only setting a goal ,but having a clear idea about the means to reach the goal and
pursuing it with strong determination and commitment are essential to achieve
success. Based on this realization ,write a letter to younger brother making him
aware of the need for setting realistic goal and planning ways to reach It with strong
determination and commitment.

DEEP WATER

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

William O Douglas was a leading advocate of individual rights .He met Franklin
Roosevelt, the President and became his friend .This chapter is an excerpt from Of Men
and Mountains by William Douglas. It reveals how as a young boy Douglas nearly
drowned in a swimming pool, he talks about his fear of water and how he finally
overcame it .
THEME:
A real life personal account of experiencing fear and the steps taken to overcome
it
psychological analysis of fear.
ABOUT THE LESSON
William O Douglas had an aversion to water and a passion to learn swimming
.When he was three or four years , a huge wave knocked him down and swept
over him in the beach of California
Douglas suffered from hydrophobia .He joined YMCA pool to remove his old
terror .A misadventure took place with him while sitting alone and waiting for
others to come at YMCA.
A bruiser boy came and tossed Douglas into deep end of the pool ,nine feet were
more like
ninety and his lungs were ready to burst. He planned to make a big
jump upwards but came up slowly and he swallowed water. Stark terror seized

him.
At last he ceased all his efforts and he became unconscious. His fear of water
deprived him of the joys of canoeing , boating, swimming and fishing.
He hired an instructor to learn swimming .He taught him how to inhale and exhale
in water.
He practiced five days a week and an hour each day.
At last Douglas went to Wentworth Lake and dived off at Triggs island . He swam
for two miles and he finally overcame his old terror. Will to live is stronger than
fear of death.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q1 Why and how did Douglas develop an aversion to water?
.Value points
When he was three or four years old ,his father took him for a picnic to California beach.
Suddenly a huge wave knocked him down , swept over him and terrorized him
Q2 What was the misadventure that happened with Douglas?
Value points
Joined YMCA pool to remove his fear ,one day a bruiser boy picked him up and threw
into the deep water of the YMCA pool ,nine feet was more than ninety, struggled to come
out but could not, nearly drowned ,suffocated and almost unconscious.
Q3 What strategy did he remember as he went down the water?
Value Points
.Plan was to hit the bottom ,make big jump upwards and come to surface like a cork .To
paddle to the edge of the pool.
Q4 Why did Douglas grow panicky?
Value Points
Nine feet were more like ninety, his lungs were ready to burst ,summoned all his strength
and sprang upwards, suffocated, paralysed and grew panicky.
Q.5 What method did he adopt to overcome hydrophobia (old terror) ?
Ans. Employed an instructor, practiced five days a week ,learnt swimming, went to lake
Wentworth and swam for two miles , developed self confidence, overcome terror.
QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE
Q1 What was the misadventure that William Douglas speaks about?
Q2. What impact did the incident at California beach have on him?
Q3. Then all efforts ceased and he crossed to oblivion .Describe this particular state the
narrator was in .
Q4. What made him decide that the instructors role in teaching him swimming was over?
Q5. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth ?How did he make his terror flee ?
Q6 . All we have to fear is fear itself says Roosevelt. Explain the importance of the
statement
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q.1What was Douglass misadventure at the YMCA swimming pool? How did he
overcome it?
Value Points
Revived unpleasant memories ,a bully boy picked him up and tossed him into deep
water ,almost drowned, panicked ,could not enjoy canoeing ,boating, fishing etc.

Hired an instructor, made perfect swimmer ,challenge the terror, went to Lake
Wentwoth ,dived off a dock at Trigg Island ,swam for two miles , conquered the fear of
water ,there is terror only in the fear of death and peace in death ,the will to live become
stronger.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE
Q1 Why does Douglas as an adult recount a childhood experience of terror and his
conquering of of it ? What large meaning does he draw from his experience?
Q2 What is the misadventure that Douglas speaks about? What were the series of
emotions ,fears experienced when he was tossed into the pool ? What plans did he make
to come to surface?
Q3 Douglas describes a childhood experience of terror and his conquering of the
terror .What message does he want to convey to the readers ?
Q4 Politicians exploit all people and situations to their own benefit .Comment, keeping in
views the situation of refugees in Seemapuri.
Q5. Like all children of his age ,Saheb also had many hopes and dreams . Do you think
children like Saheb are able to fulfill their dreams
Q6. Saheb and Mukesh are brothers in penury and sufferings. Discuss.
. VALUE BASED QUESTIONS; Answer the following in about 100 words
Q 7 William Douglas reveals his frightening experience in the YMCA pool . With that
he picked me up and tossed me into the deep end , I landed in a sitting position,
swallowed water..I was frightened
Do you appreciate the behavior of the big , bully boy? Do not you think that bullying and
ragging of students by students is barbarianism and has great damaging effect on the
victims as well as the society? Write down your thoughts about this in the form of speech.
Q8 Doing well in any activity ,.For example a sport ,music dance or painting, riding a
bike or a car ,involves a great deal of struggle . Most of us are very nervous to begin with
until gradually we overcome our fears and perform well.
Write a paragraph of about 100 words recounting such a experience .Try to recollect
details of what caused the fear ,your feelings ,the encouragement you got from others or
criticism.
You could begin with last sentence of the essay Deep Water at last I felt released , free
to walk the trails and climbs the peaks and to brush aside fear .
Value points
At last I felt released ,free to walk the trails and climb the peaks and brush aside the
fear .Now the haunting fear had been shed and I can drive not only the bike but the car
also on the crowded roads of Delhi without any trace of fear in me.
When for the first time I rode a bike I felt very thrilled .Moreover I drove on an empty
road in rural part after sunset .At a sharp curve a passenger bus came from opposite side.
To my utter horror , I could notice the fallen tree on my road side when just reached it .I
had no choice but to drive down the road .I was badly hurt and found the bike in damaged
from standing in trees .I was fear struck and helpless.
At last ,engaged an instructor to teach me driving .t was given a signal to drive
independently .I drove in busy roads ,crowded roads .It made me to feel free of the
haunting driving fear .I won it and felt free to drive.
THE RATTRAP

About the author

SELMA LAGERLOF (1858-1940) was born in Varmland, Sweden. In 1909, she became
the first woman writer and the first Swede to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The story
The Rattrap is both entertaining and philosophical. On one side it talks about the
economic fallout of industrialization in Sweden while on the other it talks about the need
for compassion and understanding to awaken the essential goodness in a human being.
Many farm families were displaced by the growing industry in Europe during the time of
industrial development, and some people were reduced to the lives of extreme poverty.
The story The Rattrap brings out these sweeping changes that took place in Varmland,
in Sweden, towards the end of the nineteenth century. The title of the story refers to the
theory that life is one big rattrap. It had never existed for any other purpose than to set
baits for people. It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing, exactly as
the rattrap offered cheese and pork, and as soon as anyone let himself be tempted to touch
the bait, it closed in on him, and then everything came to an end. The story is narrated in
the style of a fairy tale.
About the story
The Rattrap is a story that is entertaining as well as philosophical. Through the
metaphor of rattrap, the author highlights the human predicament of temptation. The
story is a good analysis of human emotional needs and human behaviour. All through the
story, there is a subtle humour that serves in lightening the seriousness of its tone.
Theme
The story deals with the trap of material benefits that most human beings are prone to fall
into. It also dwells on the human tendency to redeem oneself from dishonest ways.
Focussing on human loneliness and the need to bond with others, it brings out our
proclivity (natural tendency) to look down upon the have-nots of the society and deprive
them of an opportunity to make their lives worth living. However, here and there, there
are stray good souls that help them come out of abyss (depth) of their wretchedness and
live a dignified life.
Main Points
A philosophical rattrap seller:
Once there was a man who made rattraps of wire and went around selling them.
However, occasionally he had to turn to begging and stealing. He looked at the world
with vengeance for being unkind to him. He entertained himself with the idea of the
world being nothing but a big rattrap where the riches act as baits to lure and trap people
for life.
Crofters thirty kronor bills stolen:
One evening the rattrap peddler took shelter in an old mans cottage, who had been a
crofter at Ramsj Ironworks. The amiable and generous man offered him dinner and
tobacco. He even showed him the thirty kronor bills, earned by selling his cows milk,
kept in a leather pouch that hung near the window. However, the next morning, the rattrap
peddler stole the money and made his escape through the forest.
Caught in the big rattrap called world:
But as he got lost in the woods, he realised that the thirty kronor bills had been a bait to
trap him in the huge rattrap that the world is.

The Ramsj Ironworks the ironmaster:

Nevertheless, he kept walking. Attracted by a regular thumping, he reached the Ramsj
Ironworks, where the blacksmith allowed him to spend the night. Soon, the owner of the
mill arrived for a nightly inspection. The ironmaster mistook the peddler for an old
acquaintance, Nils Olof (Captain von Stahle). The rattrap seller thought of taking
advantage of the opportunity but soon decided against it when he was invited to his home
as he feared the discovery of the stolen money.
But the unsuspecting ironmaster wasnt willing to leave the matter. He informed the
rattrap peddler how, after the death of his wife and departure of his sons, he was left only
in the company of his oldest daughter and that he wished to have company for
Christmas. When he had failed to persuade the rattrap peddler, he sent his daughter to
bring him home.
The invitation:
EdlaWillmansson, the shy and modest daughter of the ironmaster, came to persuade the
peddler to come to their home for Christmas. By his frightened look, she guessed that the
peddler had either stolen something or has escaped prison. So she hinted an assurance
that he would be free to leave whenever he wanted. Reassured, he accepted the invitation.
However, the idea of being trapped did not leave him. On the way to the manor, he
regretted stealing the money from the crofter and once again considered himself caught in
the trap.
The change of events for the peddler:
The following morning, on Christmas Eve, the ironmaster and his daughter discussed
how to help the peddler. The ironmaster planned to help him regain his health and also to
assist him in finding a vocation for himself. The peddler was bathed, saved and given a
hair-cut. However, when the peddler - in clean suit and shoes - presented himself to his
host, the ironmaster was shocked to realise his mistake. He demanded an explanation
from the peddler and threatened to hand him over to the sheriff.
Suddenly, the rattrap peddler put forward his idea of the world being a rattrap and that
one day even the ironmaster may become caught in it. The ironmaster laughed it off and
ordered the rattrap peddler to leave at the earliest.

Edlas intervention:
However, before he could actually leave, the daughter intervened. She had been in high
spirits that morning thinking of the ways in which she could help the peddler. However,
not wanting to express her own feelings, she beseeched her father on the behalf of the
rattrap peddler to enjoy just one day at their place. The father finally gave in to his
daughters request, hoping that they would not regret the decision later on.
Throughout the day, the rattrap peddler did not utter a word. He merely ate and slept. He
had to be woken up for even meals. At the end of the day, when he was told by Edla that
he was welcome to return on the next Christmas Eve, he was flabbergasted.
Theft of thirty kronor bills revealed
Next morning, in the church, the ironmaster and Edla were shocked to find that a certain
rattrap seller had robbed one of their old crofters. As they returned, the father wondered
what all the rattrap peddler would have robbed them of. The daughter, however, felt
dejected.
On returning home, they were informed, by the valet, that the man had left empty handed.

On the contrary, he had left a package, as a Christmas present, for Edla.

A Christmas gift for Edla
The peddler left a package containing a small rattrap with the three ten kronor bills that
he had stolen from the crofter. Along with that he left a letter thanking Edla for her
generosity and asking her to return the bills to the crofter. He wrote, the rattrap is a
Christmas present from a rat who would have been caught in this worlds rattrap if he had
not been raised to captain, because in that way he got power to clear himself. It was
signed as Caption von Stahle
Solved Short Answer Questions:
Q1. The crofter can be called a good host. Why?
Ans. The crofter as a wonderful host is proved from the fact that he not only treats the
peddler very kindly and offers him food and shelter willingly, but also reposes full faith
in him and shows the thirty kroners he had with him.
Q2. How did the tramp make his living? What idea do you get about him from the way he
earned to keep his body and soul together?
Ans. The tramp earned his living by making and selling rattraps that he made himself at
odd moments from the material that he begged from here and there. His endeavour to
earn a living in this way shows that he was enterprising, hard-working and was keen to
avoid begging.
Q3.Generally speaking, how did the world treat the tramp?
Ans. The tramp was treated with great contempt. He was not welcomed anywhere. In
fact, he was chased away from wherever he went. So much so that, even if someone
granted him a favour, he couldnt see anything better than scorn and indifference in the
eyes of his benefactor.
Q.4 What did the peddler think about rattraps when he lost his way in the forest? How
was it different from his previous thoughts about rattraps?
Ans. At first the peddler thought that the whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. It
baited people but as soon as they were tempted, it closed in on them, and then everything
came to an end.
After taking the money in his pocket, the peddler lost his way in the wood. He realized
then that it was his turn to be trapped. He had let himself be fooled by a bait and had been
caught. The whole forest closed in upon him like a prison from which he could never

escape.
Q5. How did the ironmaster interpret the peddlers refusal to accept his invitation to the
manor house?
Ans. The ironmaster had no doubt in his mind about the identity of the tramp. He
thought that his guest, whom luck had ill-treated, was embarrassed to go to manor house
in rags. Since, he had seen better days, his current dilapidated state prevented him from
accepting his invitation.
Q.6 Why did the rattrap peddler not reveal his identity to the ironmaster?
Ans. In the forge, while the haughty blacksmith had ignored him, the ironmaster came to
him and scrutinized him. The man with the rattraps had never before seen the ironmaster
and did not even know what his name was. But he thought that if the owner of the mill
thought that he was an old contact, he might perhaps give him a couple of kronor.
Therefore, he did not want to reveal his identity at once to him.
Q7. Why did the tramp sign the letter as Captain Von Stahle ?
Ans. The tramp, though illiterate and a thief, found himself raised to a captain through
Edlas kindness and compassion. He got a chance to redeem himself and hence he signs
the letter as captain Von Stahle.
Long Answer Questions

Do you think that one act of kindness can really change a persons view of the
world? Discuss

Value points:
Yes I do agree that one act of kindness can really change a persons view of
the world.
This has been exemplified in the chapter by the man selling rattraps.
In the beginning of the chapter the man is dejected and disillusioned because
he could not live a contented life in spite of his doing work to make his living.
He had no positive experiences about life and considered the whole world
with its lands and seas, its cities and villages to be a big rattrap.
The ironmasters daughter treats him with respect and shows compassion and
understanding towards his condition.

She does not force herself upon him but tries to persuade him to spend
Christmas eve with them.
He reposes trust in her due to her friendliness.
Later she persuades her father not to send the man away when his identity is
revealed as they had invited him and promised him Christmas cheer.
She also tells him that he is welcome again next year if he wishes so.
This brings about a change in the man and he is reformed.

Both the Crofter and Edla Willmanson were kind and hospitable to the tramp. But
he repays crofters kindness by stealing his money while Edla is able to transform
him to a better human being. Why?
Value points:
Crofter very hospitable
Welcomes with a smile gives him supper and shares his tobacco
Tells him about income shows him the money very trusting and
friendly
Stealing a way of life for the tramp-no twinge of conscience while stealing
But later he realizes that he who prided himself in not being caught in the
rattrap was caught in it by stealing
Feels depressed
Edlas kindness and hospitality awakens his conscience
Realizes that there is a way out of the trap
Returns the money through Edla

The story The Rattrap focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with
others. Comment.
Value points:
The theme of loneliness runs throughout the story.
All the characters suffer from loneliness and seek redemption from it.
The protagonist himself feels lonely.
He has always met sour faces, cold words and unkind treatment
There is no one to share his depressing or amusing thoughts.
He is always chased away by the people.
The old man Crofter yearns for company in absence of a wife and

children.
Similarly the iron master and his daughter too miss company which gnaws
their hearts all the more on occasion of Christmas.
The crofter and the iron master play hosts to the peddler to kill their
loneliness.
All of them have a strong desire of bonding.
Bonding gives joy to the crofter, iron master and his daughter.
At the end bonding transforms the tramp and awakens the goodness of his
heart.

Questions for practice

Do you accept the peddlers argument that the case of mistaken identity
was not his fault?(the answer can be yes/no provided the student gives a
reasonable justification)
Why did the peddler decline the iron masters invitation?
In the story rattrap, who was a keen observer, the ironmaster or his
daughter? Substantiate your answer with an example from the text?
The world was a rattrap and the peddler himself became a victim of it.
Elucidate.
Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
Edla is a better judge than her father. Do you think so? Why/Why not?
Why did the blacksmith fail to notice the entry of the peddler in the forge?
What did the ironmaster threaten to do after knowing the mistake? How
did the stranger save himself?

Long answer question practice:

The essential virtue of human heart can be aroused through compassion and
empathy. How far has the meaning of this statement been exemplified in the
story The Rattrap
Value based questions :
Answer the following in about 100 words:
It has been understood from the story The Rattrap that the compassion,

empathy and unconditional love and trust of Edla wilmanson only could win
the heart of the rattrap seller to reclaim him to be an honest and upright
individual at last. An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind.It is through fellow-feeling, love, compassion and trust in others that we can
change the society. Write your argument for the statement to participate in a
debate competition.

**************************
**************

INDIGO

About the Author

Louis Fischer was a well known Jewish American journalist of the 1950s. He wrote
Mahatma Gandhis biography the life of Mahatma Gandhi; on which the Oscar-winning
film Gandhi was based.
In this book Fischer details Gandhis struggle for the independence against the South
African government and the fight against British rule in India. Gandhi helped free Indian
people from British rule through nonviolence and truth called Satyagraha. And he is
honoured by Indians as the Father of the Nation.
About the lesson
Indigo is the story of how Gandhiji decided to urge the departure of Britishers form
our motherland. The chapter is an excerpt from Louis Fischers book-the life of Mhatma
Gandhi. It is an account of British high-handedness and oppression and the contributions
made by the masses to the freedom movement. The events and facts in the chapter help
the reader understand the method of Gandhian activism very clearly.
Theme
Indigo-- deals with a battle between the oppressor and the oppressed is an
uneven battle
The issue of Indigo harvesting and high handed attitude of the Britishers becomes
a road to freedom for the sharecroppers
The only way out to win it is to develop qualities like self reliance, strong will,
courage
Must openly stand up against injustice of any kind and not accept it lying down
Persistence and patience of Gandhiji helps him in procuring justice for the
peasants
Talks about the need to fight our own battles in time of adversity inserted of
depending on others
It is very important to be first free of any kind of fear
The account is also reflection of the affords made by Gandhiji to improve the
health conditions as well as social and cultural life of the peasants
Carries a universal message for all to adapt to.
Main Points

Raj Kumar Shukla- A poor sharecropper from Champaran wishing to meet

Gandhiji.
Raj Kumar Shukla- an illiterate but resolute hence followed Gandhiji Lucknow,
Kanpur, Ahemdabad, Calcutta, Patna, Muzzafarpur & then Champaran.
Servants at Rajendra Prasads residence thought Gandhi to be an untouchable.
Gandhiji considered as an untouchable because of simple living style and
wearing, due to the company of Raj Kumar Shukla.
Decided to go to Muzzafarpur first to get detailed information about Champaran
sharecropper.
Sent telegram to J B Kriplani and stayed in Prof. Malkanis home - a government
servant.
Indians afraid to show sympathy to the supporters of home rule.
The news of Gandhis arrival spread- sharecroppers gathered in large number to
meet their champion.
Gandhiji chided the Muzzafarpur lawyer for taking high fee.
Champaran district was divided into estate owned by English people, Indians only
tenant farmers.
Landlords compelled tenants to plant 15% of their land with indigo and surrender
their entire harvest as rent.
In the meantime Germany had developed synthetic indigo British landlords freed
the Indian farmers from the 15% arrangement but asked them to pay
compensation.
Many signed, some resisted, engaged lawyers, landlords hired thugs.
Gandhiji reached Champaran- visited the secretary of the British landlord
association to get the facts but denied as he was an outsider.
Gandhiji went to the British Official Commissioner who asked him to leave
Trihut, Gandhiji disobeyed, went to Motihari the capital of Champaran where a
vast multitude greeted him, continued his investigations.
Visited maltreated villagers, stopped by the police superintendent but disobeyed
the order.
Motihari black with peasants spontaneous demonstrations, Gandhi released
without bail Civil Disobedience triumphed.
Gandhiji agreed to 25% refund by the landowners, it symbolized the surrender of
the prestige.
Gandhiji worked hard towards social economic reforms, elevated their distress
aided by his wife, Mahadev Desai, Narhari Parikh.
Gandhiji taught a lesson of self-reliance by not seeking help of an English man
Mr. Andrews.

SOLVED SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q.1 How did Shukla succeed in persuading Gandhiji to visit Champaran?
Ans: RajkumarShukla was a tenacious and resolute person. He kept on pressing
Gandhi to visit Champaran till he finally agreed to do so. After meeting Gandhi for
the first time at Lucknow he followed him everywhere right up to Sabarmati ashram.
His resoluteness urged Gandhi to yield.
Q2. What problems were the Champaran indigo Sharecroppers facing?
Or
What did the peasants pay to the British Landlords as rent?

Ans: The Champaran indigo sharecroppers were the vicitms of injustice of the
landloard system in Bihar. Most of the arable land in Champaran belonged to English
Landlords who compelled their Indian tenants to plant indigo in 15% of their
holdings. They demanded the entire harvest as rent and thereby increased their
poverty and miseries.
Q.3.Why did Gandiji visit Muzzafarpur on his way to Champaran? Who received him
there?
Ans: Shukla had given a fairly detailed account of injustice meted out to the indigo
sharecroppers of Champaran by the British landlords. However,Gandhiji wished to
gather more information about the issue to have a better insight into the
problem.Hence he visited Muzzafarpur. There he was received by J.B.Kriplani,and a
large number of his students.
Q.4 What episode in Patna showed Gandhi the existence of a rigid caste system?
Ans. Shukla took Gandhi to Patna. He led him to the house of a lawyer, Rajendra
Prasad,who was out of town, but the servants recognized Shukla as a poor indigo
peasant.
So they let him and his companion Gandhi stay on his premises. They presumed him
to
be another peasant. They thought Gandhi was an untouchable so he was not permitted
to draw water from the well for fear that some drops from his bucket may pollute the
entire well.
Q.5 . Why was Gandhiji impressed with Rajkumar Shuklas tenacity and
determination?
Ans. Rajkumar Shukla the Champaran-Sharecropper requested Gandhiji in
Congress Session in Lucknow to fix a date to visit Champaran where the sharecroppers
were subjected to injustice. Till Gandhiji fixed a date he did not leave him rather
he accompanied him wherever he went. Gandhiji was impressed by his tenacity
and determination and finally agreed to go there from Calcutta.
Q6. Why did Gandhi chide the lawyers who represented the interests of group
of sharecroppers of Champaran?
Ans. Gandhiji chided the lawyers for collecting big fees from the sharecroppers to fight
their case in law courts. He felt taking their case to law courts would do little good
when
they were so crushed and fear stricken. So his first priority was to free them from fear.
Q7. What were the conditions of sharecroppers of Champaran?
Ans. The peasants of Champaran were tenants of British landlords. Under long
term sharecropping arrangement they were growing Indigo on 15 percent of their
holding
and surrendering the harvest as rent to the British landlord. But when Indigo price fell
due
to synthetic Indigo developed in Germany the landlords obtained agreement from the
peasant
to pay them compensation which some of the peasants resisted and fought their case in
court.

Q8. What made the British realise that the Indians could challenge their might hither
to unquestioned?
Ans. The spontaneous demonstration around the courthouse by the peasants of Motihari
on
knowing that Gandhiji was in trouble was the beginning of their liberation from fear of
the
British which made the British realise that now the Indians can challenge their might.
Q9. How did Gandhiji make the peasants fearless and self-reliant?
Ans. Gandhiji made the peasants fearless by letting them know about their rights,
fighting their
case and by obtaining the refund of compensation made to the British landlords who
were
behaving as lords above the law.
Long Answer Question:
Why do you think Gandhi considered the Champaran episode to be a turning
point in his life?
Value Points:

Champaran peasants suffered exploitation, injustice and atrocities at the

hands of the British landowners.
Gandhiji was appalled at the condition of the sharecroppers.
He tried to alleviate the pain and sufferings of the distressed peasants.
Was even willing to go to jail.
Inspired the lawyers to work for their welfare.
Thousands of farmers demonstrated to show solidarity with Gandhiji.
He emerged as a live politician
Champaran movement a national movement in the course of freedom
struggle.
Eradicated fear from the minds of the ordinary people.
Forced Britishers to refund a part of money they had taken illegally.
Thus Britishers power was challenged.
After political struggle stayed back in champaran.
Providing medical help and teaching them the value of hygiene and
cleanliness.
Taught them a lesson in self-reliance
Thus champaran incident it turning point in his life.

Why did Gandhiji consider freedom from fear more important than legal justice
for the poor peasants of Champaran?
Value Points for Q1.
Exploitation of indigo farmers by British Landlords.
Farmers resorted to legal help to fight cases against the landlords
Not too many got encouraging results and also, this could only get them

short term benefits

Farmers terrorized and crushed under the exploitation by landlords.
Gandhiji-practical and farsighted approach-felt that if the downtrodden
farmers could be released from fear, rest everything would fall intoplace.
Started an exercisein empowering the farmers and giving them lessons in
courage through his own example.
Dealt with all the clever moves of the Britishersfearlesslyand boldly
without getting intimidated by theirorders.
Felt that lessons in courage would remain with the farmers all their lives
and would never be taken advantage of/ exploited.

On the basis of your reading of the account of Champaran in Indigo, write a brief
character sketch of Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhiji-man of outstanding qualities

Unassuming and modest
Dogged determination
Thorough and organized
Empathy/compassion for sharecroppers
Persistent worker
Fearless
Farsighted and practical
Persuasive and good convincing power
Humanitarian and holistic approach- thinks not only of political or
economic solutions but also concerned with social and cultural progress
as well as health issues.
Questions for practice:
How did the Indian peasants react to the new agreement releasing them from
sharecropping arrangement?

Why was Gandhi in Lucknow in 1916? What happened there that was to change
the course of Indian history?
Why was Gandhiji stay with professor Malkani on astonishing experience?
What made the peasants who had entered into agreement with the British
landlords to pay compensation demand their money back from the British
landlords?
Civil disobedience had triumphed, the first time in modern India, How?
What do you think led Gandhi to exclaim The battle of Champaran is won ?
What amount of repayment did the big planters think Gandhi would demand?
What did Gandhi ask? What amount was finally settled?
What other spheres besides political or economic fields received Gandhis
attention during his long stay in Champaran?
How important do you think team work and cooperation were in Gandhijis
success in Champaran? (Value based)
What values do we learn from Gandhijis campaign to counter the present day

problems of exploitation?
***************

About The Author

Going Places

A. R. Barton is a modern writer, who lives in Zurich and Writes in English. He has
authored many stories like "Going Places" which are mainly concerned with the problems
and the stage of adolescent, fantasising and hero worship.
About The Story
The story Going Places is a dream journey which every adolescent undertakes. It is
natural for youngsters to indulge in fantasising and hero-worship when they are on the
verge of forging ahead in life and choosing a career for themselves. They idolize
successful people and dream of following their footsteps. Their dreams drive them away
from the harsh realities of life, but when this fact dawns on them, it becomes difficult for
them to come to terms with life.
Sophie, the central character in the story and an adolescent, also lives in her pipe dreams.
She belongs to a lower middle class family but dreams of making it big. She dreams of
setting up a boutique after completing her school. It would be the best boutique and it
would be visited by celebrities. She tries to live her dream by cooking up the story of her
meeting with Danny Casey, an Irish soccer player outside Royces, a designer store. She
even talks about her next meeting with him when he would give her autograph. Sophie
tries to make her dream a reality by waiting for him, knowing fully well that he will not
come. Even the Knowledge of the stark reality within her does not deter (stop) her from
making her journey in and out of her dreams.
Theme
If dreams were horses, beggars would ride. The story Going Places centres around a
similar theme. Dreams and fantasies are a natural and an integral part of our life. Without
them life would lose its meaning. They acquire a prominent place in the life of the
adolescents who view life as a bed of roses and spend most of their time in the world of
their dreams. These youngsters easily take to hero-worship hoping to make it big in life
like their heroes. They dream of their idols and fantasize about them. Although in their
heart of hearts they know the reality, they most often do not want to accept it and try to
turn their dreams into their reality.
The story also highlights the strength of family bonds and relationships. The family is
one anchor which supports you and helps you in times of need. Thus, Sophies family
tries its best to help her see reality. Her brother Geoff, with whom she shares all her
secrets and her friend Janise also help her, by not rejecting her dreams, but by believing
in her and wishing she came out of them comfortably.
Main Points
Sophie
Sophie belonged to a poor family. She had a lot of unfulfilled dreams. She wanted to
own a boutique, she wanted to be an actress, she wanted to be a fashion designer and
much more. She longed to be anything that was beyond her reach. When she could

not achieve them she satisfied herself by telling lies and enjoying when people
believed her.

Sophie Tells a Lie

After an interval Sophie came with another sophisticated lie: She met Danny Casey, a
popular football player from Ireland now a distraction for the English youth. As usual
she made her brother Geoff believe this story by reminding him he was always the
first one she told her secrets.
The Lie Spreads
Geoff took the story to their father and then proudly to his friends. The story reached
many and people started asking Sophie about her relations with their great hero,
Casey. They were also told that Sophie was to meet Danny in a park on a certain day.
Lie or Truth?
Days passed and everyone forgot Sophie and her Casey. By this time the effect of
telling the lie continuously made Sophie believe her own lie. She could not think of it
in clear lights. In a way Sophie became the victim of her own repeated lies.
Victim of a Lie
The Saturday on which Sophie was to meet Casey finally arrived. Sophie found her
walking to the park to meet Danny Casey. She sat there and began waiting for Caseys
coming. Minutes ticked away and Danny delayed his coming. Sophies excitement
gave way to doubts. She began to doubt if he would really come or not. She grew sad
for his not coming. And then, when she thought the other way, she realized that it was
all a lie. Realization came to her. She saw how big a burden it was for her to put
herself in such a situation. She rose and walked back.
SOLVED SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q.1 Why did Sophie dream of having a boutique after leaving school?
Ans. Sophie was struck by the glamorous world like most adolescents are. The glamour
of fashion is beyond the reach of middle class girl like Sophie. So she dreams of having a
boutique, for it is the most likely place visited by celebrities and brings good money
likely place visited by celebrities and brings good money also.
Q2. How is Jansie different from Sophie?
Ans. Jansie is practical and down to earth where as her friend Sophie lives in a world of
dream and fantasy. Sophie dreams to have a boutique, wants to become an actress and
fashion designer. But Jansie doesnt want her to go on imaginary flights, as she knows
that they are made for biscuit factory.
Q3. What did Sophie think of Geoff who does not share his thought with anyone?
Ans. Sophie thought of Geoff as grown up now. She suspected areas of his life about
which she knows nothing and he never spoke. Sophie thought when Geoff didnt speak
he was thinking of these places. They attained a special fascination for her simply
because they were unknown and beyond her reach.
Q4. Describe the reaction of Sophies family on her story.
Ans. Geoff looked around Sophie abruptly with disbelief when he heard her meeting with
Danny Casey, the wonder boy of football. When she gave the footballers detailed
physical appearance he believed her. But Sophies father turned his head on his thick
neck with an expression of disdain and ridiculed her. He muttered something inaudible
and dragged himself round in his chair called it a wild story.

Q5. What is referred to as `the weekly pilgrimage for the family Why?
Ans. The author calls the familys weekly visit to watch the `United` as a pilgrimage to
highlight the hero worship of the family. They religiously came to watch the football
matches they were deeply interested in the game and being absolutely fascinated by
Danny Casey, they loved to see him in action.
Q6. How is the title Going Places most appropriate?
Ans. The title is appropriate as Sophie the protagonist- a teenager fantasizes and goes to
places in her imagination in the story and Geoffs areas of his life which unknown to
her holds a special fascination for her about which she romanticizes.

Q7. How did Sophie convince Jansie to keep her meeting with Danny a secret?
Ans. Sophie was first surprised and upset with Geoff for having talked about her meeting
with Danny to Frank. She felt it was something that should have been to brother and
sister. She told Jansie that it was to be kept a secret because if her dad got to hear about it
he would be angry. Jansie was surprised as she thought her father ought to be pleased.
Sophie realized that Jansie didnt know about her meeting him the following week.
Sophie said that her father would hate to have people asking him about Danny.
Long Answer Questions
Sophies dreams and disappointments are all in her mind . What was her
extent of fantasizing as a teenager?
Value Points For Q1.
Sophie-poor, mediocre family
Aspires to have a boutique; but no means, no resources
Could become manage or an actress
She is a day dreamer
Wants to see the vast would
Father does not permit
Dreams of meeting Danny Casey
Imagines meeting him in the arcade
Extent of fantasy-feels she has really met him
Tells her brother who doesnt believe her
Father feels it is another of her wild stories.
She goes again to meet Danny but he doesnt come.
Imagines meeting him again in the arcade
What do you gather about the socio-economic background of Sophie and her
family from the story Going Places?
Value Points For Q2.
Sophie belonged to the lower middle strata of society.
Father worked hard.
His labour reflected on his face .
Mother-bent-crooked burdened with household work

Brother Geoff-an apprentice mechanic.

A small house-displayed humble living-dirty liven-the room smelling
of stone
Janise-referred-ear marked for the biscuit factory
When Sophie dreamt of having a boutique-father
Reminded-poverty stricken family needed a decent house
All indicators prove poor financial status.

Would you like to be like Sophie a dreamer, or like Janise-a realistic? Give
Reasons for your answer.
Value Points:
Like Sophie
World of fantasy make you realize what you cannot have in reality.
It is a way to escape from unpleasant or stressful situations
Controlled daydreaming fosters imagination, enhances creativity.
Like Janise
Daydreaming shuts one out of reality
Person becomes absentminded
One is able to achieve goals only when one lives in reality and
struggles.

Questions for practice:

What did Sophie intend to do after passing from school?
Describe the room in which Sophie and her family lived?
Who was Geoff and what did he do?
Why did Sophie want to accompany her brother to the far side of the city?
Whom was Sophie closest to in her family and why?
What secret did Sophie share with her brother?
Who was Danny Casey?
Was Sophies secret real or imaginary? Give reasons.
Sophie and Janise are friends, yet very different. How?
Describe the meeting between Sophies and Casey in the arcade?
Value Points-Q10
Sophie meets Casey at Royces window
Was looking at clothes
Sophie speaks first-asks for autograph
Neither had paper or pen
Casey promises to give her the autograph next week
******************

MY MOTHER AT SIXTY SIX

KAMALA DAS

ABOUT THE POET:

Kamala Das was born in Malabar, Kerala. Her works are known for their originality
,versatility and the indigenous flavor of the soil. Kamala Das has published many novels
and short stories in English and Malayalam .Some her works in English include the
novel Alphabet of Lust , a collection of short stories Padmavati the Harlot and Other
Stories , in addition to five books of poetry .She is a sensitive writer who captures the
complex subtleties of human relationships in lyrical idiom.
Main Points of the Poem
The poet is driving from her parents home to Cochin airport by car ,her mother is sitting
beside herdozing with open mouthpale, colorless and frail like a dead body
The poet looks at her and feels disturbed and mental agony that soon death will cast her
mother from her.
Turns away her attention , looks outside at the young trees and happy children coming
out of their homes in a playful mood.
After the security check at the airport looked back at her mothers facelifeless
,wrinkled and pale. She looks like the late winter s moon.
The old familiar ache and fear of the poets childhood return. She hides her sentiments
and reassures her mother that they will meet again .She smiles at her and leaves.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. Driving from her parents home to Cochin last Friday
Morning. I saw my mother ,beside me ,doze,
Open mouthed, her face ashen like that
Of a corpse and realized with pain
That looked as old as she was
But soon put that thought far away.
Q1 .Where was the poet driving to ?
Ans. The poet was driving from her ancestral home to Cochin airport ,travelling by a car
and her aged mother sits beside her.
Q2.How does the describe her mother?
Ans . The poet describes her mother as an old ,pale ,colorless and lifeless .As she dozed
off beside her ,the mother looked almost l like corpse and face was wrinkled.
Q3. Who does she refer to in the last line? What thought she had driven away?
Ans. She here refers to the poet ,Kamala Das .She wanted to put the haunting thought of
parting with her mother away.
Q4. Explain the expression Pain that looked as old as she was
Ans. Her pain about losing her mother is as old as she was. The poet wants to express the
idea that the fear was haunting her since her childhood.
2. but soon

Put that thought far away ,and looked out at young

Trees sprinting ,the merry children spilling
Out of their homes.
Q1 What was the poet looking at ? What did she notice?
Ans. The poet was looking at her mother. She noticed the mothers ashen and almost
lifeless face distraught with pain .
Q2. What thought did she try to drive away?
Ans. She tried to drive away the thought of hre mothers approaching death.
Q3. Why did the poet start looking out? What does her gesture suggest?
Ans. Wanted to drive away the pain and agonyexperienced on seeing her aged mother
drive away her helplessness in the wake of her mothers aging and approaching death.
Q 4. What did the images of young trees and merry children symbolize?
Ans. Symbolize the spring of life ,its strength ,vigour and happiness which contrasts with
lifelessness and helplessness that seta in with her age.
3 and felt that old
Familiar ache , my childhoods fear,
But all I said was, see you soon ,Amma,
All I did was smile and smile and smile.
Q1 . What familiar ache did the poet feel ?
Ans. Fear of losing her motherrealizationcan not care for her aging mother--helplessnessfear of separation from her mother.
Q2. What could have been the poets childhood fear ?
Ans. Lose her mother or be separated from her mother--- death would consume her
mother.
Q3. Why do you think ,the poet did not share thoughts with her mother?
Ans. Sharing them with the mother would have worried the frail old women to death.
Q4. Why did the poet smile and smile?
Ans. The body language of the mother worried the poet . but she had to hide her real
feelings from her mother. She smiled and smiled to reassure that they would meet soon.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q1 Why does the poet draw the image of sprinting trees and merry children ?
Ans. Suggest fresh life ,warm energy ,youthfulness and high spirit etc. --- a scene of
contrast with the pale , dull and withered face of the mother at the declining stage of her
health.
Q2 . Why have the trees been described as sprinting?
Ans. Driving her car from her parents home to Cochin airportyoung trees growing
outside appear to be running with the speeding car--- contrast to passivity of her mother.
Q3. Why has the mother been compared to the late winters moon?
Ans. The late winter moon lacks lustersuggests the end of session and mother too is
nearing the end of her life an image of decay.
Q4. What is the familiar ache?
Ans. The fear of losing her mother has tortured the poet from her very childhood because
she had been intimately bound up with her . Therefore this ache is familiar to her.
Q5 What is the significance of the parting words of the poet ?
Ans. The parting words of the poet reflect the poets pain ,anxiety and helplessness .But

she wears a smile on her face to mask her pain and give hope, happiness and reassurance
to her mother.
QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE
1.Describe the face of the poets mother. Why is to compared to a corpse?
2. Why has the poet given the image of the merry children spilling out of their homes?
3 .What does the poet do after the security check-up? What does she notice?
4 .What is the kind and ache that the poet feels ? . .

An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum

Stephen Spender

About the poet: Sir Stephen Harold Spender (1909-1995) is an English poet, novelist and
essayist who concentrated on themes of social justice and the class struggle in his work.
Some of his representative works are The God That Failed (novel) Poems of Dedication,
The Edge of Being, Trial of a Judge (drama) , The Temple. He was awarded Golden PEN
Award in 1995.
This poem was written during the time of the Civil Rights movement in the United States.
There is a political voice resonating throughout the poem. In this poem, Spender raises
his voice against capitalism and social injustice, in general, although this poem does not
name any country or race.
Setting: The poem is set in a slum classroom where the students are deprived and
emaciated. The classroom is dim with sour cream walls. The environment is foggy
where the narrow streets are sealed in with a lead sky. Their lives move from fog to
endless night and the slum is as overwhelming as doom.
Theme: In this poem the poet has talked about the inequality prevailing in primary
education (elementary education) which has reduced children of slums to children of a
lesser god. He calls upon the members of the so- called civilized society and the
government to give quality education to the children of slums so that a level playing field
can be created for these children to compete with the children of the better world.
Summary:
Stanza 1: In the first stanza the poet has introduced the children sitting in the class. Their
faces are sans energy and vitality and their unkempt hair is spread on their pale faces.
There is a tall girl with her weighed- down head. She is ill and exhausted (physically,
mentally and emotionally). The second student is a paper seeming boy, with rats
eyes. He is very thin, emaciated and malnourished. His eyes are defensive and scared,
like a scavenger, a rat. The third student is having a genetic disease which he has
inherited from his father. He is an unlucky heir of twisted bones. He is unlucky because
he has inherited poverty, disease and squalor from his parents. The fourth student is
sitting in the corner of the class, unnoticed. At the back of the dim class his eyes live
in a dream. Poverty has still not disillusioned and marred his hopes of a better future.
There is two pair of eyes in this stanza (rats eyes and the one that live in a dream).
Stanza 2: The poet has described the classroom with sour cream walls and its contents.
The classroom is strung together with donations that are apparently doled out to the
slum classroom by the rich people. There are five things displayed in the class .1)
Shakespeares head 2) a painting of dawn 3) a picture of dome 4) a scenery showing
belled, flowery, Tyrolese valley 5) a world map. These things related to the good aspects

of life and displayed on the sour cream walls are in sharp contrast to the lives of these
children. Shakespeare is an epitome of highest literary achievement. Shakespeares plays
(especially the comedies) deal with kings and queens, prince and princesses, conquests
and love. The painting of cloudless dawn is in sharp contrast to the lead sky which
constantly hovers their lives. Civilized domes are a symbol of architectural
extravaganza and human progress. Flowers- fragrant and fresh are symbols of beauty.
The belled, flowery valley, rivers and capes are beyond the reach of these children. The
map hanging on the wall promises a world beyond while their future has already been
sealed. The aforementioned donations by rich people are in fact teasing these children.
In a way the poet has laid bare the glaring disparity in the lives of rich and poor. But the
truth is that this map is not their world. Their world is a limited one which can be seen
outside the window leading to narrow street sealed in with a lead sky. The word
sealed has an element of finality pointing towards futility of education that is being
imparted to these children. Their future is already painted with a fog. It is hazy, unclear
and uncertain and will lead them from nowhere to nowhere.
Stanza 3: In the third stanza, Spender questions the reality of the students futures. He
calls Shakespeare wicked because in his plays Shakespeare talks of ships (conquests),
sun (epitome of hope and life) and love. He gives these children ideas of escape from
lead skies to sun filled worlds. He raises the expectations of these children and
because there arent adequate means to fulfill these expectations, it is tempting them to
steal. He is assisting the slum to commit crime. The poet also calls the map a bad
example because maps are promises of a better horizon while these children are destined
to spend their lives in cramped holes. Theirs is not a journey from darkness to light but
from ignorance (fog) to death (endless night). Their bodies are merely a burden
(heap) of waste (slag).They are so thin that the bones peep through the skin. They
wear spectacles of steel / With mended glass. Their life is mended and never whole.
Their existence is like bottle bits on stones- shattered, scattered. All their time and
space are consumed by foggy slum. The overwhelming slum ( as overwhelming as
death-doom) is a big blot on the civilized world. It also shows that the haziness (fog)
has blotted their fate.
Stanza 4: In the last stanza, Spender comes full circle. Hopelessness is replaced by hope
and pessimism is replaced by optimism. The dim atmosphere of the class is replaced by
an array of colours- green, azure and gold. The monotonus lives of these children only
undergo a change when governors, inspectors and visitors come to the school. He is
imploring the authorities to do away with temporary solution like donation and impart
quality education to the children of slum .There is an urgency of tone as he begs for a
change that will break o break open the windows /That shut upon their lives like
catacombs and free the children from a suffocating, strangulating life. These children are
also craving for knowledge let their tongues run naked into books. Only quality
education (and not mere schooling) will add colours to their lives and will take them to
green fields (green is symbolic of prosperity) and will allow them to run azure on gold
sands (azure is symbolic of limitless possibility ). Only education can liberate these
children from a restrictive life. The poet has immense faith in education as he feels that
history theirs whose language is the sun. Sun is symbolic of the light of knowledge. It
also symbolizes equality because when the sun shines, it makes no discrimination
between a kings palace and a poor mans hut. Education is a great liberator and

equalizer.
Solved examples:
1. Describe the three deprived children as described by Spender in the poem?
The three deprived children described by Spender in the poem are the tall girl with a
weighed down head signifying that she was physically and physically exhausted.
The second is the paper seeming boy with frightened eyes. He was malnourished
with twisted bones .The third child is malnourished and has twisted bones which he
has inherited from his father.
2. Contrast the imagery of the slum with donations on the wall.
The slum is described as dark and dim where the children live on slag heap. They
have a foggy future. The course of life for them is a narrow street with a lead sky that
encloses on them. This is in contrast to the donations on the wall. Shakespeares head
symbolizes an enlightened mind and the cloudless bright skies and the Tyolese valley
are contrasted with the foggy environment of the slum. The donations talk both of
beauty and progress, while the slum is regressive.
3. Who can change the lives of the slum children and how?
An enlightened person like a governor, inspector, or visitor can transform the lives of
the slum children. These educated minds would liberate the imprisoned minds of the
children. The poet visualizes the liberated children running on gold sands and
delving into the books. Their minds will be empowered and enlightened like the sun.
Questions for practice:
Extract from the poem:
1.Far far from gusty waves these childrens faces.
Like rootless weeds, their hair torn round their pallor:
The tall girl with her weighed- down head. The paperSeeming boy, with rats eyes.
a.Name the poem and the poet. (1)
b. What is peculiar about the faces of these children?(1)
c.Explain like rootless weeds(1)
d. What is the poetic device used in the expression the paper seeming boy, with rats
eyes?(1)
2.On sour cream walls, donations. Shakespeares head,
Cloudless at dawn, civilized dome riding all cities.
Belled, flowery ,Tyrolese valley. Open handed map
Awarding the world its world. And yet, for these
Children, these windows, not this map their world
a. How do the sour cream walls reflect the mood of the classroom?(1)
b. The images on the wall are antithetical to the life of the slum dwellers.Explain.(1)
c. Why is the world of these children like a window?(1)
d. What does Shakespeares head symbolize?
3. Break o break open till they break the town
And show the children green fields and make their world
Run azure on gold sands, and let their tongues
Run naked into books, the white and green leaves open
History is theirs whose language is the sun
a.The tone and mood of the poem changes in the last stanza. Comment.

b. Where does he want to lead the children?

c.Let their tongues run naked into books. Explain.
d. Which literary device has been used in the first line?
Short Answer Questions:
What does the poet wish for the children of the slums?
Why is Shakespeare wicked and map a bad example?
Why are the children referred as rootless weeds?
The children of slum are destined to a life trapped in narrow street and sealed
with lead sky. Comment.
The slum children seem to be resigned to their fate. What are the examples in the
poem that suggest this?

KEEPING QUIET by Pablo Neruda

THE POET
Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) was the pen name of the Chilean writer and politician Neftali
Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. With his works translated into many languages, Pablo Neruda is
considered one of the greatest and most influential poets of the twentieth century. In
1971 Neruda won the Nobel Prize for literature. Colombian novelist Gabriel Gracia
Marquez called him the greatest poet of the twentieth century in any language.
Theme
The poem emphasizes on the necessity of quit Introspection to create a feeling of mutual
understanding among human beings. It conveys Nerudas philosophy of an exotic
moment of silence and inactivity which can be an antidote to war ,hatred ,exploitation
.By keeping Quiet and understanding itself mankind can stop harming itself with death
and destruction
About the poem
Pablo Neruda, the winner of the Nobel Prize for literature in the year, 1971, in his poem,
Keeping Quiet talks about the necessity of quiet introspection and creating a feeling of
understanding among human beings. He suggests that if everybody for a little while
ceases to do what he is doing, there is a chance that we can save the world, for in that
moment of silence and inactivity we would all be one.
Divided by regions, cultures, languages and personal motivation, each one of us is
pursuing ones own goal without seeing the larger picture. The ability to see the larger
context, of a harmonious world and of a people at peace with one another, we need
introspection, and this is possible only in moments of suspended activity.
The poet suggests that we all commit ourselves to complete silence and inactivity for a
space of just twelve seconds and observe the miraculous consequences of the same. In
the absence of the hustle and bustle of life there would be a feeling of peace and quiet,
and we would be united in our mutual commitment. The idea that the fishermen would
not harm the whale is only a metaphor for the thought that humans would not destroy
nature and wars would cease. The whole question of wars and the speculation of
winners of wars and the survivors of war would become null and void, resulting in
complete harmony between human beings themselves and between man and nature.
The poet does not wish to advocate total inactivity or death but laments the fact that in
our single minded desire to keep our lives active we lose sight of our true goals and in so

doing we reach a stage when we have no leisure to either understand ourselves or our
fellow human beings. This is a sad state of affairs and main reason for this discord in the
world and the reason for the imbalance that exist between man and nature. This discord
and this imbalance are potentially dangerous for us as they spell destruction. Our
survival and that of the world rests upon our ability to comprehend this and thus divert
this sad eventuality. The poet says that since our salvation rests on this, let us proceed to
observe the silence and thus find ourselves.
SOLVED QUESTIONS:
Read the extracts given below and answer the following questions:
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
As when everything seems dead
And later proves to be alive
Now I will count upto twelve
And you keep quiet and I will go.
What does the Earth teach us?
What does the poet mean to achieve by counting upto twelve?
What is the significance of keeping quiet?
Ans. a) The earth teaches us how new life springs from dead remains and how there is
life under apparent stillness.
b) The poet wants to achieve peace by counting upto twelve. He wants us to introspect in
a moment of silence.
c) Keeping quiet doesnt mean being idle. It means that we should avoid all such
activities, which are hurting the nature and, in turn, us.
2. It would be an exotic moment,
Without rush, without engines,
We would all be together
In a sudden strangeness.
What will happen if there is no rush or running of engines?
Why would it be called an exotic moment?
How would we feel at that moment?
Ans. a) It is an ecstatic moment of tranquility without rush or running of engines.
b) It would be an exotic moment because it will be an instance of universal peace
and brotherhood. In that moment, all of us would initiate introspection through
meditation and the whole world will be enveloped in quietness.
c) We would feel very strange at the moment, because at that time everyone will be
feeling oneness with their fellow human beings in it. It will be a new feeling altogether.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Why does the poet want us to keep quiet?
Ans. The poet wants us to keep quiet to feel the strangeness of being quiet. When we
all will keep quiet it will be an exotic moment which will allow us to establish
communion with our fellow beings and all other living beings at spiritual level.
Does the poet advocate total inactivity and death by suggesting to be quiet?
Ans. No, the poet does not advocate it. He wants no truck with death. In fact he wants

to live life full bloodedly. But by advocating quietness he wants mixing of physical
and spiritual aspect of life.
Why does not the poet want us to speak in any language?
Ans. The poet wants us not to speak in any language to introspect and know what we
are about- know the meaning of our existence. He wants everybody to know his spirit
and have spiritual contact with others for some time for which no language is
required.
UNSOLVED QUESTIONS
How does the poet differentiate inactivity from death?
What is the sadness that we can overcome by keeping silent and still?
According to the poet, silence is profound. Justify.

A Thing of Beauty by John Keats

About the poet
Keats belonged to the 2nd generation of Romantic Poets. He was last to be born and the
first to die. Born in 1795, in the city of London to a poor stable keeper, he was brought up
amid surroundings and influences by no means calculated to awaken poetic genius.
Rendered an orphan at the age of eight he was apprenticed as a surgeon by his guardian
Mr. Abbey. However as soon as he was of nineteen years, he abandoned the medical
profession to devote his time to literature as he realized that poetry was his true vocation.
He received much encouragement and inspiration from his friends, Leigh Hunt, Haydon,
etc. and published his first volume of poems in1817. Braving his ill health, his financial
constraints and the hostile criticism he received for his second volume, he continued
undeterred giving his best creation The Great Odes in the last phase of his life. Keats
breathed his last in February 1821 at the age of twenty six. Keats is rated among the
greatest poets of England. He was also a worshipper of beauty. Beauty for him was the
moving spirit of his life and art. The present poem is a statement of Keats conviction that
beauty is a heavenly thing.
About the poem
The Romantic poet John Keats poem is an excerpt from his poem Endymion : A Poetic
Romance. The poem is based on a Greek Legend, in which Endymion a beautiful young
shepherd and the poet who live on Mount Latmos, had a vision of Cynthia, the moon
Goddess. The enchanted youth resolved to seek her out and so wandered away through
the forest and down under the sea. The poem Endymion, as Keats himself wrote to one
of his friends , is the best of his powers of imagination and invention.
Theme
The theme of the poem rests in the opening lines of the poem. A Beautiful object is
treasured in our mind because it provides us eternal and everlasting joy. This happiness

never fades into nothingness but multiplies manifold whenever it flashes on our mind
screen.
Rhyme scheme
Keats casts a lyrical spell with a perfect rhyme scheme of aabbcc.
Main points

A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

It does not pass into nothingness but its beauty keeps on increasing.
It gives us sound sleep and good health;
This world is full of frustrations, disappointments and dearth of noble people.
These make our life gloomy and sad.
But things of beauty remove the pall and sadness from our spirits.
Nature is a constant source of happiness for human beings.
The beautiful things are sheep, daffodils, clear streams, musk roses and forest
thickets.
These things soothe and make us happy.
Stories of heroes who have died in peace of war are also things of beauty and
have a stimulating effect.
But the beauties of nature are lovelier than all the lovely tales and are like the
immortal drink from heaven.

Solved Questions
A.

A thing of beauty is a joy forever

Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing
A thing of beauty is joy forever, Explain.
A thing of beauty is a source of joy that is constant, never ending. The beauty
of a thing is eternal and it increases as time passes by. It will never pass into
nothingness. It has a permanent impact on our minds.
2. Why a beautiful thing does not pass into nothingness?
A thing of beauty does not pass into nothingness because as the time
Passes beauty increases only. Beauty is eternal and it lives forever.
3.

What does poet mean by a bower quiet for us?

The right order of the phrase A bower Quiet for us is a quiet bower for us.
The word quiet means calm, silent and peaceful. Beauty is like a shady grove
in which we can sit and relax or enjoy a sound sleep full of dreams. It
refreshes and re-energizes us.

B.

Yet, in spite of all

Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils

What does in spite of all refer to?

The expression refers to all the pessimistic and negative thoughts that obstruct
our way to happiness. In spite of the sense of hopelessness and gloom that
overshadows and darken our way, we are able to find our happiness in the
beautiful objects on nature.

What according to the poet drives away the sadness from our life?
Beauty, in shape or form, helps in driving away the sadness and despair from
the dark recesses of our spirit.

What does the reference simple sheep symbolize?

Lambs and sheep are envisioned as the embodiments of innocent and serene
beauty. Jesus Christ, as an apostle of peace, was a shepherd and was seen
surrounded by his flock of sheep, his followers. The poet has made specific
reference to the sheep as symbiosis of divine beauty.

C.

We have imagined for the mighty dead;

All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heavens brink.

Who are the mighty dead?

The mighty dead refers to those great men and warriors who glorified death
by embracing it most gracefully and magnificently.

Why does the poet make this reference?

The poet refers to the mighty dead because beauty can be seen not only in
birth and growth, but also in a magnificent death.

What lovely tales have we heard or read?

A glorified and magnificent death gets recorded in the leaves of history, leaving
an indelible imprint on it. It remains an everlasting source of motivation to all
those who read or hear about such great men who achieved glory in death.

What is referred to as an endless fountain of immortal drink?

Beauty, in all respect, whether in growth or in decay, is a perennial source

of motivation. It is an endless fountain from where we can drink the immortal
Elixir of life.

Explain:Pouring unto us from the heavens brink.

Beauty is the greatest gift of God to man which has been showered upon us from
the heavens above. The beauty is eternal and everlasting in whose glory men or
earth bask and derive their perennial source of joy and happiness.

Short answer questions:

Q.1 List the things that cause suffering and pain.
Ans.There are many things that cause suffering and pain like sad and sorrowful days,
cruelties, lack of noble qualities, unhealthy and over darkened ways that we have to
follow etc.
Q.2 What does the line, `therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to bind us to the
earth` suggest to you?
Ans. John Keats is deeply in love with the constant beauty of the earth. He believes that
man and nature are woven into an unbroken bond. The above line suggests the intensity
and eternity of this bond. The beautiful things present in the nature around us are like
beautiful flowers. We wreathe them into a flowery band that keeps us connected and
attached to this beautiful earth.
Q3. What makes human being love life in spite of troubles and sufferings?
Ans.We, as human beings, suffer from malice, despondence, lack of noble quality and so
on. These things make our life sad and gloomy. The poet, however, feels that in spite of
all these suffering, man has a hope to redeem himself and make him love life. This hope
lies in the small beautiful things around us which provide happiness and joy through their
sheer charm and beauty.
Q4. Why is grandeur associated with the mighty dead?
Ans. The mighty dead refers to our forefathers who were powerful in their own ways
and in their times. Their values and achievements made them mighty great. They were
great because of their grand, dazzling deeds. Thus, grandeur is associated with our dead
ancestors who are remembered for their good works.

Questions for practice:

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:
A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep

Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

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 oer-darkened ways
Made for our searching:

Does the poet believe that beauty fades away?

What does the poet mean by bower in the above stanza?
What will beauty provide us with?

What according to the poet do we try doing every morning?

Explain: `wreathing a flowery band to bind us to the earth.
What does the expression spite of despondence imply?
Why is there an inhuman dearth of noble natures?
What makes our days gloomy?
Explain: `unhealthy and oer-darkened ways`.

and clear rills

That for themselves a cooling covert make
Giants the hot season; the mid forest brake,
Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms

What does clear rills refer to?

How are they beneficial to mankind?
Explain: `the mid forest brake`.
What does grandeur of the dooms imply?
What contrasting aspects of life has the poet referred here?

Short Answer Questions:

How does beauty sustain our life on the earth?
What does Keats mean by the grandeur of dooms?
How do we bind ourselves to the earth every morning?
List the things that cause suffering and pain.
What is the source of the endless fountain and what is its effect?
What is the central idea of the poem?
Value points:

Things of beauty-endless fountain of nectar.

They dispel darkness & sadness from our lives.
Beautiful things are in different forms-nature, heavenly bodies,
art literature.
Man is inspired by beautiful things on earth to live happily
What are the reasons for despondence in human beings?
**************

AUNT JENNIFERS TIGER BY ANRIENNE RICH

ABOUT THE POET:

Adrienne Rich was born in Baltimore ,Maryland ,US. She is widely known for her
involvement in contemporary womens movement as a poet and theorist . She has
published nineteen volumes of poetry ,three collections of essays and other writings .A
strong resistance to racism and militarism echoes through her work. This poem
addresses the constraints of married life a woman experience.
VALUE POINTS
*The poet is a feminist and she addresses the ordeals of a married woman
*She spends good amount of time in embroidering panel of tigers prancing across the
screen.
*The tigers are fearless creatures pacing elegantly and majestically. They symbolize the
spirit of freedom. Aunt is the victim of male chauvinism
*Aunt Jennifer is so oppressed terrified that she finds it hard to pull the needle.
*The Weight of Uncles Wedding band expresses how victimized and oppressed she is
.It implies that Aunt Jennifer has to work hard to meet his expectations.
*She spends her life in fear but she embroiders on the panel the fearless and courageous
tigers to express her secret longing for a life of freedom and confidence
*Even her death does not end the problem and constraints which a married woman
experiences.
COMPREHENSION SOLVED QUESTIONS
Aunt Jennifers tigers prance across a screen
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green
They do not fear the men beneath the tree
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.
Q1 . What does the expression Aunt Jennifers tigers imply?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer was embroidering a panel of prancing tigers. The poet refers to the
tigers as Aunt Jennifers tigers because their her creation ,her work at art
Q2 What does prancing tigers symbolize?
Ans. Prancing tigers are a symbol of the spirit of the freedom within Aunt Jennifer which
remains subdued. They also symbolize her fear of her male counterpart.
Q3 Why are they referred to as denizens of a world of green?
Ans. The tigers are the dwellers of the green forest so they are referred to as denizens.
Q4. Why are they not afraid of the men?
Ans. They are not afraid of the men because they are not real. Even otherwise ferocious
and tigers are never afraid of men.

Q.5 What qualities of the tigers are highlighted here ?

Ans. Fearlessness and ferocity of the tigers are highlighted here. Aunt Jennifers
nervousness and timidity are in sharp contrast to wild ferocity of the tigers who are not
afraid of hunting men .Unlike Aunt Jennifer, the tigers fear nothing.
2 When Aunt is dead ,her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid
Q1 How are the tigers different from her?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer is weak and can not even move her terrified fingers. On the other hand
her tigers symbolize strength, power and speed.
Q2. What are the ordeals that Aunt Jennifer faced in her life?
Ans. . Aunt Jennifer did not lead a pleasant marital life. The hard and bitter experiences
of her conjugal life lie heavy on her..
Q3. What does ringed with ordeals imply ?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer has been so victimized in her life that even after her death she
remains trapped in the struggles of the spirit. She is a victim of gender injustice and
oppression.
Q4. Is the society in any way affected by Aunt Jennifers death?
Ans. Since the society is male domineering , it shows no concern for Aunt Jennifers
suffering ,even her death. The loss of her freedom is her individual loss. The society is
not affected by it and state of women still remains the same.
3Aunt Jennifers fingers fluttering through her wool
Find even the ivory needle hard to pull
The massive weight of Uncles wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifers hand .
Q1 How was she pulling the needle?
Ans. She was pulling the ivory needle with great difficulty.
Q2. Why do Aunt Jennifers fingers flutter through her wool?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer lives in constant fear of her chauvinist husband .She feels so nervous
and terrified that her hands shake and flutter when she sits down to knit.
Q3. Explain massive weight of Uncles wedding band
Ans. The expression is symbolic of male authority and power. Matrimony binds the
women physically as well as mentally, clipping her of her freedom of expression and
independence . Likewise Aunt is trapped in gender oppression and feels herself burdened
by the authority of her husband.
Q4. Why did Aunt Jennifer create animals which were so different from her own
character ?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer and her created animals were quite different from each other .The old
lady looked weak and frail but her tigers were a picture of strength, speed and grace
.Though herself weak, she could create strong and graceful tigers through her art in the
panel.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. What do the tigers made by the Aunt symbolize?

Ans. The tigers made by the Aunt Jennifer symbolize the spirit of courage ,strength ,and
fearlessness .Aunt Jennifer is the victim of male oppression ,expressed her crushed
feelings in the form of art .So the tigers are the symbolic of the fear of male domination
with which Aunt Jennifer suffers.
Q2 Why do you think Aunt Jennifers hands are fluttering through her wool ? Why is
finding the needle so hard to pull?
Ans. Victimized by the overbearing and dominant nature of husband---tortured and
suppressed by atrocious husband---terrified her and seems to have lost all strength and
energy.
Q3 Explain The tigers in panel------- proud and unafraid.
Ans. Symbolized the unquestioned authority of man---- dispassionate and unconcerned
attitude of the male towards women----never free from the oppressive authority of her
male counterpart---Aunt tries to liberate in her art but cannot.
Q4. What will happen to Aunt Jennifer s tigers when she is dead/
Ans. The created tiger of Aunt will not die when she is dead . They will survive her .
They will go on prancing ,proud and unafraid . Aunt Jennifer will die but her creations
are immortal .Arts always survives death.
Q5. How do Aunt Jennifers tigers look like?
Ans. The tigers ,made by Aunt on the screen ,are jumping and playing about without any
fear of the men beneath the tree . They walk in elegance and style displaying the spirit of
the courage ,fearlessness, strength and confidence.
QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE
Q1 How is the poem a forceful expression of the evil of patriarchy ?
Q2. What ideology does the poem propound?
Q3. What ordeals do you think Aunt Jennifer is surrounded by?
Q4. The tigers are contrasting symbols . Do you think so?
Q5 What kind of married life did she lead ? Do you sympathize with her ?
Q6. What will happen to her tigers when she dies?
Q7. What impression do you form about the Uncle in the poem ?

VISTAS

THE TIGER KING

THE AUTHOR
Kalki was the pen name of the R. Krishnamurthy (1899 1954), and Indian freedom
fighter, novelist, short-story writer, journalist, travel writer, satirist, poet, critic, and

connoisseur of the arts. The Tiger King is an enjoyable story and prime example of
Kalkis biting pen. It is poignant satire on the self-importance that the people in power
assume.
Theme
The story is a satire on the conceit of those in power.
It also makes a very earnest plea for the protection of the tiger. It is an indirect comment
on subjecting innocent animals to the willfulness of human beings
About the lesson
This is the story of the Maharaja of Pratibandhapuram, who became known as the Tiger
King. According to legend, when he was born, the astrologers proclaimed that having
been born under a particular star meant that he would have to die. Hearing this the Royal
Prince who was then only ten days old suddenly spoke, much to the astonishment of all
those assembled there.
The prince said that it was common knowledge that anyone who took birth would have to
die and that astrologers then replied that he was born in the hour of the bull and the bull
and the tiger are enemies, and his death would be connected with a tiger. It was expected
that the infant prince would exhibit some fear but on the contrary the prince growled,
warning the tigers to take care.
When the prince came of age, and got back his kingdom from the British, he embarked
on a mission to destroy the tigers completely in his kingdom. He was thrilled when he
shot the first tiger, but the astrologers warned him that though he may be able to destroy
ninety-nine tigers in the same way, he must yet be wary of the hundredth one. Tiger
shooing was banned to all expect the king. Not even a British Officer who was keen to
be photographed with a dead tiger was allowed the luxury!
When the king was short of thirty tigers to complete the shooting of a hundred tigers that
he had wowed to kill, he encountered a strange dilemma. It was discovered that the tiger
population of his kingdom had been completely depleted in the span of tem years that he
had been shooting. This forced him to marry a princess whose fathers kingdom had
forests that were the abode of tigers.
The king happily continued shooting tigers till he had ninety-nine tigers skin on his walls.
Now he had to shoot only one more tiger but not a single tiger could be found! In order
to keep the king in a good humor, the kings Dewan decided to place a caged tiger that
he had at home in strategic place. The king was overjoyed to shoot his hundredth tigeronly he did not realize that he has not actually shot it! He had missed his mark.
However, the tiger was shot by a hunter and then the dead tiger was taken in procession
through the town and buried. A tomb was erected over it.
The king having fulfilled his wow now turned this attention to his son who had just
turned three. In his search for a very special gift for the child he chanced upon a wooden
tiger, which he bought for him. While playing with his son a splinter from this crudely
made toy pierced his right hand. Though he removed it with his left hand it developed
into a wound and the infection spread to his whole arm. The very best surgeons who
were called upon to operate on him could not save him and he died. Thus the prediction
of the astrologers came to pass and it was the hundredth tiger that avenged the death of
all the tigers that the kind had killed in order that he might live and also disprove the
prophecy of the astrologers.

SOLVED SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. How did the chief astrologer react to the tiger kings question about the manner of his
death? How did the tiger king take it?
A. When the baby barely ten days old opens its lips in speech the chief astrologer was
wonderstruck. He thought it to be incredible that the baby raised an intelligent question
to know about the manner of his death. The astrologer told that the prince was born in the
hour of the bull. The bull and tiger are enemies. Therefore, death to him shall come from
the Tiger. The tiger king growled, Let tigers beware!
2. Why was it celebration time for all the tigers inhabiting Pratibandapuram?
A. There was a celebration time for all the tigers inhabiting Pratibandapuram because the
state banned tiger hunting by anyone except the Maharaja and a proclamation was issued
to the effect that if any one dared to fling a stone at a tiger, all his wealth and property
would be confiscated.
3. What did the Maharaja do when he stood in danger of losing his kingdom in refusing
the British officer permission for tiger hunting?
A. The Maharaja obtained some fifty expensive diamond rings of different designs from a
British Jeweller Company in Calcutta and sends them to the British officers good lady
expecting her to choose one or two rings and send the rest back. But she kept all the rings
and thanked the Maharaja for the gift. This cost the Maharaja three lakh rupees; but his
kingdom was saved.
4. What plan did the Maharaja think of to fulfill his vow to kill hundred tigers after the
tiger population became extinct in his state?
A. When the tiger population became extinct in his state the Maharaja planned to marry a
girl of royal family of a native state with a large tiger population so that he would kill the
remaining thirty tigers in the state of his father in-law when he visits that.
5. What caused the death of the Maharaja?
A. The prophecy of the chief astrologer came true. A toy-wooden tiger-the hundredth
tiger killed the Maharaja. The silver quill on the wooden tiger pierced his hand when he
was plying with it on the crown princes third birthday. It caused a suppurating sore that
spread all over the arm. He was operated but died.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q1. The operation is successful. The maharaja is dead. comment on the
irony of the situation.
Value Points
The three famous surgeons were called from Madras to treat the Maharaja.
The whole incident is a satire on the life of rich and powerful people.
Everything in their life should be grand be it a disease, purchases or treatment.
So when the Maharaja got hurt by a wooden splinter, specialists from Madras
were called
The surgeons discussed and debated for some time and decided to operate
At the end of the operation they said the operation was successful but the
Maharaja was dead.
As if the procedure was important to them but life had no meaning for them.
The job of doctors is to save people and not highlight the technicalities of the

treatment.
But here it was just that, poor Maharaja was relegated to a non entity whose life
was not of much consequence to them.

Q2. It is understood from the lesson that the king was surrounded by people who obeyed
him out of fear and there was a lack of good counselling from his ministers to run his
kingdom for the good of the people. How important is it to have a good council of
ministers for the good governance of the country?

Value Points:
Elected ministers should place the country before self.
The head should mercilessly remove the corrupt ministers.
There should be a strong judiciary
Law and order should be in the hands of honest officers.
Bureaucracy should be strong and transparent.

UNSOLVED QUESTIONS
Short Answer Questions
What was the miracle that occurred soon after the birth of the Maharaja?
What dangers did the Maharaja face in his hunt for tigers?
What did the astrologer have to say when the Maharaja killed the first tiger?
How did the duraisani behave on receiving the gifts? What idea do you form
about her/
After killing 70 tigers how did were the remaining tigers arranged?
Who actually killed the hundredth tiger and why?
How did the Maharaja celebrate his victory over the killing of the hundredth
tiger?
From where did the Dewan arrange the 100th Tiger?
How can we say that the Dewan was very resourceful?
Long Answer Questions
To kill the hundredth tiger, the Maharaja endangered his position. How did he
save his throne?
The title of Tiger King reflects the irony in the life and death of the Maharaja.
Explain.
What is the writers indirect comment on subjecting innocent animals to the
willfulness of human beings?
The Tiger King, is a satire on the conceit of those in power. Do you agree with
the statement? Elucidate.

THE ENEMY

THE AUTHOR
Pearl S. Buck is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize in Literature. She
strongly believed on the brotherhood and equality of all people. The Enemy written in
1942 confirms the belief.

The story raises the high-level moral questions about ethics in the time of war. When is a
patient a patient and when is he an enemy to be treated as a threat? How are ethical
principles prioritized when they are in conflict?
Theme
The story deglorifies war and sets fellow feelings as against national loyalty. It proves
that humanity is above Patriotism and therefore indirectly condemns war. It also
illustrates the conflict of a person who has to make difficult choices.
About the lesson
The story set during the World War deals with conflicting emotions caused by those
defining moments in ones life when one is faced with difficult choices. At times one has
to choose between assuming the role of emphatic human beings and while ignoring
sentiments, becoming patriotic of a country and letting ones nationalist feeling dictate
the action one takes.
Dr. Sadao Hoki had spent a reasonable span of time in America studying medicine and
specializing in the science of keeping wounds clean. It was because of his mastery over
this that he had been retained in Japan and had not been sent overseas with the troops.
Also the delicate health of the old General and the possibility of his requiring medical
attention was a consideration for keeping him in Japan. The latter had spent some times
in America and had as a matter of fact met his wife, Hana in Professor Harleys house and
had subsequently married her in accordance with the traditional Japanese customs, on
their return to Japan.
One night as the two of them stood in their verandah, they saw something being washed
ashore into the close proximity of their house and on closer inspection found that it was
an American prisoner of war. In an unconscious state, the American seemed to have lost
lot of blood due to a bullet would. Sadao and Hana were torn between succumbing to the
human instincts of bringing the American into their house and tending to him and the
thought that as citizens of Japan they would be breaking rules by bringing an American
prisoner of war into their home. They also realized that if they did not turn him in he
would surely die. They were afraid that the servants would not approve of the latter
course of action and might even give them away to the authorities. Being a doctor, Sadao
realized that the American was in need of urgent medical attention and thus prevailed
upon Hana not only to allow him to bring the man into the house but also to disclose the
fact to the servants. The babys maid, Yumi, refused to clean up a white man and Hana
had no choice but to do so herself. Though Hana had never seen an operation and had
never before administered anesthesia, she was able to assist her husband in the operation.
Sadao successfully managed to remove the bullet that had lodged itself close to the
kidney. Looking at the unconscious man, Hana could not help wondering whether the
rumors that prisoners of war underwent torture were true and hoped that he had not been
tortured. It was then that she noticed the red scars on his neck. He made all efforts to
keep the American alive, all the time unsure why he wanted to keep and enemy alive.
When the American regained consciousness, he waep s for a moment alarmed to see the
Japanese couple and was also surprised that she spoke English. Th servants continued to
resent the presence of an enemy in the house of the master and finally decided to leave on
the seventh day. Sadaos plea was that he had been trained for so long to keep people
alive and he could not possibly let this man die.

In the meantime, Hana began to get very anxious about the bold and clearly brazen step
they had taken and when an official in uniform came to their door, she assumed that he
had come to arrest her husband. As it happened, he had merely come to summon him to
examine the old General who had fallen ill. At this point, Sadao made up his mind that
for the sake of his anxious wife, he must make a concerted effort to get rid of the enemy.
He decided to use the Generals dependence on his medical prowess and skills to his
advantage. He reported what he had done to save the man, at the same time letting the
General feel that he had the ability to save lives with the greatest skill and thus increasing
the Generals dependence on him at a time when he was physically weak and in need to
Sadaos expert nurturing. He promised to arrange for the enemy to be killed through the
process of internal bleeding so that it did not appear to be murder. He also promised to
get rid of the body, at the same time assuring Sadao that he had nothing to fear and that
nobody would know that he had been involved in this matter.
As the task had to be completed in the next few days, Sadao thought that it would be
completely pointless to mention it to Hana. He, however, could not sleep each night
thinking that it would happen that very night and would be very relieved to see the enemy
alive each morning, and recovering rapidly. Slowly the realization began to dawn that
perhaps the General had forgotten his promise and in a way he was glad that it had turned
out this way. This circumstance gave him the opportunity to make arrangements for the
American to escape. He assisted him in all the ways that he could, giving him boat,
rations, Japanese clothes and even a torchlight with which he could indicate in case his
supplies ran out or if he did not find a Korean fishing boat to rescue him from the island
where he was to seek refuge. In the meantime, Sadao had carefully monitored the
enemys progress and was convinced that he was strong enough to take this chance and
save his life. They parted as friends and the American remarked that it was a second time
that Sadao had saved his life.
Sadao reported the matter of the Americans escape to the General, who apologized
profusely for having neglected to keep his promise offering the explanation that having
fallen so ill, he had thought only of himself and his recovery and promise to have the
enemy killed had quite escaped his mind. He wanted Sadao to know that this lapse
should not be mistaken for a lack of patriotic feelings on his part or the dereliction of
duty and he hoped that should the matter come out into the open he would support his
explanation. Sadao understood at once that he had the General in his palm and had no
cause for worry about his own role of having given refuge to an enemy. He assured the
General that he did not for a minute question his loyalty to his country and his zeal to
fight the enemy.
Sadao noticed with satisfaction that there was no flashing light from the island which
indicated that the prisoner had been rescued.
At this moment he suddenly recalled all the white people he had encountered while in
America and the thought of most of them filled him with revulsion and reaffirmed his
feelings of superiority. The face of the American prisoner of war came to his mind and
he was again filled with revulsion. This made him wonder why he had gone to such
pains to save the man.
The story thus focuses on a doctors sense of duty to save lives, as opposed to a patriotic
citizen duty-bound to hand over the prisoner to the authorities. It also focuses on the

ability of humans to rise above narrow prejudices of race and country and emerge as
sensitive and empathetic human beings. Regardless of the lurking dangers, and the open
defiance of his hitherto loyal servants, Sadao comes across as a doctor who takes his role
as a savior of lives. Sadaos wife Hana loves her husband dearly, is as sensitive to the
situation before them and is a human first and Japanese later. Conventional by nature she
is also committed to support her husband in all his endeavors. She displays remarkable
strength of character standing by her husband in his effort to save the American and
nurturing his back to health.
SOLVED SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Why didnt Dr Sadao put the wounded man back in the sea even though he was
his enemy?
Ans. Dr Sadao could not put the wounded man back in the sea even though he was an
enemy because he was a Doctor and the foremost duty of a doctor is to save life. He
knew the man would die if not tended medically. This would be against medical
ethics. So, he rescued him to give medical treatment.
How did the servant express their displeasure?
Ans. The servants did not like the idea of helping an enemy. Yumi refused to wash the
white man. They stopped working; but became watchful as long as a white man was
harbored there.
How did Hana show her human side to the wounded man after the operation?
Ans. Hana nursed the man herself. When he was getting ready to face some fearful
eventuality she told him not to be afraid of anything. Then she knelt and fed him
gently from the porcelain spoon. She also told him that he would be soon strong.
What did Dr Sadao do to send off the POW?
Ans. As soon as it was dark Dr Sadao dragged the stout boat down to the shore. He
put food, bottled water and two quilts. He medically examined the man. Then gave him
his own little flashlight to signal for food, gave him Japanese clothes, covered his blond
head and let him go.
What message does The Enemy give?
Ans. The Enemy gives the message that humanism transcends all man made
prejudices and barriers. Here Dr Sadao upholds the ethics of medical profession in
treating an enemy. The story is a great lesson of peace, love, sympathy, fellow feeling
and humanism.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q.1 Dr Sadaos instinctive affinity transcends national and cultural prejudices and
barriers. Discuss.
As a young boy he obeyed his father and honoured the fact that his education was
his fathers chief concern.
Sadao was skilful Japanese surgeon who lived in Japan during World War II.
Together with his wife Hana, and the servants, Sadao had a comfortable life.
Earlier, he had several years in the United states during medical school.
While in the United States, Sadao experienced cultural prejudice and bias first
hand. Even though he did have a positive experience including that of a teacher
and landlady Americans did.
Is a dutiful son, an excellent husband and a thorough professional- believes that it
is a cardinal sin on part of a surgeon not to know the human body completely
Faces a dilemma whether to help the POW or to assert loyalty to the country and

finally gives in to the call of humanity.

His instinctive affinity transcends cultural and national prejudices and barriers.

Q.2 Sadao and Hana were true patriots and human beings. Justify with reference to
the story.
Both full of patriotism, proud of Japan and its culture.
Hated Americans, found them repulsive, full of prejudices against
Japanese.
Both Sadao and Hana considered humanity above patriotism
As a doctor, he could not leave his patient in distress, could not stop
himself from saving the life of the wounded American soldier.
Both risked their lives and reputation by helping and sheltering the soldier
Hana was equally compassionate- washed the soldiers wounds herself
when Yumi refused.
Considered every soldier as a human being in distress.
Did not hand him over to police initially as the soldier was weak and could
die.
Did not want to keep the American soldier when he fully recovered.
Sadao told the General about the soldier. He had no objection if the soldier
was killed by the assassins- but was ill-at ease and worried that harm may
come to him- shows that he is essentially kind.
Helped the soldier to escape, gave him food, clothes and water on his boat.
Sadao found relief when the soldier did not give any signal through his
flash light as he was safe.
Saved the soldier as true human beings.
Wanted to get rid of him as true patriots.
UNSOLVED QUESTIONS
Short Answer Questions
Sadao had made his father happy. What had he done to do so?
Why had Sadao not accompanied the troops abroad?
How did the servants react when they learnt of the wounded man?
Why did the servants in Sadaos family not approve of Sadaos and Hanas
decisions?
How did the General offer to help sadao get rid of the American?
Why did Sadao think that the General was in the palm of his hand?
Long Answer Questions
Dr. Sadao is a thorough professional. Substantiate.
How did Hana take to the leaving of the household workers?

How did the General promise to help Sadao?

What arrangement and advice did Sadao have for the Whitemans escape?
Humanity transcends over Patriotism. Discuss with reference to The Enemy

SHOULD WIZARD HIT MOMMY?

THE AUTHOR
John Hoyer Updike (1932) is an American novelist, poet , short-story writer, and literary
critic. He is the author of fifty-odd books, including twenty novels and numerous

collections of short stories, poems, and criticism. His fiction has won the Pulitzer Prize,
the National Book Award, the American Book Award, the National Book Critic Circle
Award, the Rosenthal Award and the Howells Medal.
Theme
The story deals with child innocence and adult complexes.
The story is a narrative within a narrative and involves issues such as parental authority
and parental Prejudices foisted on children.
A subtheme of the story is that mothers are always right which directly relates to to Jacks
own experiences with his mother.
About the lesson
In the story, Should Wizard Hit Mommy? the writer, John Updike, examines the issues
of parenting and the flaws that inadvertently creep in. The adult tendency to quell the
questioning mind of a child and also the intrusion of the beliefs held by adults to
represent the only valid viewpoint, are areas that find mention in the simple yet powerful
story.
Jo, the four year old daughter of Jack, has been subjected to a ritual of bedtime story
telling by her father ever since she was two years of age. As the story unfolds it is
revealed that this exercise has lost its appeal due to its repetitive nature as each new story
has a slight variation of a basic tale. It follows a simple unchanging plot in which the
various characters all bear the name of Roger and the ending is predictable. Jack prides
himself on what he thinks of as his ingenuity, and is especially proud of his ability to
enact the role of the old wizard, and integral part of each story, changing his voice and
screwing up his eyes. Jack too has begun to tire of this chore and cannot help thinking
that it was so much better when Jo was smaller and would go to sleep sooner. He thinks
of her two year old brother, Bobby, peacefully asleep and is almost pleased that Jo has
requested that the character for that nights story should be Roger Skunk., a new
character. His creativity is momentarily stirred and he embarks on his story, thought
following the same basic plot that has been used each night, for the past two years.
The story of smelly Skunk who smelt so bad that he did not have any friends, follows the
same course except that in mentioning this fact, Jack is reminded of his own childhood
and its humiliation and begins to feel that he is actually telling Jo something is true and
thus is in no hurry to go faster. When Jo interrupts, he is irritated by her and is even more
so when she asks whether magic spells are real. He is reminded that of later she has been
asking many questions. This wonderful evidence of Jos inquisitive progressing mind
and intellect completely escapes Jack, so intent on getting on with the story as planned by
him. His answers to her questions are short and peremptory and he fails to notice that her
question about whether the old wizard could die might be a sign of an inner fear. He
continues with the story and so uninvolved is he in the story that Jo has to remind him
that he has referred to Roger Skunk as Roger Fish.
It comes as rude shock to Jack to discover that though Jo is exhibiting the desired
response to each fragment of the story, the response is insincere and even reminds him of
his wife pretending pleasure at a cocktail party. As the story that Jack is narrating comes
to an end, he notices that Jo is expecting it to end this way and this annoys him for some
inexplicable reason. He cannot bear it when women take things for granted and he
decides to continue with the story giving it a twist. In his story the wizard has changed

Skunk so that he smelt of roses but mother Skunk disapproved of this and hit the wizard
with her umbrella making him change Skunk back to his old stinking self.
The end of story does not appeal to Jo who wants the wizard to hit mommy, but Jack tells
her that mommy knows what is best for her child. It is evident that the story violates Jos
sense of fairness for why Roger Skunk should not smell of roses and thus have more
friends. It is also apparent that in a way Jos constant question and her non acceptance of
Jacks ending of the story appears to be a threat to his authority, for do not adults know
best! Jack feels threatened by Jos attitude and when he finds that she is restless after he
has come downstairs, he uses the ultimate weapon of adult authority-does she want him
to spank her, he asks.
Jack finds his wife painting the chair downstairs. She is expecting their third child and is
wearing his shirt over her maternity dress. He notices that half the chair is still the old
dirty color while the other half is the color of ivory. He finds himself caught somewhere
in an ugly middle position. This is perhaps an indication of the confusion that Jos
questioning has caused. The idea is not only shocking but also quite unacceptable to him.
The reader does get the distinct impression that Jack is not used to his authority being
questioned by anyone and least of all a little child. He finds it hard to come to terms with
the fact that Jo no longer accepts what he says and is not afraid to assert her opinion. The
fact that she insists on his changing the ending of the story the following night also
indicated that she has lost faith in adult wisdom and has a mind of her own, something
that Jack cannot understand or accept.
The writer brings into focus the impatience and insensitivity that adults displays in
their dealing with children and the intolerance they exhibit if they feel that their
authority is being questioned. He also highlights the adult habit of imposing their
opinion on children and that of discouraging any queries. So caught up are adults in
the web of life that they lose their sense of perception which is so sharp in children.
Also, the adult viewpoint is most often colored by the intrusive hues of their various
experiences in life.
SOLVED SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
What was usually the basic storyline of the tale that Jack told Jo almost daily?
Ans. The stories that Jack used to tell Joe were the slight variation of the basic tale
about a small creature usually named Roger. Roger would go to the wise owl
whenever in trouble. The wise owl would ask him to go to the wizard who would
finally solve Rogers problem.
Describe the wizards room.
Ans. The wizards room is a white house over the crick. Inside it are all magic things
all jumbled together in a big dusty heap as the wizard did not have any cleaning lady.

How did Roger Skunks mommy react when he smelling roses went home?
Ans. When Roger Skunk smelling roses reached home his mommy asked what
was that awful smell. Roger Skunk replied that the wizard had made him smell
like that. She got angry and with Roger went to the wizard and hit his head with
an umbrella.

How did Jo react to Jacks storyline?

Ans. Jo did not agree with Jacks version of the story in which Roger Skunks
mommy hit that wizard right over his head for changing Roger Skunks smell. Instead
she wanted the wizard hit Skunks mommy and did not change that little Skunks
smell back.
What does Jack actually want Jo to know and understand in the story?
Ans. Jack actually wants Jo to know and understand that parents always love their
children as they are. Smelling good or bad is immaterial against the natural biological
bond. But this thing is Jos beyond understanding. Father has felt empty after two
years of storytelling to Jo.
LONG ASNWER QUESTIONS
Q1. Jack is very influenced by his mother's upbringing. It is universally acknowledged
that 'mother knows best'. Explain how placing trust in one's parents will be rewarding.
Value points
1.Multiple factors taken into consideration
2. Parents / elders know better
3. Age and experience favour accurate judgment
4. Less likely to be swayed by peer pressure, fashion, trends etc.
5. Interest of child will be close to heart
6. Pressure / stress will be rightly handled
Q2. Jack wishes to help his wife but certain prejudice comes in the way of actually doing
so. Analyse how preconceived notions about other people will often come in the way of
evolving ourselves into better people.
Value points:
1. Help from others will not be forthcoming.
2. Bias / prejudice will make one intolerant
3. Fanatic opinions / beliefs not conducive to overall growth
4. Multifaceted society
5. Ideals of harmony and peace will be curtailed
6. Workplaces, neighborhoods and society at large will suffer.
UNSOLVED QUESTIONS
Short Answer Questions
1. Why did Jacks head feel empty of stories?
2. What animal did Jo want Jack to talk about? Why?
3. What was Clare doing while Jack was telling Jo a story?
4 What did Roger Skunk do to get his problem solved?
Where did the Wizard live ? Describe his appearance.
Was Roger Skunks mommy happy with the change in her child? Why?
7 Did Jo approve of the mothers action? What did she want the story to be like?
Long Answer Questions
Why is an adults perceptive on life different from that of a child?
Why did Jo disapprove of Jacks ending of the story of Roger Skunk? How did
she want it to end?

What was the problem that Roger Skunk was involved in? How did he get it
solved?
How is Jack caught in an ugly middle situation?

On The Face Of It
Susan Hill
About the author:
Susan Hill( born in 1942) is a british author of fiction and non- fiction works. Her novels
include The Woman in Black, The Mist in the Mirror and Im the king of the castle for
which she received the Somerset Maugham Award in 1971.
Theme: The play deals with two characters, Derry and Mr. Lamb. The two have
something in common- they are physically different and deficient. While Mr. Lamb is
lame, Derry has a half- burnt face. Both of them have been mistreated by the society. The
attitude of the people towards Derry and Lamb reflects the callousness of society
towards the physically impaired.
The title suggests that there are facts or situations that seem completely different than
what they are presumed to be on the surface. Secondly, it also refers to the disfigured face
of the protagonist.
Summary Of The Play:

The play depicts beautifully yet grimly the sad world of the physically impaired.

It is not the actual pain or inconvenience caused by a physical impairment that

troubles a disabled man but the attitude of the people around him.

Two physically impaired people, Mr. Lamb with a tin leg and Derry with a burnt
face, strike a bond of friendship.

Derry is described as a young boy- shy, withdrawn and defiant.

People tell him inspiring stories to console him, no one will ever kiss him except his
mother that too on the other side of his face.

Mentions about a woman telling that only a mother can love such a face.

Mr. Lamb revives the almost dead feelings of Derry towards life.

He motivates him to think positively about life, changes his mind set about people
and things.

How a man locked himself as he was scared-a picture fell off the wall and got killed.

Everything appears to be the same but is different- Ex. of bees. and weeds.

The gate of the garden is always open.

Derry is inspired and promises to come back.

Derry's mother stops him but he is adamant saying if he does not go now it would be
never.

When he comes back he sees Lamb lying on the ground.

It is ironical that when he searches a new foothold to live happily, he finds Mr.
Lamb dead.

In this way the play depicts the heart rendering life of physically disabled people
with their loneliness, aloofness and alienation.

But at the same time it is almost a true account of the people who don't let a person
live happily.

Solved Questions:
Short Answer Questions
Q.1 Who is Derry? What self-opinion does he hold?
Derek, also called Derry was a young boy of 14. He was a quiet, shy and defiant
boy. One side of his face was totally burnt by acid. He was a victim of inferiority
complex.
Q.2 How does Lamb try to remove the baseless fears of Derry?
Mr. Lamb influences Derry by his optimistic philosophy. He advises him not to give
attention on other's comments, try to be internally pure and strong and eliminate the
negativity of life.
Q.3 What did Derry's mothers think of Mr. Lamb?
OR
Q.4 Why did Derry's mother stop him, going to Mr. Lamb?
Derry's mother does not hold a good opinion about Mr. Lamb. She has heard
many things about the old man, therefore stops Derry to visit Mr. Lamb.
Q.5 Why does Derry go back to Mr. Lamb in the end?
Actually Mr. Lamb has taught Derry, the most important lesson of life. He advised
him not to care about the comments made by others. He now no longer cares about
his burned face or looks. He is more concerned with what he thinks and feels and is
sure of what he wants to hear and see. He knows if does not go back, he will never
go back. Therefore he returns back.
Q.6 Comment on the moral value of the play?
The moral of the play is very loud and clear. The physically disabled should focus
on the brighter side of life and not to brood over the shortcomings. The society
should accept them as they are and expand their social interactions. In this way they
can fight out the loneliness, depression and disappointment.
Long Answer Questions

Q.1 The actual pain or inconvenience caused by a physical impairment is often much
less than the sense of alienation felt by the person with disabilities. What is the kind
of behaviour that the person expects from others?
Suggested Value PointsActual pain or inconvenience caused by physical impairment is often less than the
sense of alienation felt by the person with disabilities

Physical disabilities

Caused pain once in life time

But this physical disability - set chain for other actions - caused mental agony-

Called Lamely lamb, mothers were afraid of sending their children because of his tin
leg.

Derry - burnt face - everyone pities him-only a mother could love that face.

Both Mr. Lamb and Derry have been the victims of verbal atrocities.

Mr. Lamb takes comments lightly.

But Derry does not have the attitude like Mr. Lamb.

Attitude of the people needs to be changed.

They do not want sympathy but we need to accept them as they are.

Wounds get healed - but bitter comments are never forgotten.It leaves an indelible
scar.
Questions for practice:

Value Based Question:

Derry: You think... Heres a boy. You look at me...and then you see my face and you
think thats bad, thats a terrible thing. Thats the ugliest thing I have ever seen.You
think, poor thing.But I am not.Not poor.Underneath, you are afraid. Anybody would
be. I am. When I look in the mirror and see it, Im afraid of me...
Though this is a lament of a teen who has a disfigured face due to acid that fell on his
face, many teenagers go through a phase where they have a complex about their
appearance and they do not like to be underestimated or pitied. How could society
help such children become confident?
Short Answer Question
1.

What is the theme of the play? How has it been worked out?

2.

Compare and contrast the characters of Mr. Lamb and Derry.

3.

What is the bond that unites old Mr. Lamb and Derry?
How does the old man inspire the small boy?

4.

What is the attitude of Mr. Lamb to the small boy who comes to the garden?

5.

'I'm not afraid. People are afraid of me," says Derry. What do people think on seeing
his face? How do they react then?

6.

Why does Mr. Lamb's argument fail to console Derry?

7.

What makes Derry think that the old man is always alone and miserable? What does
he tell the old man?

8.

What argument does Derry give to convince his mother why he wants to go the old
man's garden?

9.

Comment on the ending of the play.

10. Comment on the appropriateness of the title.

Long Answer Questions
Acid...ate my face up. It ate me up. Describe the miseries suffered by Derry after
the unfortunate incident he refers to.
Mr Lamb also displays signs of loneliness and disappointments. What are these?
What are the ways in which Mr. Lamb tries to overcome these feelings?
What is it that draws Derry towards Mr. Lamb despite himself?
How were Derrys and Mr. Lambs views different?
A positive attitude helps to tackle all difficulties in life. Elaborate with reference to
Mr. Lamb in on the face of it.

EVANS TRIES AN O-LEVEL

N.COLIN DEXTER
About the author: Norman Colin Dexter (born in 1930) is an English crime writer, known
for his Inspector Morse novels. He has won many awards for his novels including the
CWA Gold Dagger Award for his outstanding contribution to crime literature.
Summary:
=
Evans a kleptomaniac was imprisoned thrice and all the time escaped from the
prison. Now he was in the prison for the 4th time and all of a sudden developed curiosity
to appear in O-level German Examination which also was an effort to break the prison.
=
The Governor takes utmost care to see that he would not be fooled every care was
taken to make Evans prepare for the exam.
=
He was tutored by a German tutor for 6 months. The day before the exam the tutor
wishes good luck but makes it clear that he had hardly any chance of getting through.
But Evans gives an ironical twist to the tutors observation by saying I may surprise
everybody.
=
On the day of the exam Jackson and Stephens visited Evans cell and took away

everything that may help him injure himself. Evans was insisted to take away the hat but
he refused saying that it was lucky charm.
=
Eva ns cell was bugged so that the Governor could himself listen to each and every
conversation in the cell. The invigilator Rev. S. McLeery too was searched to ensure that
he was not conniving with Evans to smuggle something objectionable. Stephen, sitting
outside the cell, every now and then peeped into the cell.
=The exam went on smoothly. Stephen escorted the invigilator to the main gate and took
a look into Evans cell and found the invigilator (actually Evans) wounded and informed
the Governor. The latter was to be hospitalized but informed that he was alright and asked
them to follow Evans. Thus he escaped the prison.
=When the invigilator was not found in the hospital they went to the residence of Rev. S.
McLeery only to find him bound and gagged in his study in Broad Street. He has been
there, since 8.15 a.m. Now everything was clear to the Governor.
=Evan escaped the prison the 4th time. But by taking the hint from the question paper the
Governor reached the hotel where Evans was and captured him and came to know how
he planned his escape and said that his game was over. Evans surrenders himself to the
Governor.
=The Governor tells Evans that they would meet soon.
=The moment they are rid of the Governor, the so called prison officer-a friend of Evansunlocks the handcuffs and asks the driver to move fast and Evans tells him to turn to
Newbury. Evans, thus, has the last laugh.
SOLVED QUESTIONS
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
What kind of a person was Evans?
Evans was a Kleptomaniac and had broken jail thrice. He was a master planner
and was very sociable. He knew how to keep intimate contacts with people. In
the words of the Governor, he was a pleasant sort of chap with no record of
violence.
Do you think Evans statement, I may surprise everybody, has some special
significance?
Evans seems to be telling his teacher that he may surprise everybody by doing
well in the exam. But in reality it is a forewarning that he is going to jolt
everybody by his master-minded perfect escape-plan.
Who were the two visitors Evans received in the morning of the day of his
exam?
The two visitors were Mr. Jackson, the senior prison officer of the prisons D
Wing and a man called Stephens, who was recruited recently.
What made Evans clip his hair short?
Evans escape plan was to look like a duplicate McLeery (invigilator during the
O-level German exam) who had short hair. In order to give a practical shape to
their plan Evans hair had to look like McLeerys. Hence Evans clipped them
short.
Why did the Governor instruct Jackson to search McLeery?
The Governor asked Jackson to search McLeery, the invigilator, just in case he
has brought something unwittingly which might prove to be a weapon which

Evans could use and try escaping from prison.

Why did Evans drape a blanket round his shoulder? What did Stephens think
about it?
In between intervals of Stephens peeping into the cell, Evans was changing into
the Parsons dress to look like McLeery. So, in order to conceal his effort to
keep them in place, Evans draped a blanket round his shoulder. Stephens was
misled into believing the Evans was feeling cold.
In spite of strict vigilance, how did Evans friend manage to give the
material for disguise in the cell?
Despite all vigilance, Evanss friend disguised as McLeery, the invigilator,
managed to smuggle the disguised material into the cell. He came wearing two
parsons dresses with black fronts and collars. Apart from it he also brought an
extra pair of spectacles. All this was passed on to Evans when Stephenss
vigilant eyes were away from the peep-hole.
LONG ANSWER QUESTION
What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of the examination?
Suggested value points
-All security arrangements were personally monitored by the Governor.
-The Recreation Block was heavily guarded.
-Senior prison officer, Mr. Jackson, thoroughly checked Evans cell and
removed all incriminating material which may hamper the smooth conduct of
the exam ( nail cutter/ nail file/ scissors)
-The cell was bugged and the Governor could hear all conversations.
-McLerry, the invigilator, was also frisked.
-Stephen was posted to keep a constant vigil on the activities inside the cell.
QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE:
Value based question:
Men of genius excel in any profession because of the labour involved in it
Evans the break was able to hoodwink the jail authorities including the
Governor. It clearly shows that necessity is the mother of all inventions. What qualities
are necessary to tackle difficult situations in life.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
What different queries do the Secretary of the Examinations Board make
from the Governor before conducting the examination for Evans and why?
Who do you think made a call regarding a correction in the question paper?
What did it really want to convey?
Who is Carter? Where does the Governor want him to go and why?
How did the Governor manage to reach Evans in the hotel?
What did the Detective Superintendent inform the Governor about Evans?
What were the contents of the brown suitcase that McLerry carried?
How did the question paper and the correction slip help Evans?
Why did Evans not take off his hat when Jackson ordered him to do so?
What clues did the answer sheet of Evans provide to the Governor?

What request did the Secretary of the Examination board receive from the
Governor of Oxford prison?
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
What impression do you form of Evans the Break?
Comment on the ending of the play Evan Tries An O-Level
How far do you agree with the observation: He was just another good-fora-giggle, gullible governor that was all?
Do you think the title Evans Tries an O-Level is appropriate? Give reasons
in support of your answer.
Appearances can be deceptive. How does this prove to be true in Evans
case?
Consider the story as a cat and mouse game, who wins it and how?
How was Evans able to device a foolproof plan for his escape from the
prison as well as procure items for his disguise in spite of severe restrictions
and strict observations?
What blunders were committed by the prison authorities which helped
Evans to escape from the prison?

MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD
ZITKALA-SA & BAMA
About the authors: Born in 1876, Zitkila-Sa is the pen name of Gertude Simmons
Bonnins who was an educated Native American
woman .She struggled and triumphed in a time when severe prejudice prevailed towards
Native American culture and women. She was prominent in the Pan-Indian movement of
the 1920s and 1930s. She devoted her life to lobbying for the rights of Native Americans.

Bama is the pen name of a Tamil Dalit woman from a Roman Catholic family. She has
published three main works : an autobiography, Karukku; a novel, Sangati; and a short
story collection, Kisumbukkaaran.
GIST OF THE LESSON
PART-I
The first part deals with the account of Simmons, an American Indian, who fought
against the prejudices of society against American Indians.
She describes her experiences on her first day at the Carlisle Indian School.
The customs and rules of the place were strange and new to her.
She was forced to wear clothes that were considered undignified in her culture.
At breakfast, she was embarrassed as she did not know the routine of the place.
When she came to know that they were planning to cut her hair, she protested by
hiding under the bed, even though she knew it was futile. In her culture, it was the
cowards whose hair was shingled.
She felt like an animal driven by a herder.
PART-II
The second part is an excerpt from the autobiography Karukku by Bame -a Tamil
Dalit.
She was in her third grade when she became aware of the indignities that the lower
caste people face.
She happened to see an elderly person from her community abase himself in front of
a higher caste person as he was not supposed to touch the food that he was ordered
to fetch for the landlord.
Later, her brother explained to her that the incident was not at all funny as she had
initially thought, but very pathetic. The people from the lower caste were treated as
untouchables.
She was deeply saddened and decided to study hard to overcome discrimination.
SOLVED QUESTIONS
Short Answer Questions
1. What were the indignities that the new girls were subjected to at Carlisle Indian
School?
The girls were scrutinized thoroughly and supervised by a grey-haired woman. They
were made to wear tight fitting immodest clothes and stiff shoes. During breakfast a
systematic and regimental discipline was observed. The girls with long hair had to
get them shingled and they had to submit to the authorities who were strong,
unfeeling and cruel.
2. On learning that her long hair would be cut the author decide to struggle first. What
does this tell us about the author?
The author knows that she could never prevail against the authorities, yet she
struggles against the injustice. Her mother had told her that only cowards had their
hair shingled and she firmly believed that she was not one. To prove her point as
well as raise her voice against the indignity, she struggles.
3. Why did Bama take half hour to an hour to cover the distance to her home that

would normally take only ten minutes?

Bama would dawdle alone, watching all the entertaining novelties and oddities in
the streets. She would gaze at the shops and the bazaar enjoying the street scenes
and so she would take at least an hour to reach home.
4. What was the incident that made Bama laugh as well as feel so provoked and angry?
Bama saw an elderly man of her street carrying a packet of Vadais by the strings
and walking gingerly, holding the parcel away from his body. Bama found his
manner of carrying the parcel very funny. But her brother explains to her the higher
caste people believed that if the lower caste people touched the parcel it would be
polluted. Thats why the elderly man was carrying it in that manner. This provokes
and angers Bama.
Long Answer Questions:
1. Had Bama not been guided by her elder brother regarding untouchability she would
have grown up into a complex-torn woman. Do you agree? Justify.
Suggested Value Points:
a. Annan an understanding and considerate elder brother-guides her properly
b. explains the social stigma of untouchability
c. Elder carrying Vadai is not comical but pathetic-victim of social prejudice
d. Bama angry and provoked-Frustration might have lead to open and futile revolt
e. Timely advice of Annan guides her in right direction
f. He believes that people of their community should study and outshine others to
earn respect of society.
g. Bama follows his timely advice and grows up to be a balanced and well respected
individual of the society.
Questions for Practice:
Value Based Question:
Article 17( of Indian Constitution) abolishes untouchability but even then it has managed
to survive for more than half a century.
Harijan- Hari Jan (children of God) is what Gandhiji called the Dalits.Great stalwarts like
Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar worked relentlessly for the upliftment of the Dalits. But,
unfortunately the caste bias still rears its ugly head in many parts of the country. What
values need to be instilled in individuals for the betterment and upliftment of the
marginalized communities?
Short Answer Questions
1.What does Zitkila-sa remember about her first day in the land of apples?
2. Eating by formula was the hardest trial on the first day , says Zitkila- sa. What does
she mean by eating by formula?
3. What did the writers friend, Judewin, tell her from what she had overheard and what
was her feeling about it?
4. Zitkala-Sas friend Judewin tells her that it is better to submit to authority. What
kind of a person do you think Judewin was?
5. Why did Zitkala-Sa start crying in the dining hall?
6. Why does the author feel Spirit tore itself in struggling for its lost freedom, all was
useless?

7.
8.

Now I was only one of many little animals driven by a herder! Explain.
What was it that Bama found funny about the village elder walking with the food
packet?
9. When and how did Bama come to know of the discrimination faced by the
marginalized people?
10. What was the advice given by Bamas brother to her?
Long Answer Questions
1. Bamas brothers right advice at the right time helped her progress in academics
thereby throwing away the chain of untouchability of which dalits like her are
victims of. Justify with reference to Memories of Childhood
2. Both Bama and Zitkala-Sa are victims of discrimination that is practiced in the
society. What kind of experience did both of them go through?
3. What are the similarities in the lives of Bama and Zitkal though they belong to
different countries?
4. Describe how Zitkala tried in vain to save her hair from being cut. Why did she
want to save her hair?
5. Memories of Early Childhood stay on forever. Justify this in the contest of Zitkala
Sa and Bamas experiences?
6. Discrimination is a world-wide phenomenon. Elaborate in the contest of the two
stories?

Novel - The Invisible Man

By H. G. Wells
)
THE INVISIBLE MAN

The Invisible Man doesn't get along with anyone in society: he didn't get along with
anyone before he was invisible and now things have only gotten worse. He thinks the
laws shouldn't apply to him and eventually he gets killed by a mob.
DETAILED SYNOPSIS
The Invisible Man starts with a stranger arriving at the town of Iping. He's a private guy,
which is a problem when you live in a town where the major export is gossip. The
stranger doesn't get along with the villagers, especially the people who own the inn where
he's staying. He spends most of his time trying to do something scientific in his room.
But eventually after the villagers (rightfully) accuse him of robbery the stranger
snaps. He takes off all his clothes and reveals that he's wait for it invisible! (Yeah, we
know, it's in the title.)
The Invisible Man fights the village and flees, leaving his important scientific notes

behind. To get them back, he forces a homeless dude named Marvel to help him. They go
back to Iping and get the Invisible Man's stuff, but the villagers attack and craziness
ensues. The Invisible Man beats them to a pulp and wreaks some major havoc.
At another town (Port Stowe), the Invisible Man steals money and drops it into Marvel's
pockets. Like the lousy sidekick he is, Marvel runs away to Burdock, money in hand (or
in pocket, we guess). The IM tries to kill Marvel, but a bunch of people at a bar fight him
off; one person even shoots him, but it's just a scratch. The Invisible Man takes shelter in
a house that happens to be owned by an old college friend named Kemp, and this is
where we learn that our not-so-hero's name is Griffin.
While staying in his digs, Griffin tells Kemp his back story story, which is several
chapters long (and we mean long). Here's the gist: he was poor and he wanted to study
invisibility (as most young people do), so he stole money from his father, who then
committed suicide (we're not entirely sure why). Finally Griffin figured out the
invisibility thing and proceeded to do a few things: (1) burn down his landlord's building;
(2) wander around London; (3) steal from a department store; and (4) put on a ridiculous
outfit from a theatrical costume shop and go to Iping to work.
Turns out Kemp had alerted the police to Griffin's whereabouts when he arrived, but
when they come to arrest him, he escapes. (Remember, he's invisible, so it's not too
tough.) Kemp works with the police to catch Griffin, who in turn, tries to catch Kemp. In
the end, a bunch of people in Burdock gang up on the Invisible Man and kill him. As he
dies, Griffin loses his invisibility and we get our first glimpse of the Visible Man.
Finally, in the epilogue, we learn that Marvel still has Griffin's scientific notes, which
probably have all sorts of cool inventions in them.
Chapter 1
The Strange Mans Arrival
One winters day, a strange figure arrives at the inn in the small village of Iping. Mrs
Hall, the landlady, is pleased to have a winter guest and makes sure he has everything he
needs. When the visitor takes off his hat and coat, however, she is shocked. His head is
completely covered in bandages. As he never shows his face, she thinks that he must have
been badly injured in some terrible accident, but despite her efforts to engage him in
conversation he never offers any explanation for his strange appearance, and stays alone

in his room most of the time. He simply tells the landlady that he is expecting some boxes
to be delivered.
Questions
1. What was the appearance of the strange man when he staggered into the Coaches and
Horses?
2. Describe the Character sketch of Mrs. Hall?
3. The strangers manner was strange, abrupt and rude at times. Comment on how he
behaved and why Mrs. Hall tolerated him?
Chapter 2
Mr. Teddy Henfreys First Impressions
Late in the afternoon, the landlady sends a man to the visitors room to mend a clock.
The visitor agrees but tells them that once the clock is mended, he must be left to do his
work. The clock-mender also tries to start a conversation with him, but the stranger
becomes angry and tells him to finish the job quickly and leave.
Questions
1. Give a brief character sketch of Mr. Henfrey.
2. Why does the stranger introduce himself as an experimental investigator and what
reason did he give for not being interrupted by anyone?
3.The stranger continues to alarm and arouse your curiosity, with his behaviour and
comments Explain.
Chapter 3
The Thousand and One Bottles
The next day, the strangers boxes arrive from the station. He comes out to collect them
and is attacked by Fearensides dog that rips his glove and pants. He runs back to his
room to change his clothes and the landlord checks on him. In the dim light of the room,
Mr Hall sees a strange thing it appears as if the stranger has no hands. He is then struck
in the chest and thrown out of the room. The stranger unpacks the boxes, which are full of
books and cases containing bottles, and sets to work. Later on, when Mrs Hall takes him
his dinner, she sees his face for a second and it looks as if he has no eyes. The visitor tells
her she must knock before entering and that he must not be disturbed in his work. He
works all afternoon and becomes increasingly frustrated. The people in the inn can hear
him shouting and throwing objects around. Later Fearenside describe the stranger.
Questions
1. How did Fearenside describe the stranger?
2. How were Mr. and Mrs. Hall greeted by the stranger in his room in the inn?
3. How did Mrs. Hall, her husband an Fearenside interpret the strangers character?
Explain with illustrations.
Chapter 4
Mr. Cuss Interviews the Stranger
After the dog incident not much happens in Iping. The weeks and months go by and the

visitor spends most of each day working in his room. He only goes out in the evenings,
with his clothes wrapped around him up to the eyes. The people of the village begin to
gossip about him and wonder why he refuses to show himself. Cuss, the local doctor tries
to talk to him but he becomes very angry. He has lost an important piece of paper. The
doctor cannot believe his eyes when the man lifts his arm and reveals that his sleeve is
empty.
Questions
1. What did the people of Iping feel about this strange guest of Halls?
2. Give a brief character sketch of Dr. Cuss.
3. What amazed the villagers and how did they react to it?
Chapter 5
The Burglary at the Vicar
The Vicars house is robbed. The vicar and his wife wake up when they hear something
fumbling in the office and go to investigate. They hear the sound of coins jangling and
the sound of a man sneezing but when they search with a lamp they cant find anybody.
Back at the inn, Mr and Mrs Hall realise that the stranger has not slept in his bed and that
he has disappeared, leaving his clothes behind.
Questions
Q1.What strange Occurrences happened at the Vicarage?
Q2. Describe the robbery episode at dawn at Buntings house.
Q3. Write the Character sketch of Mr. and Mrs. Bunting.
Chapter 6
The Furniture that went Mad
Then the furniture in the strangers room begins moving around as if it had a mind of its
own. They begin to think the stranger has put spirits into the furniture, but when Mr Hall
goes to speak with him, the stranger tells him to go to the devil.
Questions
1. What did Mr. and Mrs. Hall experience and how did they react when they found the
strangers room empty?
2. Write the character sketch of Mr. Huxter.
3. Describe the relation between Sandy Wadgers and the stranger
Chapter 7
The Unveiling of the Stranger
The Halls hear about rumours about the burglary the local people are now very
suspicious of the stranger. Everyone at the bar is interested in the strange behaviour the
stranger. He remains in his room, but Mrs Hall does not bring him any food. He still has
not paid his bill and she tells him that she and the whole village want to understand what
is going on. The stranger becomes very angry and reveals that under his bandages he is in
fact invisible. He starts to beat down on the crowd and they all panic. Constable Jaffers
falls pretty hard on his head, and its not clear whether hes dead or still unconscious.

Questions
1. Describe the episode of the unveiling the stranger at Halls inn.
2. Write the character sketch of Jaffers.
3. What qualities do you ascribe to the stranger from the way he escaped from the people
who tried to catch him?
Chapter 8-9
In Transit/ Mr Thomas Marvel
The people in the bar are terrified and run away. The people of the village meet up and
together with the local policeman, they try to arrest the Invisible Man. But in the violence
and confusion, he manages to escape. He meets a tramp called Marvel and forces him to
help him. In order to remain invisible he has to wear no clothes and he needs Marvel to
carry his money and his books. Mr marvel, just a tramp a homeless jobless guy who
wonders around. The invisible man explains that he needs his help. He knows knows that
Marvel is also an outcast, plus he promises to reward the homeless man for helping him.
Questions
1. How did the man convince Mr. Marvel that he was real?
2. What impression does Mr. Thomas Marvel make on you?
3. Narrate the episode of Mr Marvels first meeting with the stranger.
Chapter 10-12
Mr Thomas Marvels Visit to Ipings
At first the village people panicked after the Invisible Man showed himself. But after a
while, people get relaxed and went back to the festival. Soon another stranger comes to
Iping. The Invisible Man returns with Marvel to the Coach and Horses for his clothes and
papers. He loses his temper when finds Cuss and Bunting going through his things and he
steals their clothes and threatens to kill them. After a struggle with the people of the
village, he manages to escape again.
Questions
1. Discuss the entry of a new stranger in the village after the invisible mans escape from
the place.
2. What impression did Cuss and Bunting make on you? Do you feel sorry for them or
they deserved the treatment given to them by the Invisible Man?
3. What were Mr. Cuss and Mr. Bunting doing in the Parlour of the Coaches and
Horses? What happened in the parlour?
Chapters 1314
MR. Marvel Discusses his Resignation
Marvel points out that hes a bad side kick; the Invisible Man wont leave him, since he is
carrying all of the Invisible Mans stuff, including his research notes. In Port Stowe
Marvel waits on a bench and an elderly mariner tells him the story of amazing Invisible
man that he read in the newspaper. Marvel gets out of there quickly saying that the
Invisible Man is just a hoax.

Questions
1. Describe Marvel as he Carried Griffins burden. Why was he doing it?
2. Why did Griffin choose Marvel to be his assistant and why is he so angry while going
with marvel?
3. Marvel is a weak character .Discuss.
4. What did Marvel tell the Mariner about the Invisible Man? Why did his expression
changed suddenly?
Chapter 15
The Man Who Was Running
DR. Camp is looking the Burdock town in his study full of science stuff. He saw a man
running down into town with a shabby high hat. The running man looks terrified outside.
The Invisible Man is chasing after the running man. The story of the Invisible Man
begins to spread through the countryside by word-of-mouth and in the newspapers.
Marvel tries to escape and takes refuge in an inn. The Invisible Man comes after him and
is shot and injured by one of the men in the inn. Despite his injury, he manages to escape
again.
Questions
Q1. Dr.Kemp is introduced as a man concerned with himself. Peeping through the
window, when he sees someone running frantically, he does not seem to be curious to
know anything. Write the pen portrait of Dr Kemp as observed by you.
Q2. What was the difference in the reaction of Dr Kemp and the majority of the people of
Budrock when they saw the running figure? Give reason for this.
Q3. What peculiar thing did Dr Kemp notice about the fugitive who was running?
Chapter 16
In The Jolly Cricketers
Marvel bursts into the pub called The Jolly Cricketers yelling for people to save him from
the Invisible Man. The bar tender hides Marvel in a back room and an American with a
gun gets ready to shoot the Invisible Man.
The Invisible Man suddenly sneaky goes in through the back door. He begins to attack
Marvel, but the other men in the pub rescue him in time. The guy with the gun fires it
carefully and is sure he hit The Invisible Man He tells everyone to go feel for his
Invisible body.
Questions
Q1. Why were the people sure that the Invisible Man was there in the inn? Discuss how
they took their positions to catch hold of the man.
Q2. Define the implications of the Invisible Man upon Marvel?
Q3. How Marvel escaped from the grip of the Invisible Man?
Chapter 1718
Dr Camps Visitor
The Invisible Man takes refuge in the house of Dr Kemp. By strange coincidence, the

two men realise that they used to study science together. The Invisible Man reveals his
identity and tells Kemp how he discovered how to make himself invisible and how he
intends to use his new power to scare and control people. He needs Kemps help because
his partner stole his money. He tells Kemp that he was too tired to tell the full story now
and he needs rest to sleep. He further adds he doesnt want people to capture him. Kemp
cant sleep right now. Kemp worries about that Griffin may become more unstable and
dangerous. He hesitates, but eventually decides to write a note to Colonel Adye.
Questions
Q1. Dr Kemp says, Hes not only invisible, but he is mad! Homicidal! Do you agree
with his summing up of Griffins character? Why? Why not?
Q2.What was probably a fabrication for Kemp? Why was it a fabrication? What was
his mind deciding about Griffin?
Q3. How did Griffin make sure that he would be safe in Kemps house?
Chapter 19
Certain First Principles
Kemp wants to help Griffin, but first want to know his story. Griffin tells that he was a
medical student but switched to physics because of his interest in light. He just wanted to
figure out a method to make the things invisible. One night he made out how to make a
human invisible.
After three years of teaching and research, he had no money to complete his research so
he robbed his father and his father shoot himself dead.
Questions
Q1. Which subject fascinated the Invisible Man and why? Why did Griffin rob his dad?
Q2. The secret is out; I gather it was a secret. What did Mr Kemp mean by it and what
was the theme behind it?
Q3. Write a brief note on the behaviour of Griffin?
Chapter 20
At The House in Great Portland Street
Griffin continues his story. He did not go to his dads funeral. Griffin continued his
experiments. He made some wool invisible and then he made a neighbourhood cat
invisible. Realizing this could lead into trouble, Griffin decided to disappear. When
landlord and his step sons tried to break in and finally broke down the door, they couldnt
find Griffin. Now that he was invisible, he started thinking about the wild and
wonderful things he could do as an Invisible man.
Questions
Q1. What did Griffin do in order to cover his trail?
Q2. Describe how did Griffin manage to protect and secure his theory of invisibility?
Q3. What was Griffin doing in the room? What complain did the land lady made?
Chapter 21
In Oxford Street
Griffin continues his story. While he was excited to be invisible, he realised that

invisibility has some drawbacks. He was always cold, started to get sniffles, and dog
could totally find him. Crowds are dangerous to him. People can feel him even if they
dont see him. He started to show that he got tired of his adventure.
Questions
Q1. What diverted the peoples attention from him?
Q2. How did Griffin discover that being invisible is not good?
Q3. How is the human desire portrayed in the novel?
Q4. Describe the crowds response over the ghost prints.
Chapter 22
In The Emporium
Griffin explains his first attempt to get clothing. He slept in the departmental store. He
had a nightmare about being forced into his fathers grave and buried because no one can
see him. He woke up when the workers came back the next morning. He was unable to
escape as long as they could see him. He was forced to shed the clothing and run, naked,
back out in the cold.
Questions
Q1. Griffin was happy in the shop, but the minute he went to sleep, he had disorderly
dreams. What did he dream about and what do you learn Griffin from them?
Q2. Describe the scene at the Departmental store?
Q3. How did Griffins mind reflect his state of physical serenity? What does it convey
about his character?
Chapter 23
In Drury Lane
Griffin continues his story. He has no clothes and shelter .He soon realised that walking
through the streets of London was going to result in an accumulation of dirt on his skin
which would make him visible in a grotesque way. He was finally able to explore the
house and found a pile of clothes. In desperation he struck the old man on his head.
Reaches a restaurant but soon realised he couldnt eat in without exposing his invisible
face. He set himself up at Iping and was finally discovered.
Questions
Q1. Describe the life of Griffin after becoming an Invisible Man.
Q2. What was the expected result of walking through the streets of London?
Q3. Griffin struck the old man on the head. What does it reveal about Griffins character?
Q4. Describe the shopkeepers quality of exceptionally acute hearing.
Chapter 24
The Plan That Failed
He wrongly believes that Kemp will help him. Considers Kemp can work with him.
Kemps betrayal is revealed. Kemp sends a note to the police. The police arrive but the
Invisible Man manages to escape yet again.

Questions
Q1. What was Griffins original plan?
Q2. The people accept griffins existence with surprising lack of suspicion. Why?
Q3. How can you say that Kemp betray Griffin? Give a brief character sketch of Kemp.

Chapter 25
The Hunting of the Invisible Man
The hunt for the Invisible Man starts in earnest. Kemp, who now knows the Invisible
Mans secrets, tells the police they have to starve him out and prevent him from sleeping
by locking up all the houses and all the food for twenty miles around. Glass is scattered
on the roads. Dogs were used to sniff out Griffin. No escape for Griffin.
Questions
Q1. Kemp wants to stop Griffin more out of fear for himself than out of concern for the
community. How can you say so?
Q2. How did Griffin manage to escape out of 24 hours?
Q3. What suggestion did Kemp give to Colonel Adye? Why does Kemp suggest to
Colonel Adye that food must be locked and secured?

Chapter26-27
The Wicksteed Murder /The Siege of Kemps House
Griffin appears to rush out of Kemps house. The police warn the village people to lock
their doors and stay inside. Griffin manages to evade his pursuers, encountered with a
middle aged man.
The Invisible Man is furious at Kemps betrayal and comes back to his house, intent on
killing him. Colonel Adye tries to stop him from entering the house, but the Invisible
Man shoots him dead. Two other policemen arrive and manage to injure him by striking
at him with a poker. But the Invisible Man still manages to attack Kemp and is only
prevented from killing him when he is struck on the head with a spade. As he dies, the
Invisible Man becomes visible again.
Questions
Q1. How does Griffin fight Adye in order to reach out Kemp?
Q2. Griffin is active, powerful, angry and malignant by turns. Explain with examples.
Q3. The two police and the girl showed courage in facing the Invisible Man. Explain with
illustrations.
Chapter 28
The Hunter Hunted
Griffin chases Kemp through the town. Kemp run through the garden followed by him.
When the Invisible Man grabs Kemp, the navvies knock the Invisible Man. Kemp tries to

get the people off the Griffin, but He is already not breathing and possibly dead.
Everyone crowd round to see what happened, and slowly the Invisible Man starts to
become visible, but still naked.
Questions
Q1. How did the Invisible man, Mr Griffin meet his end?
Q2. Explain, Griffin, the most gifted physicist the world has ever seen, ended in infinite
disaster his strong and terrible carrier.
Q3. What quality of mob is revealed in the last chapter? How can you say people are not
horrified or even surprised at Griffins albino condition?

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS BASED ON CHARACTER INTERPRETATION &

APPRECIATION :
Q1. Do you consider Marvel to be a smart turncoat? Why/ Why not?
Or
Assess the character of Marvel, the tramp.
Answer: Thomas Marvel was a short, fat tramp who sported a shabby hat and thrived on
charity. He was lazy and did not show any intention to work hard for improving his life.
Griffin did not have a very high opinion about Marvels abilities, still he made him his
accomplice because Marvel was an obvious weakling who could be easily intimidated.
His cowardice did not let him defy Griffins commands. Surprisingly, this apparently
good- for- nothing fellow managed to cheat a wicked and dangerously evil man like
Griffin. But this act does not make him a turncoat in any way because he assisted Griffin
much against his own wish. He was a simple person, ill equipped in every sense, as
compared to the all powerful Invisible Man. He had no choice but to obey each order
coming from his self proclaimed master. Marvel was more of a slave than an
accomplice in crime. When he succeeded in sneaking away, it was actually to save his life
rather than cheat upon Griffin.
Of course, towards the end he does show smartness by hiding the entire money and the
three books of Griffin. However, he exhibits his keen business acumen by wisely
investing this money to open an inn. His decision to name this venture after the Invisible
Man again shows that Marvel knew how to turn circumstances in his favour. He never
revealed to anyone that the three books of Griffin were in his possession. He pondered
over them in private trying to figure out the coded message. But once again this was done
for survival than for treachery. Thus , it would not be fair to consider Marvel as a
turncoat.
Q2. Give an estimate of Mrs. Hall as courteous woman with a strong mind.
Answer: Mrs. Janny Hall was the warm- hearted hostess and the owner of the inn
Coach and Horses. The first impression that she creates, presents her in an unpleasant

light. She rents the inn- parlour to a stranger without bothering to confirm his identity
simply because he projects himself to be a richer customer. At this point Mrs. Hall
appears to be an opportunist and a money- minded woman. However, the manner in
which she puts up with Griffins rude behaviour shows that she was actually a very polite
hostess who took her duty seriously. She goes out of her way to make her guests stay
comfortable. Her courteous nature and her hospitality win the appreciation of the reader.
But her polite temperament does not make her weak in any way. When the Invisible Man
crosses all limits of etiquettes, Mrs. Hall firmly puts her foot down refusing to oblige him
any further. She denies continuing with the assured services till he cleared all the pending
bills. She stands up courageously against an arrogant man like Griffin. She charts her way
without letting even her husband to influence her. Mrs. Hall can thus be considered as an
independent businesswoman who is capable of taking her decisions without any support
or assistance from others.
Q3. Write short notes on:
(i) Vicar Bunting
Cuss

(ii) Bobby Jaffers

(iii) Mr. George Hall

(iv) Dr.

(i) Mr. bunting was the esteemed vicar of Iping village. His religious position was
reversed by everyone. He was sincerely involved in the well-being of his congregation.
When Mr. Cuss narrated his strange encounter with the Invisible Man, Bunting did not
brush him aside even though he found it to be an implausible story. He listened to cuss
very carefully and calmed him down.
Bunting was also a brave man. At the time of burglary in the vicarage he exhibited
courage in place of panic. He tried his best to locate and capture the trespasser which was
in fact an impossible task owing to the invisible status of Griffin. He keenly involved
himself in the investigations to arrest Griffin. He accompanied Cuss to the inn-parlour
pondering over the coded books of Griffin. The simplicity of Bunting can be seen when
he sheepishly tried to hide the fact that he had forgotten the knowledge of Greek.
Although a man of religious, Bunting comes out as a responsible member of society.
(ii) Mr. Bobby Jaffers was the constable of the Iping village. He emerges as a man with
serious intent. The devotion, commitment and sincerity with which he comes forth to
arrest the headless Griffin, place Jaffers in the league of good men. He had absolute
confidence in his ability to arrest any criminal man, however powerful, visible or not
visible, as he may be. His sharp and quick reaction when the Invisible Man tried to
escape once again showed Jaffers as a dutiful policeman. On his ailure to capture Griffin
he sinks in gloom which shows that he was upset at having failed to fulfill his duty. The
simple man stands as a desired example of professional commitment.
(iii) Mr. George Hall was the husband of the owner of the inn Coach and Horses. He
used to assist his wife but only when she allowed him to. He was a drunkard who could
not be entrusted with responsibilities. However, he was not carless or casual. He rushed
to the inn at once when Teddy Henfrey told him about the strange guest that his wife had
taken in. Similarly, he rushed to check the well-being of the Invisible Man when the latter
was bit by Fearensides dog. However, he was a henpecked husband because he obeyed

Mrs Halls orders without raising any doubts or questions.

(iv) Dr. Cuss was the medical practitioner at Iping. He was both a curious and a jealous
man. When he heard about the arrival of a strange guest at the inn who possessed more
vials and bottles tan him, he sought excuse to explore his man. He tried to probe Griffin
to make him reveal his purpose. However, when he was scared off by the Invisible Man,
he tried to think rationally regarding the strange phenomenon. He did not give up his
curiosity and shared his quaint experience with Bunting Later he explored the belongings
of Griffin to clarify his doubts which shows that he was not scared by his earlier
experience and was determined to satisfy his curiosity. Therefore, Cuss and curiosity
appear almost synonymous.
Q4. Enumerate the different traits of the character of Mr. Heelas.
Answer: Mr. Healas was Dr. Kemps next door neighbor. He declared that he could not
believe what he could not see. Thus he, rubbished all the reports and rumours about the
Invisible Man. To prove his stance on the existence of an Invisible being, he purposely
ventured outdoors thereby defying the proclaimed threat from the Invisible Man.
However, after he was convinced about the presence of the Invisible Man, Heelas
behaved in the most cowardly way. He, who had always announced his boldness and
bravery, was the first to run for his life. He dashed as fast as his legs could carry him into
the safety of his house. To keep out all danger, he closed all the doors and windows as
securely as he could. At the same time, he exhibited his moral weakness when he denied
help to Kemp by refusing to let him in the house to escape the terribly infuriated Griffin.
Heelas slammed the doors in the face of Kemp and refused to rendered help in any way
only to reveal his true character. He was a mean, thoughtless and selfish man as opposed
to his projection as a person who believed only what he saw.
Heelas had no principles and ethical values; hence the reader develops a strong dislike for
him. He comes out as the kind of man who just focused on saving his own skin and was
devoid of any human obligations.
Q5. What impressions do you form about Colonel Adye after reading the novel The
Invisible Man?
Answer: Colonel Adye was the Chief of Police in Burdock. He was a dutiful officer who
worked conscientiously and according to the demands of the situation. He responded
promptly and fearlessly to Dr. Kemps call to arrest the Invisible Man.
Adye also had the will to take quick and wise decisions. He knew that it would not be an
easy task to capture Griffin single- handedly, so he decided to get hounds that could sniff
and locate the Invisible Man. This venture was indeed an act of bravery because he knew
very well that Griffin was present in the compound of the house and could harm him. But
a fearless person like Adye could not be intimated by any threat. He turned around with
alacrity to overpower the Invisible Man when the latter tried to move him back into
Kemps house.
Another impressive quality of Adye was his simple and trusting nature which is revealed
when he follows all the instructions given by Kemp to arrest the Invisible Man. At the

same time, his moral uprightness does surface when he opposes Kemps suggestion to
spread powdered glass along the path that was expected to be followed by the Invisible
Man. Adye believed that his idea to injure, by treachery, was unsportsmanlike. He was a
courageous man and he had immense fath in his ability to capture the culprit solely by his
power, thus he did not wish to resort to any other ways. Towards the end, the shooting
down of Adye by the Invisible Man, evokes both sympathy and admiration for this
sincere, committed and brave officers.
Q6. Griffin was a brilliant scientist but a depraved human. In the light of this statement,
draw a pen-portrait of Griffin.
Answer: Griffin was a very intelligent and hard working scientist who pu in all heart and
soul into his research. He worked with a focused mind and stopped at nothing short in
pursuit of his scientific goal to achieve invisibility. Unfortunately, his passion warped into
an obsession and he stooped to pits of depravity.
Griffin was a student of medicine at the University College where he won a medal for
excellence in chemistry. He was almost an albino, six feet high, and broad with a pink
and white face and red eyes. His keen interest in light drew him to physics. Fascinated by
optical density, he moved to Chesilstowe after leaving London. At that time he was
twenty two years old and full of enthusiasm. He worked as a demonstrator in a provincial
college while carrying out his research on making thinks invisible. Instead of sharing his
knowledge with his superiors and his peers, he worked stealthily so that he wouldnt have
to share the credit of his work with anybody. He cut himself off from normal social life
and withdrew into the dark interiors of selfishness.
His depraved existence coaxed him to the extent of robbing his own father, creating such
situation that the old man had to commit suicide in order to escape humiliation. The lack
of remorse at the death of his father was a firm point when this otherwise brilliant
scientist turned into a self-centered, selfish and callous man. Throwing to winds all ethics
and morality, Griffin grew short-tempered, intolerant and vindictive. He finally succeeded
in his ambition but the unforeseen problems that were generated because of his invisible
condition compelled him to move to Iping, a remote village.
Embittered by his pseudo success Griffin continued to fall morally. He made life
miserable for the people of Iping, especially that of the Hall couple. He resorted to theft,
robbery and terror to proclaim a false sense of superiority. The absence of human
sensitivity in Griffin became clear when he forced a vulnerable Marvel to be his
accomplice. The brutal manner in which he killed Wicksteed and chased Kemp to avenge
treachery marked the eventual destruction of goodness, mercy and kindness that are the
trademark of an intelligent scientist.
Therefore, Griffins character comes out more as a wicked, crazy and heinous criminal
than a responsible scientist.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS BASED ON THEME PLOT AND INCIDENTS :

Q7. After his arrival in the Coach and Horses, why did the stranger stick to his room
without giving the inn keeper an excuse for intrusion? Why did Mrs. Hall find it to be
odd?
Ans. The stranger struck to his room until four oclock after his arrival in the inn. He
neither encouraged anyones entry nor did he leave the rented parlour. Perhaps, he didnt
wish to attract any ones attention towards his odd appearance and prefer to stay all by
himself.
He remained quiet still most of the time and seemed to take a brief nap in the growing
darkness. Earlier he had pulled down the blind that had shaded the lower part of panes
leaving the room into twilight. During his confinement in the parlour he also appeared
that he was talking to himself for a while. But the creaking of armchair indicated that he
had sat down again.
Thus, he waited for it to be dark before leaving the room. Mrs. Hall, who must have been
getting guests of all types in her inn, found his behavior very odd. It was very unusual for
a guest to confine himself to his room all the time. She was quite intrigued because so far
she had not come across any guest wishing to guard his privacy with such great
vehemence. Hence, she found his behavior to be extremely odd.
Q8. What did people in the town think about the identity of the stranger?
Ans. The strangers identity became the topic of speculation in the town. Mrs. Hall
defended him, repeating his own words that he was an experimental investigator.
Several other people of the town were of the view that he was a criminal trying to escape
justice. Mr. Gould, the probationary assistant, imagined that the man must be an
anarchist who was preparing explosives. Another group of people believed that he was a
pie- bald and could make a lot of money if he chose to show himself at the fairs. There
was another view that explained the entire matter by regarding the stranger as a harmless
lunatic. Between these main groups were weavers and compromisers. The village folk
had few superstitions and the thought of the supernatural was whispered in the village.
But it was only credited among the women folk. But whatever they thought of him,
people in Iping on the whole, agreed in disliking him. The youngman called him a
Bogey Man.
Q9 Describe the burglary at vicars house.
Ans. The burglary took place at the vicars house. It occurred in the small hours of WhitMonday, the day devoted in Iping to the club festivities. Mrs. Bunting, the vicars wife,
woke up suddenly in the stillness that came before the dawn. She heard the sounds of
bare-feet walking through the house. She aroused her husband quickly who did not strike
light, but putting on his spectacles, went out on the landing to listen. When Mrs. And Mr.
Bunting heard the clink of money, they realized that the robber had found the
housekeeping reserve of gold-two pounds ten the half sovereign altogether. Mrs. And Mr.
Bunting rushed into the room, but the room was empty. Their money had disappeared.
Mrs. Bunting went hastily to the doorway. They heard a violent sneeze in the passage.
They rushed out and the kitchen door slammed. They both heard a sound of bolts being
hastily shot back. They entered the kitchen but the place was empty.

Q10. How did the stranger become an invisible man?

Ans. The stranger remained locked in the parlour all morning. He sent for Mrs. Hall and
asked her why his meals had not been sent to him. She told him that his bill had not been
paid. He gave her some money, but she refused to accept it, saying that she first wanted to
know why he didnt enter by doorways and move about like normal people. For his
answer, the stranger removed all his head wrappings, including his nose and moustache.
He thus looked like a person with a missing head. At the sound of screams a crowd of
people ran towards the inn. Eye-witness suddenly babble hysterical stories of the man
attacking the servant girl, and brandishing a knife. Bobby Jaffers, the village constable,
appeared with a warrant. The stranger slapped Jaffers with his glove but then said he
would surrender. As they watched, the stranger removed the rest of his clothes, becoming
invisible before them. He told them that he was invisible.
Q11. Give an account of the panic and confusion that prevailed in Iping when the
Invisible Man lost his temper.
Ans. Hall and Teddy were involved in a discussion behind the hotel bar when they heard
a thump on the parlour door. They heard strange sounds as of things being thrown against
the door and some loud conversation. Doors opened and shut and they saw Marvel taking
off with Huxtar following him. There was confusion and panic. Suddenly Huxter made a
leap in air. Seconds later, Hall landed on the ground as if he had been attacked Bunting to
rush and save himself as the Invisible Man was returning to Coach and Horses inn. It
appeared that the Invisible Mans intention was simply to cover Marvels retreat with
clothes and books. But in the process several other individuals were shoved aside. Marvel
took the advantage of the prevailing confusion and chaos and ran off with the Invisible
Mans books and belongings. After breaking all the windows in the Coach and Horses
inn the Invisible Man disappeared.
Q12. Describe an encounter between Marvel and the elderly mariner.
Ans. Marvel arrived in Port Stowe and was resting on the bench outside of the town. He
was sitting with the books beside him. As he sat there, an elderly mariner, carrying a
newspaper sat down beside him. Citing the paper, the mariner brought up the topic of the
Invisible Man. The newspaper revealed that the Invisible Man had inflicted injuries on
the constable at Iping. Certain evidence indicated that he took the road to Port Stowe. The
mariner pondered the strange things that the Invisible Man might do. He could trespass or
rob the people. Marvel began to confide in the mariner, saying that he knew some things
about the Invisible Man. Suddenly Marvel was interrupted by an attack of some kind of
pain. It was inflicted by the Invisible Man. Marvel made an excuse that it was a toothache
and added that the Invisible Man was hoax. Then Marvel began to move off walking
sideways with violent forward jerks. The mariner got angry over his behavior. He blamed
him for playing silly games with him.
Q13. Describe the Invisible Mans visit to Dr. Kemps house.
Ans. Dr. Kemp was working in his study when he heard the shots fired in the Jolly
Cricketers. He opened his window and watched the crowd at the bottom of the hill and
then returned to his writing desk. A few minutes later he heard his door bell ring, but his
housekeeper said that it was a runaway ring. Dr. Kemp was at his work till 2 a.m. when
he decided to go downstairs for a drink. On the way he noticed a spot of drying blood on
his linoleum floor. Then he found more blood on the doorknob of his own bedroom. In
his room, his bedspread was smeared with blood, his sheet was torn, and bedclothes were

depressed as if someone had been sitting there. In fact the Invisible Man had already
entered his house. He introduced himself to Kemp as Griffin, of University College. He
explained that he made himself invisible, but was wounded and desperately in need of
shelter, clothes and food.
Q14. What did the letter from Griffin convey to Dr. Kemp? How did Dr. Kemp reach to
it?
Ans. Griffin wrote a letter to Kemp and conveyed that the reign of terror was beginning
and that Kemp himself would be the first execution for the sake of example. Port
Burdock was no longer under the Queen and it was under him. This was day one of year
one of new epoch the epoch of the Invisible Man. He was Invisible Man the First. He
might lock himself away, hide himself away, get guards about him, put on armour if he
liked- Death, the unseen Death was coming. He might take precautions, but nothing
would save him. Death would starts from the pillar-box by midday. The letter would fall
in as the postman came along. The game had begun. Death had started.
Dr. Kemp got up slowly and closed the shutters of his study. He took a revolver and put it
in his pocket and a note to colonel Adye. Finally he said, Well have him!
Q15. How did Griffin meet his tragic end?
Ans. Kemps neighbor, Heelas, did not believe in the Invisible Man, but when he saw
Kemps house broken, and Kemp running for shelter, he began to believe in him. He
refused to help Griffin. Soon Kemp ran into the hill-road. When he realised that the hillroad was desolate and there was no one to help him, he ran towards Burdock. The
Invisible Man was chasing him. Kemp saw several workmen and cried for help. People
began to join in the chase. When Kemp realised that the people were chasing the Invisible
Man, he stopped running which allowed the Invisible Man to catch him. A fight between
the crowd including Kemp and the Invisible Man ensued. There was pushing and
shuffling. In the meantime people were able to catch hold of him and keep him down.
Griffin had been injured and had lost a lot of blood. The town people watched that the
effect of invisibility was reversed and Griffin, now dead, was visible.
Q16. How does the Epilogue reveal the true character of Marvel?
Ans. The Epilogue reveals several traits of Marvels character. Formerly Marvel was a
tramp and now has become the landlord of the little inn near Port Stowe. He has been
able to keep all the money Griffin stole because lawyers could not identify the sources
accurately. He is a bachelor and conducts his house with eminent decoration. His
movements are slow but he is a great thinker. Whenever someone asks about the Griffins
books, he denies knowing anything about them. However when the inn is closed and he is
alone, he unlocks the cupboard and produces three volumes bound in brown leather and
places them on the table. Then he pulls one towards him and begins to study it. He
admires Griffins intellect. He tries to know the wonderful secrets contained in the
books. He has been arranging a one-man show and narrating his experiences with the
Invisible Man. He hopes that one day these books will change his fortune.

Questions for Practice on -The Invisible Man

Q1.There are many humorous, even slapstick, sequences in The Invisible Man. Discuss
which one you feel is the most humorous and explain why.

Q2. Write a short essay about the character of Thomas Marvel, which discusses how
much better he is able to function in society than is Griffin, even though Marvel is a
tramp.

Q3.Write a short essay about the differences between the material conveniences of the
1800s as seen in this novel and the material conveniences we have today.

Q4. Discuss whether the murder of Griffin by the townspeople is an act of perceived selfdefence, an act of revenge by them, or an example of mob hysteria.
Q5.The big question here: How do you feel about Griffin? Is he a criminal mad scientist
who should be killed? Or is he a guy who is trying to work things out, but other people
and society keep getting in his way?
Q6. Is the ending of this book happy and just? Are you glad when Griffin is killed and
Marvel gets to keep all the stolen money? Are you glad that the invisibility formula is
hidden from Kemp, who could recreate it? If you don't think this is all rainbows, what
would a happy ending to this story look like?
Q7. How do you feel about the chapters where Griffin tells his own story to Kemp? Do
they make you sympathize with Griffin? Or does he seem like more of a monster when he
casually talks about attacking people and stealing from his father? Would it change how
you understood the Invisible Man if we heard his story from another source?
Q8. In The Invisible Man, it seems like Griffin starts out as a dangerous person even
before he uses his invisibility formula. But in the famous 1933 movie version (and in
many others), he only goes insane because of the formula. Why do you think the movie
made this change? Does it change your opinion of Griffin?
Q9. Why did Kemp turn out differently than Griffin? After all, they're both scientists. Is
Kemp less isolated than Griffin? Is it simply because Kemp has more money?
Q10. What does this story make you think about science? Is it as dangerous as Wells
makes it seem
Q11. What did you think of Griffin's long explanation of how he made himself invisible?
Would it change how you read this book if Griffin were made invisible by magic?
Q12. How do the shifts in point of view affect your understanding of the story?
Q13. How would you react to an invisible man or woman? Do you think the townsfolk in
Iping react realistically?
Q14. How does the Invisible Man compare to other invisible figures in literature? Is
invisibility more often used for good or for evil in these stories?

Q15. Analyze the motivation of the Invisible Man throughout the book. What are the
different theories that the townspeople have formulated in order to explain Griffin's
physical appearance?

QUESTION BANK ON SECTION C

Question Bank
SECTION C-LITERATURE
FLAMINGO

Lesson 1- The Last Lesson

Short Questions
1.

Give 2 reasons why Franz thought of running away and spending the day out of
doors?

2.

What was more tempting than the rule of participles?

3.

What was the bulletin board famous for?

4.

Describe the usual scene and how was it different that day?

5.

Describe the appearance of the master M. Hamel that day?

6.

What surprised Franz on entering the classroom?

7.

What was the news that came as a thunderclap to Franz?

8.

Do you think Franz was upset for not learning his French lessons during the
whole year?

9.

Give 3 reasons for the presence of villagers in the classroom on the day of the last
lesson?

10.

What role did the parents and teachers play for the childrens neglect of French
language?

11.

What was the opinion of M. Hamel regarding French language?

12.

Mention a characteristic each required of both from the teacher and the student for
effective learning as portrayed in the text.

13.

How does M. Hamel evoke feelings of patriotism in the class towards the end of
the lesson?

14.

Do you think the group of children in the classroom belonged to a heterogeneous

age group? If yes substantiate with evidence from the text?

Long Answer Questions

1.

Political enslavement leads to an identity crisis. Discuss with reference to the Last
Lesson.

2.

Do you think either the students or the teacher were sincere in their task till the
day of the last lesson? Substantiate with evidence from the text?

3.

When you have sight you never realize the value of your eyes how far is this true
with the story The Last Lesson?

Lesson 2- Lost Spring

Short Questions
1.

Where does the author meet Saheb every morning?

2.

What reason did Saheb give for not going to school?

3.

Bring out the contrast drawn between his life in reality and the meaning of his
name?

4.

What reason does a person give for walking barefoot? What is the authors
personal opinion regarding this reasoning?

5.

Bring out the difference in the standard of living of the priests of the past and the
present?

6.

How does rag picking differ for an adult and for a child?

7.

Why does the hole in the shoe not bother Saheb?

8.

Was Saheb happy with the newfound job? If not, why?

9.

Bring out the horrible condition within the glass blowing industry?

10.

Describe the living condition in Firozabad?

11.

Why does Mukeshs grandmother feel it a futile exercise for Mukesh to fight

taking up the job in glass blowing industry?

12.
13.

Why are they reluctant to form into cooperatives?

What all things comprise the vicious circle from where there is no escape?

14.

Why is daring a difficult task? What cheers the narrator while talking to Mukesh?

15.

Why is Mukesh content to dream only of cars and not of planes?

16.

Why are promises to the poor rarely kept?

Long Answer Question

1.

Do you think the child labour law should be enforced? If the child labour law is
enforced approximately how many rag pickers and how many bangle makers
would be freed from Seemapuri and Firozabad? Envisage the life Saheb and
Mukesh would enjoy if they were freed? How would it be different from the
present condition?

2.

Bring out from the lesson the pathetic condition of children working in inhuman
conditions?

3.

Saheb has lost all the joy and freedom by working in the tea stall where he is no
longer his own master. Do you think his decision was wise or could he have made
a better choice? Or was it still better to leave him at rag picking where he was his
own master?

4.

Draw the similarities between the life of the rag pickers and the bangle makers as
portrayed in Lost Spring

Lesson 3-Deep Water

Short Questions
1.

Why the YMCA pool was considered safer when compared to Yakima River?

2.

When did his aversion to water begin?

3.

What was the misadventure that happened one day?

4.

What strategy did he remember as he went down the water?

5.

What effect did the drowning in the YMCA pool have on Douglas?

6.

Why did he decide to have an instructor to teach him swimming?

7.

What method did he adopt to overcome terror?

8.

Bring out the significance of the yellow water though he has specifically
mentioned that the water was as clean and clear as the bathtub before
experiencing.

Long answer Questions

1.

The childhood fear and the way he overcomes it brings about a deeper meaning to
the readers. Bring out how the negative traits can be changed into positive traits
with reference to the techniques used by Douglas?

2.

The tenacity and determination on the part of Douglas helped him to shirk away
the fear factor. Discuss.

Lesson 4-The Rattrap

Short Questions

Why does the peddler feel that the whole world is a rattrap?
How did people usually treat the peddler and what made the crofter different?
Breach of trust is the worst crime one can commit? How is it true in the case
of peddler?
How does the writer bring out the allegory in the lesson when the peddler is
trapped in the forest?
What made the peddler respond to the name Nils Olof?
What made the ironmaster send his daughter to persuade the peddler?
What shows that Edla was very observant, quick and sharp by nature?
Why does Edla stop the peddler from going away though she knew that he
was not the captain?
What trait of the daughter is brought out when her father talks about her being
worse than a parson?
Safety and security is a distant dream even in ones own home. What makes
the peddler safe and secure in the house of ironmaster?
What was Edlas Xmas gift to the peddler?
What was the peddlers gift to Edla?
Why does he sign in as the captain?

Long answer Questions

1.
How were the two hosts the crofter and the ironmaster different from one
another?
2.
In what was does humour help us to sympathize with the peddler?
3.
Is the reader relieved by the way the story ended. Justify your answer.
4.
The story Rattrap is highly philosophical. Discuss.
5.
The metaphor of Rattrap highlights human nature. Discuss.

Lesson 5 Indigo
Short Questions
What was the positive quality about Rajkumar Shukla? How did he benefit from
this quality?
What proves that Gandhiji was an uknown figure in Patna?
Why were the government servants scared to be acquainted with a person like
Gandhiji?
What was the first instance of achieving freedom from fear by the peasant
community?
What made the lawyers shamefaced before Gandhiji?
Narrate how the civil disobedience became a triumph for the first time?
Why did Gandhiji agree to 25% refund when the actual demand was for 50%?
What qualities was he able to make in the Indians by the Champaran episode?
Why did he feel that help from the foreigner Mr. Andrews was unnecessary?
Why does he entrust teachers rather than politicians to make changes in the
society?
Long answer Questions
To think differently is a challenging job but ultimate victory comes to those who
are not the usual run of the mill. In what way is this true of Gandhiji in the lesson
Indigo?

Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor how does
he bring home this point in this lesson? State whether Indians have attained
freedom from fear even in this post independence era-justify your answer?

What are the qualities of a good leader as portrayed by Gandhiji in the lesson
Indigo?

Lesson 8-Going Places

Short Questions
1.

Sophie flits from one dream to another. What trait of hers is brought out by this

action?
2.

What made her dissatisfied with her life?

3.

The unknown things are always a fascination for human beings. How is it true in
the case of Sophie?

4.

When Geoff queried whether she told their father aout meeting Danny Casey, why
was she chastened?

5.

Does father believe his daughters encounter with Danny Casey? If not, why?

6.

What made her heave a sigh of relief when she knew that Geoff had not divulged
all what she said?

7.

How has Geoff helped in developing her fantasy about Danny Casey?

Long answer Questions

1.

Fantasy is a pleasant relief at times but at times it can takes a serious turn, which
may prove detrimental to mental growth. Elucidate with reference to the text
focusing on the negative impact of fantasizing?

2.

Sophie aspires for a romantic touch in her relationship with Danny Casey. What is
the root cause of her imagination running wild?

3.

What in your opinion is the reason behind her weaving a fantasy, is it a crush for
an ace footballer or is it the love for glamour of a celebrity, if not at least the
glamour of a person associated with a celebrity. Elucidate.

1- My Mother At Sixty Six

Poetry

1.

What did the mother look like? What made the poet feel so?

2.

What did she realize with pain?

3.

How did she take her mind off the thought?

4.

What does sprinting of trees and spilling of children refer to?

5.

Bring out the contrast portrayed by the scene outside with the state of the poets
mother.

6.

Why is the mother compared to a late winters moon?

7.

What is the childhood fear of the poet

8.

Though filled with negative thoughts in her mind, outwardly what did the poet
reflect? Substantiate your point from the words/pharses from the poem.

2.

An Elementary School Classroom in A Slum.

1.

The poem begins on a very potent simile about the childrens faces. Explain.

2.

Bring out the powerful imagery presented in the first stanza depicting despair and
disease.

3.

Why does the poet use rats eye for the paper seeming boy?

4.

Describe the powerfully telescopic image drawn by the picturisation of a sick boy.

5.

Why is the class described referred to as dim?

6.

Do you agree that the poet has dealt with a universal theme? How far has he
succeeded in depicting the role of every individual towards development of the
underprivileged?

7.

Where does the sweet and young boys mind wander? What does it show?

8.

What are the things that adorn the walls of the classroom? Why does it have no
significance to the children?

9.

Why is the window depicted as the world of the children?

10.

Why is their world far from river capes and star of words?

11.

Why is Shakespeare wicked and maps a bad example?

12.

What picture comes to your mind with the phrases slag heap and skin peeped
through by bones?

13.

Why is the mended glass referred to as bottle bits of stones?

14.

Explain: so blot their map with slums

15.

Why is the slum referred to as catacombs?

16.

What is the significance of the white and green leaves?

17.

What can create history?

18.
19.

Bring out the various poetic devices used by the poet to drive home the point.
How far does he succeed in presenting an allegorical representation of haves and
have-nots?

3.

A Thing Of Beauty

1.

In what way is a thing of beauty a joy forever?

2.

Even though life is filled with sufferings what gives us the urge to go on and
how?

3.

What are the different sufferings drawn by out by the poet?

4.

Name the objects of beauty.

5.

How does art and Literature inspire man?

6.

What is picturised as an immortal drink? What makes it outstanding?

7.

Nature acts as a buffer against all the pain and sufferings. In what manner has
God provided it to man?

4.

Keeping Quiet

1.

What does the poet mean by keeping still?

2.

In order to achieve stillness what are we to do?

3.

The period of stillness would provide a peaceful world. Explain with reference to
the text?

4.

Why does the poet not want any truck with death? How is inactivity and death
different from stillness he is advocating?

5.

Why do we threaten ourselves with death and what is the solution for this threat?

6.

Nature is a great teacher. Discuss.

5.

Aunt Jennifers Tigers

1.

Justify the title Aunt Jennifers Tigers

2.

Why is uncles wedding band heavy on Jennifers hand?

3.

What are the characteristics of the tiger depicted in the poem?

4.
5.

How does the poet imply the point that art survives the artist?
Though aunt Jennifer is a representative of women fighting against masculine
authority and power what is the implication of creating a tiger that is extremely
masculine and authoritative?

Supplementary Text-Vistas
Chapter 1. The Tiger King
1.

What do you understand by threat of a Stuka bomber?

2.

What was the secret the astrologers had to reveal? How did they behave when
compelled to speak the truth?

3.

When did everyone stand transfixed in stupefaction?

4.

What incredible matter took place in the court? Why has this been compared to
bulletins issued by the war office?

5.

How was the tiger king brought up? Does the author suggest anything through
this?

6.

What justification did the tiger king give before he started out on tiger hunt?

7.

Why did the astrologer say that he would cut off his hair?

8.

Why does he mention of becoming an insurance agent in particular?

9.

Did the maharaja relent to the demands of the English officer? What did he do?

10.

Why did tiger population become extinct in his kingdom?

11.

Why did the king decide to get married? How far was the marriage successful?

12.

What was the important factor that was considered for his marriage?

13.

Once the maharaja decided to exempt a village from paying taxes, which he
changed later on, and levied double tax on the village. What does this speak about
the king?

14.

I have killed the hundredth tiger. My vow have been fulfilled-was the Tiger
Kings vow really fulfilled? What happened on that day?

15.

Why was the Maharaja not in a position to gift a real tiger to his son?

16.

How did the craftsman fool the king?

17.

How did the death of the Tiger King take place?

18.

Why does the author say the hundredth tiger took its final revenge?

Long Answer Questions

1.

The story Tiger King reflects the whims and fancies of people in power
Elucidate.

2.

Tiger King shows the general behavior of people towards animals. People like the
tiger king are responsible for making some of creatures endangered species.
Express your views.

3.

A person like the Tiger King does not believe that in this universe there is equal
place for all living creatures. It is a world created by the rich and the powerful to
live the way they want. The author brings out this simple truth through this
political satire Tiger King Elucidate.

Chapter 2-The Enemy

1.

What did Dr. Sadaos father tell him showing the islands visible from seashore?

2.

What was his fathers chief concern?

3.

Why was Sadao not sent abroad with the troops?

4.

Why didnt Dr. Sadao show his interest in Hanna before knowing that she was a
Japanese?

5.

Why did Dr. Sadao hesitate to go to the American professors house?

6.

Why did Dr. Sadao & his wife discover on the seashore.

7.

Though, a doctor why did Dr. Sadao & his wife hesitate a moment to help the
bleeding & seriously injured man?

8.

What did they think would be the best and the kindest thing to do for the injured
man?

9.

What made the doctor concerned that he was an American soldier?

10.

What was the final decision taken by the doctor?

11.

Why did they think of handing over the man to the police?

12.

Why did Hanna hesitate to put the injured soldier on his deceased father in laws

bed?
13.

What made Dr. Sadao attend to the injured soldier.

14.

Why did Dr. Sadao decide to operate on the prisoner of war?

15.

What was the reaction of the servants? Can it be justified?

16.

What thoughts came to Hannas mind when she was washing the wounds of the
soldier?

17.

This man he though there is no reason under heaven why he should live. What
prompted Dr. Sadao to say this? What does he do after this?

18.

What impression do you form of General Takima?

19.

What happened on the seventh day, after the doctor and his wife saved the
wounded man?

20.

What did General Takima tell Dr. Sadao when he heard about the prisoner war?

21.

Why did the General assure Dr. Sadao that he would not be arrested?

22.

What did General decide to do with enemy?

23.

Why do you think Sadao could not sleep properly after his meeting with the
General?

24.

Why did Sadao stop Hanna from going to the prisoners room?

25.

How did Sadao help the prisoner to escape?

26.

What did Sadao reply when the prisoner thanked him for saving his life?

27.

Why do you think Dr. Sadao was unable to kill the American?

28.

General Takima forgot what he had assured Dr. Sadao. What does it say about his
character?

29.

What impression do you form of the prisoner?

30.

What are the twomoral implications on which the whole story is built upon?

Long Answer Questions

1.

Dr. Sadao proves himself to be a good human being. He rises above the
demarcation made by man. Elucidate.

2.

The enemy brings out that human qualities are more important in lives than our
social obligations. It is in fact the victory of humanity in the moment of crisis.
Discuss.

3.

Dr. Sadao was a true patriot discuss.

4.

Hanna proved to be a real support to Dr. Sadao explain

5.

Justify the title The Enemy.

Chapter 3. Should Wizard Hit Mommy

1.

What was the regular routine of Jack in the evening and for Saturdays?

2.

What were the special features of the stories created by Jack?

3.

Why did the rite seem futile?

4.

Why didnt other animals play with Roger Skunk?

5.

Is there any autobiographical element in the story created by Jack?

6.

What was the observation made by Jo about God? What does it speak about her?

7.

Why didnt Jack like to be interrupted by Jo?

8.

What did the wizard tell Roger Skunk to do?

9.

Why did Roger Skunks mother dislike the new smell? What does it reveal about
mothers in general?

10.

What did Rogers mother ask him to do?

11.

How did Jo want the story to end?

12.

There is difference in opinion about the ending of the story of Roger Skunk. What
does John Updike want to say through this story?

13.
14.

Why did Jack feel trapped?

What picture of Jack do you form from this story?

Long Answer Questions

1.

The story Should wizard hit mommy? deals with a problem, which is very
relevant today. Elucidate.

2.

Jack though gave time to his children does not prove himself to be an ideal father.
Discuss.

3.

Jo though very young voices her own opinion. What impression do you form of
the children of today?

4.

Justify the significance of the title Should wizard hit mommy

Chapter 4. On The Face Of It

Short Answer Questions
1.

What impression did Derry have when he entered Mr. Lambs garden?

2.

Why does Derry say, People are afraid of me?

3.

What did Derry have bitter feelings about other people?

4.

What does Derry tell Mr. Lamb when he asked him about his face?

5.

What opinion do you form of Mr. Lamb when he says why is one green growing
plant called a weed and another a flower?

6.

What similarity does Mr. Lamb find between him and Derry?

7.

Why Mr. Lamb is called lamey lamb?

8.

Its not what you look like its what you are inside what do you understand
from this statement?

9.

It was so cruel. What does Derry refer to?

10.

Why does Mr. Lamb tell Derry that if he went back he would never return?

11.

How did Mr. Lamb lose his leg?

12.

What does Mr. Lamb tell Derry when he says that he does not like being with
other people?
Why does Derry say if I dont go back there Ill never go anywhere in this
world?

13.
14.

What did Derry find when he returns to Mr. Lamb?

Long Answer Questions

1.

Its not what your look like that matters but its what you are inside how does the
author bring out the truth of this statement through the play On The Face Of It?

2.

On the face of it highlights the pains and conflicts on one hand and on the other
it also shows that physically challenged people can cope with their disability.
Elucidate.

3.

Mr. Lamb is successful in changing Derrys mindset. How did it become possible?

4.

Society is indifferent to the needs of the physically challenged; rather people are
cruel to them. Express your views with reference to On the face of it.

5.

Justify the significance of the title On the face of it.

Chapter 5. Memories of Childhood

1.

What gave no peace to Zitkala Sa?

2.

What does the writer mean by my spirit tore itself in struggling for its freedom?

3.

How were the Indian girls dressed?

4.

Why did the author feel embarrassed in the dining room?

5.

Why did the author start to cry when the others were busy eating in the dining
room?

6.

What was the warning given to the author by her friend?

7.

Why did the author object to get her hair cropped?

8.

What did Zikala do to avoid cutting her hair short?

9.

How did the author feel when her hair was cut short?

Long Answer Questions

1.

No, I will not submit! I will struggle first! I answered what does the author want
to say through these words?

2.

Zitkala Sa indeed fought before falling a prey to exploitation. How did she put up

a brave fight?
3.

For now I was only one of many little animals driven by a herder when did
Zitkala Sa say this and why?
We Too Are Human Beings

Short Questions
1.

What does Bama say about untouchability at the onset of the story?

2.

What are the things, which did not allow Bama to reach home early?

3.

When Bama saw the old man carrying a parcel in a peculiar manner she found it
comical. Was it really something comical?

4.

How did Bama feel when her brother told her the actual reason for the old man to
carry the parcel in a special manner?

5.

Which thought infuriated Bama?

6.

What did Bama feel would be the right thing for them to do?

7.

What had a deep impression on Bama?

8.

What did she do when she came to know the reality of casteism?

Long Questions
1.

How did Bama come to know that casteism existed in society?

2.

When Bama understood and realized that being born into a particular caste could
bring with it untouchability, how did she react and what did she resolve to do?

Chapter 6. Evans Tries an O Level

Short Questions
1.

What was the unusual request received from the Oxford prison by the secretary of
the examination?

2.

Why they decide to help Evans?

3.

What kind of track record did Evans have?

4.

Why did Mr. Jackson call Evans scruffy and what did that remind then to do?

5.

Why did Evans want to keep his hat?

6.

How was Reverend Stuart Mcleery dressed when he came to the jail to invigilate?
What did Mcleery carry with him?

7.

Why did the governor bug Evanss cell?

8.

Which object in Mcleerys suitcase puzzled Jackson?

9.

How does the coyness of Evans help the governor remove the guards from the
room?

10.

What had actually happened to the real Mcleery?

11.

Why does the governor say that Evans would not be with them the next
September?

12.

Who has the last laugh in the lesson? Justify.

13.

According to you who all might have helped Evans in his escape?

Long Questions
1.

The whole government machinery is used by Evans to escape. Discuss the corrupt
system used by Evans to succeed in his mission.
Or
How did Evans manage to take the whole machinery for a ride?

2.

Justify the title Evans tries an O` level

3.

The governor, who looked into the intrinsic details and went to the extent of
bugging the exam room, is literally taken for a ride what could be the reason and
how could he have stopped this escape?

4.

In spite of Evans being a prisoner the readers have their sympathy with him rather
than with the governor. Discuss.

The Invisible Man

Q1. The big question here: How do you feel about Griffin? Is he a criminal mad scientist
who should be killed? Or is he a guy who is trying to work things out, but other people

and society keep getting in his way?

Q2. Is the ending of this book happy and just? Are you glad when Griffin is killed and
Marvel gets to keep all the stolen money? Are you glad that the invisibility formula is
hidden from Kemp, who could recreate it? If you don't think this is all rainbows, what
would a happy ending to this story look like?
Q3. How do you feel about the chapters where Griffin tells his own story to Kemp? Do
they make you sympathize with Griffin? Or does he seem like more of a monster when
he casually talks about attacking people and stealing from his father? Would it change
how you understood the Invisible Man if we heard his story from another source?
Q4. In The Invisible Man, it seems like Griffin starts out as a dangerous person even
before he uses his invisibility formula. But in the famous 1933 movie version (and in
many others), he only goes insane because of the formula. Why do you think the movie
made this change? Does it change your opinion of Griffin?
Q5. Why did Kemp turn out differently than Griffin? After all, they're both scientists. Is
Kemp less isolated than Griffin? Is it simply because Kemp has more money?
Q6. What does this story make you think about science? Is it as dangerous as Wells
makes it seem
Q7. What did you think of Griffin's long explanation of how he made himself invisible?
Would it change how you read this book if Griffin were made invisible by magic?
Q8. How do the shifts in point of view affect your understanding of the story?
Q9. How would you react to an invisible man or woman? Do you think the townsfolk in
Iping react realistically?
Q10. How does the Invisible Man compare to other invisible figures in literature? Is
invisibility more often used for good or for evil in these stories?

SAMPLE PAPER-1
TIME ALLOWED: 3 HOURS
M.M. 100
General Instructions:
1.The paper is divided into three sections :A,B,C .All the sections are compulsory.
2. Don not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
SECTION .A. READING -30

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
11
Today India looks like it is on course to join the league of the developed
nations. It is beginning to establish a reputation not just as the technology
nerve centre and back office to the world, but also as its production centre .
Indias secularism and democracy serve as a role model to other developing
countries. There is great pride in an India that easily integrates with a global
economy , yet maintain a unique cultural identity.
But what is breathtaking is Indias youth. For despite being an ancient
civilization that traces itself to the very dawn of human habitation , India is
among the youngest countries in the world .More than half the country is
under 25 years of age and more than a third is under fifteen years of the age.
Brought up in the shadow of the rise of India s service industry boom ,this
group feels it can be at least as good if not better than anyone else in the
world .Even those who do not have enough to consume today feel that they
have the capability and opportunity to do so .
The economic activity created by this combination for a growing labour pool
and rising consumption demand enough to propel India to double digit
economic growth for decades .. One just has to look at the impact that the
baby boomers in the US had over decades of economic activity, as measured
by equity and housing prices.. This opportunity also represents the greatest
threat to Indias future .If the youth of India are not properly educated and if
there are not enough jobs created , India will have forever lost its
opportunity .
53 percent of students in primary schools drop out, one third of children in
class V can not read , three quarters of schools do not have a functioning
toilets , female literacy is only 66% and 80 million children in group of 6-14
even do not attend school.
Indias IT and BPO industries are engines of job creation , but they still
account for only 0.2 % of Indias employment. The country has no choice but
to dramatically industrialize and inflates its domestic economy.
India is stuck in a quagmire of labour law that hinder employment growth ,
particularly in the manufacturing sector. Inflexible labour laws inhibit
entrepreneurship , so it is quite ironic that laws ostensibly designed to protect
labour actually discourage employment.
Employment creation needs an abundant supply of capital . Controls on
foreign investment have resulted in China getting five times the foreign direct
investment . The growing interest in India by global private equity firms
augurs well as they represent pools of patient and smart capital , but they too
fave many bureaucratic hurdles.
When it comes to domestic capital availability , budget deficits adding up to
10% of the national GDP impede capital availability for investment and
infrastructure.
Raising infrastructure spending , couple with rapid privatization ,may not only
create employment but also address the growing gaps in infrastructure . China
has eight times the highway miles and has increased roads while India has

only inched along . Frieght costs at Indian ports are almost double the
worldwide average .
Moreover , like the Lilliputians that kept giant Gulliver tied down , there
some 30000 statues in India , of which only a portion are even operational ,
and these keep the employment creation engine tied down .
IN the meantime , we as citizens of the world and descendents of India have
to make difference .We have to ensure that India and its youth attain that
potential , both through our business pursuits and support of educational
charities ,on the ground proponents of participative democracy as well as
other deserving organizations and initiatives
I believe that hope can triumph and that this can be India s century not one
that will happen as surely as the sun will rise each day ,but one that many
willing hands need to create together .
Read the passage carefully and choose the most appropriate option from
those which are given below:
3
Indias secular and democratic, and its production centre give the author
an impression that.
I .India is underdeveloped
II .India is on verge of joining the select band of developed countries.
III. India is a developed nation.
IV India is amongst the youngest nations of the world.
Despite the fact that India is one of the oldest civilizations ,the author says
it is young as
Half the country is under 25 years of age.
More than a third is under 15 years of age
None has crossed 25 years.
I and II
India would lose its opportunity
I.If the youth of India are not properly educated .
II. If no enough jobs are not created
III. Any of the above
I and II
II Answer the following questions briefly:
6
What hinders employment growth?
2
What in the passage is referred to as the Lilliputians
2
How is China more progressive than India ?
1
What problems are highlighted in the current passage ? 1
III. Find words in above passage which mean the same as:
2
I .a period of sudden growth.
I I .another name for wealth.
Q2.Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
11
In todays fiercely competitive business environment , companies need to
communicate information pertaining to a whole range of issues in alucid and

precise manner to their customers

This is particularly so in the case of companies which do business in areas such as
manufacturing , IT ,engineering products and services companies whose
products and services may not be understood by a customer not familiar with its
technical aspects.
These communication materials are prepared in a company these days by
technical writers people who can effectively communicate to an intended
audience.
The skills of a technical writer are being increasingly sought for preparing
marketing documents such as brochures , case studies , web site content. Though
technical writer in a company do a good portion o such work , the trend now is to
outsource technical writing to free lancers.
Technical writing and writing text books are poles apart . The former is aimed at
those ho do not have an in depth knowledge about a product and hence should be
direct and lucid .
The basic requirement for being a technical writer is near total mastery over
English language . A technical writer should be natural in creative writing and
needs to be an expert in using Business English.
This simply means that those with a Bachelor s degree in English Literature
along with a diploma in Journalism and having a PG Diploma in Computer
Applications are ideal candidates for being employed as technical writers.
According to Joe Winston , Chief Executive Officer of I manager , speaking
ability is not imperative for technical writer .Many have inhibitions in speaking
English but their writing skills would be very sharp.
Technical writing would be a good option for such people . If candidate is to be
assigned the task of preparing high end technical manuals ,he is required to have
higher qualifications such as an M.Phil. in English Lit. and a degree such as
M.C.A.
Companies look for such qualifications because technical writers first need to
understand the technical information themselves , before trying to communicate
it in de- jargonized language to the potential customers.
However ,it is also true that many companies provide rigorous on the- job
training to fresh technical writers before allowing them to graduate to high end
products
Though the demand for good technical writers has risen sharply over the years ,
the emphasis is never on numbers but on skills.
Merely having the right mix of writing and comprehension skills is not
sufficient .A technical writer should keep his writing blades constantly
sharpened .It means untold hours of reading up the latest in the technological
trends and ceaseless honing of ones Business English and writings.
A career in technical writing is seen as a god choice for women mainly because it
is widely held that women are more adept at creative writing than men and the
job odes not entail graveyard shifts or arduous travelling.
A beginner can expect to be paid anywhere between Rs.8000 to Rs.15000 a
month. Technical writers usually join as executive technical writers and then go
on to become senior technical writers ,team leaders and some even manage to

make it to management job within a decade .As in most private sectors jobs ,
merit is the main criterion for rise in job and not necessarily the number of years
one has put in.
Read the passage carefully and choose the most appropriate option from
those which are given below:
3
1.The technical writing in Todays world is required for preparing
I)Marketing documents II)Web site content III)Media kits IV) I and II
2.Atehnical writer should i)have total mastery over English language ii)be natural creative writing iii)be an expert
in using Business English iv)all of the above
3.According to Joe Winston ,a technical writer should bei)have talent to write in a simple and effective manner
ii) be a eloquent speaker.
iii) have writing skills but speaking ones are not necessary
iv)have speaking skills though writing ones are not mandatory
II .Answer the following questions briefly:
6
What should be academic qualification of a technical writer?
What is the need of such qualification ?
Merely having the right mix of writing and comprehensive skills is not sufficient
Explain
How can a beginner progress in career if he joins as a technical writer ?
2
III .Find words in the above passage which mean the same as:
Continuous / without stopping (para 1 3)
Difficult(para 14)

3.Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
8
Research has shown that the human mind can process words at the rate of about 500 per
minute , where as a speaker at rate of about 150 words a minute . The difference between
the two at 350 is quite large
So a speaker must make every effort to retain the attention of the audience and the
listener should also be careful not to let his mind wander. Good communication calls for
good listening skills
Listening starts with hearing but goes beyond. Hearing , in the words is necessary but is
not a sufficient condition for listening. Listening involves hearing with attention.
Listening is aprocess that calls for concentration . While listening one should also be
observant . In other words , listening has to do with ears , as well as with eyes and the
mind . Listening is to be understood as the total process that involves hearing with
attention , being observant and making interpretations. Good communication is
essentially an interactive process. It is necessary to be interested and also show or make it
abundantly clear that one is interested in knowing what the other person has to say.
Good listening is an art that can be cultivated .It relates to skills that can be developed. A
good listening knows the art of getting much more than what the speaker is trying to
convey . He knows how to prompt , persuade but not to cut off or interrupt what the other

person has to say. At times speakers may or may not be coherent , articulate and well
organized in his thoughts and expressions. For listening to be effective , it is also
necessary that barriers to listening are removed . Such barriers can be both physical and
psychological..Physical barriers generally relate to hindrances to proper hearing whereas
psychological barriers are more fundamental and relate to the interpretation and
evaluation of the speaker and messages.
On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes in points only ,
using abbreviations wherever necessary . Supply a suitable title
(5)
Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words.
(3)
ADVANCED WRITING SECTION-30
Q3 Draft an advertisement in the local newspaper under classified columns that a 3 BHK
flat is available for rent in posh location of Faridabad. Write all necessary details of
advertisement. Words limit-50 words .
( 4)
OR
Design an attractive Poster on Promote to Communal Harmony issued by Lokahit
Samiti, Gurgaon.
Q4. Write a letter to the Corporation Authorities of Faridabad to complain about the
general unsustainable growth of building activities in Faridabad with poor parking an
other civic amenities to support it . Urge them to plan with a long term view.
(6)
OR
Write a letter to the librarian of the District Library in your town asking for details
regarding membership .Also ask about the timings and rules and regulations of the
library.
Q5 Each One Teach One is a national campaign for education promotion in India .A
small effort of an individual can make a big difference. Write an article in not more than
200 words on the topic Education for All
(10)
OR
A birth of a girl child is not welcome in the many conservative communities in India.
Can a country which does not give equal rights to all its citizens even dream of becoming
great?
Write a speech in 150-200 words expressing your views to be delivered in the morning
assembly in your school.
Q6 Computer and video games have become popular with children today. Outdoor games
seem have no place in their life anymore .You are Satveer Singh . You enjoyed playing
hide n seek with your cousin in a small town .You found it so refreshing that you
decide to write an article on the joys of playing outdoor games for the school magazine.
(10)
0R
You are Vineet ,a student of class XII, KV NO1 Faridabad. You are going to participate
in a debate competition and express your views for the motion . The topic for the debate

is Should genetic engineering be allowed in animals?

SECTION C LITERATURE
Q7 .Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow:1*4=4
When Aunt is dead , her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing , proud and unafraid.
QA. What is Aunt Jennifers death symbolic of ?
Q B. Explain terrified hands
Q C . What does ringed with ordeals imply
Q D Name the poet and the poem of the above extract.
Q8. Answer any four of the following in 30-40 words each:
3*4 =12
What does Keats consider an endless fountain of immortal drink and why does
he call its drink immortal?
Why did the Peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle ?
What misadventure does William Douglas speak about in Deep Water?
What moral issue does the story raise in Should Wizard Hit Mommy?
What does Derry know about the fairy tale ?
Even though the Maharaja lost three lakhs ,he was still happy why?
Q9. Answer the following in about 125-150 words :
The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhijis life. Elucidate.
6
OR
What impression do you form about Dr. Sadao as a man and as a surgeon on your reading
the chapter, The Enemy
Q10 In the lesson Indigo Louis Fischer highlights certain are human qualities of the
head and heart which Gandhi possessed in abundance . Describe those human traits of
Gandhi and also the lesson that the future generations can learn from them.
6
Q11. Describe the plot and the story structure of The Invisible Man.
6
Q12. Pen portrait of Griffin from the novel The Invisible Man
6

General Instructions:

SAMPLE PAPER-2

1. The paper is divided into three sections- A, B, and C. All the sections are compulsory
Section A : Reading -30 marks
Section B : Writing -30 marks
Section C : Literature and Long Reading Text 40 marks
2. Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary.
Read these instructions very carefully and follow them faithfully.

3. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
4. Please write down the serial number of the question in the answer sheet before
attempting it.
Q.1

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: 1. Today there is a lot of talk about the environment. All nations are coming to an
agreement to save planet earth. Like we pollute the earth, we pollute the water. We
also pollute the subtle environment through our negative feelings and emotions. We
have become a victim of our environment .We are not in control of our mind. We hear
a lot about other things in life but we spend very little time to hear about ourselves. .
The most unfortunate thing is that we have not learnt: How to handle our mind? How
to be in the present moment? How to be happy and grateful? Then, what is the
solution. This is where we miss a very fundamental principle that governs our
environment, our mind, our emotions and our life in general.
Our body has the capacity to sustain much longer the vibration of bliss and peace
than it does negative emotions because positivity is in the centre of our existence.
Just like, in the structure of an atom, protons and neutrons are in the centre of the
atom and electrons are only the periphery, same is with our lives; the centre core
of our existence is bliss, positivity and joy but it is surrounded by a cloud of
negative ions. Through the help of the breath we can easily get over our negative
emotions in a short period of time. Through meditation and certain breathing
techniques, we can clear this negative cloud.

This life has so much to offer to you. You can see this once you take some time
off, rejuvenating the soul. Your soul is hungry for a smile from you. If you could
give this, you feel energized the whole year and nothing whatsoever can take the
smile from you.

Everyone wants to be successful in life. But without knowing what success is, you
want to be successful. What is the sign of success? Just having a lot of money, is
that success? Why do you think money means success? Because money gives you
freedoms so that you can do whatever you want. You may have a big bank
balance, but, you have stomachaches, ulcers, you may have to go for bypass
surgery; cant eat this, cant do this, cant do that. It is very bad mathematics. We
spend half our health to gain wealth and spend half our wealth to gain back the
health. Is this success?

Look at all those who claim to be successful - are they successful? No, they are
miserable. Then, what is the sign of success? It is confidence, compassion,
generosity and a smile that none can snatch away, being really happy and being
able to be more free. These are the signs of a successful person.

Take some time off to look a little deep into yourself and calm the mind down.
Thus erasing all the impressions that we are carrying in our minds and experience
the presence, the divine that is the very core of our existence. This is feeling the
presence!

On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions:6 x 1
= 6m
a)
How do we pollute our subtle environment?
b)
What is the most unfortunate thing?
c) What comparison has the writer made between the atom and human body?
d)
How can we get rid of our negative emotions?
e) What is food for our soul?
f)
What, according to the author, is bad mathematics?
II. Choose the most appropriate option from the ones given below:3 x 1 =
3m
The signs of a successful person are__________________________
having a lot of money.
freedom that money gives you.
confidence, compassion, generosity and a happy smile.
wasting health to gain wealth and then wasting wealth to regain
health.

We can feel the Presence______________________________

if we have a big bank balance.
if we are able to wipe out all the impressions we are carrying.
if we are free.
if we are successful.
This passage is about :
How to save planet earth
Atomic structure
Lifes mathematics
The real meaning of success
III
Find words from the passage which mean the following: (2x1=2marks)
a) prey (para 1)
b) to make someone feel or look younger and more lively (para 3)
Q 2. Read the passage given below and then answer the questions which follow:11
marks
July, 18, 1980: A tiny pencil-shaped rocket lifts off from Andhra coast and heads
to the heavens. India becomes only the sixth country in the world capable of
launching satellites. A Hippie-haired scientist who headed the project team is
felicitated.
February 25, 1988: A missile takes off from the coast of Orissa and India joins
the select club of nations capable of making ballistic missiles. The scientist, the
long hair now a trade mark, is triumphantly carried on the shoulders of his
colleagues.
May 11, 1998: The same scientist; a Gorkha hat hiding his long hair in his
disguise as an army officer in the Rajasthan desert, is lauded as the guiding spirit
behind the nuclear weapons programme.
Dreams are important for the scientist whose name is as long as his
achievements: Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam. He says simply, Dream

I.

dreams because dreams lead to thought and thought leads to action. In this case
it has led to extraordinary action.
Many of his peers question both his scientific and intellectual acumen. But
science is not all about formulas and test tubes. It is also about converting ideas
into concrete realities that revolutionise the way we live or think about ourselves.
However illogical this may seem, it is also about instinct, innovation and sheer
perspiration.
Kalam is an inspirational figure not just because he demonstrates that merit can
succeed and thrive amidst so much cynicism and nepotism. Or that among a
people driven with religious strife, he could lead Indias most sensitive defence
project. More important is Kalams achievement of an integrator of science who
from an apparently mediocre team churned out awesome excellence. In short, he
delivered.
His life and mission is a vindication of what a determined person can achieve
against extraordinary odds. Born to a poor boat owners family in
Ramnathpuram, Kalam sold newspapers to pay his fees and pawned his sisters
jewellery to complete a diploma in engineering. Early in life, he demonstrated a
capacity for hard work and a will to succeed.
It is exhausting to track Kalams progress. In the 60sand 70s he was a trail
blazer in the space department. In the 80s he transformed the moribund Defence
Research and Development Laboratory in Hyderabad into a highly motivated
team. By the 90s Kalam emerged as the Czar of Indian science and technology
and was awarded the Bharat Ratna.
Now 68, his life style remains frugal. He is indefatigable and dreams of making
India a technological power. More important, he is still capable of acting on it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions:
6 x 1 = 6m
a) Which instance shows that Kalam belonged to a poor family?
b) What two qualities did Abdul Kalam possess?
c) What is Kalams life an inspirational one?
d) Why is it exhausting to track Kalams progress?
e) Which highest civilian award was Kalam bestowed with?
f) What is his dream for India?

II. Choose the most appropriate option from the ones given below:3 x 1 = 3m
a) In which year did India enter into the world of satellites?
i) 1982
ii) 1980
iii) 1988
iv) 1976
b) Which of the achievement given below does not hold true in the context of
Abdul Kalam?
i)
lifting of rocket from Andhra Coast and leading to heaven.
ii)
a missile taking off the coast of Orissa.
iii)
launching nuclear weapon programme in Rajasthan Desert.
launching nuclear weapon programme in Russia.

Science is NOT about:

Instinct and innovation
About converting ideas into concrete realities
Formulas and test tubes
sheer perspiration
Find a word from the passage which means the following:
congratulated (para 1)
in a near dying state (para 8)

(2x1=2m)

Q3. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Leadership is manifestation of strong love and compassion for people; a commitment to
principles. In that sense, a certain degree of leadership is dormant in every individual.
The challenge comes when one has to nurture it.
A true leader political, religious or social- has many challenges to face. The capacity to
express ones commitment varies from individual to individual. It is often clogged by
ones likes and dislikes. Yet a leader has to view everyone with the same outlook,
appraise everyone with the same yardstick. He has to find discrimination as well as the
much needed wisdom to act at the right time.
The society he lives in and the groups he represents are not homogenous and one cannot
satisfy everybody. Yet, a leader has to carry everyone along and do justice to everybody;
withstand criticism and not react emotionally to situations. Often leaders are surrounded
by sycophants who try to boost their egos for their own personal agenda; they have to be
guarded against.
One of the most desired qualities of a true leader is the courage to listen to critics, taking
failures with as much equanimity as successes. These days leaders are defensive all the
time, explaining their shortcomings or justifying their wrong actions. A true leader will
neither complain nor explain, and is open to learning all the time. Admitting past
mistakes and creating space for others with completely diverse viewpoints can make a
leader more acceptable, universal. A leader does not pass the buck.
A true leader balances ideology and practicality, long term goals with short term needs.
Those who stick only to idealism cannot become leaders and those who think they are
very practical and without any ideology also fail. A leader should be neither generic nor
specific. He has to strike a balance between personal attention to people and the generic
vision for the group, community or country he leads.
A leader should have the courage to accept his weak moments. He should understand that
people are magnanimous. They would appreciate his straightforwardness and accept his
shortcomings rather than him trying to hide them.
Some leaders are too diplomatic while others are too straightforward in their approach.
While people do not trust those who are very diplomatic, they do not want anything to do
with those who are very blunt and justify their rudeness in the garb of
straightforwardness. [Times of India, 24 Dec. 2013]
On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it, in points only
using headings and sub headings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever
necessary- minimum 4) and a format you consider suitable. Also supply an

appropriate title to it. (5)

Summarize the above passage in about .(3)
Section- B( WRITING)
Q.4. You are Ashoka/ Ashita of Sitapur, Lucknow.You have got a foreign assignment and
you are going abroad. You wish to dispose of your car which you purchased in 2010.
Draft a suitable advertisement in not more than 50 words to be published in the classified
column of THE HINDU.
(4 marks)
OR
You are Vikram Awasthi, Cultural Secretary of your school. Inform the students of classes
ix-xii about Cluster Level Social Science Exhibition to be held in the first week of
August. Each class is required to prepare five projects on the topic Education
Development, Adventure and Sports of Afghanistan and Chhatisgarh.Write a notice in not
more than 50 words.
(4 marks)
Q.5. You are Aditi Rao, a graduate from NIFT(Hyderabad). After graduation , you
worked for three years with an export house . Recently you came across an advertisement
in a newspaper that a famous designer is planning to open a traditional wear outlet at
Haus Khas, Delhi. Write to J.J Vallaya Fashion Studio, Green Park, Delhi-32 applying for
the
post
of
Fashion
Designer
with
complete
bio-data.
(6 marks)
OR
Write a letter to the Principal of your school requesting her to postpone class xii English
Selection Test scheduled to be held on 2nd January as almost thirty students of your class
are appearing for the Entrance Examination of the Five Year Integrated Management
Programme of I.P University. You are Nistha Jain of Lancer Convent, Pitampura. (6
marks)
Q.6. Plastic, with its exclusive qualities of being light yet strong and economical, has
invaded every aspect of our day-to-day life. It has many advantages: it is durable, light,
easy to mould, and can be adapted to different user requirements. Once hailed as a
wonder material, plastic now is a serious worldwide environmental and health concern
due to its non- biodegradable nature. Write an article about the growing plastic menace
giving suggestions about dealing with plastic waste in not more than 150 words. You are
Naren/ Nitisha. (10 marks)
OR
A series of recent news about marriage preparations on a lavish scale have left you
disturbed and you wish to give your views on it. Write an article on the recent trend of
making marriages a boastful affair so much so that it is turning into an upcoming
industry. You are Isha/ Ishan.(150-200 words) (10 marks)
Q.7.You are going to participate in Inter School Debate .The topic is Is women
empowerment actually taking place. Write your speech in favour/ against the motion.
You are Natasha Kulkarni of Raman House. (150-200 words)(10 marks)
OR
Write a speech on Developed Countries and their apathy towards climate change and its
consequences. You are Sahil/ Sheela, the head boy/ girl of your school, i.e. New Era
Public School, Sector-26, Noida.(150-200 words)(10 marks)
Section- C (LITERATURE)

Q.8. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: (1x4=4)
but after the airports
security check, standing a few yards
away, I looked again at her , wan , pale
as a late winters moon and felt that old familiar ache,
my childhood fear,
but all I said was, see you soon, Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile
Why is the mother compared to a late winters moon?(1)
What is the old familiar ache, my childhoods fear that the poet refers to?(1)
What is the significance of the parting words and the smile? (1)
Find a poetic device used in the aforementioned passage.(1)
OR
Far far from gusty waves these childrens faces.
Like rootless weeds, their hair torn round their pallor:
The tall girl with her weighed- down head. The paperSeeming boy, with rats eyes.
Name the poem and the poet. (1)
What is peculiar about the faces of these children?(1)
Explain like rootless weeds(1)
What is the poetic device used in the expression the paper seeming boy, with
rats eyes?(1)
Q.9. Answer the following questions in about 40 words. (3x 4=12 marks)
a. Why was Franz scared to go to school? What was unusual about the school that
day?
b. What are obstacles faced by the bangle makers of Firozabad in organizing
themselves into a cooperative society?
c. The Maharaja was whimsical and never heeded to the advice of his deewan. He
was surrounded by people who were sychophants. Comment.
d. How do the servants react to the decision of Sadao to keep the American prisoner
of war in their house?
Q.10. Answer the following questions in around 125-150 words. ( 6 marks)
The story, The Rattrap, explores the idea that human beings possess the innate
tendency to redeem themselves from their dishonest ways given the right motivation.
Discuss.
OR
It is natural for teenagers to have unrealistic dreams. Discuss with reference to the the
story, Going Places.
Q.11. Parents, teachers and the society are equally responsible for students indifference
to study and defiance to school discipline .Justify this statement in perspective of Franzs
attitude in The Last Lesson(125-150 words)
Q.12. The Invisible Man expresses the need to share the knowledge gained with
our fellow beings, only then can the human development be possible. Prove the idea by
referring to Griffins decline due to his misusing his knowledge. (125-150 words)
Q.13. Unbridled ambition can drive a man to the brink of disaster and make him

lose his reasoning. How is Griffin a manifestation of this statement? (125-150 words)

SAMPLE PAPER-3
Time- 3hours
General Instructions:

M.M. 100

1. The paper is divided into three sections- A, B, and C. All the sections are compulsory
Section A : Reading -30 marks
Section B : Writing -30 marks
Section C : Literature and Long Reading Text 40 marks

2. Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary.
Read these instructions very carefully and follow them faithfully.
3. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
4. Please write down the serial number of the question in the answer sheet before
attempting it.
SECTION- A (READING) 30 Marks
1.Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow: 11 marks
Just now the lilac is in bloom
All before my little room;
And in my flower-beds, I think,
Smile the carnation and the pink;
And down the borders, well I know,
The poppy and the pansy blow.
Oh! There the chestnuts, summer through,
Besides the river make for you
A tunnel of green gloom, and sleep
Deeply above; and green and deep
The stream mysterious glides beneath,
Green as a dream and deep as death.
. Oh, damn! I know it! And I know
How the May fields all golden show,
And when the day is young and sweet,
Glid gloriously the bare feet
That run to bathe.
Du lieber got! (oh my God)
Here am I, sweating, sick and hot,
And there the shadowed waters fresh
Lean up to embrace the naked flesh.
Temperamentvoll German Jews (spirited)
Drink beer around;- and there the dews
Are soft beneath a morn of gold.
Here tulips bloom as they are told;
Unkempt about those hedges blows
An English unofficial rose;
And there the unregulated sun
Slopes down to rest when day is done,
And wakes a vague unpunctual star,
Meads towards Haslingfields and cotton

Where das Betretens not verboten. (entering is not forbidden)

(if only I could be)
In Grantchester, in Grantchester!
1.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions by
choosing the best of the given choices
3
a) The poet is recalling the scene at
i) his native village in England
ii) his life among the Jews
iii) the poppy and the pansy
iv) the smile of the carnation and the pink
flower
b) The chestnut trees are growing
i) on the mountaintops
ii) besides the stream flowing through the village
iii) in the waters of the stream
iv) beneath the cornfields
c)the poet contrasts the planted rows of tulips with
i) the stray rose blooming in a hedge
ii) a field of ripe corn
iii) the green waters of the shaded stream iv) a summers day
1.2Answer the following questions;
6
a) What are the varieties of flowers blooming in his home in the summer?
b) Why does the stream look dreamy and green?
c) How does the poet contrast his present location with that of his home?
d) Find out how the poet uses satire to heighten the humour of the poem.
e) Why is the poet missing chestnut trees, cornfields.?
f) Where is the poet at present probably in the poem?
1.3 Find out words from the passage which means the same; 2
a) happy (lines 12-16)
b) hug (lines 20-24)
2. Read the passage carefully.
11Marks
1.The discovery that language can be a barrier to communication is quickly made
by all who
travel, study, govern or sell. Whether the activity is tourism ,
research, government, policing, business, or data dissemination, the lack of a
common language can severely impede progress or can halt it altogether.
Common language here usually means a foreign language, but the same point
applied in principle to any encounter with unfamiliar dialects or styles within a
single language. They dont talk the same language has a major metaphorical
meaning alongside its literal one.
2. Although communication problems of this kind must happen thousands of
times each day, very few such as strikes, lost orders, legal problems, or fatal
accidents even, at times, war. One reported instance of communication failure
took place in 1970, when several Americans ate a species of poisonous
mushrooms. No remedy was known, and two of the people died within days. A

radio report of the case was heard by a chemist who knew of treatment that had
been successfully used in 1959 and published in 1963. Why had the American
doctors not heard of it seven years later? Presumably because the report of the
treatment had been published only in journal written in European languages other
than English.
Several comparable cases have been reported. But isolated examples do not give
an impression of the size of the problem. In the English speaking scientific world,
for example, surveys of books and documents consulted in libraries and other
information agencies have shown that very little foreign language material is ever
consulted. Library requests in the field of science and technology showed that
only 13 per cent were for foreign language periodicals.
The language barrier presents itself in stark form to firms who wish to market
their products in other countries. British industry, in particular, has in recent
decades often been criticized for its linguistic insularity for its assumption that
foreign buyers will be happy to communicate in English, and that awareness of
other language is not therefore a priority. In the 1960s, over two-thirds of British
firms dealing with non-English speaking customers were using English for
outgoing correspondence; many had their sales literature only in English and as
many as 40 per cent employed no one able to communicate in the customers
languages.
The criticism and publicity given to this problem since 1960s seems to have
greatly improved the situation. Industrial training schemes have promoted an
increase in linguistic and cultural awareness. Many firms now have their own
translation services; to take just one example in Britain, Rowntree Mackintosh
now publish their documents in six languages (English, French, German, Dutch,
Italian and Xhosa). Some firms run part-time language courses in the languages
of the countries with which they are most involved; some produce their own
technical glossaries to ensure consistency when material is being translated. It is
now much more readily appreciated that marketing efforts can be delayed,
damaged, or disrupted by a failure to take account of the linguistic needs of the
customer.
The changes in awareness have been most marked in English speaking countries,
where the realization has gradually dawned that by no means everyone in the
world knows English well enough to negotiate in it.
2.1On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions by
choosing the best of the given choices.
3
What are the major effects of the language barrier on the progress of a nation?
It can slow down or stop progress
ii) It can affect tourism
iii) It can affect the foreign exchange situation
iv) It can affect health services
What is communication failure publicized and why?
When the country revenues fall
When a war breaks out
When major consequences occur

All the above

What makes linguistic programme successful
Industrial training schemes
Popularity of English courses
Lack of induction courses
Promotes linguistic chauvinism
Answer questions ( d ) to (i) briefly
6
What is the meaning for Linguistic insularity?1
What evidence has been collected from the survey of libraries in the English
speaking scientific world? 1
How have British companies tried to solve the problems of language barrier
since the 1960s?1
How are some company trying to satisfy linguistic needs of customers?
Mention any two steps taken?1
Why are some companies provide their glossary?1
What steps were taken by the companies to avoid deaths due to deadly
diseases? 1
Find words in the passage which means the same as the following.
2
Hinder (para 1)
Spread (para 1

3 Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:

8Marks
I remember my childhood as being generally happy and can recall experiencing some
of the most carefree times of my life. But I can also remember, even more vividly,
moments of being deeply frightened. As a child, I was truly terrified of the dark and
getting lost. These fears were very real and caused me some extremely uncomfortable
moments.
Maybe it was the strange way things looked and sounded in my familiar room at night
that scared me so much. There was never total darkness, but a street light or passing car
lights made clothes hung over a chair take on the shape of an unknown beast. Out of the
corner of my eye, I saw curtains move when there was no breeze. A tiny creak in the floor
would sound a hundred times louder than in the daylight and my imagination would take
over, creating burglars and monsters. Darkness always made me feel helpless. My heart
would pound and I would lie very still so that 'the enemy' wouldn't discover me.
Another childhood fear of mine was that I would get lost, especially on the way home
from school. Every morning, I got on the school bus right near my home that was no
problem. After school, though, when all the buses were lined up along the curve, I was
terrified that I would get on the wrong one and be taken to some unfamiliar
neighbourhood. I would scan the bus for the faces of my friends, make sure that the bus
driver was the same one that had been there in the morning, and even then ask the others
over and over again to be sure I was in the right bus. On school or family trips to an
amusement park or a museum, I wouldn't let the leaders out of my sight. And of course, I

was never very adventurous when it came to taking walks or hikes because I would go
only where I was sure I would never get lost.
Perhaps, one of the worst fears I had as a child was that of not being liked or accepted by
others. First of all, I was quite shy. Secondly, I worried constantly about my looks,
thinking people wouldn't like me because I was too fat or wore braces. I tried to wear 'the
right clothes' and had intense arguments with my mother over the importance of wearing
flats instead of saddled shoes to school. Being popular was very important to me then and
the fear of not being liked was a powerful one.
One of the processes of evolving from a child to an adult is being able to recognise and
overcome our fears. I have learnt that darkness does not have to take on a life of its own,
that others can help me when I am lost and that friendliness and sincerity will encourage
people to like me. Understanding the things that scared us as children helps to cope with
our lives as adults.
(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes using headings and
subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. (5)
(b) Make a summary of the passage in not more than 80 words using the notes made and
also suggest a suitable title. (3)
SECTION- B (WRITING)
(30 MARKS)
4. You want to sell off your car as you are leaving the country. Draft a suitable
advertisement to be inserted in 'The Hindu'. Write the advertisement in not more than 50
words. 4
OR
Public taps are always faulty and a lot of water is wasted. Design a poster in not more
than 50 words to make people aware of the need for saving water. You are Rohan/Rohin .
Q5. You are awaiting your class 12th results. Meanwhile, you would like to do a short
term course on personality development. Write a letter to the Director, Personal Care,
Hyderabad, enquiring about the course details. You are Kailash/Kusum of 148, Model
Town, Delhi. (125 150 words)
6
OR
You are Sudhir/Sita, the head boy/girl of ABC Public School, Jayanagar, Bangalore. An
excursion has been planned from your school to Mysore. Write a letter to the Secretary,
Ace Youth Hostel, Mysore requesting him to provide accommodation for 15 girls and 20
boys for three days. (125 150 words) 6
Q6. India is a country which has always respected women. Write an article in 150200
words on 'Status of Women in Free India'. You are Ravi/Reena.
10
OR
Mahatma Gandhi once said, "I regard the English language as an open window for
peeping into western thought and science." Write an article in 150 200 words on 'The
Usefulness of the English Language in India'. You are Navin/Naina. 10

A Village pradhan is going to host a debate on honour killing. All men, women
and old people in the village including officers will come to attend the same.
Write your speech on the same. You are Manoj/Mani
10

SECTION- C( LITERATURE) (40 MARKS)

8. Read the following extract from the poem and answer the questions that follow : 4
Marks
When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.
(a) Who is the aunt mentioned here?
(b) Why is she 'ringed with ordeals'?
(c) What is the difference between her and the tigers?
(d) What are the tigers symbolic of?
OR
I looked again at her, wan, pale
as a late winter's moon and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood's fear,
but all I said was see you soon Amma
all I did was smile and smile and smile ......
(a) What was the poet's childhood fear?
(b) Why were the poet's parting words?
(c) What is the poetic device used in these lines?
(d) Why is the mother compared to the late winters moon?
Q9. Answer any four of the following question in 30 40 words each: 3x4= 12
(a) What change does the poet hope for in the lives of the slum children?
(b) How do beautiful things help us to live a happy life?
(c) Why did Gandhiji oppose when his friend Andrews offered to stay in Champaran and
help the peasants?
(d) Why had the rag pickers come to live in Seemapuri?
(e) Why was Evans called Evans the Break?
(g)What made Bama want to double up with laughter at the sight of the strange man?
Q10. Answer any one of the following in 100125 words:
Douglas fully realized the truth of Roosevelt's statement 'All we have to fear is fear itself'.
How did this realization help him brush aside his fear and become an expert swimmer?
6
OR
How did the negligence of the prison officers prove to be a boon for Evans?
Q11. Answer the question in about 100 words.
Sophie was a dreamer. The lesson 'Going Places' reminds us that mere dreams will not
help us to accomplish anything. What qualities, do you think, would help Sophie to
realize her dreams?6
OR
How does humanity dominate patriotism as per the message given in The Enemy?
Q12. Compare and contrast Griffin and Kemp. Why did Kemp turn out differently than
Griffin? After all, they are scientists. Is Kemp less isolated than Grffin?

OR
Dr. Griffin is a character that possesses common sense and decency. Prove with suitable
examples that Kemp is attentive and cautious in contrast to the impulsive Griffin.
Q13. The story of the invisible man, to a great extent, takes place in the rural village of
Iping and rustic parts of England. But in Griffins flash back account of how he became
invisible, the view shifts to the urban metropolis of London. Elucidate how the invisible
man focuses on the contrast between the life in a village and life in a big city.
6
OR
Discuss the characteristics of rural as well as urban community as exposed in The
Invisible Man. What differences do you come across between the both through your
reading of the novel?

SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER-4

With Marking Scheme and Blue Print
Subject : English Core
Class : XII
General Instructions:

M.M: 100
Time: 3 hrs

1. The paper is divided into three sections- A, B, and C. All the sections are compulsory
Section A : Reading -30 marks
Section B : Writing -30 marks
Section C : Literature and Long Reading Text 40 marks
2. Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary.
Read these instructions very carefully and follow them faithfully.
3. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
4. Please write down the serial number of the question in the answer sheet before
attempting it.
Section A (Reading) 30 marks
1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

12 marks

If you are faced with choosing a career you are certainly not alone. Although career
confusion is a common phenomenon it is no longer difficult to make effective career
decisions. To select the right career path its important to first assess ones skills and
interests, keeping in mind what you enjoy, what you are good at, what kind of personality
you are and the values you hold. After taking a good look at yourself it becomes easier
for you to decide on the direction you wish to take. Finding out what kinds of
occupations are there would be the natural next step. The world offers a plethora of
opportunities. Once the decision is made regarding ones choice of career, it is important
to develop a career plan. Information about the kind of training, education and skills
needed to achieve the career goal can be easily gathered with some assistance. Speaking
to career advisors and recruitment specialists and employers are all ways to find out job
market information. It would also do well to check out resources on the Internet and in
career centres. There are plenty of books that can provide useful information on choosing
a career. These often help to get one thinking about the issues one needs to consider.
For those who are unsure about the kind of career they want, and yet want a qualification,
it is best to learn skills that will be useful for the job. Obtaining marketable skills like
computer skills ( ex programming, word processing, spreadsheets, data base
management, e-mail, internet); quantitative skills (ex-accounting, statistics, economics);
communication skills (ex- written and oral); marketing/ selling skills (ex- sales publicity,
fundraising); scientific skills (ex- lab skills, scientific research); foreign language
skills( ex-especially Spanish, Japanese or Chinese); leadership skills( ex- supervisory,
extracurricular, leadership roles, teamwork/ team leader) can be considered in this
category.
Parents play a vital role in preparing their child to make a sound career decision. Several
studies indicate that parents are ranked as the number one influence over their childs
career choices.
1.1 Answer the following questions:
a) What should a student do to choose an appropriate career for himself?
b) Which sources can provide useful information on choosing a career?
c) What role is played by parents in the life of child?
d) Give examples of marketable skills.
e) What is important after making a decision regarding choice of career?
f) For whom it is best to learn skills?
(1x6= 6 marks)
1.2 Pick out words from the passage which mean the same as each of the following
a) Course of action for livelihood

b) Good number of
c) Point

3 marks

1.3 Read the following MCQs and choose the best alternative as your answer:
a. Who is facing the problem of choosing a career?
i) Few people
ii) People seeking career
iii) a number of people
iv) All the people
b. The direction which one wants to take should depend on his:
i) Financial status
ii) Social status
iii) a number of people
iv) All the people
c. The world offers a plethora of opportunities. Here plethora of opportunities means:
i) Shortage of opportunities
ii) Plenty of opportunities
iii) few good opportunities
iv) a and c
1x 3= 3 marks
2. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

10
marks
The tree was young and strong and it took a long time to kill. It took two workmen with
axes, two days, including tea breaks. Which without conscious irony, they took in the
shade of the leafy branches of the tree they were chopping down. It was a Gulmohar I had
planted 13 years ago, along with several other saplings, when Bunny and I moved into
the National media centre. The NMC is built on a little over 22 acres and many hundreds
of the local babul trees that used to cloak that part of the Haryana countryside like smoke
from evening chullas must have been cut down to make way for the brick and cement of
our colony. Im not a tree hugger but still felt that some restitution was due. So Bunny
and I planted several saplings.
The two gulmohars at the rear were foot high saplings when we put them in the soil. In a
few years their branches aflame with scarlet flowers in summer, rose above the first floor
window, flooding the room with afterglow and screening from view the ugly scars of new
construction in what had once been open fields behind our house. I felt the smugness of
satisfaction, of having done the right thing. Id given back, in however small a way, a
little bit of what we take away from the earth everyday, everywhere.
Righteousness invites its own revenge. The roots of one of the trees had spread, crushing
the sewage system. The handyman gave us the choice of either cutting down the tree or
its roots would endanger the foundations of the house.
2.1 Answer the following questions:
a) What proves that the tree was strong?
b) What choice was given by handyman?
c) What had crushed the sewage system?
d) About which tree is the writer talking about?
2.2 Pick out word from the passage which means the same as
a) A mark on the skin or surface
b) Not beautiful
c) Contentment 1x3 =3 marks

2.3 Answer the following questions by selecting the most appropriate option from the
ones given below:
The irony in the first para is that the
The tree was planted by the author but cut by the workmen
The workmen chopped the tree that gave them shade.
It took 13 years for the tree to grow
The author was not passionate about trees yet he planted them

When the colony was settled, the author decided to

make the outskirts greener
plant a few saplings around the house
sulk in depression
start a movement

The feeling

the newly grown gulmohar trees evoked in the author was of

remorse
pride
self - satisfaction
regret
1x3= 3
marks
3. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
8 marks
India has stood for freedom. Even before Independence we viewed our own struggle and
difficulties on the larger canvas of global problems. If democracy is basically tolerance
for others opinions, the concept of coexistence is democracy on the international plane,
for it embodies tolerance of other nations and systems. Similarly non-alignment gives
depth to our independence and self- reliance for it enables us to retain our freedom of
judgementand action on international issues in the light of our interests. We avoid
involvement in the conflicts and disputes of others and this helps to blunt conflict
between power blocs. I should like to think that it has also helped world stability.
A country is an extended family. When income and resources are limited, one must
budget to ensure that waste is avoided, resources husbanded, priorities established,
education and other social needs catered to, special provision made for those who are
weaker or smaller. Industry has to be balanced with agriculture; technology with culture;
state ventures with private initiative; economic growth with social justice; the large with
the small. Every section of society must be stimulated to creative activity.
That is our planning. In no way is it totalitarian or coercive. Industrializing, modernizing
and transforming an ancient society of immense size, population and diversity is a
daunting venture and inevitably, a gradual one. Otherwise there will be resentment.
Transformation should not cause too much too much dislocation or suffering for the
people nor should it jettison the basic spiritual and cultural values of our civilization.
Indias planning experience sums up the successes and problems of our democratic
development. The magnitude and significance of democracys operation in India are not
well understood, for it is often treated as an adventitious or borrowed growth. Why has
democracy worked in India? Our national leadership was dedicated to it and we wanted it
to work, but, also, because in our society there were elements and traditions which
supported the growth of democracy.
In our democratic system, there may be differences in many spheres but we rise above
them. To achieve the objective of keeping the country united, we have to transcend
political and party-based differences, which create dissensions. If we cannot remain
united and the country does not remain strong, with whom shall we have differences?
Against whom shall we fight? With whom shall we be friends, brothers and sisters? If the
country falls nobody survives. When we wer fighting for the freedom of our country, it
did not mean only political freedom. It also meant social justice, equality and economic

justice. Only one phase is over and another one is under way. We have to cover a long
and difficult path. Whereas the enemies were visible during those days, now they are in
disguise. Some of them are openly our enemies, but many become unintentional pawns of
others.
(a) On the basis of your reading make notes using headings and sub headings. Use
recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary.
5 marks
(b) Write a summary in not more than 80 words using your notes.

3 marks

Section B (Advanced Writing Skills) 40 marks

4) Janvi Info Com, Civil Lines, Ludhiana, needs two Front Office Assistants for their
office. Draft a suitable advertisement for the Situation Vacant column of a national
daily. (50 words)
OR
Times India Bank wishes to increase awareness among youth about blindness and the
importance of donating ones eyes. Draft a suitable poster.
4 marks
5) You are Bharat/ Bharti of 119, Church Rd, Kanpur. You are interested in doing a shortterm course in Public Speaking for your personality enrichment during your summer
vacation. Write a letter to the Director, Personal Care, University Road, Kanpur,
enquiring about the duration of such a course and the terms and conditions for
Admission.
OR
You are Ram/ Rama of 70, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi. Write a letter to the Police
Commissioner about the unauthorized construction of a block of 3 shops in the adjacent
public park. (120-150 words)
06 marks
6) You are Vinod/ Vimla. You are worried about the hike in the prices of essential
commodities like gas, pulses, vegetables etc. Write an article in about 150-200 words
about the price hike and suggesting certain steps to curb the price hike.
OR
Elections are very important for the survival of democracy in a state. Write an article on
Elections are the backbone of democracy in about 150-200 words.
10
marks
7) You are Amita of Nehru Public School, Calcutta. You have been asked to deliver a
speech on Say no to fast food in the morning assembly of your school. Draft the speech
in about 150-200 words.
OR
You are Naman of Nehru Public School, Calcutta. You have been asked to speak in
favour of a debate competition on the topic Homework should be banned in schools
Draft the debate in about 150-200 words.
10 marks
Section C (Literature & Long Reading texts) 40 marks
8) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Far far from gusty waves these childrens faces
Like rootless weeds, the hair torn round their pallor:
The tall girl with her weighed-down head. The paperSeeming boy with rats eyes. The stunted, unlucky heir
Of twisted bones, reciting a fathers gnarled disease,

His lesson, from his desk.

a. What are the children compared to?
b. Mention two phrases which tell us that the children are under-nourished?
c. Why is the boy referred to as unlucky heir ?
d. Explain the phrase paper seeming boy
OR
A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing?
A flowery band to bind us to the earth
a. What is the special virtue of a beautiful thing?
b. How does a thing of beauty bless us?
c. Explain the expression A bower quiet for us
d. What do we do every day?
9) Answer any four of the following questions briefly (30-40 words):

1x4=4 marks

a) What is the significance of uncles wedding band? Why does Aunt Jennifer find it
heavy?
b) Why has Kamala Das compared her mother to the late winters moon?
c) Why has RajkumarShukla been described as illiterate but resolute?
d) What advice did Anna give to Bama to get honour and dignity for their community?
e) How did Jo want the story to end and why?
f) Why was Dr Sadao not sent abroad with the troops?
3x4= 12
marks
10) Saheb and Mukesh are brothers in penury and suffering. Discuss
OR
Discuss the theme of Deep Water (120-150 Words)

6 marks

11) The story The Tiger King is a satire on the conceit of those in power. Elucidate
OR
Discuss the Values you have learnt from On the Face of it (120-150 Words)

6 marks

12) Describe the meeting between Voice of stranger and Thomas Marvel. (120-150
Words)
marks
13) Discuss the theme of fear and sadistic pleasure in the novel The Invisible Man.
(120-150 words)
6 marks

Marking Scheme and Answer Key

Section A ( Reading )
Unseen passage for comprehension
a)To select the right career path one should first assess ones skills and interests,
keeping in mind what you enjoy, what you are good at, what kind of personality you
are and the values you hold.
b) books, internet, career advisors etc
c) vital
d) computer skills, scientific skills etc
e) developing career plan
f) unsure people
1x6 = 6 marks
1.2 a) career
b) plenty
c) indicate
3M
1.3
a) people seeking career
b) right assessment of personality
c) plenty of opportunities
3M
2.1
a) Two workers and two days taken to cut tree
b)either cutting down the tree or its roots would endanger the foundations of the house
c) roots of tree
d) the writer is talking about the Gulmohar tree
2.2 a) scar
b)satisfaction
c) ugly
1x3=3 M
2.3
a) The workmen chopped the tree that gave them shade.
b) planta few saplings around the house
c) self satisfaction
3M
3.1 Unseen passage for note making
Title- 1 M
Content- 3 M
Abbreviations- 1 M
3.2 The summary should include all the points given in the notes
Content- 2 M
Expression- 1 M
Section B (Advanced Writing Skills)
4) Title: Situation Vacant 1 M

Content: Details
2M
Expression: Coherence, relevance, spelling
Or
Poster
Format -1 M, Content- 2 M, Expression-1 M
5) Letter Writing

1 mark

Content: 2 M
Expression: Spelling, grammatical accuracy 2 M
Coherence, relevance 2 M
6) Article Writing
Title, Writers name / address to the audience - 1 M
Content- 4 M
Expression 5
Suggested value points: Rising prices of essential commodities- difficult for the ordinary
man- income not enough to meet the needs of the family- hoarding and black marketingthe country need to unite to fight against this- role of youth
Or
People should have the right to elect their own leaders- the right to vote to be utilizedwithout election one party would consider the country their ancestral property- Fair
elections must- produces competition among political parties-people- all powerful- the
fate of the leaders decided by the people- good leader to be elected- many factors to be
considered while electing a leader.
7) Speech/ Debate Writing
Title, Writers name / address to the audience - 1 M
Content- 4 M
Expression 5 M
Section C (Literature and Long Reading texts)
8) Extract based on poetry
a) to rootless weeds 1 M
b) the paper- seeming boy and the stunted unlucky heir 1 M
c) he has inherited his fathers gnarled disease 1 M
d) the boy was as thin as a paper/ the boy was so thin that he looked like a
paper 1 M
OR
a) A beautiful thing is a joy forever 1 M
b) It will give us sleep, full of sweet dreams, health and quiet breathing 1 M
c) A shady peaceful place 1 M
d) We are binding ourselves to earth 1 M
9) Content- 1 M, Expression- 1 M
a) Uncles wedding ring represents male authority and power exercised by the
husband on the wife. Aunt Jennifer is trapped in gender oppression an feels herself
burdened by her husbands authority.
b) The mother who is old has become pale and lustreless like the late winter moon.
c) Rajkumar Shukla was a poor sharecropper of Champaran. He followed Gandhiji
everywhere till Gandhiji agreed to go with him to Champaran.
d) According to Anna, they had to work and study really hard. It would enable them to
get honour and dignity for their community.
e) Jo wanted that the wizard should hit mommy and retain the smell of roses in Roger
Skunk.
f) Dr Sadao was perfecting a discovery to render wounds completely clean. Also, the

General who was in poor health would need his services any time
10) Answer any one : Content- 3 M, Expression- 3 M
Saheb, a rag picker, along with many others came from Bangladesh to Delhi- to seek a
living. Live in Seemapuri- no identity except ration card- looking for gold in the garbage
dumps- takes up a job in a tea stall- canister, very heavy to carry- loses the spark of
childhood.
Mukesh, belongs to family working in bangle industry- does not know that it is illegalvarious health hazards- family weighed down with debts- exploited- lost the ability to
dream- ray of hope- Mukesh wants to become a motor mechanic.
Author sensitizing the reader to the plight of these poor unfortunate children.
OR
One should never give up to fears- resoluteness, patience, practice,self confidenceetc will
make us conquer our fears and weaknesses like in case of Douglas.
11) Answer any one : Content- 3 M, Expression- 3 M
People having power and money think themselves as God or masters of their destiny like
tiger king- Astrologers prediction- would die one day-when he came of age- embarked on
a mission to kill tigers- neglected all his duties- plays with toy tiger bought for sons third
birthday- splinter pierces right hand- infection- doctors not able to save his life-prediction
comes true.
OR
One should live life as per ones personal feeling and perception and not by those of
others- people must treat handicapped and those who have deformity of any type like
Derry and Lamb very sympathetically but never should their sympathy bring inferiority
complex among handicapped people.
12) Comic elements in meeting, throwing of flint by invisible voice, characters of
Invisible Man and Thomas Marvel elaborated through this meeting
13) Fear present in the minds of all characters, atmosphere of fear, pleasure obtained by
invisible man after inflicting pain and creating confusion in Coach and Horses

Blue Print of Question Paper

Section

Q No

Type of Question

Mark

A-Reading

1.1

VSA

6Mar

1.2

a)VSA
b)VSA
C)VSA

1M
1M
1M

Vocabulary testing
Vocabulary testing
Vocabulary testing

1.3

a) VSA/MCQ
b) VSA/MCQ
c) VSA/MCQ

1M
1M
1M

Comprehension
Comprehension
Comprehension

2.1

a)VSA
b) VSA
C) VSA
d)VSA

1M
1M
1M
1M

Comprehension
Comprehension
Comprehension
Comprehension

2.2

VSA

3M

Vocabulary testing

2.3

a) VSA/MCQ
b) VSA/MCQ
c) VSA/MCQ

1M
1M
1M

Comprehension
Comprehension
Comprehension

3.1

Note Making

5M

3.2
4

Abstraction
SA

3M
4M

LA
Writing

Comprehension &
Note Making
Abstraction Skills
Providing factual details, organization,
fluency and coherence, creativity
Presenting factual details, relevance, fluency,
coherence, format of letter

VLA
Article

10 M

Format, organization, details, relevance,

coherence, fluency

VLA
Speech/ Debate

10 M

Format, organization, details, relevance,

coherence, fluency

One out of two extracts

based on poetry
a)VSA
b)VSA
c)VSA
d)VSA
Four out of six
(poetry and prose)
a)SA
b)SA
c)SA
d)SA

4M

B- Writing

C- Literature and
Long reading texts

Letter

Total
Marks
30 M

30 M

6M

12 M
(3x4)

40 M

Testing Objectives
Comprehension
Comprehension

Poetry appreciation, interpretation

Comprehension, interpretation,
understanding

10

One out of
two(Flamingo)

6M

Content, organization, fluency, coherence,

understanding

LA

11

One out of two(Vistas)

LA

6M

Content, organization, fluency, coherence,

understanding

12

LA( Novel)

6M

Content, organization, fluency, coherence,

understanding

13

LA( Novel)

6M

Content, organization, fluency, coherence,

understanding

CBSE 2013-14 Question Papers

1)All India Set I
2)Delhi Set I

General Instructions:
(i) All the questions are compulsory.
(ii) Your answer should be to the point, try to stick to the word limit given

Section A

Q1

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
1. Too many parents these days can't say no. As a result, 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 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. They also have distorted sense of entitlement that
gets in the way of success in the work place and in relationships.
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 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 TV as essential utilities, and they have
developed strategies to get them. One survey of teenagers found that
when they crave for 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 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. What parents need to find, is a balance between the advantages of an
affluent society and the critical life lessons that come from waiting,
saving and working hard to achieve goals. That search for balance has
to start early. 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 parents
act. Learning how to overcome challenges is essential to becoming a
successful adult. Few parents ask kids to do chores. They think their
kids are already overburdened by social and academic pressures.
Every individual can be of service to others, and life has meaning
beyond one's own immediate happiness. That means parents eager to
teach values have to take a long, hard look at their own.
(a) Answer the following:
(1) What values do parents and teachers want children to learn?
(2) What are the results of giving the children too much too soon?
(3) Why do today's children want more?
(4) What is the balance which the parents need to have in today's world?
(5) What is the necessity to set limits for children?
(b) Pick out words from the passage that mean the same as the following:
(1) a feeling of satisfaction (para 1)
(2) valuable (para 3)
(3) important (para 4)

Q2

Read the passage carefully.

1. I remember my childhood as being generally happy and can recall
experiencing some of the most carefree times of my life. But I can also
remember, even more vividly, moments of being deeply frightened. As a child, I
was truly terrified of the dark and getting lost. These fears were very real and
caused me some extremely uncomfortable moments.
2. Maybe it was the strange way things looked and sounded in my familiar room
at night that scared me so much. There was never total darkness, but a street
light or passing car lights made clothes hung over a chair take on the shape of an
unknown beast. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw curtains move when there
was no breeze. A tiny creak in the floor would sound a hundred times louder than
in the daylight and my imagination would take over, creating burglars and
monsters. Darkness always made me feel helpless. My heart would pound and
I would lie very still so that 'the enemy' wouldn't discover me.
3. Another childhood fear of mine was that I would get lost, especially on the way
home from school. Every morning, I got on the school bus right near my
home that was no problem. After school, though, when all the buses were lined
up along the curve, I was terrified that I would get on the wrong one and be taken
to some unfamiliar neighbourhood. I would scan the bus for the faces of my
friends, make sure that the bus driver was the same one that had been there in

the morning, and even then ask the others over and over again to be sure I was
in the right bus. On school or family trips to an amusement park or a museum, I
wouldn't let the leaders out of my sight. And of course, I was never very
adventurous when it came to taking walks or hikes because I would go only
where I was sure I would never get lost.
4. Perhaps, one of the worst fears I had as a child was that of not being liked or
accepted by others. First of all, I was quite shy. Secondly, I worried constantly
about my looks, thinking people wouldn't like me because I was too fat or wore
braces. I tried to wear 'the right clothes' and had intense arguments with
my mother over the importance of wearing flats instead of saddled shoes to
school. Being popular was very important to me then and the fear of not being
liked was a powerful one.
5. One of the processes of evolving from a child to an adult is being able to
recognise and overcome our fears. I have learnt that darkness does not have to
take on a life of its own, that others can help me when I am lost and that
friendliness and sincerity will encourage people to like me. Understanding the
things that scared us as children helps to cope with our lives as adults.
(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes using
headings and subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary.
(b) Make a summary of the passage in not more than 80 words using the notes
made and also suggest a suitable title.

Section BVIEW SOLUTION

Q3

You were very upset about the reports on communal riots in various parts of the
country. As a concerned social worker, design a poster in not more than 50
words, highlighting the importance of communal harmony. You are Vinay/Vineeta.
OR

The literary club of your school is putting up the play 'Waiting for Godot'. As
secretary of the club, draft an invitation inviting the famous writer Sudeesh Gupta
to be the guest of honour at the function. Write the invitation in not more than 50
words. You are Govind/Gauri.

Q4

Last week the newly built auditorium of your school was inaugurated. As
Deepak/Deepti Saha, the head boy/girl of the school, write a factual description
of the auditorium in 125150words.
OR
You had attended a workshop on personality development for students. Many
eminent personalities had been present. Write a report in 125150 words on how
the workshop proved to be beneficial. You are Rajesh/Rajshree.

VIEW SOLUTION

Q5

You are Anand/Arti of 14, Model Town, Delhi. You have seen an advertisement in
The Hindu for the post of Chief Chef in a 5-Star Hotel. Apply for the job with
complete biodata. Write in 125-150 words.
OR
You are Prem/Parul of 16, TT Nagar, Bhopal. You would like to apply for the post
of Marketing Manager in a reputed firm in Mumbai. Write a letter to the Public

Relations Officer, Chantac Enterprises, Mumbai, applying for the job. Write the
letter in 125-150 words giving your biodata.

VIEW SOLUTION

Q6

Last week, as you were coming back from school you happened to see a huge
plastic bag full of leftovers of food being flung into the middle of the road from a
speeding car. You wondered how people can be so devoid of civic sense. Write
an article in 125150 words on why we lack civic sense and how civic sense can
be inculcated in children at a very young age. You are Shiva/Shamini.
OR
You saw a stray dog beaten to death by a group of boys. Their act infuriated you
and you scolded them for their cruel act. You decided to write an article on cruelty
to animals. Write the article in 125150 words. You are Nikhil/Naina.

Section CVIEW SOLUTION

Q7

Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
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: yes in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.
(a) Name the poem and the poet.
(b) Why are we 'despondent'?
(c) What removes 'the pall from our dark spirits'?
OR
........... And yet, for these
Children, these windows, not this map, their world.
Where all their future's painted with a fog,
A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky
Far far from rivers, capes, and stars of words.
(a) Who are the 'children' referred to here?
(b) Which is their world?
(c) How is their life different from that of other children?

VIEW SOLUTION

Q8

Answer any two of the following in about 3040 words each:

(a) What was the poet's childhood fear?
(b) What is the sadness the poet refers to in the poem 'Keeping Quiet'?
(c) How are Aunt Jennifer's tigers different from her?
VIEW SOLUTION

Q9

Answer any six of the following in about 3040 words each:

(a) Why did Sophie long for her brother's affection?
(b) Why did Edla plead with her father not to send the vagabond away?
(c) What job did Saheb take up? Was he happy?

(d) Why were the elders of the village sitting in the classroom?
(e) Why did the Maharaja order the dewan to double the land tax?
(f) Why did Roger Skunk go to see the old owl?
(g) Why was Zitkala-Sa in tears on the first day in the land of apples?

VIEW SOLUTION

Q10

Answer any one of the following in 100125 words:

Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian
struggle for Independence?
OR
What was the General's plan to get rid of the American prisoner? Was it
executed? What traits of the General's character are highlighted in the lesson
'The Enemy'?

VIEW SOLUTION

Q11

Both Derry and Lamb are physically impaired and lonely. It is the responsibility of
society to understand and support people with infirmities so that they do not
suffer from a sense of alienation. As a responsible citizen, write in
about 100 words what you would do to bring about a change in the lives of such
people.
VIEW SOLUTION

Q12

Why did Dr. Mortimer need the services of the detective Sherlock Holmes?
Answer in about 125 words.
VIEW SOLUTION

Q13

Who is Laura Lyons? What confession did she make to Sherlock Holmes?
Answer in about 125 words.
VIEW SOLUTION

Q1

General Instructions:
(i) All the questions are compulsory.
(ii) Your answer should be to the point, try to stick to the word limit give
Section A

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
1. Too many parents these days can't say no. As a result, 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 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. They also have distorted sense of entitlement that
gets in the way of success in the work place and in relationships.
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 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 TV as essential utilities, and they have
developed strategies to get them. One survey of teenagers found that
when they crave for 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 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. What parents need to find, is a balance between the advantages of an
affluent society and the critical life lessons that come from waiting,
saving and working hard to achieve goals. That search for balance has
to start early. 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 parents
act. Learning how to overcome challenges is essential to becoming a
successful adult. Few parents ask kids to do chores. They think their
kids are already overburdened by social and academic pressures.
Every individual can be of service to others, and life has meaning
beyond one's own immediate happiness. That means parents eager to
teach values have to take a long, hard look at their own.
(a) Answer the following:
(1) What values do parents and teachers want children to learn?
(2) What are the results of giving the children too much too soon?
(3) Why do today's children want more?
(4) What is the balance which the parents need to have in today's world?
(5) What is the necessity to set limits for children?
(b) Pick out words from the passage that mean the same as the following:
(1) a feeling of satisfaction (para 1)
(2) valuable (para 3)
(3) important (para 4)

VIEW SOLUTION

Q2

Read the passage carefully.

1. I remember my childhood as being generally happy and can recall
experiencing some of the most carefree times of my life. But I can also
remember, even more vividly, moments of being deeply frightened. As a child, I
was truly terrified of the dark and getting lost. These fears were very real and
caused me some extremely uncomfortable moments.
2. Maybe it was the strange way things looked and sounded in my familiar room
at night that scared me so much. There was never total darkness, but a street
light or passing car lights made clothes hung over a chair take on the shape of an
unknown beast. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw curtains move when there
was no breeze. A tiny creak in the floor would sound a hundred times louder than
in the daylight and my imagination would take over, creating burglars and
monsters. Darkness always made me feel helpless. My heart would pound and
I would lie very still so that 'the enemy' wouldn't discover me.
3. Another childhood fear of mine was that I would get lost, especially on the way
home from school. Every morning, I got on the school bus right near my
home that was no problem. After school, though, when all the buses were lined
up along the curve, I was terrified that I would get on the wrong one and be taken
to some unfamiliar neighbourhood. I would scan the bus for the faces of my
friends, make sure that the bus driver was the same one that had been there in
the morning, and even then ask the others over and over again to be sure I was

in the right bus. On school or family trips to an amusement park or a museum, I

wouldn't let the leaders out of my sight. And of course, I was never very
adventurous when it came to taking walks or hikes because I would go only
where I was sure I would never get lost.
4. Perhaps, one of the worst fears I had as a child was that of not being liked or
accepted by others. First of all, I was quite shy. Secondly, I worried constantly
about my looks, thinking people wouldn't like me because I was too fat or wore
braces. I tried to wear 'the right clothes' and had intense arguments with
my mother over the importance of wearing flats instead of saddled shoes to
school. Being popular was very important to me then and the fear of not being
liked was a powerful one.
5. One of the processes of evolving from a child to an adult is being able to
recognise and overcome our fears. I have learnt that darkness does not have to
take on a life of its own, that others can help me when I am lost and that
friendliness and sincerity will encourage people to like me. Understanding the
things that scared us as children helps to cope with our lives as adults.
(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes using
headings and subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary.
(b) Make a summary of the passage in not more than 80 words using the notes
made and also suggest a suitable title.

Section BVBBBBIEW SOLUTION

Q3

An interschool Kabaddi Competition is organized by your school. Write a notice,

in not more than 50 words, requesting the students to be present at the venue to
encourage the players. Invent all the necessary details. You are Arjun, the sports
captain of your school.
OR
You possess an acre of land in the heart of the city. You want to dispose of this
property since you have decided to buy a flat. Write an advertisement to be
published in a national daily, giving all the necessary details. You are Krishan of
Moti Nagar, Delhi.

VIEW SOLUTION

Q4

Incessant rain has caused irrecoverable damage in your area. As an active

participant in the flood relief programme, write a report in 125150 words on the
different flood relief measures carried out. You are Krishan/Krishna.
OR
You have visited a book exhibition in your neighbourhood. Write a report in
about 125150 words on the exhibition. You are Rohan/Rohini.

VIEW SOLUTION

Q5

You are the librarian of Amla Public School. You had placed an order for text
books with Dhanpati & Sons. Since the books did not arrive on time, you have
decided to cancel the order. Write a letter to the Manager, Dhanpati & Sons,
Chennai, cancelling the order. (125150 words)
OR

You are interested in doing a short-term course in computer graphics during your
holidays. Write a letter to the Director, Easy Computers, enquiring about their
short-term courses and asking for all the necessary details. You are
Naresh/Nandini.

VIEW SOLUTION

Q6

You are Rajendra Kumar, a social worker. You read an article in The Hindu on
'Health Care for Indian Workers'. Write a speech in 125150 words on the
importance of health care to be delivered at a public function to create
awareness among the workers.
OR
Media has a strong hold on society. Write a speech in 125150 words on how
media influences public opinion to be delivered in the school assembly.

Section C

Q7

Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink.
Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.
(a) Name the poem and the poet.
(b) What is the thing of beauty mentioned in these lines?
(c) What image does the poet use in these lines?
OR
With ships and sun and love tempting them to steal...
For lives that slyly turn in their cramped holes
From fog to endless night?
(i) Who are 'them' referred to in the first line?
(ii) What tempts them?
(iii) What does the poet say about 'their' lives?

VIEW SOLUTION

Q8

Answer any two of the following questions in about 3040words:

(a) How does Kamala Das try to put away the thoughts of her ageing mother?
(b) Which is the exotic moment that the poet refers to in 'Keeping Quiet'?
(c) What are the difficulties that aunt Jennifer faced in her life?
VIEW SOLUTION

Q9

Answer any six of the following questions in 3040 words:

(a) Why did Gandhiji feel that taking the Champaran case to the court was
useless?
(b) Why did the peddler derive pleasure from his idea of the world as a rattrap?
(c) How is Mukesh different from the other bangle makers of Firozabad?
(d) What tempted Franz to stay away from school?
(e) Why did the maharaja ban tiger hunting in the state?
(f) How was the skunk's story different from the other stories narrated by Jack?

(g) Which words of her brother made a deep impression on Bama?

VIEW SOLUTION

Q10

Answer the following in about 100125 words.

Has Sophie met Danny Casey? What details of her meeting with Danny Casey
did she narrate to her brother?
OR
Describe the precautions taken by the prison officers to prevent Evans from
escaping.

VIEW SOLUTION

Q11

Read the following and answer the question that follows:

The story "Deep Waters" has made you realize that with determination and
perseverance one can accomplish the impossible. Write a paragraph in
about 100 words words on how a positive attitude and courage will aid you to
achieve success in life.

VIEW SOLUTION

Q12

Write a character sketch of Mr. Barrymore in about 125 words.

VIEW SOLUTION

Q13

Describe Miss Stapleton's first encounter with Sir Henry in about 125 words.
VIEW SOLUTION