Section - A : Reading Comprehension (Seen)
1. Choose the correct option from the alternatives: (1x8=8)
i) Miss Caroline had ______ hair.
a) red
b) pink
c) auburn
d) brown
Ans: c) auburn
ii) Miss Fisher read a story about ______
a) bisons
b) dog
c) cat
d) camels
Ans: d) camels
iii) Mamzelle Aurlie had ______ eyes.
a) mischievous
b) beautiful
c) determinate
d) tired
Ans: c) determinate
iv) When the babies departed Mamzelle's mind filled with ______
a) regret
b) Joy
c) peace
d) disturbance
Ans: a) regret
v) Dixon Brett was a ______
a) Lawyer
b) Teacher
c) Detective
d) Murderer
Ans: c) Detective
vi) The Viper of Milan was a book written by ______
a) Anthony Hope
b) Graham Greene
c) Marjorie Bowen
d) Captain Gilson
Ans: c) Marjorie Bowen
vii) ______ was lean, brave and argumentative.
a) Suriar
b) Kathar
c) Rasu
d) Vela
Ans: a) Suriar
viii) The hope is in the faculty of ______
a) Correctness
b) Steadfastness
c) Wrongness
d) Discipline
Ans: c) Wrongness
2. Answer the following in about fifteen words: (1x3=3)
a) Give a pen-picture of Suriar as depicted in the story Draught.
Ans: Suriar was a lean, brave, and argumentative character who struggled against the harsh conditions of the drought.
b) "The hope is in the faculty of wrongness, the tendency towards error." What does the author intend to imply?
Ans: The author implies that human fallibility and the ability to make mistakes are essential for growth and discovery, rather than rigid correctness.
c) What did Mazelle Aurlie think about managing babies during the initial days of babysitting?
Ans: Initially, Mamzelle Aurlie found managing babies chaotic, overwhelming, and disruptive to her orderly life.
3. Answer any two of the following questions in about 150 words: (7x2=14)
a) "I wouldn't bother you with them if there was any other way!" Who said this to whom and in what context? Briefly elucidate.
Ans: This was said by Odile to Mamzelle Aurlie in the story "Regret". Odile said this when she had to leave her four children with Mamzelle Aurlie because she had to travel to see her sick mother. She was desperate and had no one else to care for them. This situation forced Mamzelle Aurlie, a solitary woman unused to children, to take care of them, leading to a profound emotional change in her life.
b) What the specialty of first fourteen years of one's life is as mentioned in Books on the shelf?
Ans: The first fourteen years are described as a formative period where imagination is vivid and the mind is open to impressions. Reading books during this time leaves a lasting impact, shaping one's character and worldview more deeply than in later years. The books read in childhood are often remembered with a unique intensity and nostalgia.
Poetry
1. Choose the correct option from the given alternatives: (1x7=7)
i) Far in the western brookland ______ trees are seen.
a) Oak
b) cashew
c) poplar
d) banyan
Ans: c) poplar
ii) The small boy in the poem childhood can see ______ black lying thick around.
a) Islands
b) mountains
c) cows
d) crows
Ans: d) crows
iii) The young poet left his father's home to ______
a) Play
b) fight in war
c) run
d) study
Ans: b) fight in war
iv) The only joy that the poet knew was ______
a) Studying
b) War's alarm
c) playing
d) running
Ans: b) War's alarm
v) The glory's ray could never bring one ______ day.
a) Sad
b) happy
c) restless
d) tiresome
Ans: b) happy
vi) The angels go in ______ processions.
a) Plummed
b) decorated
c) simple
d) long
Ans: a) Plummed
vii) A gallanter charges woe within ______
a) Battlefield
b) building
c) bosom
d) mind
Ans: c) bosom
2. Answer the following questions in about fifteen words: (1x2=2)
a) What makes the wanderer to halt on the bridge in the windless night time in Far in a Western Brookland?
Ans: The wanderer halts to listen to the poplars sighing, which reminds him of his lost home and friends.
b) "It isn't hard to do." What is not hard to do? Which poem is this?
Ans: It is not hard to "fight aloud" or display outward bravery. This is from the poem "To fight aloud is very brave" by Emily Dickinson.
3. Answer any two of the following questions in about twenty five words: (2x2=4)
a) "You may say I'm a dreamer." Why does Lennon say so?
Ans: Lennon says this because he envisions a world without borders, religion, or possessions, which might seem like an unrealistic dream to many.
b) "Grey tiny rocks slept round him where he lay." Describe the beauty of the surrounding valley where the little boy stood.
Ans: The valley was serene with shallow, clear water, grey rocks, and crows flying around, creating a tranquil yet slightly melancholic atmosphere.
c) Whom does no country regard with patriotic love? Why?
Ans: The internal fighter or the silent sufferer is not regarded with patriotic love because their battle is internal and unseen, unlike soldiers on a battlefield.
d) "I sigh'd for that lone cottage." Who did so? Why?
Ans: The poet (A.E. Housman's persona) sighed for the cottage because he missed his home and the friends who had long since passed away.
4. Answer any one of the following questions in not more than 150 words: (1x7=7)
a) Give a pen-picture of the valley's scenic beauty and tranquility on which the small boy stood.
Ans: In the poem "Childhood", the valley is depicted as a place of quiet, stark beauty. The "shallow water" is clear in the "tranquil air," suggesting a peaceful, undisturbed environment. The presence of "grey tiny rocks" sleeping around the boy adds to the stillness and perhaps a sense of ancient, unchanging nature. The "crows black lying thick around" provide a visual contrast and a touch of somberness. The boy walks through this landscape "in joy from strand to strand," indicating that despite the stark elements, the valley holds a sense of wonder and safety for him, representing the innocent perception of childhood where even simple or slightly gloomy nature is a playground.
Rapid Reader (The Hound of the Baskervilles)
1. Answer the following: (1x5=5)
a) Sir Henry stayed at ______ hotel.
Ans: Northumberland
b) The threat letter has been composed in a ______
Ans: strange manner / hotel
c) The legend of the deadly hound dates back to ______
Ans: 1742
d) Miss Laura Lyons had an affair with ______
Ans: Mr. Stapleton
e) Selden was killed because he was wearing ______ dress.
Ans: Sir Henry's old
2. Answer the following in one sentence: (1x5=5)
a) What led to Selden's death?
Ans: Selden was killed by the Hound because he was wearing Sir Henry's scent-laden old clothes, which confused the beast.
b) Why Miss Laura Lyons did not keep her appointment?
Ans: She did not keep her appointment because Stapleton convinced her not to go, promising to marry her if she got a divorce.
c) Whom did Holmes employ to search for the mutilated Times?
Ans: Holmes employed Cartwright, a young boy from the district messenger office.
d) Which place was Mr. Stapleton's hideout?
Ans: Mr. Stapleton's hideout was in the Grimpen Mire, specifically at an old tin mine.
e) Who was the Baskerville heir who went to South America and supposedly died of yellow fever?
Ans: Rodger Baskerville.
Grammar and Rhetoric
1. Do as directed: (1x6=6)
i) If you do not stop eating junk food, you will fall ill. (use 'unless')
Ans: Unless you stop eating junk food, you will fall ill.
ii) He is the best boy in the class. (change into negative)
Ans: No other boy in the class is as good as him/he is.
iii) I heard what he said to me. (change into compound sentence)
Ans: He said something to me and I heard it.
iv) My mother gave me a book on my birthday and I liked it very much. (use relative clause)
Ans: I liked the book that my mother gave me on my birthday very much.
v) My grandmother told me an interesting story. It was about ghosts. (join into complex sentence)
Ans: My grandmother told me an interesting story which was about ghosts.
vi) I shall meet you when I complete my work. (turn into simple sentence)
Ans: I shall meet you after completing my work.
2. Identify the figures of speech: (1x4=4)
a) Teddy bears are never hungry because they are stuffed.
Ans: Pun
b) The busiest man has the amplest leisure.
Ans: Epigram
c) The thirsty earth soaked up the water.
Ans: Personification
d) He has cheeks as red as apple.
Ans: Simile
3. Study the following conversation and report it: (3 marks)
Laura Lyons: I can't believe that Mr. Stapleton has deceived me.
Holmes: Well madam, I am, sorry to say but such is the case.
Laura Lyons: The devil of a man he is. I will not spare him.
...
Ans: Laura Lyons expressed shock and disbelief on learning that Mr. Stapleton had deceived her. Addressing the lady with respect and sensitivity Holmes confirmed the truth of the matter regretfully. Feeling angry Laura Lyons declared her intention not to spare Stapleton. Holmes then requested her to reveal Stapleton's plans so that they could arrest him promptly. He also suggested that her cooperation might serve as a form of atonement. Laura Lyons agreed, assenting she would do everything to expose Stapleton.
4. Study the following paragraph and write a precis: (7 marks)
(Paragraph about Teaching as a noble profession...)
Ans: The Noble Profession of Teaching
Being in the noblest profession a teacher should dutifully inculcate the qualities of good citizenship, decency, cleanliness, simplicity, purity and discipline in students. Only a teacher with similar virtues can accomplish the difficult task. Being among the youths he always remains young in mind and can overcome his personal mood of despair.
Writing Section
Write an essay on any one of the following: (10 marks)
a. Ideal early morning routine
b. Importance of road safety in India
c. The importance of moral and value education among students
Importance of Road Safety in India
Road safety has become a matter of grave concern in India due to the alarming increase in vehicular accidents. Every year, thousands of lives are lost, and many more are injured because of negligence and lack of awareness on the roads. The importance of road safety cannot be overstated as it directly affects the well-being of citizens and the country's economy.
Most accidents happen due to speeding, reckless driving, ignoring traffic signals, and driving under the influence of alcohol. Pedestrians often cross roads carelessly, and bikers frequently ride without helmets. To ensure safety, strict adherence to traffic rules is essential. Drivers must respect speed limits, wear seat belts, and avoid using mobile phones while driving.
The government has implemented strict laws, but public awareness is equally important. Schools and colleges should educate students about traffic rules from a young age. "Safe Drive, Save Life" campaigns should be promoted more aggressively. Ultimately, road safety is a collective responsibility. By being responsible road users, we can save precious lives and make our roads safer for everyone.