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 Series ARSP/04 Set ~ 4
Roll No. Q.P Code 15/4/4
Candidates must write the Q.P Code
on the title page of the answer-book.

 Please check that this question paper contains 08 printed pages.

 Q.P. Code given on the right hand side of the question paper should be written
on the title page of the answer-book by the candidate.
 Please check that this question paper contains 15 questions.
 Please write down the serial number of the question in the answer-book
before attempting it.
 15 Minute times has been allotted to read this question paper. The question
paper will be distributed at 10:15 a.m. From 10.15 a.m to 10.30 a.m, the students
will read the question paper only and will not write any answer on the answer –
book during this period.

ENGLISH CORE

Time allowed: 3 hours Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions:
Read the following instructions very carefully and strictly follow them :

1. This question paper has 15 questions. All questions are compulsory.

2. This question paper contains three sections -

Section A : Reading Skills,

Section B : Grammar and Creative Writing Skills

Section C : Literature.

3. Attempt all questions based on specific instructions for each part. Write the correct question number and part
thereof in your answer sheet.

4. Separate instructions are given with each question/part, wherever necessary.

5. Adhere to the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

SECTION A : READING SKILLS (26 marks)

1. Read the text carefully and answer the questions: [10]
Read the passage given below:
1. The art of conversation, like any art, is a skill of elegance, nuance and creative execution. I happen to
believe that there is an art to everything we do, and why not? Without flair and panache most things become
a drudgery. Why settle for drudgery when you can have art?
2. When it comes to the art of conversation, we've all met people who seem to have the knack for it. They can
talk to anybody about anything and they seem to do it with complete ease. And while it's true that there are
those who are born with the gift of the gab, luckily for the rest of us, conversation skills can be developed
and mastered.
3. Conversation is a form of communication; however, it is usually more spontaneous and less formal. We
enter into conversations for purposes of pleasant engagement in order to meet new people, to find out
information and to enjoy social interactions. As far as types of conversation, they vary anywhere from
intellectual conversations and information exchanges to friendly debates and witty banter.
4. While there is more to having good conversation skills than being a comedian, a dramatic actor, or a great
story teller, it is not necessary to become more gregarious, animated, or outgoing.
5. Instead, you can develop the ability to listen attentively, ask fitting questions, and pay attention to the
answers - all qualities essential to the art of conversation. With diligent practice and several good pointers,
anyone can improve his or her conversation skills.
 6. People who are genuinely interested in others are usually interesting themselves. Why? Because they are
more open to learning about and understanding new things. Showing interest also encourages the other
person to be relaxed and share information more freely. Display attentiveness by keeping good eye contact
and listening actively.
7. If you happen to be shy and need time to warm up before you share your own views, you can ask open-
ended questions or encourage the other person to elaborate on their insights. This kick-starts the
conversation and before you know it you are engaged in a good conversational flow.
8. To start a conversation, go up to someone and introduce yourself. It is both polite and necessary to start off
things smoothly.
9. When the occasion calls for it, you can offer a handshake and then smile and make eye contact. Being
friendly puts the other person at ease and opens the door for him or her to introduce themselves.
10. The art of conversation, like any skill, takes practice. Period. Do not expect to be adept after your first few
attempts. It will take practice as well as exposure to many different social situations.
(a) Complete the sentence by choosing an appropriate option:
The art of conversation is a skill of ________.

a) friendliness and consensus b) sophistication and creativity

c) uniformity and compatibility d) assertion and ease

(b) Comment on the writer's reference to conversation skills as something you are born with.
(c) List two reasons why people enter into conversation.
(d) Select the option that conveys the opposite of witty, as used in paragraph 3.

a) boring b) ignorant

c) creative d) educated
(e) The writer would not agree with the given statements based on paragraphs 3 to 5, except

a) It is important to be outgoing to be a b) Conversations are meant only for

good conversationist. purposes of research.

c) Conversational skills can be improved d) Attentive listening is important only

with regular practice. while debating.
(f) According to the author, showing interest in others leads to interesting conversation.
Based on your understanding of paragraphs 5 and 6, list one way how a good listener can make the other
person speak more freely.
(g) How can one warm up before one shares one's views?
(h) Complete the given sentence with an appropriate inference, with respect to the following:
The writer gives an example of going up to someone and introducing oneself in order to ________.
(i) How can the ways to start a conversation, as suggested in the passage, be best described?

a) practical b) humbling

c) challenging d) exhausting
(j) Select the most suitable title for the above passage.

a) Conversation vs Communication b) Mastering the Art of Conversation

c) Conversation - A Challenging Pursuit d) Effective Listening

2. Read the text carefully and answer the questions: [8]
1. People, generally are emotionally attached to their place of birth. But millions of people leave their places of
birth and residence. There could be variety of reasons. These reasons can be put into two broad categories : (i)
push factor, these cause people to leave their place of residence or origin; and (ii) pull factors, which attract the
people from different places. In India people migrate from rural to urban areas mainly due to poverty, high
population pressure on the land, lack of basic infrastructural facilities like health care, education, etc. Apart from
these factors, natural disasters such as, flood, drought, cyclonic storms, earthquake, tsunami, wars and local
conflicts also give extra push to migrate. On the other hand, there are pull factors which attract people from rural
areas to cities. The most important pull factor for majority of the rural migrants to urban areas is the better
opportunities, availability of regular work and relatively higher wages. Better opportunities for education, better
health facilities and sources of entertainment, etc., are also quite important pull factors.
2. Examine the reasons for migration for males and females separately in the figure below.

On the basis of the figures, it can be seen that the reasons for the migration of males and females are different.
For example, work and employment have remained the main cause for male migration (26 percent) while it is
only 2.3 percent for the females. Contrary to this, about 67 percent of females move out from their parental
houses following their marriage. This is the most important cause in the rural areas of India except in Meghalaya
where the reverse is the case. This is because Meghalaya is a female-dominated state. The Khasi and Jaintia
tribes do not follow the patriarchal system of society but they follow the matrilineal system of society. In
comparison to these marriage migrations of the male, is only 4 percent in the country.
3. Migration is a response to the uneven distribution of opportunities over space. People tend to move from place
of low opportunity and low safety to the place of higher opportunity and better safety. This, in turn, creates both
benefits and problems for the areas, people migrate from and migrate to. Consequences can be observed in
economic, social, cultural, political and demographic terms.
(a) Infer one reason for the following, based on information in paragraph 1.
People in India mainly move from rural to urban areas.​​
(b) Select the appropriate option to fill in the blanks.
In Paragraph 2, we can infer that male migration is still primarily driven by _________, whereas after
__________, females leave their parent's homes.
(1) employment (2) business, (3) education (4) marriage
a. 1 and 4
b. 2 and 3
c. 4 and 1
d. 1 and 3
(c) Complete the following analogy correctly with a word/ phrase from paragraph 1:
 Pull factor: Better wages :: Push factor: _________
(Clue: Just like better wages is the pull factor of migration, similarly __________ is the push factor of
migration)
a. Better opportunities
b. Natural disaster
c. Regular work
d. Higher education
(d) Select the correct option to complete the following sentence:
People frequently relocate ______________________,
a. from developed and better safety areas to less developed and low safety areas.
b. from greater opportunity and better safety areas to poor opportunity and low safety areas.
c. from sophisticated and greater opportunity areas to less advanced and lower opportunity areas.
d. from poor opportunity and low safety areas to greater opportunity and better safety areas.
(e) Based on the passage, choose the option that correctly demonstrates the reasons for male migration:

a. Image 1
b. Image 3
c. Image 4
d. Image 2
(f) Fill in the blank by selecting the correct option.
The _____________ across space causes migration.
a. equal distribution of opportunities
b. uneven distribution of payment
c. unequal distribution of opportunities
d. even distribution of land
(g) Substitute the word ‘important’ with ONE WORD similar in meaning, in the following, sentence from
paragraph 1:
Better opportunities for education, better health facilities and sources of entertainment, etc., are also quite
important pull factors.
(h) Mention the two main categories of causes of migration.
3. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow. [8]
Although stupidity is commonly defined as 'a lack of normal intelligence', stupid behaviour is not the behaviour
of a person lacking in intelligence but the behaviour of a person not using good judgment or sense. In fact,
stupidity comes from the Latin word that means 'senseless'. Therefore, stupidity can be defined as the behaviour
of a person of normal intelligence who acts in a particular situation as if he or she isn't very bright. Stupidity
exists at three levels of seriousness.
First is the simple, relatively harmless level. Behaviour at this level is often amusing. It is humorous when
someone places the food from a fast food restaurant on the roof of the car while unlocking the door and then
drives away with the food still on the roof. We call this absent-mindedness. The person's good sense or
 intelligence was temporarily absent. At this level, other than passing inconvenience or embarrassment, no one is
injured by stupid behaviour.
The next type, serious stupidity, is more dangerous. Practical jokes such as putting sugar in the salt shakers are at
this level. The intention is humorous, but there is a chance of harm. Irresponsible advice given to others is also
serious stupidity. An example is of the person who plays a psychiatrist on the basis of an introductory
psychology course or doing a TV program on psychiatry. The intention may be to help, but if the victim really
needs psychiatric help, an amateur will only worsen the situation.
Even worse is the third kind of stupidity. Kind people, who would never injure another living being, stupidly
throw away a box of six-week-old kittens along a country road. Lacking the heart to kill the poor things, they
sentence them to almost certain death from wild animals, infections exposure or the wheels of a passing vehicle.
Yet they are able to tell themselves that 'they will find nice homes' or 'animals can get along in the wild'. Another
example of this kind of stupidity is the successful local businessman who tries to have as many office affairs as
he can get away with. He risks the loss of his business and his home. He fails to see that what he is doing is
wrong.
It is the true moral stupidity of a person not willing to think about the results of his actions or take responsibility
for them. The common defence of a person guilty of stupidity is-'But I didn't think...'. This, however, is not a
proper-excuse, especially when serious or harmful stupidity is involved.
a. On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, make notes on it using headings and sub-headings.
Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever necessary-minimum four) and a format you consider suitable.
Also supply an appropriate title to it.
b. Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words.
Section B : Grammar (7 Marks)
4. Answer any SEVEN of the following questions: [7]
(a) Raju ________ (go) to market yesterday. (Fill tense correctly) [1]
(b) They _____ (watch) a movie right now. (Fill tense correctly) [1]
(c) __________ the rain stopped, we started our journey. (where/when/whose/which) [1]
(d) The girl ___________ is wearing the red dress is my sister. (who/what/which/where) [1]
(e) Radha and Seeta are intelligent. (use no only ... but also) [1]
(f) He has a car and a motorcycle too. (use as well as) [1]
(g) was/the/them/house/broken/restored/by. (reorder correctly) [1]
(h) The/on/forests/the/industry/oil/depends (reorder correctly) [1]
Section - B Creative Writing Skills (16 Marks)
5. You are the manager, Herbal India Ltd. Draft an advertisement for your company for the post of two Sales [3]
Executives. Specify your requirements, qualifications, experience and personality of the candidates.
OR
Write an advertisement in not more than 50 words for the Lost and Found column of the daily ‘National Herald’,
Lucknow stating the loss of your wallet containing a DD for Rs 32500 and some cash, while travelling by bus from
Hazratganj to Nirala Nagar in Lucknow. You are Raman/Roopa, 22 A Hazratganj, Lucknow.
6. The Directorate of Education, Orissa state is organizing an Essay Contest for all the students of the state. Prepare [3]
a suitable poster which can be sent to different schools for display on their notice board.
OR
Prepare a poster in not more than 50 words on kindness to animals to be displayed in the city at public places
 appealing to people to show kindness to animals. You are Secretary of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals, Delhi.
7. You are Ramesh/Reena of Class XII. You are disturbed to see the poor plight of girls in society as they are not [5]
given equal rights and privileges. You decide to give a speech in the school assembly making suggestions as to
how to improve their position in society. (150 - 200 words)
OR
Write a speech in 150-200 words on the topic, ‘Discipline shapes the future of a student’. It is to be delivered in the
morning assembly. You are Karuna/Karan.
8. Write a debate in 150 - 200 words either for or against the motion: Mobile Phone is proving to be a curse for [5]
students.
OR
Write a debate in 150 – 200 words either for or against the motion, ‘Troublesome students should be expelled from
school’.
Section C : Literature (31 Marks)
9. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. [3]
(a) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: [3]
Silence surrounds us. I would have
Him prodigal, returning to
His father’s house, the home he knew,
Rather than see him make and move
His world. I would forgive him too,
Shaping from sorrow a new love.
i. What sort of silence is being referred to here?
ii. What do you mean by 'the prodigal son'?
iii. What two choices does the father have?
(b) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: [3]
And who art thou? Said I to the soft
Falling shower
Which, stranger to tell, gave me an
Answer as here translated:
I am the poem of the earth, said the voice of the rain.
i. Explain the phrase which strange to tell, gave me an answer.
ii. Which poetic device has been used here?
iii. Find a word/phrase from the extract which means drizzle.
10. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. [3]
(a) Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: [3]
These shaggy monsters, blacker than the darkest night, usually wore bright red collars and barked
furiously with massive jaws. They were completely fearless of our vehicle, shooting straight into our
path, causing Tsetan to brake and swerve. The dog would make chase for a hundred metres or so
before easing off, having seen us off the property. It wasn’t difficult to understand why ferocious
Tibetan mastiffs became popular in China’s imperial courts as hunting dogs, brought along the Silk
Road in ancient times as tribute from Tibet. By now we could see snow-capped mountains gathering
 on the horizon. We entered a valley where the river was wide and mostly clogged with ice, brilliant
white and glinting in the sunshine. The trail hugged its bank, twisting with the meanders as we
gradually gained height and the valley sides closed in.
i. How did the Tibetan mastiffs react when they encountered the protagonist's vehicle?
ii. What can be inferred about the behaviour and characteristics of Tibetan Mastiffs?
iii. Identify the line from the passage that provides evidence of the Tibetan mastiffs' historical
significance and their connection to China's imperial courts.
(b) Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: [3]
As the years rolled by we saw less of each other. For some time she continued to wake me up and get
me ready for school. When I came back she would ask me what the teacher had taught me. I would
tell her English words and little things of western science and learning, the law of gravity,
Archimedes’ Principle, the world being round, etc. This made her unhappy. She could not help me
with my lessons. She did not believe in the things they taught at the English school and was distressed
that there was no teaching about God and the scriptures. One day I announced that we were being
given music lessons. She was very disturbed. To her music had lewd associations. It was the
monopoly of harlots and beggars and not meant for gentlefolk. She said nothing but her silence meant
disapproval. She rarely talked to me after that.
i. Why was the grandmother distressed about the education the narrator received at the English
school?
ii. As the grandson, how would you persuade your grandmother that music and English education are
valuable, considering her disapproval and traditional beliefs?
iii. Pick evidence from passage that suggests that the protagonist's grandmother was unhappy with the
content of his school education.
11. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. [4]
(a) Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: [4]
Andrew, abruptly recalled from the contemplation of his own affairs, told Morgan to wait. He went
into the house for his bag, then together they set out for Number 12 Blaina Terrace. The night air was
cool and deep with quiet mystery. Usually so perceptive, Andrew now felt dull and listless. He had no
premonition that this night call would prove unusual, still less that it would influence his whole future
in Blaenelly.
The two men walked in silence until they reached the door of Number 12, then Joe drew up short.
i. Complete the sentence appropriately.
The author’s purpose in creating a mysterious environment, is to _______________.
ii. In the given extract, which of the following emotions was not felt by Andrew?
a. Thoughtful
b. Embarrassment
c. Listless
d. Upset
iii. Which trait of Andrew is highlighted in the line " Usually so perceptive, Andrew now felt dull and
listless "?
iv. How is the line, "He had no premonition that this night call would prove unusual", an example of
contrast?
 (b) Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: [4]
Before him was our uncle Khosrove, an enormous man with a powerful head of black hair and the
largest moustache in the San Joaquin Valley, a man so furious in temper, so irritable, so impatient that
he stopped anyone from talking by roaring. It is no harm; pay no attention to it.
That was all, no matter what anybody happened to be talking about. Once it was his own son Arak
running eight blocks to the barber’s shop where his father was having his moustache trimmed to tell
him their house was on fire.
i. What effect does the narrator's use of statements such as "It is no harm; pay no attention to it,"
have on the reader's perception of Uncle Khosrove's behaviour?
ii. Which aspect of Uncle Khosrove's character in the passage contributes to the family's dismissal of
his behaviour?
A. His enormous physical stature
B. His powerful black hair
C. The size of his moustache
D. His furious temper and impatience
iii. Complete the sentence appropriately.
The narrator portrays Uncle Khosrove's imposing physical appearance in great detail because
_______________.
iv. Who was considered to be a natural descendant of Uncle Khusrove in the plot?
12. Answer the questions from either (a) or (b) in 40-50 words: [6]
(a) i. What was King Tut's demise a big event, even by royal standards? [3]
ii. How does the poet, Ted Hughes, portray the arrival of the goldfinch on the end of the branch [3]
of laburnum tree?
(b) i. What was the impact of the torrent on the narrator and Wave walker? Answer in context of We [3]
are Not Afraid to Die.
ii. What is the poet’s feeling towards childhood? Answer in the context of Childhood. [3]
13. Answer ANY ONE of the following three questions, in about 40-50 words [3]
(a) How was the narrator able to recognize her own familiar woolen table-cloth? Answer in the context of [3]
The Address.
(b) How does Mrs. Pearson refute Doris's argument about working hard? [3]
14. Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 120-150 words. [6]
(a) How did Rajendra explain the concept of reality with the example of the movement of an electron? [6]
(b) The poet Shirley Toulson has paid a tribute to her mother. Similar instances can be seen in The [6]
Portrait of a Lady. This made you think that writing about a loved one is much better than building
their statues or drawing their portraits. Comment.
15. Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 120-150 words. [6]
(a) The king in the poem (The Tale of Melon City) announced execution as the form of justice for the [6]
crime that had been committed. Do you think it was the right decision he took irrespective of him
being hanged in the name of justice?
(b) Today a woman shoulders all the responsibilities at home as well as outside, but she is still exploited. [6]
Write your views on the Need for Woman Empowerment.