MODEL QUESTION

Class XII : English : Term II (Board Final) : 2022 : Marks 40

Section – A : Reading

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

Years of neglect has caused a severe fall in the number of science graduates in the Indian
colleges. Enrolment in science courses in 200 universities and 10,555 colleges across the country
is on the decline. With colleges witnessing a 10 per cent drop in student enrolment, the panic
buttons are being pressed and scientists and administrators across the country are sitting up and
taking notice.

While cut-off percentages over the past two years for commerce and humanities have risen by 5
percentage points, those for science courses in Delhi have dropped by 3 percentage points. At
IIT, Mumbai, for the first time, there was no PhD scholar for basic sciences. Officials running the
National Talent Search Scheme for undergraduates could award only 12 out of the 60
scholarships. Major scientific institutions such as the Atomic Energy Commission report a decline
in the quality of candidates applying for posts.

Clearly, science education, which once commanded a pride of place among Indians, is becoming
less popular among the new generation. What’s truly worrying is not the quantity of science
graduates coming out but the quality. If we don’t halt the trend now, in a decade, we may not
have enough competent scientists to run our research institutions.

Perhaps the reasons for the decline have more to do with simple economics than science. There
are not just enough jobs to absorb scientists. Science graduates figure among the highest in the
unemployment registers as compared to other disciplines such as engineering, medical and
agriculture. Job satisfaction in science is declining. Scientific jobs are confined mainly to teaching
or government sector jobs. Private sector research and development is minimal. So, the large
pool of scientific manpower that we have is dwindling rapidly.

Most students now opt for courses in info-tech or management where jobs are easier to find and
the pay is better. The impact is felt more seriously in post-graduate courses where there has
been a drastic fall in numbers. The declining trend is not confined to big universities alone. The
lack of interest in science starts at the school level. The teaching format is in the form of a bunch
of concepts put together to be memorised instead of lab-oriented teaching. Science is no longer
interesting. Moreover, what has also been a major cause for concern is the dropping standard of
science teachers. The combination of poor salaries and ill-equipped labs has seen good
universities losing some of their best professors.

Meanwhile, to improve the quality of teaching and to boost interest in science, the University
Grants Commission (UGC) plans to identify major scientific labs in 20 cities to link up with
university courses and provide both experienced teachers and facilities to train students. The
UGC will bear the expenses for this exercise. The Department of Science and Technology (DST)
also plans to harness technology in transmitting good lectures in colleges of excellence to less
privileged students in other cities over the Internet or TV.
A. Complete the following statements by choosing the correct options from the given
ones : 1×5=5
1. Enrolment in science courses has dropped by
(a) 20%
(b) 10%
(c) 15%
(d) 5%
2. Officials running the National Science Talent Search Scheme could award only 12 out of
(a) the 200 scholarships
(b) the 100 scholarships
(c) the 60 scholarships
(d) the 20 scholarships
3. There are just not enough jobs to absorb
(a) teachers
(b) engineers
(c) doctors
(d) scientists
4. The lack of interest in science starts at the
(a) nursery level
(b) school level
(c) college level
(d) university level
5. The word “boost” in the passage means
(a) to increase
(b) to decrease
(c) to carry out
(d) to show pride

B. Answer the following very short answer type questions : 1×5=5

Section – B

II. Answer the following questions by choosing the correct options from the given
ones : 1×5=5
11. Which of the following is not a type of classified advertisement ?
(a) Lost and Found
(b) Missing
(c) Tours and Travels
(d) Event on Annual Function
12. The subject of a business letter should be
(a) as long as possible
 (b) brief, clear and relevant
(c) stretched and irrelevant
(d) descriptive
13. What should be the tone of a writer while writing a letter of complaint ?
(a) arrogant
(b) humble
(c) ungrateful
(d) sceptic
14. What tense is the newspaper report written in ?
(a) Present tense
(b) Past tense
(c) Future tense
(d) Future perfect tense
15. Why are newspaper reports written ?
(a) To make sure people have jobs
(b) To give people something to do in the morning
(c) To inform people of events which are happening in the world locally, nationally and
internationally
(d) To misguide the people

Section – C : Literature
III. Answer the following very short answer type questions : 1×15=15
16. Who was Rajkumar Shukla ?
17. When did Gandhi decide to urge the departure of the British ?
18. Where did Gandhi see Prof. J.B. Kripalani for the first time ?
19. Why did the sharecroppers of Champaran start arriving at Muzzafarpur in large numbers ?
20. What did the peasants pay the British landlords as rent ?
21. What should the fishermen not do ?
22. What are “green wars” ?
23. Why does not a beautiful thing pass into nothingness ?
24. Why is “grandeur” associated with the “mighty dead” ?
25. How does Derry get into Mr. Lamb’s garden ?
26. How did one side of Derry’s face get burnt ?
27. What happened to the real leg of Mr. Lamb ?
28. How did Zitkala-Sa feel in the dining room ?
29. Where did Zitkala-Sa hide herself ?
30. When did Bama experience untouchability ?
IV. Answer the following questions in not more than 20 words each : 2×5=10
31. Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25% refund to the farmers ?
32. How can suspension of activities help ?
33. What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings ?
34. Why does Mr. Lamb leave his gate open ?
35. What advice did Annan offer Bama ?