RBSE Class 12th 2014 -SS-02-2014 Previous Year Papers

SENIOR SECONDARY EXAMINATION, 2014

ENGLISH (COMPULSORY)

Time: 3 Hours    Maximum Marks: 80

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE EXAMINEES:

1. Candidates must write first their Roll Nos. on the question paper.
2. All the questions are compulsory.
3. Write the answer to each question in the given answer-book only.
4. For questions having more than one part, the answers to those parts are to be written together in continuity.
5. This paper is divided into three Sections A, B and C. All Sections are compulsory.
6. Separate instructions are given for each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions very carefully and follow them.
7. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

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SECTION - A

( READING )

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

All round development of man is the true aim of education. It should train not only the head, but also the hands and the heart. But our present system of education has miserably failed to achieve this aim. It suffers from many grave defects. The present system of education was founded by the British for their own convenience. Lord Macaulay was the father and founder of this system. He wanted it to produce clerks to help the British in running their administration. Today the English have gone but the same old system of education still continues. We are free but we are still slavishly following the system evolved by the British. This system of education has many defects. It must be changed and overhauled.

The greatest defect in our present system of education is that it is too theoretical. An educated man has only bookish knowledge. He knows nothing about practical things. He finds that his education has not

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The present system of education does not teach us the dignity of labour. A student is not taught or trained to do things with his hands. Manual or physical labour finds no place in education. Educated young men are fit only to be clerks in offices. They look down upon manual labour. They consider it below their dignity to work with their hands in fields or factories.

Vocational education is the need of the hour. We need more and more technicians, engineers and doctors. But the number of vocational institutions — Engineering and Medical colleges, Polytechnics and I.T.I's — is limited. A large number of young men and women, who can do well as technicians, are deprived of technical or vocational knowledge.

The present system of education gives too much importance to English. At many places, it is the medium of instruction. English may be an international language. It may have rich treasures of science and literature. But it can never be our national language. Education must be imparted in the mother tongue. This will save much talent of the country from going waste.

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below:

A number of commissions have been set up since the dawn of independence to plan afresh the country's system of education. After much thought, the 10 + 2 + 3 system was introduced. It was designed to divert the students to different fields and vocations according to their talent and the needs of the society. But different states have taken to it only half-heartedly. As the things stand today, the 10 + 2 + 3 system has become a riddle. No one knows what exactly it is.

Meanwhile, our education system is as rotten and muddy as it used to be. Students find it purposeless. Therefore, they feel restive and go on strikes. They take no interest in their studies because they know that after finishing their education, they will only join the army of unemployed. There is an urgent need that the present system should be overhauled and made purposeful.

1. (i) What is the true aim of education?

   The passage does not explicitly state the true aim of education, but it implies that education should be purposeful, relevant to students' talents and societal needs, and should prepare them for employment and meaningful lives rather than leaving them unemployed and disillusioned.

2. (ii) Who was the father and founder of the present system of education?

   The passage does not name any individual as the father or founder of the present system of education. It only mentions that the 10 + 2 + 3 system was introduced after much thought by various commissions set up since independence.

3. (iii) What is the greatest defect in our present system of education?

   The greatest defect in the present system of education, according to the passage, is that it is purposeless and leaves students unemployed after they finish their education. This makes students feel restive, lose interest in studies, and go on strikes.

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

Success comes to those who work with concentration and have thoroughness in action. Anyone who achieves success in the management of any great affair of life is entitled to honour. May he be an artist who paints a picture, an author who writes a book, a housewife who manages the household affairs or a soldier who wins the battle — the credit goes to his ardent spirit which is responsible for getting the job done thoroughly without getting discouraged by the failures. Nothing great and durable was ever achieved without perseverance. It is only by practice, patience, labour, thoroughness and an eye for perfection that man reaches the minutest details of the work.

Questions:

1. (iv) What type of education is the need of the hour?

   Answer: The passage does not directly mention education. However, based on the theme, the need of the hour is education that emphasizes concentration, thoroughness, perseverance, and an eye for perfection.

2. (v) Why was the system 0 + 2 + 3 introduced?

   Answer: The passage does not provide information about the 0 + 2 + 3 system. This question cannot be answered from the given passage.

3. (vi) Why do the students take no interest in their studies?

   Answer: The passage does not discuss students' lack of interest. This question cannot be answered from the given passage.

4. (vii) Find out a word from the passage which means 'provided'.

   Answer: The word "entitled" (in "entitled to honour") means 'provided' or 'given the right to'.

5. (viii) Find out a word from the passage which means 'useless'.

   Answer: The word "discouraged" (in "without getting discouraged") implies a sense of being made to feel useless or hopeless. However, a more direct synonym for 'useless' is not present in the passage. The closest is "discouraged" meaning 'without hope or use'.

6. (ix) Find out a word from the passage which means 'without any work'.

   Answer: The word "idle" is not in the passage. However, the phrase "without getting discouraged" does not mean 'without any work'. The passage does not contain a direct word for 'without any work'. The closest concept is "labour" which means work, so its opposite is not present.

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problem, overcomes them and attains his goal. There is not even a single statesman who has not been a man of industry. Louis XIV rightly said, "It is by toil that kings govern". Washington, an indefatigable man of business trained himself in the habits of application, study and methodical work and successfully brought to bear in the affairs of the government. Wellington, the head of his army in Spain directed the precise manner in which the soldiers were to cook their breakfast while on duty. He specified the exact speed at which bullocks were to be driven. If every detail in equipment is carefully arranged and well executed, then efficiency is secured.

Booker T. Washington, a great racial American leader and educator gained admission to the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, Virginia when the head teacher got impressed by the quality of thoroughness in work. When asked to clean the adjoining room, he swept the room three times and dusted every bit of furniture four times. This superb quality of thoroughness in work impressed the head teacher and Washington got admission in the school of his dreams.

So it should be borne in mind that behind every dream and success lies a long trail of passionate efforts which the world may never come.

SECTION - 7 (READING)

(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it using heading and subheading. [4]

(b) Write a summary of the passage and suggest a suitable title. [2]

SECTION - 8 (WRITING)

3. Draw up a poster on the dangers of global warming to the future of our planet. [4]

OR

D. K. International is looking for a receptionist for the school. Write an advertisement on behalf of the administrative officer in the classified columns of the local newspaper giving necessary details. Draft an advertisement in not more than 50 words. [4]

4.

You are the monitor of your class. You organised and conducted a quiz competition in your class. Write a report of it to be published in the school magazine in about 100 words.

OR

You are Mukesh, reporter of Rajasthan Patrika. Write a report in about 100 words on assembly elections held in your city.

5.

You are the Principal of your school. You want to purchase furniture. Write a letter to M/s Sharma and Brothers, placing an order for school furniture.

OR

Write an application to the Secretary, Board of Secondary Education, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh for making correction in the date of birth in your secondary certificate. State what documents you are sending with it.

6.

Your school is going to organize Van Mahotsava. Prepare a speech on the importance of Van Mahotsava in 100 words.

OR

Write an article on "Television as a Means of Education" in 100 words.

SECTION - B

(TEXTUAL QUESTIONS)

7. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :

Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive
Now I'll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.

1. (i) What lesson can the Earth teach us ? [2]

   The Earth teaches us that even when everything appears dead or lifeless, it can later prove to be alive. This shows the cycle of life and renewal, reminding us to be patient and hopeful.

2. (ii) What does the poet ask us to do ? [2]

   The poet asks us to keep quiet and count up to twelve, and then he will go. This is a call for silence and introspection.

3. (iii) Find out the word from the poem which means 'silent'. [2]

   The word is "quiet".

OR

Far far from gusty waves these children's faces.
Like rootless weeds the hair torn round their pallor :
The tall girl with her weighed-down head. The paper
Seeming boy, with rat's eyes.

1. (i) How do the faces and hair of these children look ? [2]

   The children's faces are pale (pallor) and their hair is torn and scattered around their faces, like rootless weeds. This shows they are unhealthy, neglected, and suffering.

2. (ii) What do you understand by "The paper seeming boy, with rat's eyes" ? [2]

   This phrase describes a boy who looks thin, fragile, and pale like paper, with small, sharp, and fearful eyes like those of a rat. It suggests malnutrition, poverty, and a sense of being hunted or scared.

3. (iii) Find out the word from the extract which means 'blowing strongly'. [2]

   The word is "gusty".

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8. Answer any three of the following questions in 30 – 40 words each : 3×2=6

1. Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’? (My Mother at Sixty-six)

   The mother is compared to the late winter’s moon because both are pale, wan, and lack brightness. Just as the winter moon appears dim and old, the mother’s face shows signs of ageing and fading vitality.

2. What role does a beautiful thing play in our life? (A Thing of Beauty)

   A beautiful thing provides eternal joy and comfort. It removes the pall of sadness from our hearts, gives us peace, and helps us bear the hardships of life. It never fades and keeps our spirits alive.

3. What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to? Why is it vain? (A Roadside Stand)

   The ‘childish longing’ refers to the poor villagers’ hope that city people will stop and buy their farm produce. It is vain because the rich city dwellers never stop; they only pass by indifferently, leaving the poor disappointed.

4. What is suggested by the image ‘massive weight of uncle’s wedding band’? (Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers)

   The ‘massive weight of uncle’s wedding band’ suggests the heavy burden of marriage and male dominance that Aunt Jennifer bears. The wedding ring symbolises the oppressive control her husband has over her, crushing her freedom and spirit.

9. Answer the following questions in 30 – 40 words each :

1. What makes the city of Firozabad famous? (The Lost Spring) 2

   Firozabad is famous for its glass-blowing industry. Thousands of families, including children, work in bangle-making factories. However, it is also known for the exploitation and poverty of its workers, especially child labourers trapped in a cycle of debt.

2. Why did Miss Edla Willmansson give a little cry of joy on opening the package left for her by the peddler? (The Rattrap) 2

   Miss Edla cried with joy because the peddler had left her a small rattrap as a Christmas gift, along with a note thanking her for treating him with kindness and dignity. It showed that her compassion had transformed him, and he wanted to express his gratitude in a humble way.

3. What does ‘The God that failed’ refer to? (Poets and Pancakes) 2

   ‘The God that failed’ refers to a book by six writers who were once followers of communism but later became disillusioned with it. In the context of the lesson, it is a sarcastic remark made about the film industry’s changing political loyalties.

4. Why do most celebrities hate to be interviewed? (The Interview) 2

   Most celebrities hate interviews because they feel that interviews intrude upon their privacy and often misrepresent them. They believe that the interviewer’s questions can be intrusive, and the published version may distort their true thoughts and personality.

10. Answer the following question in about 25 words : 7

Describe the difficulties faced by Gandhi at Champaran. (Indigo)

OR

What did the French teacher tell his students in his last French lesson? What impact did it have on them? Why? (The Last Lesson)

Section: Long Answer Questions (approx. 125 words)

1. How is the Grand Central Station a symbol of escape? (The Third Level)

   In "The Third Level," Grand Central Station symbolizes escape from the harsh realities of modern life. Charley, the protagonist, discovers a mysterious third level of the station that transports him back to 1894, a simpler and more peaceful time. This hidden level represents his desire to flee from the stress, anxiety, and insecurity of the contemporary world. The station, with its labyrinthine tunnels and hidden passages, becomes a metaphor for the human longing to find a refuge from the pressures of the present and retreat into a nostalgic, idealized past.

   OR

   Draw a character sketch of Mr. Lamb. (On the Face of It)

   Mr. Lamb is a kind, optimistic, and wise old man who lives alone with a physical disability (a tin leg). Despite his own limitations, he is cheerful and finds joy in small things like the bees and flowers in his garden. He is patient and understanding, especially with the young boy Derry, who is bitter about his own disfigurement. Mr. Lamb teaches Derry to look beyond physical appearances and embrace life with courage. He believes that everyone has something valuable to offer and that the world is full of beauty if one chooses to see it. His positive outlook and gentle wisdom make him a truly inspiring character.

Section: Short Answer Questions (30-40 words each)

2. (i) Who was the Tiger King? Why did he get that name? (The Tiger King)

   The Tiger King was the Maharaja of Pratibandapuram. He earned this name because, as a child, an astrologer predicted that he would be killed by a tiger. To defy this prophecy, he decided to kill all tigers in his kingdom, eventually becoming known as the Tiger King.

3. (ii) Why did the messenger come to Dr. Sadao? (The Enemy)

   The messenger came to Dr. Sadao with an urgent summons from the General. The General needed Dr. Sadao to perform a secret surgical operation on him, as he did not trust any other doctor. This call came at a critical moment when Dr. Sadao was hiding an American prisoner of war.

4. (iii) How did Evans surprise the Prison Governor with his disclosures? (Evans Tries an O-Level)

   Evans surprised the Prison Governor by revealing that he knew the Governor's personal details, including his wife's name and the fact that the Governor had a secret gambling debt. This showed that Evans had carefully planned his escape and had gathered intelligence from outside the prison.

5. (iv) Why did Bama feel that the elderly man's behaviour was funny? (Memories of Childhood)

   Bama found the elderly man's behaviour funny because he was carrying a packet of vadais (a snack) in a most unusual and comical manner. He held the packet by its string, not by the knot, and walked with a funny gait, making the packet swing. This sight amused young Bama greatly.