Model Question (NEB)
C. English : Class XII (ENG. 004)
Time : 3 hrs F.M.: 75
1.
Read the text and complete
the tasks that follow. 15
How to stay fit, happy
and healthy
If you’ve been listening to the news you already know
about our national obesity levels rising by the day. It has never been more important to watch what you are
eating and to get an adequate amount of exercise
and sleep to keep yourself fit and healthy. Though it may feel like really hard
work at first, once you adopt an
exercise routine and start to adapt to a new situation, you’ll forget you ever
did things differently. Here are the top four top adjustments you could make:
Sleep is huge and almost a third of the US population
doesn’t get near enough to help them stay physically
and mentally healthy. If you are sleep deprived,
try changing your habits in order to get a full eight hours every night.
Look at what you’re eating now and make changes where
you see fit. If you are susceptible to snacking,
keep a piece of fruit or a few nuts at hand. The key is to eat small meals throughout the day. Reduce
portion sizes, remove white bread and replace with whole grains and make sure
each meal contains at least one
portion of fruit and – or vegetables. Healthy food doesn’t have to be expensive in the least bit, and you can
get an abundance of low priced fruit
and veggies, like apples, bananas, potatoes and peas.
Take a look at your current lifestyle and make a small
list of everything you do that is not good for
your health. This could be anything, from eating too much junk food or
drinking too much caffeine, to
smoking or drinking. Start the process of breaking these habits one by one.
Some will be easy, while others may
take months or maybe years to get rid of and eradicate completely from your life, but the sooner you
start fighting, the better.
Some addictions (like smoking, drugs or alcohol) are incredibly bad not only to your health,
but also to your pocketbook. If you
smoke and/or drink, start by cutting back on how many drinks you have, or cigarettes you smoke, in a day, and if
necessary, seek medical advice and assistance to make further steps towards stopping completely.
We all should be doing at least 30 minutes of exercise,
3 to 4 or more times a week, to maintain good
health and keep fit. This can be pretty much anything that is physical,
like walking, cycling, running, swimming
to weightlifting, etc. This too does not have to be expensive, and you can get
a great work out without joining
any costly gyms. Most of these exercises are inexpensive, and just doing a cardiovascular
exercise, like walking, jogging, or walking on a treadmill a few times a
week will do your body (and heart) good.
A. Look at
the highlighted words in the text.
Complete these sentences using them. Two of them are not necessary. (5´1=5)
a.
Disadvantaged people
are...... of social
justice.
b.
Nepal is a naturally rich country.
In fact, it has an of natural resources.
c. Older people with medical complications are …………… to Covid-19.
d.
I have made a few.......... to the design
to give the shirt a new look.
e. It took me
seven hours to complete the task. It
was difficult.
B.
Choose the
appropriate headings for paragraphs 2-6 from the list below and write the paragraph numbers next to them. (5´1=5)
a. Strive for a better diet …………….
b.
Exercise, exercise,
exercise …………….
c. Overcoming addictions …………….
d.
Get more sleep …………….
e. Stop all those
bad habits …………….
C. Answer the following
questions. (5´1=5)
a.
What percentage of the US population gets enough sleep
to stay healthy?
b.
Why is healthy food not always
expensive?
c.
What is the best way to get rid of bad habits?
d.
Why do you
think an addiction like smoking is worse
than snacking on junk food?
e.
What type of exercise
is good for your heart?
2.
Write short answers to the following questions. (5´2=10)
a.
Why were the
people in the neighbourhood surprised at the
role of the young man and his wife within their family? (Neighbours)
b. How does the author make fun using
the words 'America' and 'the USA? (A Devoted
Son)
c.
Explain the
following lines with reference to the context: (The Awakening Age) Along the
line may our lives rhyme
To make a loving harvest of space and time.
d. What is the central idea of the essay Knowledge and Wisdom by Bertrand Russell?
e.
How can you say
that history has been a major contested issue in this present world? (Humility)
3.
Write long answers to the following questions. (2´5=10)
a.
Sketch the character of Famous
Actress. How is she different
from Earnest Young Woman?
(A Matter
of Husbands)
b.
Write a short summary
of the poem A Day by Emily
Dickinson.
4.
What is the most useful
thing that you have ever learnt? Write two or three paragraphs about
it. 7
5.
You have received this email from your friend Nitesh. From:
Nitesh
Subject: Holiday
Some school friends of mine are visiting your village soon for a week's touring
holiday. They would
like to travel around about your local area and understand its history.
Can
you tell me about some of the places they could visit please? What's the best
way to travel around – bus, car, bike or on foot?
Thanks, Nitesh
Write a reply
email to Nitesh. 8
6.
Many students in Nepal tend to choose to study
abroad. To what extent does this trend benefit
the students and the country? What are the drawbacks? Write an essay to
explain your thoughts in about 300 words. 10
7.
Do as indicated in the brackets
and rewrite the sentences. (10´1=10)
a.
I’m going
to tell you something very important, so please
listen (Complete the
sentence
with an appropriate adverb.)
b.
The old man died....... a heart attack. (Put the correct preposition in the blank.)
c.
More than one person..... going to have to find a
new job. (Put the
correct verb in
the blank.)
d. You'll........... (has to/have
to/must/had to) tell the police
that your house
was broken
into. (Choose the correct
option from the bracket to complete the sentence.)
e.
He only realised
he....... his keys when he reached his front
door. (Complete the
sentence using correct forms of verbs: lose)
f.
A lot of people
are worried about (to lose/losing) their
jobs. (Choose the correct
option from the bracket
to complete the sentence.)
g.
the AC was
on, the room was not cool. (Put a correct conjunction in the blank
to complete the sentence.)
h. Between 2000 and 2005
she wrote three novels, (neither of which/none
which/none of which) were published. (Choose the correct option from the bracket
to complete the sentence.)
i.
I like people laughing
at me. (Change into passive.)
j.
Could you please open the window?
(Report this with the reporting clause:
She requested
………..)
8.
Choose and copy the correct answer. (5´1=5)
a.
Which of the following words has a different initial
sound?
i. check ii. chess iii. chemical iv. chairman
b. The last sound in the word 'push'
is transcribed as
i. /ʃ/ ii. /z/ iii.
/s/ iv. /tʃ/
c.
I can't......... the pain.
i. bare ii. bear iii.
beer iv. bore
d. Which word would you find in a dictionary that comes
between the guide words: kiwi … knit?
i. king ii. kitty iii. knob iv.
knife
e.
The babysitter...... the girl while her
parents were not at home.
i. looked after ii. looked
at iii. looked
over iv. looked
up
–)–
Model Question
- 1
C. English : XII
F.M.: 75
Time : 3 hrs P.M. : 30
1.
Read the passage and solve the given questions below.
Marie Curie was one of the most accomplished
scientists in history. Together with her husband, Pierre, she discovered radium, an element widely used for
treating cancer, and studied uranium and
other radioactive substances. Pierre and Marie’s amicable collaboration later
helped to unlock the secrets
of the atom.
Marie was born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, where her
father was a professor of physics. At an early
age, she displayed a brilliant mind and a blithe personality. Her great
exuberance for learning prompted her
to continue with her studies after high school. She became disgruntled, however, when she learned that the
university in Warsaw was closed to women. Determined to receive a higher education, she defiantly left Poland and in
1891 entered the Sorbonne, a French university, where she earned her master’s degree and
doctorate in physics.
Marie was fortunate to have studied at the Sorbonne
with some of the greatest scientists of her day,
one of whom was Pierre Curie. Marie and Pierre were married in 1895 and spent
many productive years working
together in the physics laboratory. A short time after they discovered radium, Pierre was killed by a horse-drawn
wagon in 1906. Marie was stunned by this horrible misfortune and endured
heart breaking anguish.
Despondently she recalled
their close relationship and the joy that they had shared
in scientific research. The fact that she had two young daughters to raise
by herself greatly increased her distress.
Curie’s feeling of desolation finally began to fade when she was asked to succeed her husband as a physics professor at the Sorbonne.
She was the first woman to be given a professorship at the
world-famous university. In 1911 she received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for
isolating radium. Although Marie
Curie eventually suffered a fatal illness from her long exposure to radium, she never became disillusioned
about her work. Regardless of the consequences, she had dedicated herself to science and to revealing the mysteries
of the physical world.
A. Choose the best answer. [5´1=5]
i.
From the first paragraph, give a synonym
for ‘amicable’:
a. cunning b. friendly c.
tragic d. unkind
ii.
From the third paragraph, give the meaning
for ‘stunned’:
a. a state when someone
is shocked b. without worry
c. helpless d. misfortunate
iii.
‘Anguish’ in paragraph 3 is “Opposite to”
a. Happiness b. Agony c.
Meanness d. Pain
iv.
‘Desolation’ in line 22nd means:
a. Freedom b. Liberty c.
Despondency d. Permission
v.
Choose the right word class of the word, “brilliant”.
a. Adverb b. Noun c.
Adjective d. Pronoun
B.
Complete the following sentences
in Not More Than Four Words referring to the passage.
[5´1=5]
a.
The Curies’ collaboration helped to unlock the secrets of the Atom.
b.
Marie had a bright
mind and a personality.
c.
Marie Curie eventually suffered from her long exposure to radium
d.
After radium was discovered Pierre was killed
e.
Marie Curie was
the first woman to be given at the world-famous university.
C. Answer the following
questions: [ 5´1=5]
a.
What is the use of radium?
b.
Why did Marie Curie become disgruntled?
c.
Why did she leave
Poland?
d.
What made Curie fade away her desolation?
e.
What is the reason
behind her fatal illness?
2.
Answer the following questions
briefly: [5´2 = 10]
a)
Why did the
young man begin to weep at
the end of the story? (Neighbours)
b) How does the author make fun with the words
'America' and ' The USA'?
(A Devoted Son)
c) How does the poet
describe the morning sun in the first stanza? ( A Day)
d) How is
marriage an institution? (Marriage as a Social Institution)
e) How do we learn
that the bull is dead? (The Bull)
3. Answer the following
questions in detail: [2´5= 10]
a) How does the story support the proposition that the
relationships of childhood are innocent, impartial and disinterested? (My Old Home)
b) Discuss the poem "Every
Morning I wake" as a prayer
to the God. (Every Morning I Wake)
4. Write an email to your teacher asking
for handout of a difficult chapter. [7]
5. Write an
application for the post of a computer operator at United School. Present your
CV that suits for the job. [8]
6. Write an essay on 'The Importance
of family' to a person
and a society. [10]
7.
Do as indicated in brackets and rewrite the sentences. [10´1=10]
a) Don't let him swim in that
pond, ….?(Put a question tag.)
b) You think it's funny, but I think
it's pathetic. (might/could)
c) parent worries
about their children.
(each/every)
d) We go to the movie
theatre. (Put the adverb 'occasionally' in appropriate place.)
e) He said, 'Goodbye, my friends!' (Change
into indirect speech)
f)
'Ethics'
means the behavior of people like one's self, one's own ethics. (Make your own sentence using the underlined word.)
g) I'm not the mood for such silly
games. (Put a correct preposition.)
h) He has obtained
full mark/marks. (Choose
the correct option.)
i)
Nelson Mandela
joined ANC in 1930s. He was a student then. (Join the sentences with a relative pronoun.)
j)
I bought
(red/a/comfortable/new) scooter. (Put the adjectives in the following sentences
in the correct order.)
8. Do as instructed. [5´1=5]
a) Make a sentence
using the word 'Precept'.
b) Choose the correct word which mean 'done in a way
without caring if people are shocked'. (blatant/jubilant)
c) Neither the tracksuit nor the pajamas (fit) me
perfectly. (Write the correct form of the verb in the brackets.)
d) Divide the following words into two groups with the
pronunciation/ai/and/ei/. (fine, frame, sleigh,
why)
e) Make two words
using the prefix
'inter'.
All the Best
Model Question-2
C. English : Class XII
F.M.: 75
Time : 3
hrs P.M. : 30
1.
Read the extract and answer the given question
below. [15]
Today I Rabindranath Tagore complete eighty
years of my life. As I look back on the vast
stretch of years that lie behind me and see in clear perspective the history of my early development,
I am struck by the change that has taken place both in my own attitude and in
the psychology of my countrymen -- a change
that carries within it a cause
of profound tragedy.
Our direct contact with the larger world of men was
linked up with the contemporary history of the
English people whom we came to know in those earlier days. It was mainly
through their mighty literature that
we formed our ideas with regard to these newcomers to our Indian shores. In those days the type of learning that
was served out to us was neither plentiful nor diverse, nor as the spirit of scientific enquiry very
much in evidence. Thus their scope being strictly limited, the educated of those days had option to
English language and literature. Their days and nights were eloquent with the stately declamations of Burke, with
Macaulay’s long-rolling sentences; discussions
centered upon Shakespeare's drama and Byron's poetry and above all upon the large-heart edliberalism of the nineteenth-century English
politics.
At the time though tentative attempts were being made
to gain our national independence, at heart
we had not lost faith in the generosity of the English race. This belief was so
firmly rooted in the sentiments of
our leaders as to lead them to hope that the victor would of his own grace pave the path of freedom for the
vanquished. This belief was based upon the fact that England at the time provided a shelter to all those
who had to flee from persecution in their own country. Political martyrs who had suffered for the honour of their
people were accorded unreserved welcome at the hands of the English.
I was impressed by this evidence of liberal humanity
in the character of the English and thus I was
led to set them on the pedestal of my highest respect. This generosity in their
national character had not yet been
vitiated by imperialist pride. About this time, as a boy in England, I had the opportunity of listening to the
speeches of John Bright, both in and outside Parliament. The large-hearted, radical liberalism of those speeches,
overflowing all narrow national bounds, had
made so deep an impression on my mind that something of it lingers even today,
even in these days of graceless
disillusionment.
A. Choose the best answer. [5×1=5]
i.
From the first paragraph, give a synonym
for ‘deep’:
a. Perspective
b. Profound c. Tragedy d. Psychology
ii.
From the third paragraph, give an antonym
for ‘victorious’
a. Victor b. Persecution. c. Belief d. Vanquished
iii. Generosity in third paragraph is “Opposite to”
a. Suitability
b. Liberality c. Meanness d. Eligibility
iv.
Persecution in line 22nd means
a. Oppression
b. Freedom c. Liberty d. Permission
v.
Word class of the word, “development” is….?
a. Adverb b. Noun c.
Adjective d. Pronoun
B.
Complete the
following sentences in NO MORE THAN FOUR words referring to the passage. (5×1=5)
a.
As he looks back
on the vast stretch of years that lie behind him and see in clear perspective the history
of his ………….. .
b.
In those
days the type of learning
served out to them was neither
…………….
c.
Tentative attempts
were being made to gain their ……….
d.
Political martyrs
who had suffered
for the honour of their people
were at the
hands of the
English.
e.
Tagore had the opportunity of.. of John Bright, both in
and outside Parliament.
C. Answer the following
questions: (5×1=5)
a.
Who is the speaker
of this writing?
b.
What helped
the Indians to conceive a notion
of the Englishmen?
c.
What was he impressed by?
d.
Whose speeches
did Tagore listen
to, as a boy?
e.
Who could
read and gain from English literature?
2.
Write short answers to the following
questions: (5×2=10)
a.
Why do you think
the author did not characterize the persons in the story with proper names? (Neighbours)
b.
Who are the ‘poor
creatures’? Why does the speaker call them ‘poor creatures’? (Every Morning I Wake)
c.
What did he feel about at the library?
(On Libraries)
d.
When do you feel that Famous
Actress is really
good at acting?
(Matter of Husbands)
e.
Describe the poor children
portrayed in the poem. (Soft
Storm)
3.
Write long answers to the following questions. (2×5=10)
a.
Sketch the character of Gouvernail and contrast it with Gaston.
b.
The author brings
some historical and legendary references in the story. Collect these references and show their
significance in the story.
4.
Write a
short autobiography featuring your childhood life using the following
guidelines. (7)
Date
and place of birth, Family background, Daily life, School life, Special event
of childhood days, etc
5.
Write a review of a book/film which you have read/watched recently. (8)
6.
Write an article
for a national daily on "The Status
of Women in Nepali
Society." (10)
7.
Solve as indicated in the brackets
and rewrite. (10x1=10)
a.
I’m very patient,…….? (Add an appropriate Question Tag)
b.
Leap years
occur....... four years.(
Put each or every)
c.
Neither the gas
fire nor the electric heaters (be) suitable for room heating. (Rewrite with the correct
form of the verb in the bracket)
d.
He is a millionaire. He lives in a simple
house.(Join the sentences using
although/though/even though)
e.
Do you like this country?
(write the type of question)
f.
My mother gets up
at five o’clock. (always) (Put the frequency adverb in appropriate place and rewrite)
g.
The principal
said, “You can phone from my office,
Rita.”(Change into indirect
speech)
h.
I don’t like people
staring at me. (Change into passive voice.)
i.
There is a lady.... wallet has been stolen.
(Fill in the blank with suitable relative
pronoun)
j.
Why do you
sneer...... me? (Fill in the blank with appropriate preposition.)
8.
Follow the instructions to solve. (5×1=5)
a.
Change the
following verbs into present participle. Interest, stop.
b.
Make a sensible sentence
of the word “attire”.
c.
Write the synonym and antonym of the verb ‘laugh’.
d.
Divide the following words
into two groups
in accordance with their pronunciation (/aI/ and
/eI/)
freight, eight, game, claim
e.
Give me two dozens/dozen eggs. (Tick the correct one)
Model Question-3
C. English : Class XII
F.M.: 75
Time : 3 hrs P.M. : 30
1. Read the text and do the tasks.
Reading Comprehension
(RC, as it is normally called) is the most peculiar section in almost all scholastic, entrance and employment tests.
The skills in RC make a lot of difference to one’s chances of good
grades/selection.
Most students find it
difficult to tackle topics that are diverse from the field they are in or they
are comfortable with. So one needs to
develop a taste for even the most obscure and boring topic on this planet. For success in RC one should be
able to understand. And even with an average speed one can succeed
if one implements the
strategies.
Broadly speaking, RC
passages can be classified in a few categories. Fact based RC is the simplest form of RC. These types of passages have
lot of information in the form of names, numbers etc. In this type of passages one should read very fast.
Don’t try to memorize any
facts, numbers or names etc. In fact there is no need to even remember them. Just make yourself familiar with the
structure of the passage. Just see in which paragraph author is talking
about what. Mark it. Then when you go to the questions, identify in which
paragraph information regarding that question is mentioned. Go to that
paragraph, read the numbers, names etc. and
mark the answer.
Inference based RC is the
toughest form of RC. Here the passage is fairly tough to understand. This includes passages on topics like Religion,
Spirituality, Philosophy, etc. Most of the students will be comfortable attempting these passages at
least in RC. The reading speed is fairly slow in this type of passages.
The way to master
this type of passages is to read
them again and again
while practising.
Topic based RC includes
passages on any particular topic like economics, astrology, medical science,
etc. Generally what makes -these
passages tough is usage of technical terms.
If a topic is new to us then presence of technical
term scares us even if they are defined in the passage. For success in this type of passages we need
to have a fan-understanding of the definition of the term if it is defined in the passage. Read that
definition twice if you need to. But don’t worry about technical terms if they are not defined in the
passage. Assume them to be non-existent and proceed. Key principle in these passages is that don’t go to the next line
unless the previous line is clear.
Reading passage first and
then questions is the most popular strategy for RC. While answering the question you may come back to the passage
to find answer as you have just read the passage initially and not crammed it. But you should not come back for each and every question.
If you come back for majority of questions then you
haven’t read the passage properly. The key to success for this strategy is that you should understand the
passage very well. We will suggest students to follow this technique
from the beginning and work
upon this.
Reading questions first
and then passage is the strategy followed by a few students. They just look at the questions and not options. The
objective is that after seeing the questions when you read the passage then you read only that part
carefully where the answer is given. The flaw with this is that you will not be able to remember all the
questions. Besides this, this strategy fails when there are questions
that require understanding of the passage.
A. Answer the following
questions by choosing
the most appropriate option: (6)
i.
Most students
find Reading Comprehension difficult because……………………….
(a) the language is tough (b)
the vocabulary is difficult
(c) the style is too involved (d) the topics
are unrelated to their interest
ii.
Fact based
RC is the easiest because……………………….
(a) it is written
in simple language ( b) there are no allusions
(c) it contains
information (d) it can
be memorised easily
iii.
For answering
a question on RC, one should……………………….
(a) memorise the facts,
figures, etc.
(b)
mark what the author is
talking about in the passage
(c) mark the essential
details of the passage
(d) remember the names,
numbers, etc.
iv.
Topic based RC is tough
as……………………….
(a) it contains technical
terms (b) it is based
on different topics
(c) it demands
instant understanding (d) one
can’t read them fast enough
v.
Careful reading
of the passage is essential
for……………………….
(a) answering difficult questions (b) saving
time and effort
(c) proper understanding and answering correctly
(d) selective identification of relevant parts
B.
Answer the following questions in brief: (5)
i.
What should
one do for finding the right answers?
ii.
Why is topic-based RC tough?
iii.
Which step is considered more essential for finding right answers?
Why?
iv.
What is the most popular strategy
for solving Reading
Comprehension(RC)?
v. Give an appropriate title to the above passage
C.
Find the words similar
in the meaning from the passage.
(a) strange (para.1) (b) different
(para. 2) (c)conclusion (para. 5) (d) accept as true (para.
6)
(e) defect
(para. 7)
2.
Write short answer to the following (5´2=10)
a.
Why did the writer
dislike school? (On Libraries)
b.
What is normative marriage
in America? Explain.
(Marriage as a Social Institution)
c.
Why does Monsieur Duran tell a lie about his birthplace? (Facing Death)
d.
Why does the speaker
call our time ‘mad time’?
(Soft Storm)
e.
Describe the strange old man as Palayo and his wife first encounter
within their courtyard? (A Very Old Man with
Enormous Wing)
3.
Write long answer to the following questions (2´5=10)
a.
What does the poet mean by ‘the awakening age’? (The Awakening Age)
b.
How does the Famous Actress make a fool of Ernest Young Women? (A Matter of Husband)
4.
Write a
newspaper article highlighting the increasing individualism in the modern
Nepali Society. (7)
5.
Suppose you are the General Manager
of Nepal Airlines. Issue a press release on behalf of the airlines about the
cancellation of flights to the
mountain regions due to the poor weather
condition. (8)
6.
Who is
your favourite Nepali musician? Write his/her biography in about 300 hundred words. (10)
7.
Do as indicated in the brackets
and rewrite the sentences. (10´1=10)
a.
Do you remember if I locked
the front door? (Change into direct question)
b.
You are driving very fast. Would please drive………….? (Use ‘a bit/slowly’ with
comparative structure to complete
the sentence)
c.
If he had not been wearing
helmet, he……(be)…seriously injured.(Rewrite the following sentence using the correct form of the verb )
d.
Did they confess the crime? (Change
into passive voice)
e.
My dad insisted ………taking the later train.
(Use the correct
preposition in the gap)
f.
Do you know the man? His son was awarded in the school yesterday. (Join the following
pairs of sentences using a suitable relative pronoun)
g.
Don’t let him play in that pond,…...... ? ( add an
appropriate tag question)
h.
I have got fast speed internet
at home. I…………..(complete the sentence with an appropriate ending by using a model verb)
i.
In Nepal,....... motorcycle rider should wear a helmet.(
use ‘each’ or ‘every’ in the gap)
h. She climbed the mountain in spite of her………………..(Complete the sentence in an appropriate way)
8.
Do as instructed 1´5=5
i.
Use the word ‘apprenticeship’ in your own sentence.
ii. Which one of the words means ‘The removal of people or things from an endangered area’
a.
resilience b. evacuation
c. surveillance d. rescue
iii.
Change the noun word ‘indifference’ into an adjective word.
iv. Find
the single word for the following definition. The word is given in jumbled letters at the end. A bacterial
infection usually spread
by sexual contact.......................................................................... ‘pysslihi’
v.
Make two words using
the prefix ‘mono-’
Best
of Luck
Model Question-4
C. English : Class XII
F.M.: 75
Time : 3 hrs P.M. : 30
1. Read the following text and answer
the questions given below:
There were so many nights
when I, as a young boy, had to watch helplessly as my father verbally and physically abused my mother.
I can still recall the smell of alcohol, see the fear in my mother’s eyes and feel the hopeless despair that comes
when we see people we love hurting
each other in incomprehensible ways. I would not wish that experience on
anyone, especially not a child. If I
dwell on those memories, I can feel myself wanting to hurt my father back, in the same ways he hurt my
mother, and in ways of which I was incapable as a small boy. I see my mother’s face and I see this gentle human
being whom I loved so very much and
who did nothing to deserve the pain inflicted on her. When I recall this story,
I realize how difficult the process
of forgiving truly is. Intellectually, I know my father caused pain because he himself was in pain.
Spiritually, I know my faith tells me my father deserves to be forgiven as God forgives us all. But it is still difficult. The traumas we have witnessed
or experienced live on in our memories. Even years later they can cause
us fresh pain each time we recall them.
A.
Choose the correct meaning
of the underlined word as used in the
sentence: (5´1 = 5)
a.
My father
verbally abused me.
i. angrily ii.
in words iii. symbolically iv.
formally
b.
I can still recall that event.
i. cancel ii.
resemble iii. abort
iv. remember
c.
We see people we love
hurting each other
in incomprehensible ways.
i. unlimited ii. unintelligible iii. understandable iv. impossible
d.
She did nothing to deserve the pain inflicted on her.
i.
imposed ii. caused iii. force iv. thrust
e.
We have witnessed the trauma.
i. injury ii. mentality
iii. upsets iv.
disorderly behavior
B. Fill in the blanks with the correct
form of the word from the passage: (5 ´1 = 5)
a. I still.................. my early
childhood days.
b.
People.......... in their homes.
c. I lay........... on the bed as I was sick.
d.
You have follow the...... in this experiment.
e. He............... appreciation for his hard work.
C. Answer the following
questions: (5 ´ 1 = 5)
i.
What did the speaker
watch helplessly?
ii.
What was the speaker’s
reaction when his father hurt his mother?
iii.
What is the most difficult thing for the speaker?
iv.
What does his faith remind him?
v.
What things
remain in our memories?
How can they affect us?
2.
Write short answers to the following questions: (5 ´ 2 = 10)
a.
How did the neighbors respond to the woman’s pregnancy? (Neighbors)
b.
Why
is Gaston surprised with his wife’s expression towards the end of the story?
((A Respectable Woman)
c.
What do you understand by the line ‘The hills
untied their bonnets’? (A Day)
d.
What does the poet mean by ‘the awakening age’? (The Awakening Age)
e.
How does Famous
Actress make a fool of Earnest Young Woman? (A Matter of Husbands)
3.
Write long answers to the following
questions: (2 ´ 5 = 10)
i.
What,
according to Russell, the essence of wisdom? How can one acquire the very
essence? (Knowledge and Wisdom)
ii.
The
author talks about the eyes in many places: the eyes of the shaven monks and
nuns, the eyes in the window and
door panels, the eyes of the Himalayas, the eyes of the paralyzed boy, the eyes of the welcoming villagers,
and the half-closed eyes of the Buddha. Explain how all the instances of eyes contribute to the overall unity of
the story. ((The Half-closed Eyes of the
Buddha and the Slowly Sinking Sun)
4.
Write a speech on the topic
'Importance of English
language in modern
education. (7)
5.
You
may have travelled by bus or train. During the journey you might have
experienced different things. Write a
letter to your friend describing about your unforgettable journey. (8 )
6.
Write a biography of your favorite
Nepali composer explaining his/her personality, music composition, uniqueness, etc. (10)
7. Do as directed
in brackets and rewrite the sentences: (10 ´ 1 = 10)
a.
His........... was unbearable. (write
the noun form of ‘oppress’)
b.
What are you wearing for the wedding? Actually
I am having …. (a suit/ make). (complete the sentence
using the words in the
bracket in correct form)
c.
He ran.... the road and
got into the car on the other
side. (use the correct preposition)
d.
Our house........ into last night. (use the passive form of ‘break’)
e.
What............ if you had not got this job? (complete the sentence using
‘you/do’)
f.
My head ached again,
so I went to bed early. (rewrite
the sentence correctly)
g.
If you had a
choice, where (you/live)? (complete
the sentence)
h.
I was late
for class......... traffic jam. ( use a connective to complete the sentence)
i.
He is poor. He wears expensive clothes. (combine the sentences using
‘ in spite of’)
j.
The person
was really helpful.
They spoke to him. (join
the sentences with a relative
clause)
8.
Do as instructed: (5 ´ 1 = 5)
i.
Choose the pair that has the same
pronunciation: sow, sew; gate, goat; hut, hot; feat,
fete.
ii.
She drew many pictures. (change into passive
voice)
iii. The doctor said that he will pull
through. (What does it mean by ‘pull through’ in this sentence?)
a. manage b. recover c. pass d. get
up
iv.
To try hard to find
a solution to a problem = g… (write the
one word that begins
with ‘g’)
v.
“Where
have you been these days?” the teacher said to the student. (change into
indirect speech)
Best of Luck
Model Question-5
C. English : Class XII
F.M.: 75
Time : 3
hrs P.M. : 30
Candidates are required
to give their answers in their own words as far as practicable.
1.
Read the passage and do the exercises given below. [15]
“Cured
yesterday of my disease, I died last night of my physician,” says Matthew
Prior, a celebrated pharmacologist,
while talking about the deleterious effects of drugs in his book, “The Remedy Worse than the Disease”.
There is no dearth of patients dying of misguided
treatment. In this era of
drugs we must familiarize ourselves with the term “iatrogenic disease
(physician caused ailment)”. When a
physician administers medicines without a complete understanding of the patient’s condition, drugs play havoc.
A person may become the victim of a worse disease or even lose his life.
With Analgin, for
instance, special precautions should be taken in case of pregnancy, bronchial asthma, renal and hepatitis dysfunctions
and blood-related disorders. It has been banned in several countries, including
the USA and Sweden, because
of its unexpected and negative effects that lead one even to death
through an anaphylactic shock. An anaphylactic shock is a process that leads to a severe fall in the
blood pressure, broncho-constriction, the swelling of blood and lymph vessels and sometimes death because of the loss
of fluid in these vessels. Anaphylaxis
usually occurs suddenly, in minutes after the administration of a drug. The
well- known drug, penicillin, and
many other drugs, may cause anaphylaxis. The term “side-effects” is a part of an ailing layman’s vocabulary
but adverse drug reactions are known only to a more aware and literate patient. Ciprofloxacin, when given for an
ear-infection, may cause vertigo and amoxicillin, while fighting a throat infection, may hurt the stomach. Similarly, while chemotherapy
given for cancer may lead to indigestion and hair fall, steroids administered continuously may lead to obesity and diabetes.
Drugs are meant to
eliminate disease. In the quest for avoiding the misery of sickness, man has invented medicines that may themselves
cause diseases. The illness caused by a drug may be short-term or long-term. Side effects are short-term and
predictable. The unpredictable and bizarre
reactions are termed as adverse reactions. A variety of drugs cure many ills
but are also known to cause irregular
heart beat and even sudden death. A strong sense of responsibility on the physician’s part and an attitude of extreme caution
on the patient’s part can substantially
help in covering at least
some of the risks of medicines, if not all. There are many factors that help a doctor in his choice and use of the
drug. The medical history of a patient, age, sex, personality, environment and education contribute in deciding
the course of treatment. The very old
and the very young are likely to suffer as their bodies are less tolerant.
Older children may sometimes be more
tolerant than the adults. The elderly tend to respond better to standard drug dosage. But the lower body size, slow blood
flow to vital organs, decreasing metabolic capacity and tendency to
multiple physical problems contribute to adverse reactions.
A.
Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option: [5]
1.
An “Iatrogenic disease” is an ailment caused
by ………………
a)
infection in the hospital
ward
b) overdose of anesthetic
c)
the wrong
administration of drugs by a physician
d) self-medication and buying
drugs over the counter
2.
Analgin and penicillin must be used carefully because
…………
a)
these may cause suffocation
b) they may create
bruises
c)
some patients
complain of leg cramps
d) these may cause
anaphylaxis
3.
An adverse
drug reaction is an illness
caused by……………………
a)
secondary effects
of a drug
b) a drug having
unpredictable and strange
effects on a patient
c)
a drug having predictable and unpleasant disorders
d) the use of drugs taken after their date of expiry
4.
Man has invented drugs
to eliminate ………………
a) diseases b) side effects c) death d) casualties
5.
The word ‘dysfunction’ in paragraph 2 means ………………
a) disorder of brain b) indigestion c) bad temper d) not
working properly
B.
Fill in the blanks.
(also underline the filled words) [5]
a.
…are meant to eliminate disease.
b.
Side effects
are short-term and ….
c.
The unpredictable and bizarre reactions are termed as ...
d.
The well-known drug, penicillin, and many
other drugs, may cause ...
e. given for cancer
may lead to indigestion and hair fall
C.
Answer the following questions
in brief: [5]
a.
What is an adverse
drug reaction?
b.
Why are elderly people
prone to adverse
drug reaction?
c.
What are the
factors that help a doctor in his choice
and use of drugs?
d.
Why has man invented
medicines?
e.
Find words
from the passage which
are similar in meaning.
i)
Not working
properly ii) Considerably
2.
Answer these questions in short. [5×2=10]
a. Describe how the young couple's
house looked like. ( Neighbours)
b. Why did Oliver Sacks dislike
school? (On Libraries)
c. How does the poet describe
the morning sun in the first stanza? (A Day)
d. How isn’t an ordinary woman
a match to an actress? (A Matter
of Husbands)
e.
How are we increasingly living in Coresus’s
world? (Human Rights and the Age of Inequality)
3.
Answer these questions. [5×2=10]
a.
Discuss six dimensions that define normative
marriage in America.
(Marriage as a Social
Institution)
b.
Sketch the character of Monsieur Duran.
(Facing Death)
4.
Describe your future plan in about
150 words. [7]
5.
Write an email to your younger sister
describing how to use social
media wisely [8]
6.
Write an essay on ‘Traditions and Cultural Values’. [10]
7.
Do as indicated in the brackets
and rewrite the sentences. [10´1=10]
a.
Your garden
is superb. ….(All
of/Most of/Some of ) the flowers
are beautiful.
b.
Neither the MPs nor the PM (have/has/had) felt regret for the party split.
c.
You don’t
have a mobile phone. (make a
wish)
d.
You are lost in a
town. (regret)
e.
Do you remember if I locked
the front door? (make indirect question)
f.
The restaurant hours vary as it booked
for special events.
(insert adverb of frequency’ “frequently” at right place)
g.
My sister
….. (would/used to) have short
hair when she was young.
h.
I can type 120 words a minute. (use an appropriate preposition)
i.
Who told you the story? (into
passive)
j.
“Don’t worry,”
I said to Joe. (Indirect speech)
8.
Do as instructed. [5]
a.
Write a hyphenated compound
words using the given word.
Moon
b.
Add an affix
to the given word. Active
c.
Find the odd
word out. Book, Food, Pool, Tool
d.
Change these nouns into adjective. nurturance, and victim
e.
Identify whether
the right sound in raj is /ʤ/ or
/j/ .
Best of Luck
Model Question-6
C. English : Class XII
F.M.: 75
Time : 3
hrs P.M. : 30
1.
Read the following passage
and answer the given questions below:
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.
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.
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 the 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.
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.
Questions:
A.
Choose the most appropriate option: (5´1=5)
a) What do the psychologists, educators and parents want
to teach the children? i.To teach
them about treachery.
ii. To teach them about indiscipline.
iii. To teach them about the values of
life like hard work, contentment, honesty and compassion. iv.None of these
b) What is essential to become a successful adult?
i. Learn not to overcome challenges ii.Learn how to overcome challenges iii.Nothing
is essential.
c)
Why
do children need limits on their behaviour when they live within a secured
structure? i.They feel more secure
and better. ii. They feel insecure.
iii. They feel bored. iv.
None of these.
d)
What
is the drawback of giving children too much too soon? i.They fail to cope with life’s disappointments when they grow
up. ii.They do not study seriously.
iii.They become
quarrelsome when they grow up. iv.None
of these.
e) . Find words
in the passage similar in meaning as:
i. a feeling of satisfaction (para 1)
ii. valuable (para 3)
B. Answer the following
questions briefly: (5´ 1 = 5)
a) What values do parents and teachers want children to learn?
b)
What are the results
of giving the children too much
too soon?
c) Why do today’s
children want more?
d)
What is the balance
which the parents
need to have in today’s world?
e) What is the necessity to set limits
for children?
C. Make sensible sentences
of your own using the underlined words. (5´1=5)
2.
Answer the following
questions briefly: (5×2=10)
a)
How does the narrator
help Runtu before
leaving the old home? (My Old Home)
b)
Who are the 'poor
creatures''? What does the poet wish for them?
(Every Morning I Wake)
c)
When does the speaker
grow soft? Enlist
the occasions when he grows soft. (Soft Storm)
d)
What are the six dimensions that define normative marriage in American?
(Marriage as a Social Institution)
e)
What does the writer want to point out by presenting Hegel's philosophy of history? (Knowledge and Wisdom)
3.
Answer the following questions in detail. (2×5=10)
a)
Summarise the story “Neighbours”. (Neighbours)
b)
Interpret the poem “Soft Storm”.
4.
Prepare a short speech
on the topic 'Safety of girls from violence and attacks’. (7)
5.
Write a letter to a business
organization overseas describing the prospect of the tourism
industry in your local place
and proposing to venture
on tourism business
there.(8)
6.
Write
an application for the post of an English teacher which is vacant at United
Academy, Kathmandu, Lalitpur.
Prepare your CV too that suits for the job. (10)
7.
Do as indicated in brackets and rewrite the sentences: (10×1=10)
a) It rained heavily.
We enjoyed our holiday.
(Use 'In spite
of' to join them.)
b) Can I
borrow …. books from you?
(Use correct form of “few”.)
c)
Sabina hates people laughing
at her. (Change
into passive voice)
d)
The police
suspect that the criminal left the
country.
The criminal......... the country. (Complete the sentence in correct passive
form)
e)
She has no understanding
f)
By the time we get home, they correct
future tense form)
how computers really work. (on/of/about)
(to play)
football for 30 minutes. (Put the verb in
g)
The leader
lost his voice.
He was giving a speech
loudly. (Join with 'when')
h)
My brother
stayed at home his illness.
(as/due to/because of)
i)
It is my life, my
very identity. (Underline the content words)
j)
I give you my (word/words). (Choose
the correct word.)
8.
Do as instructed: (5×1=5)
a)
He is affiliated to the World Bank as a senior
……. (referee/professional/Consultant)
b)
means to turn
or spin around and around
quickly.
i. Twirl ii. Fold iii. Fetter
c)
Find the 'odd
man out' word in pronunciation of vowel:
turn torn germ.
d)
Change
the following words as given in the brackets
real (into verb) angry (into noun)
e)
Write the meaning of 'loiter'.
Best of Luck
Model Question-7
C. English : Class XII
F.M.: 75
Time : 3
hrs P.M. : 30
1.
Read the following passage
and answer the given questions below:
Call it a blessing or a
curse of Mother Nature, we have to breathe in over 10,000 litres of air in a
day (more than four million litres in
a year) to remain alive. By making it essential for life, God has wished that we try to keep the air we
breathe clean. Everyone can see the food that is not clean and perhaps refrain from eating it, but one
cannot stop breathing even if one can feel the air to be polluted.
Several harmful and
noxious substances can contaminate the air we breathe. Generally, much
is said and written about outdoor
air pollution, most of which
is due to vehicular and industrial
exhausts.
Given the fact that most
of us spend over 90% of our time indoors, it is most important to recognise that the air we breathe in at home or in
offices can be polluted. It can be a cause of ill-health. Air pollutants that are generally present in
very low concentrations can assume significance in closed ill- ventilated places.
The indoor air pollution
can lead to allergic reactions and cause irritation to the skin, the eyes and
the nose. But as is logical to
assume, the brunt of insult by pollutants is borne by the lungs. It can lead to the development of fresh breathing
problems, especially in those who have allergic tendencies, or it can worsen
the existing respiratory illnesses
like asthma and bronchitis.
There can be several
sources of indoor air pollution. Tobacco smoke is one of the most important air pollutants in closed places. “Passive
smoking” or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) pollution can lead to all the harmful
effects of tobacco
smoking seen in the smokers
in their non-smoking companions. ETS as a health hazard has been
unequivocally proven and is also
getting social recognition now. One can occasionally see signs displaying the all-important message:
“Your smoking is injurious to
my health” in offices and homes. The children of smoking parents are among the worst
affected persons.
The exposure
of young children
to ETS leads to increased
respiratory problems and hospital admissions as compared to non-exposed
children. Several studies, including those done at the PGI, have shown an increased risk of lung
cancer among women exposed to passive smoking. ETS also worsens the existing lung diseases like asthma and bronchitis.
It may be responsible for the development of asthma in children.
The next most important
source of indoor air pollution is the allergens. House dust mites (HDM)
are very small insects not visible to
the naked eye and are the commonest source of allergy in the house. They are ubiquitous and thrive in a warm
and moist atmosphere. They breed very fast and are very difficult to eradicate. Modem houses present ample breeding
spaces for them in the form of carpets, curtains, mattresses, pillows, etc.
Exposure to HDM can be
prevented by the frequent washing of linen and by encasing the mattresses and pillows in a non-permeable cover. Pets form an important
part of life for some of us. But they can
add plenty of allergens to our indoor atmosphere. Cats are notorious for doing
this. Fine particles from feline fur can remain stuck to the
upholstery and carpets for a long time* even after the removal
of the animal and lead to
the worsening of asthma and skin allergies. Fortunately, owing to religious and social customs cats are not very
popular pets in India. Dogs, however, are quite popular and can be as troublesome. Pets should be kept out of the bedrooms and washed frequently. To remove the fur particles one has to use vacuum cleaners as the
ordinary broom and mop are
not effective.
Moulds, fungi and several
other microorganisms thrive in damp conditions and can lead to allergies as well as infections. Humidifiers in the air-conditioning
plants provide an ideal environment for certain
types of bacteria and have led to major outbreaks of pneumonia. It is important
to clean regularly the coolers,
air-conditioners and damp areas of the house such as cupboards, lofts, etc to minimise
this risk.
Toxic gases can also
pollute the indoor environment. Biomass fuels (wood, cowdung, dried plants) and coal, if burned inside, can lead to
severe contamination by carbon monoxide (CO): The poor quality of stoves and other cooking or heating appliances that
cause incomplete combustion of LPG can also lead
to the emission of CO or nitrogen dioxide.
Formaldehyde (a gas) can
be released from adhesives that are used for fixing carpets, upholstery and also in
making plywood and particleboard.
The gases are very toxic in high concentrations as may be encountered during industrial accidents, but even in very minimal
amounts, as may be prevalent
in homes and offices,
they can cause irritation to
the skin or the eyes, rashes, headache, dizziness and nausea. Improving
the ventilation is an important
preventive measure, besides trying to eliminate the source that may not be
always feasible.
Other indoor pollutants
are toxic chemicals like cleansing agents, pesticides, paints, solvents and inferior-quality personal-care products, especially aerosols. Very old crumbling pipes, boilers, insulation or false roofing can also be
important sources. Asbestos is a hazardous product that can cause cancer in humans.
It is important to
realise that the air we breathe at home may not be clean always andwe must try
to eliminate the source of pollution. We should give due
consideration to ventilation.
Questions:
A. Choose the most appropriate option: (5´ 1 = 5)
a)
The Almighty
wants that human beings…………………
i. should try to breathe
clean air ii should not pay
attention to pollutants iii must ignore ETS iv.
should become passive smokers
b) The toxic gases cause …………………
i. rashes ii. headache iii. dizziness iv. all of the
above
c)
Air conditioning plants become the cause of …………………
i. allergies ii. pneumonia iii. heart
attack iv. infection
d) Asbestos is a hazardous product because it can
i. cause cancer in humans ii. cause respiratory problems
iii. prove fatal to the children iv.
none of these
e)
Find words in the passage similar
in meaning as:
i. make impure (Para
2)
ii. clearly and unmistakably (Para 5)
B.
Answer the following questions
briefly: (5 ´ 1 = 5)
a)
What is essential for our life?
How?
b)
Why should
we pay attention to the quality of air we breathe indoor?
c)
Name eight important sources
of indoor air pollution.
d)
What do you understand by ETS? How is it harmful? Give two instances.
e)
How can the risk of allergies
be minimised?
C. Make sensible sentences
of your own using the underlined words. (5´1=5)
2.
Answer the following
questions briefly: (5×2=10)
a)
Write the truth expressed in Herodotus’s Histories. (Human Rights and Age of Inequalities)
b)
How was Gouvernail different from Mrs. Baroda’s
exception? (A Respectable Women)
c)
What do you understand by ‘soft storm’?
(Soft Storm)
d)
How do Evan and Hooker interpret the map? (The Treasure
in the Forest)
e)
Write four instances to prove that Rakesh was a devoted
son? (A Devoted
Son)
3.
Answer the following questions in detail. (2×5=10)
a)
Sketch the character of Monsieur Duran.
(Facing Death)
b)
How
is wisdom different from knowledge? Explain the essence of wisdom and methods
to acquire the very essence.
(Knowledge and Wisdom)
4.
Prepare a short speech
on the topic 'Women’s Rights
on parental property’. (7)
5.
Write a review
of a book/film that you have recently
read/watched. ( 8)
6.
Write an essay on 'Independence Vs Interdependence' in about 300 words. (10)
7.
Do as indicated in the brackets
and rewrite the sentences: (10×1=10)
a)
Let us invite them...
(add a question tag)
b)
The
clock ….. (use) since seventeenth century. (Write correct form of the
verb.)c)Did they confess the crime? (Change into passive voice)
d)
Look! The house (destroy) by the fire. (Write
the verb in suitable passive
form)
e)
I gave him my new T-shirt
in exchange (of/for/to) a few cigarettes.
f)
The baby should be due soon, next week she (to
be) pregnant for nine months. (Complete with the correct future tense form)
g)
Bibha Kumari
was doing her homework. The doorbell rang.
(Join with ‘while’)
h)
He was not
included in the team his knee injury. (as/due
to/because)
i)
Don't count your chickens
before they are hatched. (underline the content words)
j)
They went to Singapore on a four (day/days) trip.
8.
Do as instructed: (5×1=5)
a)
Sneak means (dragging one’s feet unwillingly/ move in furtive
way).
b)
Fine, shine,
rein. (Find the odd one.)
c)
Find
the 'odd man out' word in pronunciation of vowel sound. lost, blood, lot
d)
Change
the following words as given in the brackets
less (into verb) thought (into adjective)
e)
Write the meaning of 'ambience'.
Best of Luck
Model Question-8
C. English : Class XII
F.M.: 75
Time : 3
hrs P.M. : 30
Candidates are required
to give their
answers in their own words
as far as practicable.
1.
Read the following passage
and answer the given questions below:
Silk is a fine, smooth
material produced from the cocoons - soft protective shells - that are made by mulberry
silkworms. Legend has it that it was Lei Tzu, wife of the Yellow Emperor, ruler of China in
about 3000 BC, who discovered silkworms. One account of the story goes that as
she was taking a walk in her
husband’s gardens, she discovered that silkworms were responsible for the
destruction of several mulberry
trees. She collected a number of cocoons and sat down to have a rest. It just
so happened that while she was sipping some tea, one of the cocoons that she had collected
landed in
the hot tea and started
to unravel into a fine thread. Lei Tzu found that she could wind this thread around her fingers. Subsequently, she
persuaded her husband to allow her to rear silkworms on a grove of mulberry trees. While it is
unknown just how much of this is true, it is certainly known that silk cultivation
has existed in China for several
millennia.
Originally, silkworm
farming was solely restricted to women, and it was they who were responsible for the growing, harvesting and weaving.
Silk quickly grew into a symbol of status, and originally, only royalty were entitled to have clothes made of silk. Government
officials were paid their salary
in silk, and farmers paid their taxes in grain and silk. Silk was also used
as diplomatic gifts by the emperor.
Fishing lines, bowstrings, musical instruments and paper were all made using
silk. The earliest indication of silk
paper being used was discovered in the tomb of a noble who is estimated to have died
around 168 AD.
Demand for this exotic
fabric eventually created the lucrative trade route now known as the Silk Road, taking silk westward and bringing
gold, silver and wool to the East. It was named the Silk Road after its most precious
commodity, which was considered to be worth more than gold. With the
mulberry silkworm being native to China, the country was the world’s sole
producer of silk for many hundreds of
years. The secret of silk-making eventually reached the rest of the world via
the Byzantine Empire, which ruled
over the Mediterranean region of southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East during the period 330—1453 AD.
Silk production thus
spread through Africa, Sicily and Spain as the
Arabs swept, through these lands.
Andalusia in southern
Spain was Europe’s
main silk-producing center
in the tenth century. By the thirteenth century, however, Italy
had become Europe’s
leader in silk production and export.
The nineteenth century and industrialization saw the downfall
of the European silk industry.
Cheaper Japanese silk, trade in which was greatly facilitated by the
opening of the Suez Canal, was one of
the many factors driving the trend. Then in the twentieth century, new manmade
fibers, such as nylon, started to be
used in what had traditionally been silk products, such as stockings and parachutes. The two world wars, which
interrupted the supply of raw material from Japan, also stifled the European
silk industry. After the Second World War, Japan’s silk production was restored,
with improved production and quality of raw silk. Japan was to remain the
world’s biggest producer of raw silk,
and practically the only major exporter of raw silk, until the 1970s. However, in more recent decades, China has
gradually recaptured its position as the world’s biggest producer and exporter of raw silk and
silk yarn.
A. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the given
passage to complete
the
sentence. [5´1=5]
i. Silkworm cocoon fell into the emperor’s wife’s
……………..
ii. In the beginning only........ were allowed
to produce silk.
iii. Silk
was used for many purposes.
Evidence found of ………… made from silk around 168 AD.
iv. Merchants use Silk Road to take silk westward
and bring back …………… and precious metals.
v. 20th century:........ and other manmade fibers
cause decline in silk
production.
B. Write TRUE, FALSE
or NOT GIVEN to the given statements. [5´1=5]
i.
Gold was the most valuable material
transported along the Silk Road.
ii.
Most tradesmen only went along
certain sections of the Silk Road.
iii.
The Byzantines spread the practice
of silk production across the West.
iv.
Silk yarn makes up the majority
of silk currently exported from China.
v.
The two world wars shifted the silk industry
from Japan to Europe.
C. Answer the following
questions in short. [5´1=5]
i.
Where and when was the silkworm
discovered?
ii.
What are the different
uses of silk?
iii.
How did the secret of silk making spread in the world?
iv.
Why did the European
silk industry get downfall?
v.
Give a suitable title
to the above passage.
2. Write short answer
to the following questions. [5´2=10]
a.
What role does Mrs. Baroda ‘being a respectable woman’ play in the story? [A Respectable Woman]
b.
What did Rakesh do to make his father’s
old age more comfortable? [A Devoted
Son]
c.
Who are the poor creatures
in the poem Every Morning
I Wake? Why does the speaker call them poor creatures? [Every Morning I Wake]
d.
Describe the claim of the Chinese
nationalists about the human history.
[Humility]
e.
How does the play make a satire on the Feudal
System? [The Bull]
3. Write long answer
to the following questions. [2´5=10]
a. Interpret the poem ‘Soft Storm’
in any way you
like.
b. Discuss the one act play ‘Facing Death’
as a modern
tragedy.
4.
Interpret the given line graph in about 150 words comparing
the major information provided. [7]
5. Write a letter to a business organization overseas describing the prospects of the tourism
industry in your local place.
Consider the following points in the letter. [8]
•
Propose to venture in tourism business.
• Persuade the organization head to visit the place once.
• Clearly dig out the specialties and potentialities of the place.
• Explain its archaeological and historical importance.
6.
Some
people believe that teaching children at home is best for a child’s development
while others think that it is
important for children to go to school. Discuss the advantages of both methods
and give your own opinion. [10]
7. Do as indicated in the brackets
and rewrite the following sentences: [10×1=10]
a. There was....... Traffic so I came in time. [much/many/few/little]
b. I had an umbrella. I got wet in the rain. [Join
the given pair of sentences using in spite of ]
c.
They have been waiting for three years. [Make wh-question so that the word in the bold
becomes the answer.]
d.
I used to study 10 hours a day but nowadays I study only 5 hours a day. Rewrite the sentences starting with I don’t study ………………
e.
“You mustn’t neglect
your duty” said the boss to the workers. [Change the given sentence
into indirect speech]
f.
I didn’t know it was only half a kilometer
from my house, so I booked a ride. [Change the given sentence into ‘if sentence’.]
g.
You can’t catch a big fish a small rod like that. [Complete the sentence with a correct
preposition]
h.
The sales agent was dealing
with the customer. A thief stole the jewels. [Join the given pair of sentences using ‘while’.]
i.
This is the man. I gave some money to him this morning. [Join the given pair of sentences
using appropriate relative
pronoun.]
j.
I’m looking for (golden/stylish/a/Japanese) watch. [Put the given adjectives in the correct
order.]
8. Do as instructed: [5×1=5]
a.
It takes little effort to overcome a flimsy barrier.
What is the meaning of underlined word? i Weak ii Like iii a film iv Heavy
b.
The city is said to receive two fifths of the total freight delivered in the country.
What is the meaning of underlined word?
i. Area ii. Goods iii. Effects iv Action
c.
Alas, she is dead. What is the word class of the underlined word?
d.
What is root word in the word ‘subconscious?’
i. Sub ii. Conscious iii.
Ious iv Subconscious
e.
Which of the following sentence is correct?
i.
He said,
“He had never see him
before.”
ii.
He said he has not see him before.
iii. He said he had
never seen him before.
iv. He said he has
never see him before.
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