OMTEX CLASSES: English Question Paper With Solution SSC 2014

AS PER NEW SYLLABUS AND NEW PAPER PATTERN

SECTION ONE
(PROSE, GRAMMAR)

Q.1 (A) Read the following passage and do the activities: (10 marks)

A1. True or False

State whether the following statements are True or False. (2)

According to the narrator:

1.Saina, as a worthy citizen, has improved consistently. (False)

2.Saina is extremely confident at the back court.(False)

3.Saina has a lot of patience and self confidence in stroke. (True)

4.Saina utilizes the opponent’s error to change into a point. (True)

As a player Saina has improved consistently over a period of time. She has started depending mainly on her low serves which straightaway gives her an advantage to go on the offensive. Also at times she gets a quick point when the opponents make an error on the service return itself. This strategy looks easy but is difficult to implement since one can easily get caught if the player is not fast enough to respond to a good return of serve. She is extremely confident at the net when while dribbling which gives her a lot of weak mid-court returns. Again this is easier said than done. It needs hours and hours of tireless practice to master the dribble. She has a good hit as well which is so important to finish a rally and score a point. She is pre-pared to wait for the right opportunities to finish the rally. Sometimes it could present itself in the second or third stroke itself and on many occasions one might have to wait longer. This requires patience and a lot of self confidence in stroke-making. Obviously Saina has both these qualities which are helping her win matches.

A2 Complete

Complete the following sentences. (2)

1. Saina has started depending mainly on -------- -----------(low serves)

2. Saina is prepared to wait for the right ------- to finish the rally.(opportunities)

3. The player has to be ————to react to return the service. (fast enough)

4. Saina has got the qualities of ——— and ———. (patience and self - confidence)

A3. Matching:

Match the following words with their meanings. (2)

A	B
i. consistently	a. heating and bouncing shuttle cock
ii. dribbling	b. happening in the same way and continuing for a period of time
iii. extremely	c. clearly
iv. obviously	d. well known
	e. to a very high degree

Answer: (i) = b ; (ii) = a; (iii) = e ; (iv) = c

A4. Match tags

Match the following sentences with their tags. (2)

A B

1. Also at times she gets a quick point a. couldn’t it?

2. Again this is easier said than done b. doesn’t it?

3. Sometimes it could present itself c. isn’t it?

4. This strategy looks easy d. doesn’t she?

Answers: (1) = d ; (2) = b ; (3) = a; (4) = (b)

A5. Personal Response

What are the strategies, according to you, that have made Saina exceptional?

Answer: Saina is technically sound, physically fit and mentally strong as compared to other players. She scores a quick point on the service return. She is choosing her tournaments carefully and resting enough to make sure that she is at her peak always and injury - free.

(B) Read the passage and complete the activities given. (10 marks)

B1. Find the correct alternative

Choose the correct alternatives from the following to complete the sentences. (2)

1. As they entered the corridors of the North-East, they found country side filled with countless………

a. nets b. fishing nets c. mosquito nets

2. Chilka vendors are pointers to the change in……..

a. society and community b. education and culture c. geography and culture

3. The east coast route is ———

a. not interesting b. not easy c. tired some

4. The change between south and north east seen in respect of ———

a. food b. clothes c. farming

Answers: (1) = b

(2) = c

(3) = a

(4) = a

From Kanyakumari to upper Assam, agricultural fields were at various stages of sowing, transplanting, tending and reaping; at some places, it was time to collect the hay. As the train covered mile after mile and state after state, paddy fields gave way to sugarcane and oil palms, and vast tea estates as the elevation increased. As we entered the corridors of the Northeast, we found a countryside dotted with countless fixed fishing nets – on the banks of rivers, small lakes and water bodies on the borders of farmland –popularly known in Kerala as Chinese nets. Only here, they were known simply as fishing nets.Unlike the train journey on the other part of the peninsula, the Konkan coast, the route on the east side is largely mundane. For the record, the train passes through seemingly interesting parts of the country – but stays a few kilometers away from actual spots of interest. The closest we came to the famous Chilka lake was a signboard that read ChilkaVendors are pointers to the change in geography and culture. If it was masala dosa and puri below the Vidhyas, it was roti-sabzi, boild eggs and lemon tea when we entered the north. It was still surreal to see an outlet selling south Indian food at Guwahati station – experienced travelers informed us that stall was quite popular having been in existence for several years. On such a long journey, where one otherwise ends up noticing the signboards of the stations only when a fellow traveler has gotten off, what pointed us to the Swiss knives and pen drives – hinting that we were nearing the border.

B2. Complete

Complete the following list of the agriculture work mentioned in the Passage. (2)

1. ------------------

2. Transplanting

3. -----------------

4. -----------------

Answer: (1) sowing (3) tending (4) reaping

B3. Vocabulary

1. Find out words for the following from the passage. (1)

i. not interesting = mundane

ii. very strange = surreal

2. Find out particular terms for the following defining sentences. (1)

i. Area of land that is surrounded by water but is joined to a large piece of land

Answer: (peninsula )

ii. The highest of a place especially above the sea-level

Answer: (elevation)

B4. Complete the following table and frame at least two sentences of your own by choosing words from the table.

Verb	Noun	Adjective
collect	collection	collective
travel	travel	travelling

Sentences:

Travel is the movement of people

Collective present of all people exited me.

B5. India is known for ‘Unity in Diversity’. How is it reflected in the passage? (2)

The writer talks about food, culture and language aspects of different kinds of people in his journey also he had an opportunity to interact with variety of people and share their knowledge and experience. Thus he creates an image of unity in diversity.

Q.2. (A) Read the following passage and do the following activities:(10 marks)

A1. Complete:

Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct alternatives:

1. The IT professional wanted to donate money to _____

a. wildlife funds

b. health programmes

c. programmes other than those related to wildlife

2. The programme was launched in a _______
a. government school

b. private school

c. college

3. The answer that he got was _____

a. how to donate money

b. what to donate instead of money

c. how to face the query

4. The programme was launched to _____

a. teach computer

b. help wildlife

c. empower children with the spirit of competition

Answers:

(1) = a

(2) =a

(3) = c

(4) = c

Making village kids computer savvy

Parana Nair / TNN

Nagpur: People often wonder what they can do towards a cause other than donate money. Kirti Chavan, a former It professional and currently a freelancer, was faced with the same query a few years back. He got his answer; not by searching outside but by looking within.

"I always wanted to do something more than give money for wildlife, but couldn't decide what. That is when I got in touch with Rajashree Khalap of Satpuda Foundation who suggested that I volunteer to join the mobile health service of the organization to see for myself the area for which I wanted to work." Chavan said. He said he observed the villages around Pench and saw the need to wean people, especially the next generation, away from forest.

The pilot project was thus launched in Sawara village in Pench buffer in 2010 – 11. Chavan, along with Khalap, got in touch with another NGO Pratham that worked in the field of education. It ultimately helped them procure computers and study material to launch their programme at a government school in Sawara.

The larger aim of this programme was to enable children to compete with children elsewhere. Chavan and Khalap said many children who were supposed to be 'weak' in studies and were irregular in school started attending their classes regularly and with interest.

A2. Information Transfer

Fill in information in the following table. (2)

programme	beneficiaries	place	sponsor	year
computer education

Answer:

programme	beneficiaries	place	sponsor	year
computer education	village children	Pench, Sawara	NGO Pratham	2010 - 11

A3. Find the meaning

Choose the appropriate meaning of the underlined words. (2)

1. The pilot project was launched in Sawara.

a. first b. experimental c. operator

2. The IT professional faced the same query a few years back.

a. question b. doubt c. inquiry

3. It ultimately helped them procure computers.

a. finally b. already c. always

4. The larger aim of the programme was to enable children to compete with children elsewhere

a. make it possible b. make it easy c. make it compulsory

Answers:

(1) pilot - experimental

(2) query - question

(3) ultimately - finally

(4) enable - make it easy for

A4. Reported speech

Complete the reported form of the following sentences given in direct form. (2)

1. “I always wanted to do something more than give money for wildlife, but couldn’t decide what.” said Kirit.

Kirit said that ————

Answer: Kirit said that he always wanted to do something more than give money for wildlife, but couldn't decide what.

2. “I volunteer to join the mobile health service of the organization to see for myself the area for which I wanted to work.” said Kirit.

Kirit told that ———

Answers: Kirti told Rajashree that he volunteered to join the mobile health service of the organization to see for himself the area for which he wanted to work.

A5. Personal Response

In what way can you help rural students to learn? Give two ways to help them.

Answers: We can help rural students by teaching them. We can give gift to them. Gifts may include some educational books, educational stationary, etc. Giving knowledge about computer education.

Q.2 (B) Read the following passage and do the activities: (10 marks)

B1. True or False: (2)

State which of the following statements are correct:

(1) The writer was studying Computer Science at IIT Kanpur. (False)

(2) The meeting with the computer scientist was planned event. (False)

(3) The meeting took place in an auditorium. (False)

(4) The writer was influenced by the scientist's thought. (True)

B2. How did the scientist’s talk shaped the writer’s future? (2)

The writer met a famous computer scientist who was on sabbatical from a well – known US University. He was discussing exciting new developments in the field of computer science with a large number of students, explaining how such developments would alter our future. He was articulate, passionate and quite convincing. Thus the writer was hooked. Then the writer had done some reference in the library and he determined to study computer science. In whis way the scientist's talk shaped the writer's future.

Today I am going to share with you some of my life lessons. I learned these lessons in the context of my early career struggles, under the influence of sometimes unplanned events which were the crucibles that tempered my character and reshaped my future.

The first event occurred when I was a graduate student in Control Theory at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. At breakfast on a bright Sunday morning in 1968, I met a famous computer scientist who was on sabbatical from a well-known US university. He was discussing exciting new developments in the field of computer science with a large number of students, explaining how such developments would alter our future. He was articulate, passionate and quite convincing. I was hooked. I went straight from breakfast to the library, read four or five papers he had suggested, and left the library determined to study computer science. When I look back today at that pivotal meeting, I marvel at how one role model can alter the future of a young student for the better. This experience taught me that valuable advice can sometimes come from an unexpected source and chance events can sometimes open new doors. (N R Narayan Murthy, ‘From A Better India A Better World’)

B3. Matching

Match the words in Column with their meanings in Column B. (2)

A	B
1. crucibles 2. sabbatical 3. articulate 4. pivotal	a. fluent and clear b. crucial c. tests d. study leave

Answer:

A	B
1. crucibles 2. sabbatical 3. articulate 4. pivotal	c. tests d. study leave a. fluent and clear b. crucial

B4. Questions/Prefix

1. Insert appropriate Wh word to make meaningful questions. (1)

i. ---------- did the writer meet in 1968?

Answer. Whom did the writer meet in 1968?

ii. ------------ did the experience teach the writer?

Answer: What did the experience teach the writer?

2. Find the odd word in which ‘Re’ is not a prefix. (1)

remake, repeat, restart

Answer: Question is wrong because in all the words 'Re" is a prefixes.

B5. Personal Response

How do the role models influence our lives? (2)

Answers: Whenever we listen a positive story of a person who had achieved a lot in his life we automatically get motivated. In this way a role model who is an achiever in his life can influence our life style and inspire us to take intuitive decisions which may lead to some good turns.

(Section II: Poetry)

Q3 (A) Read the following extract of a poem and complete the activities. (5 marks)

A1. Complete the following web. (2)

It’s doing your job the best you can,

And being just to your fellow man;

It’s making money – but holding friends,

And being true to your aims and ends.

It’s figuring how and learning why,

And looking forward and thinking high;

And dreaming a little and doing much,

It’s keeping always in closest touch.

With what is finest in word and deed,

It’s being through, yet making speed;

It’s daring blithely the field of chance,

While making labour a brave romance.

It’s going onward despite defeat,

And fighting staunchly, but keeping sweet;

It’s struggling on with the will to win,

But taking loss with a cheerful grin.

A2. Message:
‘It’s doing your noblest---that’s success’. What message of life do you get from this line? (2)

The line 'It's doing your noblest --- that's success' suggests that the person who is humble in his doing can achieve success by doing hard work.

A3. Matching: Match the following:

A	B
(1) It's serving, striving through strain and stress	(a) Antithesis
It's sharing sorrow and work and mirth.	(b) Metaphor
	(c) Alliteration

Answers:

A	B
(1) It's serving, striving through strain and stress	(c) Alliteration
It's sharing sorrow and work and mirth.	(a) antithesis

B. Read the following lines and complete the activities. (5 marks)

B1. True or False

State whether the following sentences are true or false. (2)

i. It is the faith of the narrator that anything can be changed by prayer. (False)

ii. Indians have witnessed sights of unbearable human sufferings in the past. (True)

iii. The poet prays that every Indian’s heart may be free from fear. (True)

iv. The narrator advises people to support tyranny and exploitation. (False)

Republic Day! We grow aware

That nothing can be wrought by prayer

--Prop of the credulous – until

It is supported everywhere

By an all-powerful people’s will!

We have been witness in the past to sights impossible to bear:

Famine and drought and dread and doom

Continue still to spread the gloom

Of humans turned to skeletons, to shriveled bags of naked bones

Who have not even strength to vent their suffering through sobs and groans…

MAY EVERY Indian’s heart become

An unafraid announcing drum

Echoing and re-echoing a new hope and a new desire

To burn up rubbish-heaps of hate,

Once and for all. Time cannot wait!

Burn up all selfish aims and ends in a great nation’s cleansing fire!

Let India’s millions chant in chorus:

A mighty future stands before us –

Down with all ruthless tyranny, down with all exploitation which

Renders the poor the poorer –and renders the bloated rich, more rich!

B2. In the past:

What were the effects of natural calamities on human beings in the past? (2)

Answer:

In the past, Natural calamities like famine and drought and dread and doom continued to spread the gloom. They turned human beings into skeletons, to shrivelled bags of naked bones. They had not enough strength to withstand to vent their suffering through sobs and groans.

B3. Describing words

Find and write down from the extract the words that describe the following: (1)

i. people’s will ii. sights iii. skeletons iv. hate

Answers:

i. people's will – all –powerful

ii. sights – impossible to bear

iii. skeletons – shrivelled bags of naked bones

iv. hate – rubbish - heaps

(Section III: Rapid Reading)

Q4.Read the following extract and complete the activities given below: (5 marks)

A1. Compare the old and new house and complete the table. (1)

Points	Old House	New House
surroundings	razzle – dazzle
size of the house

Points	Old House	New House
surroundings	razzle – dazzle	quite, orderly, sleepy
size of the house	smaller	biggest

I was thirteen when we moved to Cantonment at Allahabad. In stark contrast to the raz-zle-dazzle of the city’s commercial areas like Katra and Chowk, the Cantonment was a quiet, ore-derly place with broad tree-lines roads that still carried the names of long-dead Britishers. Our bungalow was on a sleepy by-lane called MacPherson Road. When we first saw it, my brothers and I were delighted. It was by far the biggest house we had ever lived in. the task of furnishing those huge, echoing rooms daunted mother.

“Is a slightly smaller house not available?” she asked Father, “we do not have enough cur-tains for this place. And the furniture seems a little inadequate. Why did they have to plan the kitchen at such a distance from the dining room?It is like doing a route march. And who is going to help me keep this place clean and dusted?”

Her misgivings and objections were undoubtedly valid. But, seeing our crestfallen faces, she sighed and gave in. We made extravagant promises to help in the household chores.

A2. Complete

Complete the following list of objections that the mother had with the new house (2)

1. The house is very big.

2. . ........................................

3. . ........................................

4. . ........................................

Answer:

1. The house is very big.

2. Who would keep the place clean?

3. There is not enough curtains for the place.

4. The distance between the kitchen and the dining room was too large.

A3. Personal response

How do children generally feel when they move into a new house? (2)

The general feelings of children who moved into a new house are excitement about the surroundings, curious to know new things, nervous of being isolated, etc.

(Section IV: Writing skill)

Q.5 A1 or A2 Do any one of the following activities: (5 marks)

A1. Thanks mother

Look at the following extract of a news write a letter to thank your mother.

For Mother’s Day

A Flood of Love for Moms

ST correspondent

Reporters@sakaltimes.com

Pune: Today is ‘Mother’s Day’ and while there’s really no need to say any more about how important mothers are in our lives, it gives us the chance to express our gratitude.

8A, Heaven colony,

M.G. Road,

Dharavi,

Mumbai - 400017.

13th February, 2013.

Dear Mom,

I love you Mom. I miss you a lot since I came to hostel for my studies. You are the greatest gift ever given to me by God. Though you are not highly educated in the formal sense, but you are well cultured, very kind and sympathetic. I had been inspired by you in every moment of my life.

In this mother day I want to thank you mom, for your deeds. But I knew very well that a merely thanks or any valuable gifts given to you will not equalize your deeds. But I'm sending my heartily kisses to you 'mom'. I think you will like this other than anything else. In this world I had been with everyone in the last 20 years but I had been with you for more than that of 10 months (i.e.) from the time you conceived me. So, our relation is beyond than everyone else.

I will always be thankful to you 'mom' in my life time. I love you crores of times and miss you a lot in this one week.

Your loving friend,

Xyz

A2. Seeking permission

Read the following advertisement and write a letter to the headmaster of your school to seek permission to participate in the event.

International Speaking Competition

English Speaking Union London arranges for speaking competition.

School going children can participate

Extempore speech

Send your entry through your school within eight days by mail <engspeak@org.in>

To and fro travel will be arranged by the organizers .

Q. 5 (B) Do anyone of the following activities. (5 marks)

B1. Report

Look at the following news. Imagine that the programme was held in your school. Prepare a report.

Kidney Failure scores 96% in class XII

Jaipur: Displaying tremendous grit, a 17 year old boy suffering from failure of both kidneys, scored 96% marks in science in Rajasthan Board of secondary Education, prompting the state government to offer him free of cost kidney transplantation.

B2. Preparing a project

Develop a dialogue between you and your teacher. Look at some of the points given in the balloons. Imagine about the responses given by the teacher.

· topic
· steps and stages
· marking scheme
· time limit
· page limit
· presentation

Answers:

Myself: Good afternoon, teacher!

Teacher: Yes, very good morning, What do you want?

Myself: Yes, I want your guide lines to score better marks in Board exam. What are the steps and stages involved in it?

Teacher: To score good marks in exam you should study the lesson conceptually. Read the text books thoroughly, always use dictionary to find out the meaning of new and difficult words.

Myself: Then teacher.

Teacher: You should know the marking scheme of each and every subject. And you should thoroughly practice HOTS from the Algebra, Geometry and Science.

Myself: Then teacher.

Teacher: You should practice model paper and see whether you could complete it within the time limit. Write only the relevant and exact answers it will limit you page size and save time. Time management is the important things in examination.

Myself: About oral marks?

Teacher: Because of your attendance you will get good marks. Even then you should perform well within the 10 minutes provided to you during presentations.

Myself: Thanks for your valuable suggestions teacher.

Teacher: You are most welcome and all the best to you.

Q6. Do any one of the following activities. (5 marks)

A1. Write a paragraph of 100 words based on the information given in the following table.

House sparrows	Forest sparrows
Black and brown in colour Eat seeds and insects Build nest in a hole in a house Lay three to six eggs at a time Make noises in a series of calls	Bluish and grey in colour Eat seeds and insects Build nests in hedges and bushes Lay two or four eggs at a time Sing a warbling song.

Sparrow

Sparrows of two types, house sparrows and forest sparrows. House sparrows are black and brown in colour and forest sparrows are bluish and grey in colour. They eat seeds and insects. The former build nest in a hole in a house and latter build it in hedges and bushes. House sparrows lay three to six eggs at a time whereas that of forest sparrows lay two to four eggs at a time. We can hear noises in a series of calls from house sparrows. Forest sparrows sing a warbling song which we usually do not hear.

B2. Speech

Prepare a speech on the issue raised in the given news to be delivered in the class assembly. Give examples.

Q7. Develop a paragraph of about 100 words expanding any one of the following expressions. (5 marks)

1. Humour is the spice of life

2. Plant Trees! Plant life!

3. ———thus we tried to save the environment

Humour is the spice of life

What is life without humour? Humour relaxes our mind from stress. A person who makes others laugh by the way of funny act will be liked by everyone. We know that laughter is the best medicine. But the ingredient to laugh is the humor sense. Humour is the sense gifted by god and we cannot buy it from any store. It has to be earned by a meaningful way. We love those teachers who were taking lecture with jokes. If we want to enjoy our life in every moment then we should keep those friends and relatives who always things positively and have humour sense.

Also try these for your Board exam help

GRAMMAR