HSC English Model Question Paper
Section A
(Reading Skills,
Grammar, Vocabulary, Note-making and summary)
Q1.A. Read the following extract and answer the questions given below: (11)
Everyone emptied their sacks of the
fruits they had collected earlier and started madly filling them up with these
precious fruits and flowers. They all forgot that they had said they had more
than enough for their needs at home. Greed took over their minds and all they
could think about was adding more and more valuables to their sacks. The fruits
which they had picked earlier, and had tasted to be as sweet as nectar, now lay
in heaps around the garden – forgotten and left to rot.
Then
with their sacks filled right to the top, the citizens made their way to the
rear gate of the garden where the king was waiting. But what was this? To their
astonishment they found a raging stream stopping their way. Water gushed from
behind some rocks and rushed over pebbles and big boulders through the garden.
The stream was narrow, but the current was strong. There were no boats to take
the people across. Clearly, the only way was to swim. But how could they swim
with such heavy sacks filled with gold and silver apples and other fruits?
The
people stood by the stream for a long time scratching their heads. Then one man
did what they all knew needed to be done. He simply abandoned his sack by the
stream, waded to be done. He simply abandoned his sack by the stream, waded
into the water, then swam across to the other side. Slowly, the others too
followed suit . Sadly, some wailing in distress, they left their sacks filled
with what they had thought was the riches of a lifetime, and divided into the
stream. Then they walked up to their king – wet, unhappy and angry.
(1) Why were the people astonished? (1)
(2) How did the young man go across the stream? (2)
(3) Were the people happy to have to abandon their treasure?
How do you know? (2)
(4) What would you have done if you were in a similar
situation? (2)
(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:
(3)
(i) Clearly, the only way was to swim. (Rewrite as a negative sentence)
(ii) The people stood by the stream for a long time
scratching their heads. (Rewrite as a compound sentence)
(iii) There were no boats to take the people across.
(Rewrite using ‘that’)
(6) Write from the extract the antonyms of the following
words: (1)
(i) front
(ii) happiness
(B) Grammar (Do as Directed) (4)
(i) There is ____________ box lying in ___________ largest
cupboard in our bedroom.
(Fill in the blanks with appropriate articles.)
(ii) I am thankful _____________ the great Lord
_____________ all the gifts I have received.
(Rewrite it using the proper prepositions)
(iii) “Please tell me freely about my faults,” said the King
to his ministers and other courtiers.
(Change it into indirect speech)
Q2. A. Read the following extract and answer the questions
given below: (11)
He ran towards the sound and
stopped at a construction site. People built their own homes in Bay Roberts,
using nails purchased in burlap sacks from a local factory. Sometimes the sacks
were discarded in the flurry of building and Reuben knew he could sell them
back to the factory for five cents a piece.
That day he found two sacks, which
he took o the rambling wooden factory and sold to the man in charge of packing
nails. The boy’s hand tightly clutched the small five cent pieces as he ran the
two kilometers home.
Near his house stood the ancient
barn that housed the family’s goats and chickens. Reuben found a rusty baking soda
tin and dropped his coins inside. He then climbed into the loft of the barn and
hid the can beneath a pile of sweet smelling hay. It was supper time when Reuben
got home. His father sat at the big kitchen table, working on a fishing net.
Dora was at the black kitchen range ready to serve dinner as Reuben took his
place at the table.
He looked at his mother and smiled.
Sunlight from the window gilded her shoulder length blond hair, five foot three,
slim and beautiful, she was the centre of the home the glue that held it
together.
Her
chores were never – ending. Sewing clothes for their family on the old Singer
treadle machine, cooking meals and baking bread, planting a vegetable garden,
milking the goats and scrubbing soiled clothes
on a washboard, But she was happy. Her family and their well – being were her
highest priority.
Every
day after chores and school. Reuben scoured the town, collecting the burlap
nail bags. On the day the two – room schoolhouse closed for the summer, no
student was more delighted than Reuben. Now he would have more time to devote
to his mission.
(1) To whom did Reuben sell the sacks? (1)
(2) Where did Reuben hide his money? (2)
(3) Why was Reuben happy when his school closed for summer?
(2)
(4) At what age, do you think, should children be allowed to
get pocket money? Why? (2)
(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:
(3)
(i) His father sat at the big kitchen table, working
on a fishing net. (Rewrite using he past continuous tense of the underlined
verb)
(ii) Every day after chores and school. Reuben scoured the
town. (Rewrite using ‘would’)
(iii) He looked at his mother and smiled. (Rewrite as a
simple sentence)
(6) Give the antonyms of the following words: (1)
(i) ancient
(ii) Soiled
(2) B. NOTE - MAKING
Read the following passage and draw a tree diagram to cover the main points.
When we talk about commerce, what do we mean? Generally by commerce we mean the trade and auxiliaries to trade. Trade is classified into two types—the home trade and foreign trade. The home trade plays an important role in national economy as the wholesale and retail trading involves a large number of people by providing them means of living. On the other hand, the foreign trade consists of import and export of goods. This type of trading consists of a few number of economic factors. Commerce cannot exist without its auxiliaries. These auxiliaries include transport, communication, banking, finance, insurance, warehousing and advertising.
