Q1. (A). Read the following passage and answer the following questions.
One often hears of the high prevalence of child labour in our country. Of the many reports I have read, perhaps the most disturbing was a report on the condition of children employed by Zari factories in Delhi, Mumbai and other parts of India. It grieves me to imagine children exposed to such inhumanity.
Robbing children of their childhood is a criminal act, and our society must weed this malaise out from the rood. But where does the root lie? Before you attempt an answer, let me give you an anecdote from the other end of the social spectrum.
A colleague in Wipro has a child studying in Standard IX in a reputed school in Bangalore. This child wakes up at 5 a.m. and studies for an hour before going to school. She returns from school at 4 p.m. and rushes for her IIT entrance exam coaching class. At 6 p.m. she has tuitions for two hours. After dinner, she spends an hour or more on homework. I asked her when she gets time to play. She replied that she did not play. She gets half an hour of free time each day, which she spends watching her favourite serial on television. She also added that board exams and entrance exams are very important, and that you only get one chance. Is the condition of this child different from the child in the zari factory?
1. What is the most disturbing report read by the writer?
The most disturbing report read by the writer is the one which shows the condition of the children employed by Zari factories in Delhi, Mumbai and other parts of India.
2. What is the reason for the writer’s grief?
The writer is grieved to know about children exposed to inhumanity in zari factories.
3. What is the duty of the society, according to the writer?
According to the writer, the duty of the society is to remove the problem of child labour from the root, as he feels robbing children of their childhood is a criminal act.
4. Where does the child in the writer’s anecdote go immediately after school?
After school the child immediately rushes for her IIT entrance examination coaching class.
5. What does the child do in her free time?
The child gets half an hour free time each day which she spends watching her favourite serial.
6. Do as directed.
a. Robbing children of their childhood is a criminal act. (Use infinitive)
To rob children of their childhood is a criminal act.
b. The condition of this child is not different from the child in the zari factory. (Make the rhetorical question)
Is the condition of this child different from the child in the zari factory?
c. After dinner, she spends an hour or more for homework. (Frame a wh – type question to get the underlined part of the sentence as answer.)
When does she spend an hour or more for homework?
7. Give Adverb forms of the following adding suffixes.
a. Criminal b. Social
a. criminally b. socially
(B) Grammar:
Do as directed: (4 marks)
1. This time, they bloomed. (Add a questing tag)
This time, they bloomed, didn’t they?
2. More ominously, the assessment team warnsthat the ability of Earth’s ecosystem to sustain future generations can no longer be taken for granted. (Rewrite using the Noun Form of the underlined word.)
More ominously, the assessment team’s warning is about the ability of Earth’s ecosystem to sustain future generations can no longer be taken for granted.
3. What is the best way to doit? (Rewrite using the gerund form of the underlined infinitive.)
What is the best way for doing it?
4. The Taj will be washed clean with salt – free water. (Rewrite using a modal auxiliary showing ‘obligation’.)
The Taj must be washed clean with salt – free water.
Q2. (A). Read the following passage and answer the following questions
Our day used to start with the family huddling around my mother’s Chulha, an earthen fireplace she would build at each place of posting, and where she would cook for the family. There was no gas, no electric stoves. The morning routine started with teas. As the brew was served, Father would ask us to read aloud the editorial page of The Statesman’s ‘mofussil’ edition, delivered one day late. We did not understand much of what we were reading. But the ritual was meant for us to know that the world was larger than Koraput district, and the English I speak today, despite having studied in an Oriya medium school, has to do with that routine. After reading the newspaper aloud, we were told to fold it neatly. Father taught us a simple lesson. He used to say, “You should leave your newspaper and your toiled the way you expect to find it.
“That lesson was about showing consideration to others. Business begins and ends with that simple percept. We did not have a house of our own and would occasionally ask Father, when, like others, we would live in our own house. He would give a reply, “We do not need house of our own. I already own five houses. “His replies did not gladden our hearts at the time. Nonetheless, we learnt that it is important not to measure personal success and a sense of well being through material possessions.
1. What according to the writer was the simple precept? (1)
The simple precept, according to the writer, was consideration for other.
2. What did the writer learn from his father’s reply of not having a house of their own?(1)
From his father’s reply on owning a house, the writer learnt that it was important not to measure personal success and a sense of well being through material possessions.
3. What was the need of the ritual of reading “The Statesman”?(2)
The need of the ritual of reading the newspaper “The Statesman” was to know that the world was larger than Koraput district of Orissa where the writer and his family were staying.
4. What idea of the writer’s family do you get from the extract? (2)
The writer belonged to a close – knit simple middle – class family where the parents were concerned about teaching the right values to their children. Though they lived in a small town, his father made it a point to make the children aware of the larger world through the newspaper. With simple words, his father helped the children to develop proper attitudes in life.
5. Do you agree with the writer’s father’s lesson about showing consideration for others?
Yes, I totally agree with the writer’s father as I feel, it is necessary for anybody to practice what one expects from others. At the same time, one should not be selfish to forget about other’s need when one’s own purpose is over.
6. Do as Directed
a. She would cook for the family. (Rewrite using ‘’used to’’)
She used to cook for the family.
b. The morning routine started with tea. (Frame a wh – type question)
How did the morning routine start?
c. Business begins and ends with that simple precept. (Use ‘’Not only ……… but also’’)
Business not only begins but also ends with that simple precept.
7. Give adjectives:
a. Consideration b. Success c. Possession d. Routine
a. Considerate b. successful c. possessive d. routine
(B) You have conducted a survey of wage earners in your locality. Given below is a graphical representation of your findings. The ‘X’ axis represents the wages earned in Rs. And the ‘Y’ axis represents the number of wage earners. The blocks are shaded differently to show children, women and men. The legend for each is given below the graph. Write a paragraph explaining your findings:
Q3. (A) Read the following passage and answer the following questions.
There was a beautiful and fragrant violet who lived placidly amongst her friends, and swayed happily amidst The other flowers in a solitary garden. One morning, as Her crown was embellished with beads of dew, she lifted Her head and looked about; she saw a tall and handsome Rose standing proudly and reaching high into space, like a burning torch upon an emerald lamp.
The violet opened her blue lips and said, "What an unfortunate am I among these flowers, and how humble Is the position I occupy in their presence! Nature has fashioned me to be short and poor. I live very close to the earth and I cannot raise my head toward the blue Sky, or turn my face to the sun, as the roses do."
And the rose heard her neighbor's words; she laughed and commented, "How strange is your talk! You are fortunate, and yet you cannot understand your fortune. Nature has bestowed upon you fragrance and Beauty which she did not grant to any other. Cast aside your thoughts and be contented, and remember that He who humbles himself will be exalted, and he who Exalt himself will be crushed."
The violet answered, "You are consoling me because you have that which I crave. You seek to embitter me With the meaning that you are great. How painful is the preaching of the fortunate to the heart of the miserable! And how severe is the strong when he stands as Advisor among the weak!"
And Nature heard the conversation of the violet and the Rose; she approached and said, "What has happened to You, my daughter violet? You have been humble and Sweet in all your deeds and words. Has greed entered your heart and numbed your senses?"
In a pleading voice, the violet answered her, saying, "Oh great and merciful Mother, full of love and sympathy, I beg you, with all my Heart and soul, to grant my request and allow me to be a Rose for one day."
1. What was the violet’s regret? (1)
The violet regretted that she occupied a humble presence among other flowers as Nature fashioned her to be short and poor. She lived close to earth and felt unfortunate not to be able to raise her head towards the sky or turn her face to the sun as the rose could.
2. How did the Nature praise the violet? (1)
Nature praised the violet by appreciating her humility and sweet Nature in all her deeds and words.
3. What was the violet’s request to Mother Nature? (1)
The violet requested Mother nature to allow her to be a rose for one day.
4. Why did the rose feel the violet’s talk “Strange”? (2)
The rose felt the violet’s words strange because she wondered why the violet was unable to understand that she was fortunate to have fragrance and beauty gifted by Nature on her and nobody else was granted the same.
5. Do you agree with the violet as she defends her “strange talk”? (2)
I agree with the violet’s “strange talk” because I know that “The wearer knows where the shoe pinches.” The violet regrets her unfulfilled ambition as she is unable to raise her head like the rose who she feels is more fortunate than her. Thus she is justified in disliking the advice of the rose for whom it is easy to advise being in a stronger position. But at the same time, I do feel that the violet should have been contented, with what has been naturally gifted to her since one has to learn to be contented to have peace in life.
6. Do as directed: (3)
a. Nature has fashioned me to be short and poor. (Use “not only …… but also”)
Nature has fashioned me to be not only short but also poor.
b. He who exalts himself will be crushed. (Make the sentence less definite)
He who exalts himself may be crushed. / He who exalts himself might be crushed.
c. You are consoling me. (Use Present Perfect Continuous Tense and rewrite the sentence).
You have been consoling me.
7. Give synonyms of the following words. (1)
a. Contented
satisfied
b. Fragrance
Sweet smell.
(B) Write a brief summary of the above extract and suggest a suitable title. (4 marks)
Q4. Read the following poem and answer the following questions.
BASKETFUL OF MOONLIGHT
From the city to my village
on the side of the path
I want to sow many
Small, small moons of light,
The whole village goes to the city
daily to work.
It becomes dark on its way back
As my village is quite far.
The route is tough and full of
snakes and scorpions.
Neither bus nor cart plies.
When my father returns home
I am asleep.
And he goes back early in the morning
While I am sleeping
O moon
Give me a basketful of moonlight
On loan.
I want to light the dark route
So that my father returns early.
I too want to hear fairy tales.
- How does the boy ask the moon to give him a basketful of moonlight?
The boy requests the moon to give him a basketful of moonlight on loan.
- Name one personal problems of the boy and one general problem of all the villagers, as indicated by the village boy in the poem?
The personal problem of the boy is that his father returns home late and he cannot keep himself awake to hear fairy tales from him.
The problem of the villagers is that they have to walk down to the faraway cities and come back by the roads which are not only dark but also full of dangers.
- Can you identify yourself with the problems of the boy in the poem?
No, I cannot identify myself with the problem of the boy in the poem since I live in the city and we do not have the difficulties of dark and insect – infested roads in the cities.
- What is the poetic device used by the poet to make the village – boy talk to the moon?
The poet used the figure of speech “Apostrophe” to make the boy address the moon.
5. Discuss the technique of the poet to handle some of the problems of the Indian village.
The poet makes an innocent village boy appeal to the moon to provide him with seeds of moonlight so that he can sow them on the roadsides to make the dark and dangerous roads of the village lighted enough for the villagers to travel safely back home from faraway cities where they go for their daily work. Thus, the poet brings out the problems of joblessness, and lack of basic facilities in Indian villages.
Q5. Read the following poem and answer the following questions.
Now All’s Become History
Now apartments decorate the city
Closed doors of neighbour’s live – ins
Bonsai – cacti thrive in pots within
But neighbourliness has, sadly,
Now become history!
Now my house has also moved into a flat
And I too have become
Somewhat flat
The homeliness of the house
Tended in the niche of the heart
So deeply
Is not only history!
Sometimes as I turn
The pages of history
The drops of tears that well up
Suddenly
Will also in all probability
Someday become history!
1. How does the poet feel about eh homeliness of the house? (1)
The poet sentimentally expresses that the expectation of the ‘homeliness’ of the house which she has always carried so affectionately at one small corner of the heart, has sadly become a thing of the past now.
2. How is the ‘neighbourliness’ in a city? (2)
The ‘neighbourliness’ is difficult to find in the closed – door flats of the cities. The people are so busy in their own world. Sometimes, may be with their westernized life – style of their live – in relationships, that they have no time for other.
3. Do you feel the poet is justified in dropping tears? (2)
Yes, I feel the poet is justified in dropping tears as she has experienced the naturalness and warmth of the village life. She is aware of the fact that those days are not going to come back. As she sees the sharp contrast of the artificial city life in front of her, she become emotional.
4. Pick out an example of ‘Pun’ from the extract and explain it. (1)
The word ‘ flat’ has been used with two different meanings. “Now my house has also moved into a flat’ – here ‘flat’ means an ‘apartment’.
- And I too have become somewhat flat” here ‘flat’ means the ‘ monotonous life’ of the poet in the city.
5. Describe the poet’s life in a ‘flat’. (2)
The poet’s house is in an apartment in a city which she feels has become quite uninteresting. Her neighbour’s closed door does not allow her to interact with them. They may be involved in the western culture of live – in relationship. She misses the company of nature, too, as artificially – bred bonsai plants of may be indoor – plants like cacti can be only seen in the city flats. Most of all, the warmth of a homely house is absolutely absent in her city apartment and she regrets her stay there.
Section – D
Q6. (A) Letter writing: (4)
1. Write a complaint letter regarding power failure in your locality / village.
(OR)
2. Letter to your friend explaining him about the importance of Joint family system.
(B) Your college has organized a drive against saving fuel in your area. Prepare an appeal in the form of handout to create awareness with the help of the following points. (4)
- Prepare an effective slogan.
- Use a logo / picture.
- Stress the evils of smoking and chewing tobacco.
- Use attractive language.
(OR)
Read the following headlines of news items. Choose ONE of them and write the date line, into and short containing paragraph.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS WON THE IPL 2011 TROPHY
(OR)
FOOD POISONING AFFECTS 50 SCHOOL CHILDREN
(C) Write a tourist leaflet of a place of your interest keeping in mind the following. (4)
a. Name of Place
b. Conveyance
c. Distance from Mumbai.
d. Climate
e. Things to do
(OR)
Write a speech to be delivered among your class mates, regarding eye donation.
Q7. Essay writing: (7)
Write an essay on any ONE of the following in about 250 words.
1. Mobile Phones a boon or curse?
2. A visit to a historical place.
3. Anna hazare as a social activists.
