English Question Paper 2023 [AHSEC Class 11 English Question Papers]

English Question Paper 2023
[AHSEC Class 11 English Question Papers]

Full Marks: 90

Time: 3 hours

Section A: Reading

1. The New Year is a time for resolutions. Mentally, at least, most of us could compile formidable lists of ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’. The same old favorites recur year in year out with monotonous regularity. We resolve to get up earlier each morning, eat less, find more time to play with the children, do a thousand and one jobs about the house, be nice to people we don’t like, drive carefully, and take the dog for a walk everyday. Past experience has taught us that certain accomplishments are beyond attainment. If we remain inveterate smokers, it is only because we have so often experienced the frustration that results from failure. Most of us fail in our efforts at self improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we never have time to carry them out. We also make the fundamental error of announcing our resolutions to everybody so that we look even more foolish when we slip back into out bad old ways. Aware of these pitfalls, this year I attempted to keep my resolutions to myself. I limited myself to two modest ambitious: to do physical exercise every morning and to read more of an evening. An all-night party on Yew year’s Eve provided me with a good excuse for not carrying out either of these new resolutions on the first day of the year, but on he second, I applied myself assiduously to the task.

The daily exercise lasted only eleven minutes and I proposed to them early in the morning before anyone had got up. The self-discipline required to drag myself out of bed eleven minutes earlier than usual was considerable. Nevertheless, I managed to creep down into the living room for two days before anyone found me out. After jumping about on the carpet and twisting the human frame into uncomfortable positions, I sat down at the breakfast table in an exhausted condition. It was this that betrayed me. The next morning the whole family trooped into watch the performance. That was really unsettling, but I fended off the taunts and jibes of the family good-humorously and soon everybody got used to the idea. However, my enthusiasm waned. The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. Little by little the eleven minutes fell to zero. By January 10^th, I was back to where I had started from. I argued that if I spent less time exhausting myself at exercises in the morning, I would keep my mind fresh for reading when I got home form work Resisting the hypnotizing effect of television, I sat in my room for a few evenings with my eyes glued to book. One night, however, feeling could and lonely, I went downstairs and sat in front of the television pretending to read. That proved to be my undoing, for I soon got back to my old bad habit of dozing off in front of the screen. I still haven’t given up my resolution to do more reading. In fact, I have just bought a book entitled How to Read a Thousand Words a Minutes. Perhaps it will solve my problem but I just haven’t had time to read it!

A. Choose the correct one: 1x6=6

a) ‘Resolution’ include

(i) Our favourite past time

(ii) Pledging not to do certain things

(iii) Pledging doing certain things

(iv) Pledging doing and not doing certain things

Ans. Iv. Pledging doing and not doing certain things

b) Past experiences have taught us that

(i) All accomplishments are attainable

(ii) Most of our promises are true

(iii) All our accomplishments are not attainable

(iv) We can do everything and anything

Ans. iii. All our accomplishments are not attainable

c) By January 10^th, the narrator

(i) Achieved what he aimed to do

(ii) Did nothing at all

(iii) Was to back to square one

(iv) Progressed and achieved

Ans. ii. Did nothing at all

d) The narrator wanted to save his energy in their morning for

(i) Exercises

(ii) Reading

(iii) Playing

(iv) Taking rest

Ans. ii Reading

e) The best time for resolutions is:

(i) Your birthday

(ii) The new year’s Eve

(iii) The new year

(iv) Christmas Day

Ans. iii The new year

f) Which of the following words in the passage stands for ‘mesmerizing’?

(i) Resolved

(ii) Betraying

(iii) Diminished

(iv) Hypnotizing

Ans. Hypnotizing

B. On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it, using recognizable abbreviations whenever necessary. Use a format you consider suitable. Supply a suitable title. 8

A. New Year: a time for resolution

(i) Resolve to get up earlier each morning,

(ii) Eat less,

(iii) Find more time to play with the children,

(iv) Be nice to people we don’t like,

(v) Drive carefully and take the dog for a walk everyday.

B. Certain accomplishments are beyond attainment.

(i) Most of us fail in our efforts at self-improvement.

(ii) We also make the fundamental error of announcing our resolutions to everybody.

C. The narrator’s resolutions

(i) To keep his resolutions to himself,

(ii) To do physical exercise every morning and to read more of an evening.

D. The narrator’s failure

(i) The daily exercises lasted only eleven minutes.

(ii) By January 10^th, he was back to where he started from.

Abbreviations used:

Don’t: Do not

Acmplisments: Accomplishments

Fndamntal: Fundamental

2. Read the following passage and write a summary on it. 6

As what geographers have estimated, about twenty percent of the earth’s surface is occupied by deserts. A majority of us view deserts as one unique kind of landscape – areas with little or not rainfalls.

In actual fact, there are differences between the deserts, though in varying degrees. While it is common for laymen like us to see deserts as rocky or covered with gravel or pebbles, there are some where large sand dunes inhabit. Despite the fact that rainfall is minimal, temperatures do change in deserts, ranging from seasonal ones to daily changes where extreme hotness and coldness are experienced in the day and night.

Unfavourable conditions in the deserts, especially the lack of water, have discouraged many living things from inhabiting these landscapes. Nevertheless, there are exceptionally surviving ones which through their superb tactics, have managed to live through and are still going strong. One such kind is the specialist annual plants which overcome seasonal temperature changes with their extremely short, active life cycles. In events of sudden rain, the plant seeds pullulate and grow very quickly to make full use of the rain water. Their flowers bloom and set seeds that ripen quickly in the hot sun too. Once the water runs dry, the mother plant dies, leaving behind the drought-resistant seeds, waiting patiently for the next rainy season to arrive.

The Cacti, a native in American deserts, adapts to the dry surroundings by having unique body structures. The plant has swollen stems to help store water that carries it through months. By having sharp pines instead of leaves, water loss through respiration is minimized. Besides, these pointed pines also help the plant ward off grazing animals, thus enhancing its survival period.

Besides plants, there are also animals with distinct surviving tactics in deserts too. For instance, Skinks (desert lizards) metabolize stored fats in their bulbous tails, producing water to supplement their needs, just like what camels do with the stored food in their humps during long journeys through deserts. Antelopes like the addax, have very low water needs and hence are able to tolerate the conditions in deserts, extracting moisture from the food they eat.

Finally, there are the sand grouses (desert birds) which do not have special features to overcome the drought-like nature in deserts. Hence, to survive in these hot, dry deserts, they need to spend a large part of their time flying in search of waterholes.

Ans. Despite the dry conditions in the deserts, some plants and animals still manage to survive there. One of them is the specialist annual plants. Their short life cycles allow them to germinate, grow and produce seeds during short rainy seasons. These seeds are drought-resistant and are able to wait for the next rainy season before starting their life cycles again. The Cacti adapts to the dry weather by having swollen stems for water storage and pine-like leaves to minimize water loss through respiration. Skinks generate water from stored fats in their tails and antelopes which requires very little water, survives in deserts by extracting water from food they eat. Finally, sand grouse with no adaptive features turn to waterholes constantly for help.

SECTION B: WRITING

3. You are Neeraj/Nandita working for India Today Last Week you attended a seminar on ‘Pleasure of Eye Donation’, organized by the Young Buzz of your district. Write a report of this seminar in about 100 words taking help from the hints given in the output for the Times of India. Seminar ‘Pleasure of eye donation’ – organized by young buzz all famous eye surgeons of the town-spoke on the importance of eye donation-50 volunteers offered donation after death-seminar, a great success. 7

Ans: Pleasure of Eye Donation

Tinsukia, 8 Febuary,2013: A seminar on ‘’Importance of Eye Doantion ’’ was organized in Tinsukia College by young Buzz of Tinsukia district. More than two hundred students along with teachers joined the seminar.

To spread awareness about eye donation this seminar was organized where team of doctors from Assam Medical College gave insights into who can and cannot donate eyes and the time constraints to be followed by the family members of the deceased for the process of the donation. The visitors to the saminar had their doubts cleared

Addressing the participants, Dr Anuradha said that any person (man or woman) of any blood group can donate their eyes on their death to the blind.

“The corneal blind people can be benefitted by this. The cornea from a dead person must be removed within six to eight hours of the death. It takes just 15 to 20 minutes to remove the cornea from the deceased’s eyes, resulting in no distortion on the face,” said Dr Anuradha. 50 volunteers offered donation after death for the benefit of humankind The programme got overwhelming reponsee form both students and teachers.

Reported by - Neeraj/Nandita

Imagine yourself to be a reporter of New Age, Delhi. Taking help from the input given below, write a report on the running over of two young school children by a Blue Line bus in Guwahati in about 100 words.

4. To enforce strict discipline in schools and colleges is a great problem now-a-days. As Mohan/Mohini, write an article in about 100-150 words for the Hindustan Times about the problems and your views on punishment as a corrective measure. 7

Ans: Punishment as a Corrective Measure

They say "spare the rod and spoil the child". To an extent it is true. Punishment has been used as corrective measure since ages. Be it our old 'ashrams', 'Gurukuls' or the convents of the West, teachers around the world have been using punishment as a corrective measure. The growing indiscipline in schools and colleges has become a great problem now-a-days. Should we use the rod? Easier said than done. We are living in the age of computers. Punishment as a corrective measure won't work at all. It is inhuman and insulting. Physical punishment crushes the initiative and innocence in a child.In schools and colleges such measures are counter productive. They discourage healthy relationship between teachers and students. Their relationship should be based on mutual love and respect. But human society is not a society of angles. Some kind of punishment may be necessary. It may not be physical punishment. The erring and indisciplined students can be fined. No doubt, the parents will have to suffer for the misdeeds of their wards.But there is no other alternative deterrent. Irregular students should be detained and not allowed to appear in the examinations. Such kind of punishment should be used only in rare cases. They shouldn't be used as a habit. Teachers must serve as a role models of their students. Teachers should serve as a role-model for their students so that they can see and learn the lessons directly from them rather than going astray like a rudderless ship in the society.

5. Write a letter to the General Manager, MTNL, complaining against unsatisfactory working of your telephone. 6

Ans:

To, Date : 10/12/2013

The General Manager

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited

Saket Nagar

Kanpur

Sub:- Complaining about the unsatisfactory working of your telephone No-223453

Dear Sir,

This is to inform you that the telephone service provided by you is not satisfactory from one week. We pay our telephone bill on time but we get poor service in return. I am not able to phone someone from one week. Either the phone becomes dead or otherwise it works one way only .My family members especially my old grandparents who does not have mobile facility so they are dependent to phone someone from telephone. So they have a lot of problems by the poor facility of your service.

In such circumstance, I request you to direct your staff to take a prompt action in the matter. Thanking You

Yours truly,

Samharsh

(Saket Nagar,Kanpur)

SECTION – C

6. Correct the following sentences: 1x4=4

(a) There is still little water in the tank; use it sparingly.

Ans. There is little water in the tank; use it sparingly.

(b) I am knowing you.

Ans. I know you.

Ans. He usually goes to school at 7 a.m.

(d) The clerk has already typed the letter before the Principal summoned him to do so.

Ans. The clerk had already typed the letter before the Principal summoned him to do so.

7. In the passage below, there is an error in each line. Fine the error and write the correct word in your answer sheet. The first one has been done as an example. ½ x8=4

Sometimes even those children which work e.g. which ………….. who hard

Fail where they are guided by those a when

People who no one has ever told about b whom

Human psychology. Those which think that c who

Hard work is everything they offer

No offer place to know how the child can play and d children

Tell no stories when the child can enjoy e children

Knowing about child psychology will help

Greatly in understanding when a child behaves f how

Properly. It is the best way where everything g anything

About the child can be known. Then we think h if

Of it, we shall understand everything.

8. Combine the following sentences into one complex sentence: 1x4=4

(a) I could not attend the meeting. I am sorry to tell you this.

Ans. I am sorry to tell you that I could not attend the meeting.

(b) There goes my neighbor. I dislike him most.

Ans. There goes my neighbor, whom I dislike most.

Ans. Do not eat too much or you will be ill.

(d) I can not go. I have no ticket.

Ans. As I have no ticket, I cannot go.

9. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs given in brackets. 1x4=4

(a) I…………….. (read) in this school since 1980.

Ans. I have been reading in this school since 1980.

(b) She never …………… (tell) a lie.

Ans. She never tells a lie.

Ans. You were sleeping when I entered the room.

(d) What ………….. (do) you now?

Ans. What are you doing now?

10. Look at the sentences given below. Reorder them to form meaningful sentences: 1x4=4

(i) he/stepped out/had/hardly/it began/when/to rain.

Ans. He had hardly stepped out, when it began to rain.

(ii) is expected/to do/everyman/his duty.

Ans. Everyman is expected to do his duty.

(iii) the book/out of/print/is/you/mentioned/which.

Ans. The book, which you mentioned is out of print.

(iv) how/you had/at the interview/done/us/let know.

Ans. Let us know, how you had done at the interview.

SECTION – D: TEXT BOOK

11. Read the stanza given below and answer the questions that follow it. 1x6=6

‘The cardboard shows me how it was

When the two girl cousins went paddling

Each one holding one of my mother’s hands,

And she the big girl-some twelve years or so

All these stood to smile through their hair

At uncle with the camera’

(a) The photograph shows

(i) The poet and his mother

(ii) The poet and his cousins

(iii) The poet’s mother and her cousins

(iv) The poet’s mother and her friends.

Ans. iii the poet’s mother and her cousins

(b) ‘Paddling’ in the second line means

(i) Walking in shallow water with so shoes or socks

(ii) Paddling a boat

(iii) Paddling a bike

(iv) Swimming up and down

Ans. I walking in shallow water with no shoes or socks

(i) The poet’s grandmother

(ii) The eldest sister of poet’s mother

(iii) The poet’s mother

(iv) The eldest cousin of the poet

Ans. iii The poet’s mother

(d) All three stood still

(i) In a ship

(ii) On the ground

(iii) On a hill

(iv) At the sea beach

Ans. iv At the sea beach

(e) The names of the two cousins standing with the mother were

(i) Susan and Sarin

(ii) Enna and Anna

(iii) Betty and Dolly

(iv) Mack and Jack

Ans. iii Betty and Dolly

(f) Pick out the correct option of the opposite of the word ‘shows’ from the alternative given below:

(i) Reveals

(ii) Displays

(iii) Hides

(iv) Avoids

Ans. iii Hides.

‘The laburnum top is silent, quiet still

In the afternoon yellow September sunlight

A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen’

(a) The laburnum top is silent because

(i) It is afternoon time

(ii) It is quiet all around

(iii) The goldfinch has not come

(iv) There is no bird near the trees

Ans. iii The goldfinch has not come

(b) Goldfinch is a

(i) Small animal with dark colour

(ii) Small singing bird with yellow feathers

(iii) Small duck with while feathers

(iv) Slack sparrow

Ans. ii Small singing bird with yellow feathers

(i) Shirley Toulson

(ii) Ted Hughes

(iii) Walt Whitman

(iv) R. Tagore

Ans. ii Ted Hughes

(d) ‘Laburnum’ is

(i) A small hill

(ii) A short tree with hanging branches

(iii) Herbal plant

(iv) Bush

Ans. ii A short tree with hanging branches

(e) These lines describe the laburnum tree

(i) In winter

(ii) In summer

(iii) In autumn

(iv) In spring

Ans. iii In autumn

(f) The word ‘still’ here means

(i) Continuing until a particular point in time

(ii) Despite what has been said

(iii) Some more time left

(iv) Calm and quiet

Ans. I Continuing until a particular point in time

12. Answer the following questions: 2x3=6

a) What does the rain do day and night?(N)

b) How is the father’s helplessness brought out in the poem, ‘Father to Son’?(N)

13. Answer the following questions in not more than thirty words 3x5=15

a) Which train did Professor Gaitonde Travel by? Where was he going to? Why?

b) What were the results of the CT scan?

c) What was the first indication of the impending disaster?

d) How does Khuswant Singh describe his grandmother?(N)

e) Who was Wu Daozi?(N)

14. Answer the following question in about hundred words: 4

a) Describe the role of Millie Crocker Harris in ‘The Browning Version’?

Why is the story called, ‘The adventure’?

15. Answer any of the following in not more than hundred words: 4

a) Give a character sketch of the narrator’s cousin Mourad.

b) The story ‘The Address’ is divided into pre war and post war times. What hardships do you think the girl underwent during these times?

16. Answer any two of the following questions in not more than thirty words: 2 ½ x2=5

i. How did the villagers welcome Ranga?

ii. Suggest a few instances in the poem ‘The tale of Melon city’ which highlight humour and irony.

iii. What impressions of Shahid do you gather from ‘The Ghat of the only World’?

English Question Paper 2023 [AHSEC Class 11 English Question Papers]