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SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER (2020–21)English – Language and Literature

Time allowed: 3 Hours Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions:

1. This paper is divided into two parts: A and B. All questions are compulsory. 2. Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions very carefully and follow them. 3. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

Part A (40 Marks)

READING (20 marks)

1. Read the passage given below.

1. Long years ago, sometimes it seems many lives ago, I was at Oxford listening to the radio programme Desert Island Discs with my young son Alexander. It was a well-known programme (for all I know it still continues) on which famous people from all walks of life were invited to talk about the eight discs, the one book beside the Bible and the complete works of Shakespeare, and the one luxury item they would wish to have with them were they to be marooned on a deserted island. At the end of the programme, which we had both enjoyed, Alexander asked me if I thought I might ever be invited to speak on Desert Island Discs. “Why not?” I responded lightly. Since he knew that in general only celebrities took part in the programme, he proceeded to ask, with genuine interest, for what reason I thought I might be invited. I considered this for a moment and then answered: “Perhaps because I’d have won the Nobel Prize for Literature,” and we both laughed. The prospect seemed pleasant but hardly probable. (I cannot now remember why I gave that answer, perhaps because I had recently read a book by a Nobel Laureate or perhaps because the Desert Island celebrity of that day had been a famous writer.)

2. In 1989, when my late husband Michael Aris came to see me during my first term of house arrest, he told me that a friend, John Finnis, had nominated me for the Nobel Peace Prize. This time also I laughed. For an instant

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Michael looked amazed, then he realized why I was amused. The Nobel Peace Prize? A pleasant prospect, but quite improbable! So how did I feel when I was actually awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace? The question has been put to me many times and this is surely the most appropriate occasion on which to examine what the Nobel Prize means to me and what peace means to me.

3. As I have said repeatedly in many interviews, I heard the news that I had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on the radio one evening. It did not altogether come as a surprise because I had been mentioned as one of the frontrunners for the prize in a number of broadcasts during the previous week. While drafting this lecture, I have tried very hard to remember what my immediate reaction to the announcement of the award had been. I think, I can no longer be sure, it was something like: “Oh, so they’ve decided to give it to me.” It did not seem quite real because in a sense I did not feel myself to be quite real at that time.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer ANY TEN questions from the twelve that follow. (1×10 = 10)

i. Desert Island Discs was a a. television programme. b. series of interviews of celebrities. c. radio programme. d. reading of the Bible.

ii. The ‘eight discs’ probably refer to a. flying discs or frisbees with which the marooned person can play on

the island. b. musical tracks. c. eight plates for serving food. d. eight disc-like objects that the marooned person is fond of and would

like to have on the island.

iii. What prospect made the author and her son laugh? a. The author could be invited to the Desert Island Discs show. b. The author could be a famous writer. c. The author could win the Nobel Prize for Literature. d. The author could win the Nobel Peace Prize.

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iv. Which two kinds of book could the guests on the show not take with them to the deserted island?

a. The Bible and their autobiography. b. A play of Shakespeare and the Bible. c. All works of Shakespeare and the Bible. d. All works of Shakespeare and books by Nobel Laureates.

v. What is the question that has been put to the author many times? a. Will she be invited to the Desert Island Discs show? b. Will she be given the Nobel Prize for Literature? c. Who nominated her for the Nobel Peace Prize? d. How did she feel when she was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace?

vi. Why wasn’t the author surprised when she heard that she had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize?

a. She knew that she was one of the frontrunners for the prize. b. She was sure her nomination by John Finnis would get her the prize. c. She had heard a number of broadcasts during the previous week which

predicted her win. d. She was under house arrest, and nothing affected her anymore.

vii. How do we know that Desert Island Discs was a popular radio programme? a. All celebrities used to come on the show. b. It was still running years later when the author was writing the lecture

of which the passage is a part. c. The author and her son enjoyed it. d. Everyone found the idea of being marooned on an island improbable

but pleasant.

viii. What news did the author receive in 1989? a. She had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. b. Her late husband had come to meet her. c. She had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. d. She would be placed under house arrest.

ix. ‘marooned’ in para 1 means a. disowned b. isolated

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c. socially well connected d. made to live in a healthy environment

x. ‘genuine’ in para 1 means a. unreal feelings b. pretence c. honestly felt d. inspirited

xi. ‘appropriate’ in para 2 means a. suitable b. inapt c. peaceful d. unexpected

xii. ‘improbable’ in para 3 means a. likely to take place very soon b. only a dream c. possible to carry out d. unlikely to take place

2. Read the passage given below.

1. Here’s good news for tiger conservationists, tiger authorities and wildlife lovers celebrating International Tiger Day. According to the latest census of 2018 released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on International Tiger Day, India is home to 2,967 tigers. What makes this figure significant is that it is an increase by a third as compared to 2014 and more than double as compared to 2006. The latest census also reveals the states with the highest tiger populations and those with the lower ones, along with the economic value (pegged between 4200 crores to 16000 crores annually) of tiger reserves in the country. See the given infographic.

2. The latest tiger census is very encouraging, and points to the successful strategies, methods and techniques being adopted and pursued by wildlife authorities and wildlife conservationists to protect the tiger.

3. The tiger census 2018 was taken after a painstaking 15 months’ work where the forest officials surveyed 3,81,400 sq km of forested habitats. During the same period of time, they also installed 26,760 camera traps, with wildlife biologists going through 35 million images of wildlife. Of this astounding number of images, 76,523 were those of tigers. It is estimated that almost 83% of the entire tiger population was represented in these images.

4. The figures are certainly cause for enthusiasm, and a great deal of it was reflected in the address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on International Tiger Day. In it, he also stressed on the need for striking a healthy balance

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between development and environment. Addressing this issue, he went on to say, “There is a very old debate – development or environment. Both sides present views as if they are mutually exclusive. In our policies, in our economics, we have to change the conversation about conservation. I am confident that India will prosper both economically and environmentally. India will build more roads and India will have cleaner rivers. India will have better train connectivity and also greater tree coverage.”

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, attempt ANY TEN questions from the twelve that follow. (1×10 = 10)

i. Which of the following would be the most appropriate heading for the above passage?

India’s tigers (states with highest populations)

Tiger populationsRussia 433Indonesia 371Malaysia 250Nepal 198Thailand 189Bangladesh 106Bhutan 103Myanmar 85Rest of world 14

2010: India and 12 other countries sign agreement to double 2006 tiger numbers by 2022

India is home to 2,967 tigersThe total number of tigers in India stands at 2,967, or more than

70 per cent of the wild tigers that inhabit the world, according to the All India tiger Estimation Report for 2018

2,967

2,2261,706

1,411

2018201420102006Uttarakhand 442

Madhya Pradesh 526

Maharashtra 312

Karnataka 524

Kerala 190Tamil Nadu 264

Uttar Pradesh 173Assam 190

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a. The Return of the Cats b. The Roar of the Lion c. The King Makes a Comeback d. The Roar is Back

ii. According to the 2018 survey, tick the statement which is true regarding the number of tigers in each state.

a. Madhya Pradesh vies closely with Karnataka for the first place. b. Uttarakhand trails behind Karnataka by 100 tigers. c. The combined tiger population of Kerala and Tamil Nadu is less than

that of Uttarakhand. d. Assam has more tigers as compared to Tamil Nadu.

iii. India achieved its target of doubling its tiger population years ahead of the target year.

a. 3 b. 4 c. 5 d. 6

iv. The tiger population statistics of the world reveal that the tiger population

of the top three states of India that of the whole world. a. is as much as b. is less than c. is equal to d. is more than

v. In the passage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentions development along with environment conservation in India. Which of the following does not convey his intent?

a. More roads – more afforestation b. More infrastructure – cleaner rivers c. More cities – more eco-friendly vehicles d. More train connectivity – cleaner railway platforms

vi. Among India’s neighbouring countries, which country has the highest tiger population?

a. Nepal b. Bhutan c. Bangladesh d. Myanmar

vii. Select the statement that is false. a. The economic value of tiger reserves runs to thousands of crores. b. Madhya Pradesh has the largest population of tigers. c. Though home to the famous Royal Bengal Tiger, West Bengal is not

among the top tiger states of India. d. The total area of forested habitats in India is 3,81,400 sq km.

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viii. The census was the result of a ‘painstaking effort’. Which of the following words can best replace ‘painstaking’ in the given context?

a. feverish b. haphazard c. slapdash d. assiduous

ix. What is the ‘old debate’ that the prime minister refers to? a. conversation vs conservation b. environment vs development c. roads vs rivers d. more roads vs greater tree coverage

x. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true? a. India is fighting a losing battle where tiger conservation is concerned. b. The wildlife authorities are doing little to track tiger population. c. India, along with 12 countries, signed an agreement to double the tiger

population by 2022. d. There is little reason for India to celebrate its feat of an early target

achievement.

xi. Which of the following statements is false? The tiger statistics of India and the world show that

a. Kerala and Assam have exactly the same number of tigers. b. Japan has more tigers as compared to Thailand. c. Malaysia’s tiger population is slightly less than that of Tamil Nadu. d. with 2967 tigers, India accounts for more than 70% of the world’s tiger

population.

xii. The passage opens with the line: Here’s good news for tiger conservationists … Tick the sentence which uses the apostrophe in the same manner as used in the opening sentence.

a. The prime minister’s speech reflected enthusiasm. b. The results of the census were announced by India’s prime minister,

Shri Narendra Modi. c. The census was carried out after 15 months’ painstaking effort. d. The economic value of tigers is high. It is pegged somewhere between

4200 crores and 16000 crores.

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LITERATURE (10 marks)

3. Read the extracts given below and attempt ANY ONE, by answering the questions that follow. (5 × 1)

[A] Let me put it more clearly, since no one will believe that a thirteen-year-old girl is completely alone in the world. And I’m not. I have loving parents and a sixteen-year-old sister, and there are about thirty people I can call friends. I have a family, loving aunts and a good home. No, on the surface I seem to have everything, except my one true friend. All I think about when I’m with friends is having a good time. I can’t bring myself to talk about anything but ordinary everyday things. We don’t seem to be able to get any closer, and that’s the problem. Maybe it’s my fault that we don’t confide in each other. In any case, that’s just how things are, and unfortunately they’re not liable to change. This is why I’ve started the diary.

i. In this excerpt, what is Anne Frank trying to put ‘more clearly’? a. The fact that she does not have a friend b. The fact that she has a loving family c. The reason for starting a diary d. Why she only talks about ordinary, everyday things with her friends

ii. ‘No, on the surface I seem to have everything.’ What does Anne mean when she says this?

a. In reality, I don’t have anything. b. It appears that I have everything. c. I have everything but a good friend. d. It seems that I have everything but one true friend.

iii. Choose the option that lists the set of statements that are not true according to the given extract.

1. Anne is a sixteen-year-old girl. 2. Anne can’t confide in her friends. 3. Anne misses having a loving family and a good home. 4. Anne wants to be close enough to her friends to be able to confide in

them. 5. Her relationship with her friends is not likely to change. 6. The lack of a true friend has made Anne start writing a diary.

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7. The problem is that Anne can’t trust any of her friends enough to confide in them.

a. 2, 4, 6 b. 1, 3, 7 c. 3, 5, 7 d. 4, 5, 6

iv. ‘In any case, that’s just how things are, and unfortunately they’re not liable to change.’ What tone can you discern in this statement?

a. Anne is embarrassed because it is her fault that the situation does not change.

b. Anne wants to change the situation. So, she begins writing the diary. c. Anne is sad that the situation will not change despite trying. d. Anne has accepted the situation. She knows she can do nothing to

change it.

v. Which of these words is not similar in meaning to ‘liable’? a. responsible b. likely c. unlikely d. susceptible

Or

[B] He stepped slowly out to the brink of the ledge, and standing on one leg with the other leg hidden under his wing, he closed one eye, then the other, and pretended to be falling asleep. Still they took no notice of him. He saw his two brothers and his sister lying on the plateau dozing with their heads sunk into their necks. His father was preening the feathers on his white back. Only his mother was looking at him. She was standing on a little high hump on the plateau, her white breast thrust forward. Now and again, she tore at a piece of fish that lay at her feet and then scrapped each side of her beak on the rock. The sight of the food maddened him. How he loved to tear food that way, scrapping his beak now and again to whet it.

i. The seagull pretended to be asleep because a. he wanted to show that he was not interested in what his family was

doing. b. he did not want to fly. c. he wanted his family to notice him. d. he wanted to show that he was not hungry.

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ii. The seagull’s father was a. cleaning his feathers. b. smoothening the feathers on his back. c. grooming his feathers. d. All of the above

iii. Which of the following describes the seagull’s condition? 1. hungry 2. wanting attention 3. impatient 4. frustrated 5. restive 6. infuriated 7. troubled 8. irritable a. 1, 2, 5, 6 b. 2, 3, 4, 6 c. 1, 3, 6, 8 d. 4, 6, 7, 8

iv. The seagull would scrape his beak now and then to a. clean it. b. sharpen it. c. tear the fish. d. eat the fish.

v. The extract uses the phrase, ‘tore at a piece of fish’. Which of the following expressions is incorrect with respect to the word ‘tore’?

1. up the letter

tore 2. away from the crowd4. down the building

3. in the room

a. 1. b. 2. c. 3. d. 4.

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4. Read the extracts given below and attempt ANY ONE, by answering the questions that follow. (5 × 1)

[A] Belinda paled, and she cried Help! Help! But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp, Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household, And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed.

But up jumped Custard, snorting like an engine, Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon, With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm, He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.

i. Ink ‘trickled down’ to the bottom of the household. This tells us that he moved

a. quietly and stealthily. b. fluidly, like water. c. quickly but silently. d. slowly but surely.

ii. ‘Strategically mouseholed’ suggests that Blink’s action was a. the quickest one. b. tactical and pragmatic. c. unrealistic. d. cowardly.

iii. Custard has been compared to a/an a. dragon, engine and dungeon. b. dragon, worm and robin. c. engine, robin and irons. d. engine and robin.

iv. In the extract, the words that suggest sounds are a. jumped, snorting, clatter, clank, jangling. b. yelp, mouseholed, clatter, clashed, snorting. c. yelp, snorting, clashed, clatter, clank, jangling. d. yelp, snorting, clashed, clank, jangling, squirm.

v. The irony in these two stanzas is that a. Custard was called a coward though he was the brave one. b. the name Custard suggests that he was soft and wobbly whereas he

was as robust as an engine. c. Custard is a fiery dragon, but he is being compared to a small bird. d. the deadly pirate is overpowered by the cowardly dragon.

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Or

[B] Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with the mania of owning things,

Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived thousands of years ago,

Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. So they show their relations to me and I accept them, They bring me tokens of myself, they evince them plainly in their possession

i. In this extract, by pointing out what animals are not, the poet points to a. the condemnable things that humans do. b. the similarity between them and humans. c. the similarity between them and himself. d. the unhappy and dissatisfied beings that humans are.

ii. The second line in the extract censures a. the human custom of revering saints and prophets. b. the human custom of kneeling before another person. c. Only Option b. d. Both Options a. and b.

iii. Regarding the extract, which of the following statements is not correct? a. The animals portray a state of being that humans have left far behind. b. The animals are unaffected by civilization, and so do not do the things

that humans do. c. The animals show the poet glimpses of his true nature. d. The animals try to tell the poet that they are related to him.

iv. Which of these words cannot replace ‘evince’ in the last line? a. display b. show c. manifest d. evolve

v. In the first three lines, what human emotions is the poet critical of? a. Dissatisfaction, greed and unhappiness b. Dissatisfaction and greed c. Dissatisfaction, greed, reverence, respectability and unhappiness d. Dissatisfaction, mania and unhappiness

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GRAMMAR (10 marks)

5. Choose the correct options to fill in the blanks to complete the note about the need to preserve old buildings. (3 × 1)

Before demolishing old buildings, think about this. There is so much – i – from them. They are landmarks of a place that – ii – its history. They are the repositories of architectural and design features that are a luxury today. Old buildings remind us of our heritage and – iii – to our neighbourhoods. A city with no old buildings is like a city without any history, without stories and legends, and without founders and pioneers.

i. a. we must learn b. we can learn c. we should learn d. we have to learn

ii. a. reflects b. reflect c. are reflecting d. will reflect

iii. a. brings a certain character and charm b. brought a certain character and charm c. bring a certain character and charm d. bring the certain character and charm

6. Choose the correct options to fill in the blanks to complete the narration of the conversation below. (3 × 1)

Teacher: That is a beautiful painting, Garima!

Garima: Thank you, Ma’am!

Teacher: You have used colours nicely. But tell me, why have you coloured the field light green this side of the fence and dark green on the other side? You could have made the colour darker more gradually.

Garima: But Ma’am, isn’t there a saying that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence?

The teacher saw Garima painting a beautiful picture. She – i –. Garima thanked her teacher. The teacher complimented her on her use of colours.

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However, she was puzzled as to why Garima – ii – the field light green one side of the fence and dark green on the other. Garima replied that she was just following the saying that – iii – on the other side of the fence.

i. a. exclaimed what a beautiful painting it was b. said what a beautiful painting it was c. asked how Garima made such a beautiful picture d. told Garima that it was a beautiful picture

ii. a. coloured b. had coloured c. was colouring d. had been colouring

iii. a. the grass was always greener b. grass was always greener c. the grass is always greener d. the grass are always greener

7. Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct options for ANY FOUR of the six sentences given below. (4 × 1)

i. My grandmother make a variety of pickles every summer. a. must b. would c. could d. may

ii. Thirty kilometres a long distance to commute every day. a. are b. were c. is d. had been

iii. Only people have registered for the course. a. a few b. few c. a little d. much

iv. You can buy tickets from third counter. a. a b. that c. this d. the

v. I a strange noise the moment I opened the door. a. had heard b. heard c. was hearing d. had been hearing

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vi. Our trainer us to five miles every day. a. had told, ran b. is asking, running c. instructs, ran d. instructed, run

Part B WRITING (2 × 5 = 10 marks)

8. Attempt ANY ONE of the following in 100–120 words. (5 marks)

[A] You are Ramya/Ramesh, a resident of Maharshi Colony, Lucknow. Over the last few weeks, more than a dozen trees have been felled in your area to make space for a local market.

Write a letter to the Editor of Lucknow Times, drawing attention to this indiscriminate felling of trees. Raise the question as to how such an action could be permitted by the authorities. Express the hope that the newspaper will highlight the issue and thereby stop any further felling of trees.

Or

[B] You are Sumaya/Somesh from Palta Nagar, Asansol, West Bengal. Write a letter to the Manager, Park View Resorts, Ooty, enquiring about the rates for a 4-day, 3-night budget accommodation and the amenities available at the resort. Also ask about any transportation facility, if available, and sightseeing services offered by the resort.

9. Attempt ANY ONE of the following in 100–120 words. (5 marks)

[A] Study the pie charts given below. They show the music preferences of two age groups, 15–25 years and 45–55 years. Observe the data and write an analytical paragraph on it.

15–25 Years 45–55 Years

Classical (30%)

Classical (7%)

Pop (15%)

Pop (30%)

Country (38%)

Country (5%)

Rock (2%)

Rock (55%)

Jazz (15%)Jazz (3%)

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Or

[B] India is a world leader today in the global pharmaceutical sector. An overview of the Indian pharmaceutical industry is given below. Based on the outline, write an analytical paragraph on the topic.

i. India largest provider of generic drugs globally – supplies 50% of global demand for vaccines – 80% of antiretroviral drugs used to combat AIDS

ii. Market size: a. By 2025 Indian pharma sector expected to reach USD 100 billion b. India’s domestic turnover USD 20.03 billion in 2019, up 9.8% from 2018 c. Exports from India USD 20.70 billion in 2020

iii. Recent initiatives and developments: a. Indian pharmaceutical exports boosted as branded drugs worth USD

55 billion became off-patent in 2017-2019 b. USD 1.3 billion fund to manufacture pharmaceutical ingredients

domestically by 2023 c. ‘Pharma Vision 2020’ to make India a global leader in end-to-end drug

manufacture – approval time reduced to boost investment

LITERATURE (30 marks)

10. Answer ANY TWO questions in 20–30 words each, from [A] and [B] respectively. (2 × 4 = 8)

[A] (any two) (2 × 2 = 4)

i. How did the pader and his family look? Why is a person with a plump physique compared to a baker?

ii. Why do you think there was a deep silence in the class after Miss Mason read out Mr Petronski’s letter?

iii. Lencho had only ‘one hope’. What was it? What had Lencho been told about it?

[B] (any two) (2 × 2 = 4)

i. How did Dr Urquhart help Ebright win prizes in county and international science fairs?

ii. What would Matilda often think about when her husband was away at office?

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iii. Why does the author say that he came to know New Mullion better than he did the city?

11. Answer ANY TWO questions in 40–50 words each, from [A] and [B] respectively. (3 × 4 = 12)

[A] (any two) (3 × 2 = 6)

i. As a young man, Mandela realized that his boyhood freedom had been an ‘illusion’. Why?

ii. Amanda does not look at her parent when she speaks to her. What does this tell you about how Amanda feels?

iii. In ‘The Ball Poem’, why is a dime or another ball worthless to the boy?

[B] (any two) (3 × 2 = 6)

i. Mrs Pumphrey kept Tricki in the lap of luxury. But Tricki needed something else. Discuss briefly.

ii. Who do you think was more sensitive as a parent – Bholi’s mother or her father? Give reasons.

iii. Anil was not only a trusting but also a most empathetic employer. Discuss this statement with regard to Anil’s behaviour towards Hari.

12. Answer ANY ONE of the following in 100–120 words. (5 × 1)

[A] The Proposal is a play about rich people wanting to marry for economic reasons, overlooking the fact that they do not get along well. Discuss.

Or

[B] Sometimes one needs to be unkind to be kind. Discuss this statement with reference to ‘His First Flight’.

13. Answer ANY ONE of the following in 100–120 words. (5 × 1)

[A] Imagine you are one of the people at the Inn. Write a brief description of what happened the day Jaffers came to arrest Griffin.

Or

[B] The Loisels had been scrupulously honest. They returned the necklace even if they had to run into huge debts for it. Yet, had they been honest with Mrs Forestier at the beginning, they could have avoided ten years of hardship. Discuss the irony of the situation.

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