2017
H.S. 2nd
Year
ENGLISH
Full Marks : 100
Pass Marks: 30
Time : Three hours
SECTION A
1. Read the following passage
carefully:
Today’s woman is a highly self-directed
person, alive to the sense of her dignity and the importance of her functions
in the private domestic domain and the public domain of the world of work.
Women are rational in approach, careful in handling situation and want to do
things as best as possible. The Fourth World Conference of Women held in
Beijing in September 1995 had emphasized that no enduring solution of society’s
most threatening social, economic and political problems could be found without
the participation and empowerment of the women. The 1995 World Summit for
Social Development had also emphasized the pivotal role of women in eradicating
poverty and mending the social fabric.
The Constitution of India had
conferred on women equal rights and opportunities – political, social,
educational and of employment – with men. Because of oppressive traditions,
superstitions, exploitation and corruption, a majority of women are not allowed
to enjoy the rights and opportunities, bestowed on them. One of the major
reasons for this state of affairs is the lack of literacy and awareness among
women. Education is the main instrument through which we can narrow down the
prevailing inequality and accelerate the process of economic and political
change in the status of women.
The role of women in a society is
very important. Women’s education is the key to a better life in the future. A
recent World Bank study says that educating girls is not a charity, it is good
economics and if developing nations are to eradicate poverty, they must educate
the girls. The report says that the economic and social returns on investment
in education of the girls considerably affect the human development index of
the nation. Society would progress only if the status of women is respected and
the presence of an educated woman in the family would ensure education of the
family itself. Education and empowerment of women are closely related.
On the basis of your reading of
the passage answer the following questions:
(a) Mention some of the qualities
of today’s women. 2
(b) Where was the Fourth World
conference of women held and what did it emphasis? 1 +1=2
(c) What factors prevent a
majority of women from enjoying their rights and opportunities? 2
(d) What can education do for the
cause of women? 2
(e) What is the observation of
World Bank on girl education? 2
SECTION B
2. Design a poster for the
World-Environment Day creating awareness among the people about the threats of
environment degradation. (Maximum 50 words) 5
Or
You are Binod / Seema, the
Cultural Secretary of St. Anthony’s College, Guwahati. Draft a notice, in not
more than 50 words, for the notice board informing the students about the
“Inter-College Song and Dance Competition” that your institution is going to
organize. 5
3. You recently visited some
flood-affected areas of Dhemaji District. As a press reporter of an English Daily
write a report on the flood situation in 100-125 words. You are Amar / Nitu. 10
Or
You are Gopal / Anita of Govt.
Higher Secondary School, Karimganj. Your school has organized a Blood Donation
Camp on the occasion of its Golden Jubilee Celebrations. Write a report in
100-125 words as an editor for your school magazine, on this widely acclaimed
activity. 10
4. Write a letter to the editor
of an English Daily drawing the attention of the authorities concerned to the
menace of reckless driving in your town. You are Mukul / Ayesha. 10
Or
You are Rita / Gourav. You have
seen an advertisement for the post of a Sales Executive in a reputed company.
Write an application to the Regional Director of the Company in response to the
advertisement applying for the post. 10
SECTION C
5. Change the form of narration
in the following sentences: 2 x2=4
(a) The boy said to the teacher,
“Sir, I am weak in English and seek your advice.” “Read the text thoroughly and
try to express your ideas in simple correct English,” said the teacher.
(b) My friend told me that he was
very thirsty and requested me to give him a glass of water.
6. Change the voice of any three
of the following sentences: 3 x1=3
(a) Football is played
everywhere.
(b) Do the work immediately.
(c) Who opened the door?
(d) I have lost my book.
(e) The coach is training the
players.
(f) Who has broken the window
pane?
7. Rewrite any five of the
following sentences using the verbs given in brackets in their correct tense
forms: 5 x1=5
(a) Recently the price of petrol
_______ (go) up.
(b) I _____ (do) a lot of work
today.
(c) The train ______ (leave)
before we reached the station.
(d) I wish my brother ________
(be) here.
(e) As he ________ (cross) the
road a bus knocked him down.
(f) I ______ (think) of going
aboard for quite sometime.
(g) This paper ________ (appear)
twice a week.
8. Rewrite any four of the
following sentences filling in the blanks with appropriate prepositions: 4 x1=4
(a) I met him ______ the road.
(b) I congratulate you _______
your success.
(c) John was annoyed _______ his
mother.
(d) The work should be finished
______ next Friday.
(e) We are not interested _______
your story.
(f) He was frightened _______ the
noise.
9. Rewrite any four of the
sentences as directed: 4 x1=4
(a) The Brahmaputra is the
longest river in India. (Change it into positive degree)
(b) Everybody wishes to be happy.
(Make it interrogative)
(c) Only Ram was present there.
(Make it negative without changing the meaning)
(d) He desired that I should go
there. (Make it a simple sentence)
(e) He is so lazy that he cannot
shine in life. (Make it a simple sentence)
(f) Having done his work he left
the place. (Make it a compound sentence)
SECTION D
10. Read one of the following
extracts and answer the questions that follow:
(a) “The little old house was out
with a
little new shed
In front at the edge of the road
where the traffic sped,
A roadside stand that too
pathetically pled,
It would not be fair to say for a
dole
of beard,
But for some of the money, the
cash
Whose flow supports
The flower of cities from sinking
and
withering faint.”
Questions:
i. Where was the shed put up? 1
ii. What was its purpose? 1
iii. Why does the poet use the
word ‘pathetic’? 1
iv. Who are referred to as ‘the
flower of cities’? 1
Or
(b) “Those who prepare green
wars,
Wars with gas, wars with fire,
Victory with no survivors,
And walk about with their
brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.”
Questions:
i. What are the different kinds
of wars mentioned by the poet in the passage? 1
ii. What kind of victory do they
achieve? 1
iii. Who are the brothers
mentioned in the stanza? 1
iv. Find words in the given
stanza that mean ‘those left alive’ and ‘win’. 1
11. Answer any three of the
following questions in 30-40 words: 3
x2=6
i. How is a thing of beauty a joy
forever?
ii. Why does the poet Neruda
‘wish to count to twelve’?
iii. What do the young sprinting
trees signify?
iv. What are being sold in the
Road-side stand?
v. What is the ‘Childish longing’
that the poet refers to? Why is it ‘in vain’?
vi. Why has the mother been
compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’?
12. Answer any five of the
following questions: 5 x1=5
(a) What was written in the new
copies brought by M. Hamel for the students in a beautiful round hand?
(b) What does the ‘garbage’ mean
for the elders of Seemapuri?
(c) Where does Mukesh live?
(d) Where did John Rowntree and
his family make their first home at Gauhati?
(e) Whom did Gandhi and Shukla
want to meet at Patna?
(f) Who is Geoff?
(g) Which was the only occasion
when Sophie got to see Danny Casey in person?
13. Answer any five of the
following questions in 30-40 words: 5
x2=10
(a) Why did Franz want to spend
his day out of doors?
(b) Why did M. Hamel not blame
Franz alone for his inability to learn?
(c) What is the significance of
bangles in an Indian society?
(d) What does Rowntree say about
the river banks in the Manas Sanctuary?
(e) What was the incident that
prompted Gandhi to raise his voice of protest against the British?
(f) What are the other options
that Sophie dreams of besides owning a boutique?
(g) What job is Geoff engaged in
? Does he entertain wild and impractical dreams like his sister does?
14. Answer any one of the
following questions in 80-100 words:
(a) Describe the unusual things
that Franz noticed on the day of the last lesson.
Or
(b) Describe the miserable plight
of the people of Firozabad.
Or
(c)Describe the exploitation of
the indigo sharecroppers by the English landlords. Did Gandhi
help them to get an honorable settlement?
15. Answer any one of the
following questions in 125-150 words: 1
x7=7
Why is Antarctica the place to
go, to understand the earth’s present, past, and future?
Or
Bama’s experience is that of a
victim of the caste system. What kind of discrimination does Zitkala-Sa’s
experience depict? What are their responses to their respective situations?
16. Answer any four of the
following questions in 30-40 words: 4
x2=8
(a) What did the chief astrologer
predict about the Tiger King?
(b) What is Gondwana?
(c) Why and how did Derry enter
Mr. Lamb’s garden?
(d)Why does Derry go back to Mr.
Lamb in the end?
(e) When did Bama experience
untouchability?
(f) What was Zitkala’s idea
regarding short, shingled hair?
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