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HALF YEARLY EXAMINATION (2016-17)

ENGLISH CORE

CIASS-XI

Time: 3 Hours MM: 80

General Instructions:

• This Question Paper is divided into five (05) Sections:

Section A - Reading Skills: 20 Marks

Section B - Advanced Writing Skills: 20 Marks

Section C- Grammar: 10 Marks

Section D- Literary Text Books: 18 Marks

Section E- Long Reading Text: 12 Marks

• All sections are compulsory.

• Read the questions carefully and write the answers in the answer sheets provided.

• Do not answer the questions randomly. Attempt all the questions of one section before moving on to another section.

• Do not write anything on the question paper.

• This Q.P excludes Internal Assessment of 20 Marks (10 Marks for Listening & Speaking Skills and 10 marks for Reading Project)

_____________________________________________________________________________

SECTION A - READING (20 Marks)

Q.1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: 12 Marks

My Vision of My India

In 3000 years of our history people from all over the world have come and invaded us, captured our lands, conquered our minds. From Alexander onwards, the Greeks, the Turks, the Moguls, the Portuguese, the British, the French, the Dutch, all of them came and looted us, took over what was ours. Yet we have not done this to any other nation. We have not conquered anyone. We have not grabbed their land, their culture, their history and tried to enforce our way of life on them. Why? Because we respect the freedom of others. That is why my first vision is that of FREEDOM. I believe that India got its first vision of this in 1857, when we started the war of independence. It is this freedom that we must protect and nurture and build on. If we are not free, no one will respect us. My second vision for India is DEVELOPMENT. For fifty years we have been a developing nation. It is time we see ourselves as a developed nation. I have a third vision. India must stand up to the world. Because I believe that unless India stands up to the world, no one will respect us. Only strength respects strength. We must be strong not only as a military power but also as an economic power. Both must go hand in hand. My good fortune was to have worked with three great minds, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai of the Dept. of space, Professor Satish Dhawan, who succeeded him and Dr. Brahm Prakash, father of nuclear material. I was lucky to have worked with all three of them closely and consider this the great opportunity of my life. Here I am reminded of an instance – One day an orthopaedic surgeon from Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences visited my laboratory. He lifted the material and found it so light that he took me to his hospital and showed me his patients. There were these little girls and boys with heavy metallic callipers weighing over three kg. each, dragging their feet around. He said to me:" Please remove the pain of my patients". In three weeks, we made these Floor reaction Orthosis 300 gram callipers and took them to the orthopaedic centre. The children didn't believe their eyes. From dragging around a three kg. load on their legs, they could now move around! Their parents had tears in their eyes. That was bliss to me. I have a question: Why is the media here so negative? Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We are such a great nation.We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why? Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign things? We want foreign TVs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign technology. Why this obsession with everything imported? Don‘t we realise that self-respect comes with self-reliance? I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is: She replied: ‗I want to live in a developed India.‘ For her, you, I will have to build this developed India. You must proclaim. As an aside from yours truly: India is not an underdeveloped nation, it is a highly developed nation in an advanced state of decay!

(A.P.J.Abdul Kalam)

Q.1. A. Choose the best alternative from the answers given below: 1 x 6 = 6

a) India has been plundered by :

i) the Greeks and the Portuguese

ii) the French and the Dutch

iii) the British

iv) all of the above.

b) What does the author mean when he says ―Yet we have not done this to other nations ?

i) India has not conquered and plundered other nations

ii) India has not snatched away the history and culture of other nations

iii) Both( i) and ( ii

iv) None of the above

c) India has not conquered other nations because

i) India is afraid of other nations

ii) India respects the freedom of other countries

iii) India lacks military strength

iv) All of the above

d) When did Indians first have the vision of freedom?

i) In 1857 during the first war of independence

ii) During the first World War Page 4 of 15

iii) During the Quit India Movement

iv) None of the above

e) Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam envisages India which is….

i) Free and developed

ii) Militarily and economically strong

iii) Self- reliant

iv) All of the above

f) How long did it take to make Orthosis 300 gm callipers?

i) One week

ii) two weeks

iii) three weeks

iv) four weeks

B. Answer the following questions in reference to the above passage: 1 x 6 = 6

a) What does Dr. Kalam want us to protect and nurture?

b) Why must India stand up to the world?

c) Who inspired the great scientist APJ Abdul Kalam?

d) Why do we need to give up our obsession with foreign things?

e) Explain briefly the statement-―That was bliss to me.

f) Find the synonym of Nurse‘ from the above passage.

Q2. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: 8marks

We are what we eat. The type of food we eat has both immediate and long-term effect on us, at all the three levels - the body, the mind and the spirit. Food which is tamasik (i.e. stale or leftover) in nature is bound to generate stress as it tends to upset the normal functioning of the human body. Fresheners should be avoided. Taking piping hot tea/milk or steaming hot food, whenever available, must be preferred. Excessive use of condiments also disturbs one's usually calm attitude. Further, it is a mistaken belief that smoking or drinking, even in moderation, relieves stress/ Simple meals with one or two food items, rather than too many lavish dishes, are advisable. Thus, vegetarian diet is preferable. Although it is customary to serve fruits with food, it is not the right thing to do. This is because different kinds of digestive secretions are produced by the stomach for variant foods. Mixing up too many varieties of food items at one meal creates problems for the digestive system. In fact, anyone type of fruit, preferably taken in the morning is better. On an average, we eat almost three to four times the quantity of food than we actually need. A lot of body's energy is used up for digesting the excess food. It is said that after a particular level of food intake, the 'food actually eats one up'. It is always good to eat a little less than your 'full-stomach' capacity. Besides, never eat food unless you are really hungry. Having dinner at 8 or 9 pm after a heavy snack at 5 or 6 pm in the evening is asking for trouble. In fact, skipping an odd meal is always good if the stomach is upset. There are varying views on the benefits of fasting, but we will not discuss them here. However, giving a break to one's stomach, at least once a week, by having only fruit or milk, etc. may be worth trying. While a little bit of water taken with meals is all right, drinking 30 to 60 ml much water with food is not advisable. Water, taken an hour or so before or after meals, is good for digestion. One's diet must be balanced with all the required nutrients for a healthy living. Also remember, excess of everything is bad. Related to the problem of stress, excessive intake of salt is definitely out. Too much of sugar, fried food and chillies are not good either. Overindulgence and excessive craving for a particular taste / type of food generates rajasik (aggressive) or at worst, tamasik (dull) tendencies. An even more important aspect of the relationship between food and stress lies not so much in what or how much we eat but how the food is taken. For example, food eaten in great hurry or in a state of anger or any other negative state of mind is bound to induce stress. How the food is served is also very important. Not only the presentation, cutlery, crockery, etc. play a role, the love and affection with which the food is served is also significant. Finding faults with food while it is being eaten is the worst habit. It is better not to eat the food you do not like, rather than finding fault with it. It is good to have regular food habits. Workaholics who' do not find time to eat food at proper mealtimes invite stomach ulcers. One must try to enjoy one's food, and therefore, eating at the so-called lunch / dinner meetings is highly inadvisable. Every morsel of food should be enjoyed with a totally peaceful state of mind. Food and discussions should not be mixed. There are accepted ways to 'charge' the food we eat. Prayer is perhaps 'the best method for energizing the food and it will do some definite additional good at no extra cost.

Lt. Gen. M. M. Walia

Q.1. How does tamasik food influence the person?

a. Generates stress

b. Makes a person energetic

c. Generates large amount of energy

d. Makes a person bold

Q.2. What is a mistaken belief people practise at the table?

a. Smoking helps to digest

b. Smoking or drinking even in moderation relieves stress

c. Pickles add to taste

d. Condiments help to enhance appetite

Q.3. Why does the writer say that ‘food actually eats one up?

a. Digestive system takes too much time

b. Excessive intake of food takes a lot of body’s energy to digest it

c. Food sustains the body

d. It makes the person healthy

Q.4 What generates Rajasik & Tamasik tendencies?

a. Over indulgence of fried food

b. Too much use of spicy food

c. Over indulgence and excessive craving for a particular taste

d. Excess of everything

Q.5 Where does the root cause of stress generated by food lie in?

a. How much we eat

b. What we eat

c. How the food is taken

d. Because of irregular food habits

Q.6. What does ‘induce’ mean?

a. Reduce

b. Cause, influence

c. Aggressive

d. To intake

Q7 Which are the three levels affected by food?

Q8 What is the importance of prayer in relation to our food?

SECTION B – WRITING (20 Marks)

Q3. You are Asmit / Asmita, Head Boy/Head Girl of 'The Indian School'. Write a Notice for your school notice Board asking the students to participate in the Science exhibition to be held in your school. Invent necessary details. (4 Marks)

OR

You are Asmit / Asmita. President, Preet Vihar, Residential Society. Write a notice about a Blood Donation Camp to be organized in your society, giving necessary details.

Q4. Your school is celebrating ‗Anti - Corruption Day‘. Write a speech in 150- 200 words on the topic ‗Minimization of Human Wants is the only way to cleanse society of all kinds of corruption.‘ You are Avni / Anuj of class XI.

OR

You are Neeraj/Neerja, Staff Reporter of The Times of India. You have recently witnessed the grand inaugural programme of the Indian Premier League-6 (IPL-6) at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata. Write an article on the event to be published in your newspaper. (Within 100-120 words) (10 Marks)

Q.5. You are Krishan/Kiran studying at Hindustan School, Chennai. The road leading to your school is full of potholes causing a lot of congestion. Students and parents are often caught in a traffic jam. In spite of several representations to the concerned authorities of the Chennai Corporation, nothing has been done to improve the condition. Write a letter to the Principal of your school to highlight the issue to the concerned authorities. Also offer your suggestions for improvement. (within 125-150 words)

OR

Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper drawing the attention of the concerned authorities towards the problem of price inflation and the increase in the cost of commodities for daily use. (Within 125-150 words) (6 Marks)

SECTION C – GRAMMAR (7 Marks)

Q7. The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each line. Write the incorrect word and the correction in your answer sheet. Remember to underline the word that you have supplied. 3 marks

I would welcome the chance to working as part -----------

of a small dynamic team how I could make -----------

an significant contribution while developing -----------

my skills yet further. I must be happy to -----------

show you a portfolio of mine work -----------

I am available with interview next week and -----------

look forward to hearing from you.

Q.8. Rearrange the following words into meaningful sentences. (1x2=2 Marks)

a. Friends / life / good / make / our / happy / extremely. •

b. Not / find / now a days / easy /good / is / It / friends / to / but.

Q9 Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense. 2 marks

Dear Mr. Jones, My family and I (suffer)a good deal lately from the noise made by your guests when they (leave) your house on Saturday nights. They (stand) in the street, (laugh) loudly and called goodbye to you and to each other.

SECTION D – LITERARY TEXT BOOKS (18 Marks)

Q.9. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions, choosing the best option from those given below: (any one extract) (1 x 4=4 Marks)

And forever, by day and night, I give back life to my

own origin.

And make pure and beautify it;

(For song, issuing from its birth place, after fulfilment,

Wandering

Reck’d or unreck’d, duly with love returns)

1) How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem?

2) What is the significance of the word ‘song’ here?

3) How does the rain benefit the earth?

4) Why are the last two lines in brackets?

OR

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.

1. What does the ‘cardboard’ show the poet?

2. Why did the two girl cousins hold one of the poet’s mother’s hands?

3. How old was the oldest girl among the three cousins?

4. How did the girls go to the sea beach?

Q.10. Answer any three of these questions in about 40-50 words each (3 x3 = 9)

a) What made the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb unique?

b) Compare and contrast the reactions of the children and the adults when faced with extreme danger in ―We‘re not Afraid To Die…….Together.

c) A suspicious man would believe his eyes instead of his heart. In what context was this observation made and by whom ? (The Summer of The Beautiful White Horse)

d) Why did the writer want to forget the address? ( The Address)

Q.11. Answer any ONE of the following in about100- 120 words. (6x1=6 Marks)

.

“The Address” is a story of human predicament that follows war”. Comment.

OR

In the light of the damage caused by Howard Carter to the mummy of Tutankhamun comment on the importance of preserving our heritage.

Q12 Answer any one of the following in 50-60 words (4 Marks)

What was the change in Grandmother on the arrival of Khushwant Singh?

OR

Why didn’t the author reclaim the belongings of her mother from Mrs Dorling?

SECTION E - LONG READING TEXT (10 Marks)

Q13 Answer the following questions in about 100-120 words. (5 x 2 = 10 marks)

i) Describe the Otis family .What do you think of them ?

ii) Why did the American Republican Minister, Mr. Otis purchase the Canterville Chase despite knowing it to be haunted?

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