Compulsory English
Grade: XI
Time : 3 hrs.
F.M.: 75
Candidates are required to give answers in their own words as far as
practicable. The figure in the margin indicates full marks.
Attempt ALL the questions:
1.
Read the following passage and do the activities that follow. [15]
Revising
for Exams
The
way to do well at History is to know which study techniques work best for you
as an individual. Nevertheless here are some sensible guidelines that are worth
following.
A.
Apply good study skills from the beginning of your course rather than seek
magical solutions a few weeks before the exam. Ideally, every evening you
should read through the notes you made that day, improving them and making sure
they are useful. Then, every few months, go through all your notes – this will
make your final revision much easier. In this way, essential information will
be committed to your long-term memory and will be readily recalled, even under
stressful exam conditions. You will also avoid last- minute cramming, which is
seldom useful.
B.
Make sure that you have a copy of syllabus or course handbook. Check the format
of your exam. How many papers? How many questions must be answered? Are there
any compulsory sections? Sort out any external or personal problems that might
hamper your progress. If necessary talk with your tutor, student counseling
service or doctor. From Easter cut out or cut down your weekend employment
until after the exams.
C.
Listen to your teacher’s advice on important areas or likely questions. Select
topics for revision. Decide what number you need to know about: for example if
you are required to answer your questions, go through the papers of the last
few years and make sure that you can answer five or six of them. If you can
answer them all, take care- you are probably working too hard.
D.
Do not work from poor material. Improve your notes by comparison with a
friend’s or read them alongside a textbook, making any additions and
modifications needed. Make sure that you understand them before you try to
commit them to memory- if you don’t the ideas simply will stick. Underline,
colour or highlight headings and key points.
E.
The more your notes are rewritten, the better you will remember them. Summarise
key information on each topic on one A$ page. Abbreviate again on small index
cards: carry them round with you and learn them whenever you have a few spare
minutes. If you are having difficulty remembering key quotes or dates, write
them out and put them in places around the house where you will see them
frequently. Perhaps record them on tape. But remember to think actively about
key issues as well as memorizing information. Your aim should be to look at
old, familiar material in a new way.
F.
Working with a group (the right group for you) will enable you to share ideas,
notes and books and can help alleviate boredom and stress. Revising in pairs is
good, but working in groups of three or four is better. The idea is to meet for
two or three hour sessions two or three times a week at home, school or college
- look for a working environment with minimum distractions. Discuss questions
or problems, do timed questions, read out answers for group criticism, test
each other, prepare outline answers.
G.
When your teachers give you practice exams to do in class time, enter into
these wholeheartedly. They will help you assess your progress and familiarize
you with working under strict exam conditions. Afterwards, take note of the
feedback you receive. Pinpoint the errors you made. Did you include too little
information, or misread the questions, or run out of time? What does your mark
tell you about your revision techniques?
H.
Far more exams are failed because of too little work than too much. But often
the brightest students work too hard at revision and worry unnecessarily. So
take regular exercise, get plenty of sleep, and maintain a sensible social
life. If you are an arch-worrier, then by moment: you can’t worry if your mind
is occupied with something else. But remember that the aim is to reach your
peak at the right time, so be sure not to go into the exam room exhausted from
overwork. Frenetic late-night cramming can be easily avoided by the sort of
revision techniques outlined above.
A.
Choose the best answer. [5X1=5]
a)
The word ‘cramming’ in the last line of first paragraph means:
i)
study unresistingly before exam
ii)
study intensively before exam
iii)
inactive study before exam
iv)
study irresistibly before exam
b)
Synonym for the word ‘abbreviate’ in the last sentence of paragraph E is:
i)
thrive ii)
expand iii) spread out iv)
abridge
c)
The word ‘alleviate’ in the paragraph F is opposite in meaning to:
i)
aggravate ii)
assuage iii) palliate iv) facilitate
d)
The word ‘pinpoint’ in the paragraph G has similar meaning to:
i)
lose ii) overlook iii) displace iv) nail
e)
The antonym of the word ‘frenetic’ (last paragraph) is:
i)
delirious ii) overwrought iii) tranquil iv) rabid
B.
Choose only one suitable heading from column (B) for the each paragraph of the
passage given in the column (A): [5×1=5]
Column
(A) Column (B)
{
Paragraphs} {
Headings }
a)
B -----------------------------iv) Organize
b)
C ---------------------------- v)
Work out what to revise
c)
D ----------------------------vi) Use
various formats for your notes
d)
F ---------------------------vii) Study
with your colleagues
e)
H ----------------------------i) Know
when to stop
vi) Start early
iii) Read Textbooks
C.
Answer the following questions. [5×1=5]
i)
When should you check what you have noted down earlier in the day?
You
should check what you have written or noted earlier in the day at the evening.
ii)
Near the exam, what should you either reduce, or stop completely?
Weekend
employment should be reduced or stopped completely near the exams.
iii)
If you can answer all the questions from past exams, what is this often a sign
of?
If
we can answer all the questions from the past exams, it indicates that we are
working too hard.
iv) Where is a good place to write down brief
notes?
A
good place to write down brief notes is the place in our house where we
frequently visit.
v)
What problems can be relieved by revising with other students?
The
problems like boredom and stress can be relieved by revising with other
students.
2.
Write short answers to the following questions. [5×2=10]
a.
'The Oval Portrait' suggests that the woman’s beauty condemns her to death.
Discuss.
'The
Oval Portrait' suggests that the beauty of a woman condemns her to death and
rightly show because the painter wanted to paint her picture only because she
was beautiful. If she wasn’t beautiful, the painter would not have insisted her
for portrait.
b.
Sketch the character of Jonathan Iwegbu. (Civil Peace)
According
to the story “Civil Peace” written by Chinua Achebe, Jonathan Iwegbu is a very
optimistic character who still believes a happy life after the war. According
to the story Jonathan was happy with the condition of his family and one phrase
'Nothing Puzzles God' that he frequently said reveals that he was quite a
religious man.
c.
Why does the poet compare the world with a stage? (All the World’s a Stage)
The
poet William Shakespeare in his poem “All the World’s a Stage” compares the
world with a stage because he feels that world has to go through various stages
and so do the people. He wants to show all the phases in the life of people by
comparing world with stage.
d.
According to the writer, what are the four general human needs?(What I Require
from Life)
'What
I Require from Life' is a short essay written by J.B.S. Haldane. In this essay,
the essayist talks about four general functional needs. They are: i. Work. ii.
Freedom. iii. Good health. iv. Friendship or companionship.
e.
How do you explain the title of the play ‘Trifles’ by Glaspell?
The
play “Trifles” is a one act play written by Glaspell. The title of the play
'Trifles' means emphasizing on small matters in general sense. In the context
of the play “Trifles” refers to the very important aspects that are recognized
as small matters but a vital role to solve the mystery.
3.
Write long answers to the following questions. [2×5=10]
a.
Write summary of the play “A Sunny Morning” by Serafin and Joaquin Alvarez
Quintero.
Dona
Laura and Don Gonzalo are the main characters of the play who are in their old
age and have come to the park. Similarly, the secondary characters of the play
are Petra who is the servant of Dona Laura and Juanito who is the servant of
Don Gonzalo. Talking about the setting of the play, the play is set on the
beautiful park of Madrid during a sunny morning.
The
plot of the play begins with an introduction to Dona Laura who is an old woman
feeding to the birds. By the time, Don Gonzalo comes to the park and becomes
extremely angry on seeing the park full of people. The regular bench in which
he used to sit was captured by priests. Unwillingly, Gonzalo goes to the bench
where Laura was sitting. Laura starts abusing Gonzalo for chasing away the
birds. By the time Gonzalo realizes that the situation was getting bad and he
offers a snuff box to Laura.
Laura and Gonzalo start the conversation with
their conversation where Laura says that she was from Villa. Gonzalo also says
that he was from Valencia. They further extend their conversation and Don says
that there was a woman from Villa who was quite beautiful. He further says that
she was a kind of a girl who was similar to a princess and she loved someone.
Laura enters into the conversation and says that she knew her and she was Laura
Llorente. By the time, both Laura and Gonzalo have already realized that they
were the lovers in one time when they were young but they do not reveal their
identity to each other. Laura says that Llorente was her friend who was in love
with a boy named Don. She further says that Llorente loved him a lot. Don used
to come to her during the morning with a beautiful flower and, at the day she
used to give the flower to him. However, Llorente’s family didn’t like the love
affair of Llorente. They wanted to marry her with a very famous merchant of
Villa.
One
day, Don had a fight with the merchant. Don had to leave the city because the
merchant was very popular in that city. Don tried to contact her with letters
but her parents didn’t let any letters reach to the hand of her. After two
years of long wait, Llorente married another boy. Gonzalo also says that Don,
his cousin tried to contact with her a lot but he couldn’t. So, he married to a
dancer and went to Paris. Gonzalo adds that he became a soldier later on and
was killed in a war. A mysterious thing here is that Laura Llorente is Dona
Laura herself and Don is Don Gonzalo himself. They are lying to each other in
order to hide their identity. The play ends with the promise of both Laura and
Gonzalo to meet again in the next sunny morning at the same venue.
b.
Jo Goodwin Parker’s essay ‘What is Poverty’ is about Parker who has personally
experienced rural poverty. What experiences has she mentioned in the essay?
Write in short.
The
essay “What is Poverty” written by Jo Goodwin Parker is a touchy essay with deep
philosophy and bitter truth of the society. In this essay, the essayist
includes all her experience at the time when she was helpless and poor.
The
essay begins with the introduction of the essayist. Many experiences of her can
be found in the essay that shatters our heart. When she was poor, she had
children for whom she couldn’t fulfill food, shelter and proper education. She
further shares that she was helpless and was in deep pain. She suffered with
various diseases but she didn’t have money for her treatment. She wanted to
educate her children but she couldn’t do so due to poverty and lack of
resources. She further explains that her husband left her in order to get free
from extreme poverty and family. She asked for help with many people but people
didn’t respond to her request. Even the people who helped her later on took the
advantage of her condition. She went to various organizations for help but all
she got was negative results and melancholy.
So,
these were the sorrowful moment of her life that she shares in her essay. The
time she experienced those things were the darkest period in her life. And the
people trying to take advantage of such poor and helpless woman prove that
there is nothing like humanity in this earth. If humanity is to be saved,
various organizations and scholars should actively cooperate with each other to
uplift the living standard of people and to provide moral education to the
people.
4.
The bar graph shows the export and import of merchandise trade and GDP of Nepal
from 2006 to 2010. Write an interpretation of it in about 150 words. [7]
.png)
The above bar graph shows the import and export ratio along with GDP of Nepal. Here is a short illustration or an interpretation of the graph that has been mentioned above.
In
the year 2006 AD, Nepal earned around 800 million USD by exporting different
products. Similarly, Nepal imported various products by spending around 1900
million USD. This proves that Nepal was in trade deficit. The total GDP of
Nepal during the time was around 8000 million USD. In the year 2007, Nepal
earned around 700 million USD from export. Similarly, Nepal imported the
products by spending around 2100 million USD, which shows that Nepal was still
in trade deficit. The total GDP during the year 2007 was around 10200 million
USD.
Moving
on to the year 2008, Nepal generated the income of around 900 million USD from
export. Similarly, the expenditure of Nepal in the year 2008 in import was
around 2900 million USD. The GDP of Nepal in the year 2008 was around 12600
million USD. Moving on to the year 2009, the total export income of Nepal was
around 1100 million USD, whereas Nepal spent around 3500 million USD. The total
GDP during the year was 12500 million USD. Similarly in the year 2010, Nepal
generated the total income of around 700 million USD from export. Nepal spent
around 3500 million USD in import. The GDP of Nepal in the year 2010 was around
15700 million USD.
In
the above graph, we can see a lot of ups and downs in the export rate of Nepal.
Nepal exported the products and earned around 800 million USD in the year 2006
but the amount declined to 700 million USD in the year 2007. There was a slight
incline in export rate in the year 2008 and 2009 where the export amount of
Nepal in the year 2008 was 900 million USD whereas it increased to 1100 million
USD in the year 2009. However, export decreased to around 700 million USD in
the year 2010. Talking about the import rate, it kept on increasing year by
year. In the year 2006, the import rate of Nepal was around 1900 million USD
which increased to around 2100, 2900, 3500 and 3500 million USD in the
following years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively. There was a positive
change in the growth of GDP in Nepal. The total GDP of Nepal in the year 2006 was
around 8000 million USD which increased to around 10200 and 12600 million USD
in the year 2007 and 2008 respectively.
However,
there was a slight declination in GDP in the year 2009 which decreased to
around 12500 million USD. The GDP of Nepal increased again in the year 2010
which was around 15700million USD which was highest among all.
In
the graph, import ratio being more than export ratio proves that Nepal suffered
a lot of trade deficit during the time. There were ups and downs in export
ratio whereas import ratio kept on increasing. However there was positive
change in GDP of Nepal. Nepal has to work very hard in economic fields.
5.
It is said that less make-up is better and it's always better to let our
natural beauty shine. However, both men and women spend a lot of money on
beauty care these days but it was not so in the past. What may be the root
cause of this behaviour? Write an essay in it discussing the causes and
possible results. [8]
MODERN
PROSPECT OF BEAUTY
I
have always believed in judging the people by their personality and looks that
they have got from the nature. I am sure that I am not the only one who
believes in natural beauty and personality. Jonathan Mark remarked “Natural
beauty is something that is a gift that you can save throughout your life”. The
definition filled me with rejoice. I wonder how beautiful is the nature and how
beautiful are the humans who are the crown of the creatures. The modern world
looks extremely complicated to me. The people have started neglecting the
nature and believed all the unnecessary artificial products. People have
developed various ways to become beautiful in an artificial way. I wonder and
ask myself is natural beauty not enough for the people? It seems like people
want to prove that they have created the nature and the nature have not created
them.
We
have forgotten everything. We have forgotten our culture, our tradition, our
religion and the natural substances that we use for getting better looks.
People have started various kinds of beauty products like cream, hair oil,
lotions etc. People have even started changing their body structure through
various surgeries. How can people be so repulsive towards the nature? We keep
on talking about right to freedom and expression and write against violence.
But, we are not aware about the fact that we are hindering the freedom and the
expressions of the nature. We talk about the right against the violence. But,
we have become violent to ourselves. All the humans should be jailed for
dominating the nature.
I
can see only one cause behind people involving in artificial beauty. The main
reason behind that is that people have become smarter than they should be.
Science and technology are for good purposes. But, we are misusing them to
mislead the earth. Various products are being made artificially destroying the
nature. Around 2700 trees get destroyed just to make toilet papers in a day.
How rude we have been to the nature. I remember when computer was introduced
for the first time. It was for reading and writing purposes. But, people have
developed various methods to destroy their natural beauty and the whole nature.
The main cause behind natural beauty getting vanished is the negligence of
culture and modernization. I do not say that westernization should be
completely avoided. The positive aspect of the western culture can be applied.
But, in the name of western culture, wearing unwanted cloths and beauty
products is strictly prohibited by the nature. It is difficult to look in this
earth it is difficult to believe this is our home it is really shameful for us
to see men and women getting involved in adulteries in the premature stage.
There is only one reason for this to happen that is modernization and
westernization. I believe that the barbarian tribes who live in the jungle of
Africa are more beautiful than us because they have absorbed the nature very
closely. They depend on nature for food and shelter and they are happy with
whatever they get from nature. But on the other hand we are leading the earth
towards destruction. It is really difficult for the people to go out on the
streets during the night. We see the true example of the impact of artificial
beauty and misguidance provided by modernization.
World
is to be destroyed if steps are not taken really soon. War unhealthy
competition and modernization have destroyed our home. The scientists who
believed that they can change the world with their intellectuality have already
started a new home for themselves. Is it fair to the nature that we have
destroyed the nature and we aren’t making a commitment to save the lovely
nature? I do not believe that scientists, doctors and engineers are going to
save the earth. Humanitarians and the people who are attached to the nature
have the responsibility to save the nature and the natural beauty. If the
nature is to be saved modern technologies should be utilized properly and
marginalized strictly. People should stop believing the stupid stuffs of the
western culture. Or else, nature will be destroyed and so as the humans. I love
the nature and natural beauty. But, my lone efforts aren’t going to be enough
to save the nature. I am sorry to say that the crown of creatures is in danger.
Oh nature you have every rights to punish us.
6.
Films and computer games which contain violence are very popular. Some people
believe they have a negative effect on society and so should be banned. Other
people, however, say they are just harmless and help people to relax. Write a
newspaper article analyzing both these points of view along with your own
opinion. [10]
ARE
FILMS AND COMPUTER GAMES REALLY VIOLENT?
Humans
are unarguably and undeniably the crown of creatures. Humans have created all
the necessary resources required to sustain the life. The super creations of
the human beings have spread to all the fields such as academic field, health,
work and even entertainment. People have invented various sources for the
purpose of entertainment. Among such stuffs, films and computer games are the
greatest entertaining sources for the people especially in the 21st century.
Films refer to the animated videos that are based on various themes and try to
highlight different aspects. Similarly, computer games are the sources of
entertainment that lets the people to get involved in them and get relieved
from stress. In the beginning, computer games and films were made for the
purpose of entertainment only. But, due to changing time people have started to
opt computer games and films as a career opportunity. Due to which violence and
illegal activities related games are getting highly popularized.
We
are aware about the fact that world is a pretty dynamic and progressive subject
matter. Things keep on changing from time to time. The similar change has been
seen in the field of computer games and films. Computer games and films have
become violent and come with a content related to brutality. It is the truth
that nobody can ever deny. There are two sets of people. The first set of
people believes that computer games and films are the sources of violence and
they should be banned. If we try to understand the philosophy of these people
these people are extremely sensitive and worried about the society. These
people want the society to be independent and free from violence. So they are
not wrong at all.
The
second set of people believes that the computer games and films have violence
but are limited to films and games only. So, they say that these things should
not be banned. They are also not wrong in their way. These people are very calm
and composed and believe that these aspects can be utilized in a proper way. It
is the fact that there are lot of computer games and films that comes with
violence such as, PUBG, GTA, Free Fire, wrong turn etc. These people have a
deep philosophy and believe that they are somehow necessary for the people.
Talking
about my personal opinion, computer games and films should be taken in a
positive way. Computer games and films may have hampered some people but they
have also given the career opportunities for many people. Computer games and
films may be violent but they try to present the real situation of life. They
also persuade the people to march in a right direction by showing the people
the consequences of being violent. I believe that computer games and films are
pretty much like other aspects that have both positive and negative aspects.
But, the main thing is that people should accept it positively. If the mindset
of the people is negative any positive thing will be misused negatively.
So,
it depends on person that how that person accepts it. Computer games and films
with violence are somehow important so, if possible the level of violence
should be reduced but they should not be banned.
7.
Do as indicated in brackets and rewrite the sentences. [10×1=10]
a.
I chased away an ugly dog. (Underline the adjective and phrasal verb in the
sentence)
I
chased away an ugly dog. [chased away - phrasal verb, ugly – adjective]
b.
Seven years.......... (is/are) a long time to spend away from your friends and
family. (Fill in the blank with appropriate verb)
Seven
years is a long time to spend away from your friends and family.
c.
I.......... (complete) my homework by tomorrow. (Put the verb from the bracket
in correct tense to make a meaningful sentence)
I
have been completed my homework by tomorrow. (Put the verb from the
bracket in correct tense to make a meaningful sentence)
d.
I lost my pen on the way. Buddy,.......... you lend me your pen to fill the form?
(Put the correct modal verb in the blank to complete the sentence)
I
lost my pen on the way. Buddy, could you lend me your pen to fill the
form?
e.
Take this medicine and you will get rid.......... (from/ of/ over) the bad
cold. (Put the correct preposition in the blank)
Take
this medicine and you will get rid of the bad cold. (Put the correct
preposition in the blank)
f.
You had better.......... (choose/chose/chosen) third option. (Fill in the blank
with appropriate form of the given verb)
You
had better choose third option.
g.
Rosa .......... fun at the party last Saturday. (Appropriate form of ‘have’
verb)
Rosa
had fun at the party last Saturday. (Appropriate form of ‘have’ verb)
h.
Jervis and Albert are two scholars (founder of ABC Academy).......... (Complete
the sentences using a relative clause.)
Jervis
and Albert are two scholars who are founder of ABC Academy.
i.
He is seeking a job. (Change into Passive voice)
A
job is being sought.
j.
She said “I had my lunch at Gomez’s house.” (Change the sentence into reported
speech)
She
said that she had had her lunch at Gomez’s house.
8.
Do as instructed. [5×1=5]
a.
Arrange the following words in alphabetical order: shroud, shy, shriek, shrine,
shirt, shrivel
shirt,
shriek, Shrine, shrivel, Shroud, shy
b.
I tried my birthday cake and yuck, it wasn’t any good. What word
classes do the underlined words in the sentence belong to?
birthday
– noun, yuck – interjection
c.
What does the sentence "It's raining cats and dogs!" mean?
i)
it is raining heavily
ii)
it is raining lightly
iii)
it is not raining at all
iv)
it is raining over cat and dog.
d.
Mary looks much.......... than Sarah because Mary dresses up...........
(Add the correct form of word ‘beauty’ in both spaces.)
Mary
looks much more beautiful than Sarah because Mary dresses up beautifully.
e.
Choose the correctly spelt word.
i)
pronounciation
ii)
liaison
iii)
embarass
iv)
accomodate
The
End
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