English

ENGLISH CORE
CBSE
CLASS XII
Prepared by
Army Public School Gwalior
-1-
BLUE PRINT OF QUESTION PAPER

SECTION - A
READING COMPREHENSION
READING UNSEEN PASSAGES AND NOTE-MAKING
[30 Marks]
Two unseen passages with a variety of very short answer/ short answer or MCQ type
questions to test comprehension, interpretation and inference. Vocabulary such as word
formation and inference of meaning will also be tested.
The total length of the two passages will be between 1100-1200 words. The passages will
include two of the following.
(a)
Factual Passages e.g., instructions, descriptions, reports.
(b)
Descriptive Passages involving opinion, e.g., argumentative, persuasive
interpretative text.
or
(c)
Literature Passages, e.g., extract from fiction, drama, poetry, essay or biography. A
poem could be of 28-35 lines.
The passage can be literary, factual or discursive to test comprehensions. The length
of one passage should be between 600-700 words.
A third passage of 400-500 words for note making and abstraction.
SECTION B
WRITING SKILLS
(30 Marks)
Short Answer Questions, e.g., advertisements and notices, designing or drafting posters,
writing formal and informal invitations and replies.
Long Answer Questions: Letter based on verbal/visual input.
Letter types include
Business or official letters (for making enquiries, registering complaints,

asking for and giving information, placing orders and sending replies)
Letters to the editor (giving suggestions or opinion on issues of public interest)
Application for job
Very Long Answer Questions: Two compositions based on visual and/or verbal Input may
be descriptive or argumentative in nature such as an article, a debate or a speech.
-2-
SECTION C
LITERATURE TEXTBOOKS AND LONG READING TEXTS
FLAMINGO / VISTAS / THE INVISIBLE MAN
(40 MARKS)
Very Short Answer Questions - Based on an extract from poetry to test the
comprehension and appreciation.
Short Answer Questions -
Based on prose/drama/poetry from the texts.
Long Answer Questions -
Based on texts to test global comprehension and

extrapolation beyond texts to bring out the key
messages and values.
Based on texts to test global comprehension

along with analysis and extrapolation.
Based on theme, plot and incidents from the

prescribed novels.
(THE INVISIBLE MAN)
Based on understanding, appreciation, analysis

and interpretation of the character sketch.
(THE INVISIBLE MAN)
-3-
QUESTION PAPER DESIGN

English CORE XII (Code No. 301)
Time- 3 hours
Marks-100
Typology
Typology of questions/
learning outcomes
MCQ
1 mark
Very Short
Answer
Question
1 mark
Short
Answer
Question
3 mark
Short
Answer
Question
4 mark
Long
Answer-1
80-100
words
5 marks
Long
Answer-2
120-150
words
6 marks
Very
Long Answer
150-200
words
10 marks
Total
marks
Over all
%
Reading
Skills
Conceptual,
Understanding
Decoding,
Analysing,
Inferring,
Appreciating,
Literary conventions and
vocabulary, summarising
and using appropriate
format/s
Reasoning, appropriacy
of style and tone, using
appropriate format and
fluency,
inference,
analysis, evaluation and
creativity
Recalling,
reasoning,
appreciating
literary
conventions, inference,
analysis, evaluation,
Creativity with fluency
TOTAL
16
30
30
30
30
40
40
6*1=6
20*1= 20
5*3=15
1*4=4
1*5=5
5*6=30
2*10= 20
100
100
Writing
Skills
Literary
Textbooks
and long
reading
text/novel
-4-
CONTENTS
PART-I
SECTION -A [READING UNSEEN PASSAGE AND NOTE-MAKING]

1. Reading Unseen Passage
2. Note-making & Abstraction
SECTION- B [WRITING SKILLS]
3. Short Compositions
Advertisements
Notices
Designing or Drafting Posters
Invitations and Replies
4. Letter Writing
5. Article/Speech/Debate
SECTION -C[LITERATURE TEXTBOOKS AND LONG READING TEXTS]
6. Flamingo (Poetry)
7. Flamingo (Prose)
8. Vistas
9. Long Reading Texts : Novels
The Invisible Man
-5-
SECTION A
(30 Marks)
READING
Reading Comprehension
Note Making & Abstraction
Reading Comprehension
(Two unseen passages to test comprehension, interpretation and inference) [12+10=22 Marks]
S.NO.
CONTENT
NO.
PAGE NUMBER
1.
Discursive Passage
11-16
2.
Factual Passage
17-31
3.
Literary Poem
32-39
Note Making & Abstraction
[5+3=8Marks]
S.NO.
CONTENT
NO.
PAGE NUMBER
1.
Discursive Passage
40-46
2.
Factual Passage
47-58
-6-
GUIDELINES FOR ATTEMPTING SECTION A

Reading Comprehension is defined as the understanding of a passage or a text. Basically,
Reading Comprehension tests the readers ability to comprehend the content as well as style
and theme of the passage.
TYPES OF QUESTIONS
The students are mostly tested on content-based questions which include factual questions
and inferential questions.
Some vocabulary questions are also asked from the passages. These questions include
meanings, synonyms, antonyms etc., of words in the passages.
Three types of passages will be designed to test the reading skills of students. These include
(I)
Factual passages,
e.g., instructions, descriptions, reports..
(ii)
Discursive passages involving opinion,

e.g., argumentative, interpretative or persuasive text.
(iii)
Literary passages,
e.g., an extract from fiction, drama, poetry, essay or biography.
STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED WHILE ATTEMPTING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

Step 1 Skim once as rapidly as possible to determine the main idea before you look at the
questions. Do not worry about words you do not know at this stage.
Step 2 Underline the words that you do not understand to facilitate a complete
understanding of the passage. This will enable you to solve the vocabulary questions quicker.
Step 3 Look through the words carefully You are advised to maintain the order in which the
questions appear in the test paper. Read intensively the portion relevant to the answer.
Step 4 Concentrate on the vocabulary items and puzzle out from the context the meanings
of those words you do not know.
IDEAS TO FOLLOW WHILE SKIMMING
1. Read the title of the passage/poem very carefully, if given. Determine what clues
it gives you about the passage/poem.
2. Watch for keywords like causes, results, effects etc. do not overlook signal
words such as those suggesting controversy (e.g., versus, pros and cons), which
indicate that the author is intending to present both sides of an argument.
3. Concentrate on the main ideas and ignore details.
Most passages requires at least two readings. Before writing the answer, check the
questions again to be sure you have really understood them.
-7-
GUIDELINES TO ATTEMPT COMPREHENSION PASSAGE

1. First of all read the passage quickly study the questions given at the end of your
passage.
2. Start your second reading of the passage. This reading should be thorough. Underline
key sentences or words related to the given questions.
3. An alternate method could be to go through the questions first, which gives a rough
idea about the content or subject of the passage. It becomes easier to underline the
keywords while going through the passage and will help to reach to the answers faster.
4. While answering the questions, try not to give vague or general answers; be specific;
sometimes students use one general description when four or five points have to be
made. Avoid general answers.
5. Write in short , simple sentences unless required to do otherwise.
6. Do not repeat yourself. This is a waste of time. Avoid using slang. Do not use vague
words when a precise one will do.
7. Make sure that you use your own words as far as possible. This means that you must
summarise and interpret information; never copy whole chunks from the passage.
8. When answering factual questions. i.e., questions that involve words like what, when,
how and why, do not include information not given in the passage. While answering
the why question, you may begin your answer with This is because. or a
similar phrase.
9. While answering vocabulary questions, determine the part of speech of the word. Your
answer should have the same part of speech.
-8-
Recognising Literary Forms / Figures of Speech

Name of Figure of
Speech
Alliteration
What it Means
Example
Repeating a constant sound in

close proximity to others, or
beginning several words with the
same vowel sound.
The phrase buckets of big blue

berries alliterates with the
consonant b.
Cacophony
The term in poetry refers to the

use of words that combine sharp,
harsh, hissing, or unmelodious
sound.
Euphemism
Using a mild or gentle phrase

instead of a blunt, embarrassing,
or painful one.
An implied comparison between
two unlike things that actually
have something important in
common.
Using a vaguely suggestive,
physical object to embody a more
general idea. The term metonymy
also applies to the object itself
used to suggest that more general
idea.
The use of sounds that are similar
to the noise they represent for a
rhetorical or artistic effect.
Lick, crack, sick hack. The

beggar harried her open back.
Crash, bang, clang!! We want no
parlay with you and your grisly
gang who work your wicked will.- Winston Churchill
Saying Grandfather has passed
away is a euphemism for
Grandfather has died.
She is a fox. This implies that
the lady has the character traits
as that of a fox.
Metaphor
Metonymy
Onomatopoeia
Pun
Refrain
Repetition
Rhythm
A play on two words similar in

spelling or sound but different in
meaning.
A phrase, verse, or group of
verses repeated at intervals
throughout a song or poem,
especially at the end of each
stanza.
Simple repeating of a word, within
a sentence or a poetical line, with
no particular placement of the
words, in order to emphasis. It
also has conn notations to listing
the effect.
It acts just like the beat does in
music rhythm in poetry arises
from the need for some words to
be pronounced more strongly.
They might also be stressed for a
-9-
The pen mightier than the sword

suggests that the power of
education and writing is more
potent for changing the world than
military force.
For instance, the words like
buzz, click, rattle and grunt
make sounds akin to the noise
they represent and are used both
in prose and poetry.
A horse is a very stable animal.
(Here the pun is on the word
stable.
For men may come and men
may go, but I go on forever. (This
refrain is repeated after every
stanza in Tennysons poem The
Brook)
I looked upon the rotting sea, And
drew my eyes away; I looked
upon the rotting deck, And there
the dead men lay.
(Rime of the Ancient Mariner)
Half a league, Half a league (The
charge of the Light Brigade by
Tennyson)
Rhyme
Rhyme scheme
Simile
Synecdoche
longer time, which sounds more

pleasant to the mind, thus
unconsciously creating identifiable
patterns. This gives a musical
effect to the literary piece.
A matching similarity of sounds in
two or more words at the end of a
line, especially when their
accented vowels and all
succeeding consonants are
identical.
The pattern of rhyme. The
traditional way to mark these
patterns of rhyme is to assign a
letter of the alphabet to each
rhyming sound at the end of each
line.
An analogy or comparison implied

by using an adverb such as like
or as.
This involves a part of an object
representing a whole, or the
whole of an object representing a
part.
-10-
Once upon a time a frog/croaked

away in Bingle Bog (Vikram
Seths poem The Frog and the
Nightingale)
The glories of our blood and

state -------------- a
Are shadows, not substantial
things; ------------ b
There is no armour against fate; ----------------- a
Death lays his icy hand on kings: ----------------- b
Sceptre and crown -------------------------------- c
Must tumble down, ------------------------------- c
And in the dust be equal made ----------------- d
With the poor crooked scythe and
spade----- d (Extract from James
Shirleys poem Of Death) The
rhyme scheme for this stanza is
ababccdd.
Friends are like chocolate cake,
you can never have too many.
Twenty eyes watched our every
move. Here, rather than implying
that twenty different eyes are
swiveling to follow him as he
walks by, the author means that
ten people watched the groups
every move.
PASSAGE 1
DISCURSIVE PASSAGE
FASHION IS A PROFILE PIC

Read the passage carefully:
1. Fashion loves to embrace the new and is always quick to adapt to socio-culture
developments. There is no question that this industry has welcomed the social network.
The way we look at fashion has totally changed, thanks to Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry
Messenger (BBM) and Instagram. And the way we report fashion has changed too.
Fashion shows are streamed live, reviews on blogs are up minutes after a show, and
online e-commerce stores make collections available minutes after a fashion show has
ended. You can buy an outfit even before the next day's newspaper review is out. Twitter,
of course, means that even the fashion reportage a paper carries is outdated. Today every
fashion writer needs to learn the art of reviewing a show in 140 characters. Knowing your
social media is as important as knowing your fashion. The fashion brands, retailers and
magazines are well aware of this- and therefore they are all social media-friendly.
2. And often enough, social media will be more willing to push the envelope than traditional
media. Recently, a leading fashion magazine made a fashion faux pas - the outfit they had
put on their cover had appeared on another fashion magazine a year earlier, and as we all
know repeating in fashion is a big no-no. Interestingly, most of the dailies decided to
overlook the incident. Bloggers were not so forgiving and brought the error into the public
arena. And it started a much-needed debate on the responsibility of fashion media.
3. Even when you look at electronic media, you will notice that unless it is a 'makeover show',
most television channels shy away from showcasing fashion, style and luxury. And again
social media is poised to fill the gap, with several YouTube channels launching this year all
based around style. It seems social media believes that there is a demand for fashionbased content. However, social media has given anyone and everyone a right to an
opinion.
-Sujata Assoumull Sippy
On the basis of your understanding of the passage answer the following questions with
the help of the given options :
1X4=4]
(a)
The way we look at fashion has changed, thanks to

(i) Newspaper
(ii) Television
(iii) Facebook
(iv) None of the above
Ans. Facebook
(b)
Fashion Writers need to learn the art of reviewing a show in

(i) 140 words/Characters
(ii) 200 words/Characters
(iii) 300 words/Characters
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(iv) 150 words/Characters

Ans. 140 words/Characters
(c)
Traditional media refers to

(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
Magazines
Newspapers
Instagram
Both (i) and (ii)
Ans. Both (i) and (ii)

(d)
Meaning of 'faux pas' is

(i)
A social awkward or tactless act
(ii)
A selfish act
(iii)
A loving act
(iv)
A patriotic act
Ans. A social awkward or tactless act
Answer the following questions briefly:

(e)
[1X6=6]
What has the fashion industry 'welcomed'?

Ans. Fashion industry has 'welcomed' the Social Network.
(f)
State any one way in which we report fashion today.

Ans. Streamed live / reviews on blogs / YouTube channels etc.
(g)
'Bloggers were not so forgiving and brought the error into the public
arena.' What error was brought into the public arena by the bloggers?
Ans. Fashion faux pas made by a leading fashion magazine.
(h)
What does fashion media shy away from?

Ans. From showcasing fashion style and luxury.
(i)
How does an online e-commerce store help the fashion industry?
Ans. Makes fashion collections available minutes after a fashion show has
ended.
(j)
What has social media given anyone and everyone ?

Ans. A right to an opinion.
(k)
Find words from the passage which means the same as :
-12-
(1X2=2)
(i)
The news as presented by reporters for newspapers, radio or
television.
(ii)
A merchant who sells goods at retail

Ans. (i)
(ii)
reportage
retailers
(para 1)
(para 1)
-13-
Passage 2
Discursive Passage
THE ARNAB CAST OF CHARACTERS
1.
There is a minor celebrity hood that comes with occasionally appearing on Arnab's
show. In the oddest of places, strangers will walk up to me and ask, 'Don't I Know you from
somewhere? ' There was a time when I would seriously consider the possibility, but I've come
to realise that many people are really at home only in front of their TV watching Arnab, and in
that sense I am an old acquaintance.
2.
I had little inkling of this fate when I first started appearing on television to defend Open
magazine's decision to publish the Radia tapes After that memorable television encounter
where Barkha Dutt and Manu Joseph replayed the same conversation 20 times over, I was
left to fend for the magazine on other channels. Initially, I agreed to continue appearing on
Arnab's channel because the magazine's publisher insisted this was good publicity; it was
only later that I saw some journalistic sense in doing so.
3.
I say this despite harbouring no illusions about the nature of the show. It is a
performance with Arnab as the director and the main character, and an audience swept along
by the drama of what transpires. The form is defined by Arnab, the substance born out of the
audience. This is an audience that comprises the section of middle class which is comfortable
watching news on television in English. It is socially liberal, hence the anger against
gharwapasi or those opposing Valentine's Day, but it is xenophobic in its nationalism, hence
the noise about Pakistan or Greenpeace. If NDTV was the product of the scions of a particular
elite telling the rest of the English- speaking class what to think, Times Now gives voice to
what this class actually thinks, which is why this Prime Time clash was never much of contest.
4.
In this theatre, journalists like me have a prescribed role: to endorse Arnab's opinion.
Journalists perceived to be affiliated with a political party can't carry this off with any
conviction. Those who remain are likely to endorse Arnab only when they genuinely agree
with him, forcing the channel to cherry pick. I know I won't be asked to appear on a show
about offloading a Greenpeace activist, because I'd then be at odds with Arnab.
5.
What does this role offer those who accept it? The increased visibility lends their work
greater value at a time personal branding is increasingly defining value in journalism. But I
also see it as an opportunity to point out to a largely apathetic country that in 1984, Kamal
Nath was at the head of a mob that burned two Sikhs to death a few 100 metres from
Parliament. Or voice my apprehensions about Narendra Modi to a mass audience at a time
the country seemed besotted with him. This is possible because Arnab's sole interest is his
play, he is not a participant in the games most other anchors play out in Delhi. Interestingly,
the roles come with no strings attached. No one's ever asked me not to be critical of Arnab, as
I have been, or Samir Jain, as I continue to be.
- Hartosh Singh Bal
-14-
[1X4=4]
(a)
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Arnab is a person who is a :

TV news anchor
Editor of a magazine
Bollywood Hero
None of the above
Ans. TV news anchor
(b)
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
The writer appeared on television to defend the following magazine:

Caravan
Open
Outlook
Frontline
Ans. Open Magazine
(c)
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
In Arnab's show, Arnab is the Director

Villain
Court Jester
Audience
Ans. Director
(d)
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
What did the 'Open' magazine publish ?

Watergate tapes
Snoopgate tapes
Radia tapes
Cablegate tapes
Ans. Radia Tapes

(e)
[1x6=6]
What did the writer realize about the TV watching habit of his countrymen?
Ans. People are at home in front of their TV, watching Arnab.

(f)
Why did the writer continue appearing on Arnab's Channel?
Ans. Because the magazines' publishers insisted this was good publicity.
(g)
Which section of society watches Arnab's show ?

-15-
Ans. Section of middle class which is comfortable watching news on television in

English.
(h)
Who is 'xenophobic' in its nationalism ?
Ans. Middle class is 'xenophobic' in its nationalism.

(i)
Why do people appear on Arnab's show?
Ans. Increased visibility lend their work greater value.

(j)
On which news channel does Arnab appear?
Ans. Times Now

(k) Find words from the passage which mean the same as:
(i)
An erroneous mental representation.
(ii)
A descendant or heir
Ans. (i)
(ii)
illusions
(para3)
scions
(para3)
-16-
[1x2=2]
PASSAGE 1
FACTUAL PASSAGE
A MISGUIDED PATRIOT
1. Subhas Chandra Bose fulfilled a promise to his father that he would sit for the Indian Civil
Service examination in London. He secured the fourth position in 1920 but then went on to
fulfill his own wish. He resigned from the coveted service the following year, saying only on
the soil of sacrifice and suffering can we raise our national edifice. Returning to India, he
plunged into the national struggle and by 1923, was secretary of the Bengal State
Congress and President of All India Youth Congress.
2. By 1927, he emerged, along with Jawaharlal Nehru, as leader of the new youth movement,
which came into its own by playing a major role in the anti-Simon Commission agitation
which swept India that year. He was also the chief organizer of the Calcutta session of the
Indian National Congress (INC) in December 1928, which demanded that the goal of the
congress be changed to PurnaSwaraj or Complete Independence.
3. Imprisonment in the Civil Disobedience movement followed by bad health in 1932 took him
to Europe where he observed European politics, particularly Fascism under Mussolini and
Communism in the Soviet Union. He was impressed by both and believed that
authoritarian rule was essential for achieving radical social goals.
4. In fact, it is in this period that political views of Nehru and Bose begin to diverge sharply,
especially on the issue of Fascism and Nazism. Nehru was so vehemently opposed to
Fascism that he refused to meet Mussolini even when the latter sought him out, whereas
Bose not only met Mussolini but was impressed by him. Nehru was sharply critical of the
growing danger to the world from the rise of Hitler. Bose, on the other hand, never
expressed that kind of aversion to Fascism, and was quite willing to seek the support of
Germany and later Japan against Britain. However, he was not happy with the German
attack on Soviet Union in 1941, and that was one reason why he left Germany for Japan.
For Bose, Socialism and Fascism were not polar opposites, as they were for Nehru.
5. In 1938, Bose was unanimously elected, with the full support of Gandhiji, as Congress
president for the Haripura session. But the next year, he decided to stand again, this time
as a representative of militant and radical groups. An election ensued which Bose won by
1,580 to 1,377 votes, but the battle lines were drawn. The challenge he threw by calling
Gandhian leaders rightists who were working for a compromise with the British
government was answered by 12 members of the working committee resigning and asking
Bose to choose his own committee. Nehru did not resign with other members but he was
unhappy with Boses casting of aspersions on senior leaders. He tried his best to mediate
and persuade Bose not to resign.
6. The crisis came to a head at Tripuri in March 1939, with Bose refusing to nominate a new
working Committee and ultimately resigning. The clash was of policy and tactics. Bose
-17-
wanted an immediate struggle led by Gandhiji, whereas Gandiji felt the time was not ripe
for struggle.
7. Having burnt his boats with the Congress. Bose went and then to Japan in 1943 to seek
help in the struggle against their common enemy, Britain. He finally went to Singapore to
take charge of the Indian National Army (INA) which had been formed by Mohan Singh in
1941 from Indian prisoners of war captured by the Japanese. The INA was clear that it
would go into action only on the invitation of the INC; it was not set up as a rival Centre of
power. Bose made this more explicit when on July 6, 1944, in a broadcast on Azad Hind
Radio addressed to Gandhiji, he said, Father of our Nation! In this holy war of Indias
liberation, we ask for your blessing and good wishes.
-
Mridula Mukherjee
[1X4=4]
(a)
Subhas Chandra Bose was secretary of the

(i)
Bengal State Congress
(ii)
All India Youth Congress
(iii) Central India Youth Congress
Ans. Bengal State Congress
(b)
(c)
In which year Subhas Chandra Bose was imprisoned in the Civil

Disobedience Movement
(i)
1928
(ii)
1930
(iii) 1932
(iv) 1934
Ans. 1932
Subhas Chandra Bose was not happy with the
(i)
Soviet Union attack on German in 1941
(ii)
German attack on Soviet Union in 1941
(iii) Soviet Union attack on Japan in 1941
(iv) Japan attack on Soviet Union in 1941
Ans. German attack on Soviet Union in 1941
(d)
Indian National Army (INA) was formed by

(i)
Mohan Singh
(ii)
Subhash Chandra Bose
(iii) Jawaharlal Nehru
(iv) Mahatma Gandhi
Ans. Mohan Singh
-18-
Answer the following question briefly:

(e)
[1x6=6]
Why did Subhash Chandra Bose resign from the Indian Civil Services?
Ans. Subhash Chandra Bose resigned from Indian Civil Service because he thought
that only on the soil of sacrifice and suffering can we raise our national edifice.
(f)
Who all played a major role in the Anti-Simon Commission agitation?
Ans. Subhash Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru played a major role in the AntiSimon Commission agitation.
(g)
What was the demand of Indian National Congress in December 1928?
Ans. The Indian National Congress demanded that the goal of the congress be
changed to PurnaSwaraj or Complete Independence.
(h)
What were the issues which lead to differences in political views of Nehru
and Bose?
Ans. Nehru and Bose diverged sharply, on the issue of Fascism and Nazism.
(i)
When was Subhash Chandra Bose elected as Congress President and with
whose support?
Ans. Subhash Chandra Bose was elected as Congress President in 1938 with the
support of Gandhiji.
(j)
What was the address by Bose to Gandhiji on Azad Hind Radio?
Ans. Bose addressed Gandhiji as Father of Nation on Azad Hind Radio.
(k) Find words from the passage which means the same as:
(i)
(ii)
to be in jail
to elect a leader
Ans.
(i)
(ii)
(Para 3)
(Para 5)
imprisonment
election
-19-
[1x2=2]
PASSAGE 2
FACTUAL PASSAGE
A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES
1.
For lasting and clear eyesight, eyes need care in the form of preventive measures, a
continuous life-long exercise. Eyes don't just see, they do the talking. This is why of all our
senses the most precious is eyesight. Eyes need care in the form of prevention, and knowing
some preventive methods in eye care can make your eyes look bright and healthy and leave
you with excellent eyesight.
2.
How do we keep eyes bright and healthy? Eat good helpings of vegetables, fruits,
omega-3 fatty acids, beta carotenes with vitamins A, C and E, enjoy good sleep and avoid
direct sunlight. Therefore, good habits and good general health care does play a major role in
eye care. Eyes are windows to the human body; while you look out through this window, we,
the eye doctors, can look in to find conditions such as glaucoma, abnormal blood pressures,
diabetes, heart diseases and other health concerns much before you notice its adverse
impact, and help you take preventive measures.
3.
It is never too early to begin eye checkups. Throw a torchlight from different directions
and look for fixation in newborns and, if in doubt, take the baby to an eye specialist. By the
time a child is four, it is imperative to have a check up every year to look for squint, signs of
opacity brought in by cataracts and minus or plus powers to decide whether or not glasses
are needed. Ultraviolet- protective sunglasses from childhood can help protect eyes from the
harmful UV rays. Once in the teens, contact lenses can be worn in place of glasses, but never
sleep with them on as they reduce the supply of air and blood to the cornea and can damage
eyes. When in 20s, you can get rid of glasses with lasers, Lasik or permanent contact lenses.
4.
An emerging and alarming trend is the Computer Eye Syndrome, which appears to be
catching on in early adult life. We cannot escape the use of computers but, sadly, our eyes
are not designed to cope with these screens. Continuous staring at the monitors reduces
blinking, causes strain to the eyes and can lead to dry eyes as well. Therefore, it is always
better to take a break of 10 minutes every hour and look at distant objects such as the
landscapes or even television.
5.
Glaucoma or raised pressure in eyes and diabetic retinopathy are silent killers of
eyesight. Therefore, checking eyes once every six months is essential. If afflicted with
diabetes, diet, exercise and drugs are to be remembered in that order to keep the doctor
away.
6.
Around the age of 40, more or less everybody requires reading glasses, a condition
known as presbyopia. But now you can get rid of these glasses as well, with lasers called
INTRACOR and SUPRACOR. One can develop cataract- defined as the loss of transparency
in the natural lens of the eye - at any age, but it usually strikes in old age. It's treated by
replacing the opaque lens with an artificial lens called the intraocular lens. The latest in
-20-
cataract removal techniques is called femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery, which is
blade-free, hands-free and makes the operation precise, safe and accurate.
7.
That said, eye care is, inevitably, a continuous exercise through life.
- Dr Kasu Prasad Reddy
[1X4=4]
a. We keep our eyes bright and healthy by:
(i) playing in the sun
(ii) wearing spectacles
(iii) rubbing our eyes frequently
(iv) eating good helping of vegetables and fruits
Ans. eating good helping of vegetables and fruits
b. By examining the eyes, the doctors can detect health conditions like :
(i)
fractures
(ii)
sinus
(iii) glaucoma
(iv) transilitis
Ans. Glaucoma
c. Eye checkups should begin :
(i)
at the time of birth
(ii)
at school
(iii) only when a person complaints
(iv) when a person is above 50 years of age.
Ans. at the time of birth
d. We should not wear contact lenses for long hours, as they might harm the:
(i)
Retina
(ii)
Cornea
(iii) Tear Glands
Ans. Cornea
[1x6=6]
(e)
State any two ways in which we can keep our eyes bright and healthy.
Ans.
a. Eat vegetables and fruits.

b. Omega 3 fatty acids.
c. Vitamins A,C, E
-21-
(f)
What will prevent eyes from harmful UV Rays?
Ans. UV protection sunglasses.

(g)
Excessive Computer usage causes which problem ?
Ans. Computer Eye Syndrome

(h)
What is 'presbyopia' ?
Ans. Around the age of 40 almost everyone requires reading glasses this condition is known
as 'presbyopia'.
(i)
What are 'INTRACOR' and 'SUPRACOR'?
Ans. Lasers
(j)
What is 'Cataract'?
Ans. 'Cataract' is the loss of transparency in the natural lens of the eye.
(k) Find words from the passage which means the same as :
[1x2=2]
a. Grievously affected especially by disease
(Para 5)
b. By necessity
(Para 7)
Ans. (i)
(ii)
afflicted
inevitably
-22-
PASSAGE 3
FACTUAL PASSAGE
A TOOL FOR WORLD PEACE
1.
After a long and arduous struggle to popularise yoga, the world is now waking up to its
wonders. Upon my arrival in New York on the evening of June 20, the Art of Living volunteers
and the officials at the Permanent Mission of India informed me that the weather forecast
predicted heavy rains, even thunderstorms over the next 24 hours. There was concern on
their faces as they continued with preparations for the International Day of Yoga celebrations
at the United Nations headquarters and Times Square. I remained confident that this
momentous day would go well.
2.
To the delight of the organising teams, the sun came out just as we arrived at the
venue. The UN Secretary General and his wife, the President of the General Assembly, and
many ambassadors participated in the programme. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon even
said, "We should do this before every negotiation, so that we can work with a calm mind".
3.
WHO has warned that depression will become the biggest killer after HIV/AIDS by
2030. Today, an estimated $150 billion is spent on mental illness and depression in the US
alone. While the remission rate through medical treatments is less than 14 percent, a study
has shown that the remission rate will be 64 percent through meditation and yoga. I
suggested to the Secretary General that if countries around the world spend 1 percent of their
defence budget on peace education and peace-building through yoga and meditation, it would
make a significant difference.
4.
In terms of the way forward, we cannot have all and sundry teach anything in the name
of yoga. We need to bring quality control and standardisation in teaching. Like cell phones
have enhanced comfort and connectivity, yoga can take you to a whole new level. It can be
used as a powerful tool in conflict resolution and trust building.
5.
When we started our efforts to bring this ancient wisdom to the fore, it was not easy.
There was a lot of prejudice against yoga and even meditation. Today, meditation posture has
become synonymous with relaxation and comfort. Earlier, the younger generation in the
western world would often struggle to convince their parents to open up to the benefits of
yoga. Perhaps, this declaration by the UN will make their job easier.
- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
[1X4=4]
a. The remission rate for depression through medical treatment is less than
(i)
20 percent
(ii)
14 percent
(iii)
15 percent
(iv)
24 percent
-23-
Ans. 14 percent.
b. The declaration by the UN will make the job of Art of Living volunteers
(i)
tougher
(ii)
easier
(iii)
harder
(iv)
comfortable
Ans. easier.
c. Where was International Day of Yoga celebrated in USA?
(i)
WHO Headquarters
(ii)
United Nation Headquarters and Times Square
(iii)
White House
(iv)
Central Park
Ans. United Nation Headquarters and Times Square
d. Who arrived in New York on the evening of June 20.
(i)
Shankaracharya
(ii)
Sri Sri Ravi Shanker
(iii)
General Ban Ki-moon
(iv)
Naredra Modi
Ans. Sri Sri Ravi Shanker.
Answer the following questions briefly.
(e)
[1X6=6]
What did the weather forecast predict for the city of New York?
Ans. The weather forecast predicted heavy rains.

(f)
Who all participated in the International Day of Yoga celebration?
Ans. UN Secretary General and his wife, the President of the UN General Assembly and
many ambassadors participated in the programme.
(g)
Who is the founder of 'The Art of Living'?
Ans. Sri Sri Ravi Shanker is the founder of 'The Art of Living'.
(h)
What warning has the WHO issued?
Ans. WHO has warned that depression will become the biggest killer after HIV/AIDS by 2030.
(i)
How can Yoga be used as a powerful tool?
Ans. Yoga can be used as a powerful tool in conflict resolution and trust building.
(j)
What was the role of the younger generation in the western world to promote
Yoga?
-24-
Ans. The younger generation in the western world struggled to convince their parents to open
up to the benefits of yoga.
(k) Find words from the passage which mean the same as :
[1X2=2]
i) decrease, less severe
(para 3)
ii) tough, difficult
(para 1)
Ans. (i)
(ii)
remission
arduous
-25-
PASSAGE 4
FACTUAL PASSAGE
DELHI'S TRUNK CALLS
1.
Twenty-six-year-old Verhaen Khanna is not your garden variety green crusader. He's
on a mission to cure 'tree blindness'- the habit of not looking at trees. "People just walk past
them," he complains, at his New Friends Colony residence office, clad in Batman pyjamas
and bathroom slippers. Khanna, as part of New Delhi Nature Society which he set up last
year, is educating Delhities about trees in a unique way- by teaching them how to climb them.
2.
A generation ago, the practice was commonplace but with today's increasingly indoor
living, learning to scale the neem next door sounds like a spot of daredevilry. Anuj Wadhwa, a
26 year old garment exporter learnt to shimmy up trees a few months ago. "Spending time
with nature and climbing trees become a spiritual exercise for me. Once you're in a tree, you
become part of its ecosystem, which includes birds, insects, fruits and flowers, " says
Wadhwa who can spend 40-45 minutes hanging out on tree branches, sometimes with a cup
of green tea in hand.
3.
But it's all about barking up the tree right. "It depends on how and where you sit,"
Khanna points out. "You have to find a cosy nook, maybe a Y-or a V-shaped branch. Find a
hook to rest your arm. Or, you can lie down. It can get so comfortable that I have to warn
people from falling off to sleep." A trained commercial pilot, Khanna organizes periodic
campouts around Delhi - Jahanpanah city forest near GK-II, Asola Sanctuary, Lodhi Garden,
Nehru Park, colony parks in New Friends Colony, Maharani Bagh, GK-I etc.- where he not
only teaches members how to climb trees, but also to make a fire, count GPS satellites and
stars.
4.
While Khanna provides tents and other equipment on these free jaunts, participants
have to bring their own food. The tree-lover funds his woody ambitions with his day job as
business developer, and as a light painting artist at OLE India- a collaborative of professionals
and free thinkers. He has also uploaded tree-climbing tutorials on YouTube. When climbing a
straight trunk (coconut or palm), ascend using both arms in tandem (like in a hug) instead of
alternating them. But banyan trees, with thick, low lying branches and vines offer a relatively
easy climb.
5.
Anyone can join NDNS and it's free. The year-old society has been attracting members
through word of mouth and sight- the image of men and women sitting atop trees in various
city parks. Khanna has organized six outdoor camps in the past year and has taught around
30 people to climb trees. Once up, he briefs participants about the tree and its ecosystem.
Details like what kind of fruit and flower it bears, their benefits, the shape and size of leaves,
kinds of insects, birds and squirrels living on it, any folk tales associated with it are discussed
and shared. Khanna says books, internet and hands-on experience working on farms is the
source of his tree knowledge.
-26-
6.
Tarun Mal, an agriculturist who lives in Gurgaon and runs a farm in Alwar, says the first
time he climbed, he was scared of falling. "But once you're inside the canopy, it's a different
world and you don't want to come down," he says. For Masrat Khan, a communication expert,
the experience brings out the child in her.When not scaling trees, NDNS members are busy
doing "guerilla gardening"-planting hardy local tree varieties like neem, babul and jamun
wherever possible and often without permission. Their mission to cure tree blindness
continues.
-
Shobhita Dhar
[1X4=4]
(a)
Verhaen Khanna is on a mission to cure

(i)
Night blindness
(ii)
Tree blindness
(iii)
Colour blindness
(iv)
None of the above
Ans: Tree blindness
(b)
Spending time with nature and climbing trees has become a

(i)
spiritual exercise
(ii)
physical exercise
(iii)
aerobic exercise
(iv)
All the above
Ans: spiritual exercise
(c)
When climbing a straight trunk use

(i)
both arms in tandem
(ii)
both legs in tandem
(iii)
both arms and legs in tandem
(iv)
None of the above
Ans: both arms in tandem
(d)
When not scaling trees, NDNS members are busy doing

(i)
Tree Gardening
(ii)
Flower Gardening
(iii)
Guerrilla Gardening
(iv)
None of the above
Ans: Guerrilla Gardening
Answer the following question briefly:
[1x6=6]
(e) What do you mean by tree blindness?

Ans: The habit of people to not look at trees.
-27-
(f) What education is being imparted to Delhiites by Verhaen Khanna?

Ans: Verhaen Khanna is educating Delhiites about climbing trees.
(g) What is Anuj Wadhwas opinion about nature and climbing trees?
Ans: In Anuj Wadhwas opinion, spending time with nature and climbing trees is a
spiritual exercise.
(h) What do you become when you are in a tree, according to Wadhwa?
Ans: Once you are in a tree you become part of its ecosystem, which includes birds,
insects, fruits and flowers.
(i) Who all can join NDNS and what do they teach?
Ans: Anyone can join NDNS. They teach people how to climb trees etc.
(j) What varieties of trees are planted by the NDNS members??
Ans: Hardy local tress like neem, babul, and jamun etc.
(k) Find words from the passage which means the same as:
i.
ii.
Biological Environment
Excursion
(Para2, 5)
(Para 4)
Ans:
i. ecosystem
ii. jaunt
-28-
[1x2=2]
PASSAGE 5
FACTUAL PASSAGE
TOWERS OF CONCERN
1.
India has over 400,000 telecom towers at present, but the growth in the number of
towers is just 3 percent annually, which compares poorly with the over 12 million subscribers
added by industry every year. Telecom service providers say that a "health scare" among the
public is what prevents additional towers from coming up in large numbers. What is the truth
in this?
2.
A Bio-Initiative Report in 2012 pointed towards health hazards due to radiation from
cell towers. The most common of these are sleep disorder, headache, irritability,
concentration problem, memory loss, depression, hearing loss and joint problems. More
severe problems include seizures, paralysis, miscarriage, irreversible infertility and cancer.
Many countries have lower radiation norms, says Girish Kumar, a professor in the electrical
engineering department of IIT-Bombay. For instance, Austria has a radiation limit of 1 milliwatt
per square metre. In countries such as Russia, China, Italy and Poland, the allowed limit is
100 milliwatt per square metre. "If mobile coverage is possible in these countries, then there is
no reason why we cannot have low radiation levels in our country," says Kumar.
3.
There was a wave of protests in Mumbai over possible radiation effects of cell phone
towers. The protests grew after film actor Juhi Chawla stepped in to first get towers right
opposite her home in Mumbai's Malabar Hill removed, and subsequently mobilised support
from the public and activists to launch a full-fledged awareness campaign against cell phone
towers. She wanted telecom companies to lower radiation levels on towers near residential
areas, put a cap on the number of antennae, and place towers at a distance from buildings.
Meanwhile, reports on the ill-effects of radiation poured in. For instance, residents of the Sree
Samarth building in Dadar's Parsi colony claimed that they saw six cases of cancer in the
building in a period of just three years, allegedly caused by radiation from telecom towers in
the area.
4.
The link between the towers and cancer was not proved in any of the cases, but they
set panic bells ringing in government circles. In 2014, the Department of Telecommunications
undertook a study on radiation levels through its Telecom Enforcement Resource and
Monitoring (TERM) wing in Mumbai. It addressed the public's grievances and reassured them
that operators are indeed adhering to the prescribed norms on radiation. Union Telecom
Minister Ravi Prasad also told INDIA TODAY that there are no conclusive studies to prove
that radiation from these towers is a health hazard.
5.
The American Cancer Society, a non-profit organisation, says that radiation levels from
cell phone towers are low since the towers are mounted high above ground level and signals
are transmitted intermittently . Unless someone is exposed directly in front of the antennae,
the radiation impact would be limited, the society says.
- M.G. Arun
-29-
[1X4=4]
a. The growth in the number of towers in India is
(i) 2 percent annually
(ii) 3 percent annually
(iii) 4 percent annually
(iv) 5 percent annually
Ans. 3 percent annually
b. The most common health hazards due to radiation are
(i) sleep disorder, headache
(ii) memory loss, depressions
(iii) hearing loss, joint problems
(iv) All of the above
Ans. All of the above
c. Department of Telecommunications conducted a study on radiation level through its
(i)
Telecom Monitoring Resource Wing
(ii) Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring
(iii) Telecom Radiation Enforcement Wing
(iv) Telecom Radiation Vigilance Department
Ans. Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring.
d. Which cancer society says that radiation levels from cell phone are low(i) Indian Cancer Society
(ii) Russian Cancer Society
(iii) American Cancer Society
(iv) African Cancer Society
Ans. American Cancer Society
Answer the following questions briefly.
[1X6=6]
(e)
How many telecom towers are present in India and what is the growth rate
annually?
Ans. There are 40000 towers at present and the growth rate is 3% annually.
(f)
Name any three common and two severe health diseases due to radiation.
Ans. The three common health diseases due to radiation are sleep disorder, headache
and memory loss and two severe health diseases due to radiation are paralysis and
cancer.
(g)
What is the allowed limit of radiation in Austria, Russia, Italy and Poland?
Ans. The allowed limit of radiation in Austria is 1 milliwatt per square metre and 100
milliwatt per square metre in Russia, China, Italy and Poland.
-30-
(h)
What was the ill-effects of radiation faced by the residents of Dadar's Parsi
colony?
Ans. The ill-effects of radiation faced by the residents of Dadar's Parsi colony was six
cases of cancer in the building in a period of just three years.
(i)
Which department of telecommunication undertook a study on radiation?
Ans. Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring (TERM) department of

telecommunication undertook a study on radiation.
(j)
Which film actress protested over radiation effects of cell phone towers?
Ans. Juhi Chawla protested over radiation effects of cell phone towers.
(k) Find words from the passage which mean the same as :
[1X2=2]
(i)
emission
(para 2)
(ii)
complaint
(para 4)
Ans. (i)
(ii)
radiation
grievance
-31-
LITERARY PASSAGE
POEM 1
A LUCKY THING
High
up in a hawthorn tree
a robin perched, where he could see
into a coop of wire and wood.
Inside the coop a farmer stood
Flinging grain upon the ground.
Twelve fat chickens gathered round.
The robin,
singing, cocked his head
and watched the chickens being fed.
He saw it was a lucky thing
To be a chicken: Farmers bring
You golden grain, scoop after scoop,
If youe a chicken in a coopA lovely coop with nesting boxes
Safe from cats and crows and foxes.
The chickens
In the coop could see
The bird. They heard his melody
And clucked it was a lucky thing
To be a robin who could sing
A song upon a hawthorn tree.
They watched him through the woven wire.
They saw him fly up high, and higher.
Twelve fat chickens
Scratched the floor.
The farmer closed
And latched the door.
- Alice Schertle
On the basis of your understanding of the poem answer the following questions with
[1X4=4]
a.
The robin feels .. the chickens because they are safe from predators and do
not have to look for their food.
(i)
happy about
(ii)
sorry for
(iii)
envious of
(iv) None of these
Ans. envious of
b.
Which one of the following situations is similar to the situation described in the
poem?
(i) An insect hopes to escape being eaten by a frog.
-32-
(ii) A dog wishes to catch the cat living nearby.

(iii) A squirrel hopes to gather enough food for winter.
(iv) A cow wishes to run free with wild horses.
Ans. A cow wishes to run free with wild horses.
c.
Identify the rhyme scheme of line 1-6.

(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
aabbcc
abcd
abbcc
adccd
Ans. aabbcc
d.
Whom did the farmer feed?

(i)
robin
(ii)
crows
(iii)
foxes
(iv)
chickens
Ans. chickens
Answer the following questions as briefly as possible.

(e)
[1x6=6]
What does the poet convey through this poem?
Ans. The poet conveys the thought that people often wish for things that others have.
(f)
What is the chickens attitude towards the robin?
Ans. The chickens feel that the robin was lucky to be free to fly wherever he wanted to and
was able to sing a song when he wanted to.
(i)
Why did the farmer close and latch the door after feeding the chickens?
Ans. The farmer closed and latched the door after feeding the chickens so that no predators
could attack the chickens.
(ii)
From what three predators are the chickens safe?
Ans. The chickens are safe from cats, crows and foxes.
(i)
Which other relationship mentioned in the poem is most similar to the
relationship between the coop and the chicken?
Ans. The relationship between hawthorn tree and the robin is most similar to the relationship
between the coop and the chickens.
-33-
(j) Identify any one example of alliteration from the poem.

Ans. Scoop after scoop / golden grains / woven wire / high and higher.
(k) Find the words in the given poem which convey the similar meaning to [1x2=2]
(i)
(ii)
enclosure
throwing
Ans : (i)
(ii)
(stanza 1)
(stanza 1)
coop
flinging
-34-
LITERARY PASSAGE
POEM 2
LINES WRITTEN IN EARLY SPRING
Read the given poem carefully.
I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sat reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.
Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes;
The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure:But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.
The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.
If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Natures holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?
-William Wordsworth
[1X4=4]
a.
What is the mood of the poet in these lines?

(i)
amused
(ii)
pessimistic
(iii)
melancholy
(iv)
bewildered
-35-
Ans. melancholy
b.
What seemed a thrill of pleasure?

(i)
birds hopping and playing
(ii)
the budding twigs
(iii)
natures holy plan
(iv)
natures music
Ans. birds hopping and playing
c.
d.
Where is the poet sitting?

(i) by the river
(ii) in a grove
(iii) on a boat
(iv) in a forest
Ans. in a grove
Who hopped and played around the poet?
(i)
children
(ii)
birds
(iii)
rabbits
(iv)
peacocks
Ans. birds
Answer the following questions as briefly as possible.
e.
[1x6=6]
What was the poets mind filled with?

Ans. Pleasant thoughts of nature bringing sad thoughts to mind.
f.
Why was the poet sad?

Ans. The poet was sad because of the destruction man has caused to nature.
g.
Identify the rhyme scheme of the poem.

Ans. abab
h.
What thoughts grieved the poets heart?

Ans. What man has made of man.
i.
What were the budding twigs doing?

Ans. The budding twigs were spreading out their leaves to catch the breeze.
j.
Why does the poet have reason to lament?
-36-
Ans. The poet has reason to lament because natures holy plan is for all plants
and animals to be happy, but man has ruined the environment by exploiting it for
his selfish needs.
(k)
Which word in the poem means the same as

(i)
windy
(ii)
sprouting leaves
Ans. (i)
(ii)
[1x2=2]
(stanza 5)
(stanza5)
breezy
budding
-37-
LITERARY PASSAGE
POEM 3
THE LITTLE BLACK BOY
My mother bore me in the southern wild,
And I am black, but O! my soul is white;
White as an angel is the English child:
But I am black as if bereav'd of light.
My mother taught me underneath a tree
And sitting down before the heat of day,
She took me on her lap and kissed me,
And pointing to the east began to say.
Look on the rising sun: there God does live
And gives his light, and gives his heat away.
And flowers and trees and beasts and men receive
Comfort in morning joy in the noonday
And we are put on earth a little space,
That we may learn to bear the beams of love,
And these black bodies and this sun-burnt face
Is but a cloud, and like a shady grove.
For when our souls have learned the heat to bear
The cloud will vanish we shall hear his voice.
Saying: come out from the grove my love & care,
And round my golden tent like lambs rejoice.
Thus did my mother say and kissed me,
And thus I say to little English boy.
When I from black and he from white cloud free,
And round the tent of God like lambs we joy:
- William Blake
[1X4=4]
a. The mother and the boy belonged to which area?
(i)
southern Wild
(ii)
eastern part
(iii)
England
(iv)
northern part
Ans. southern wild
-38-
b. Where are the mother and boy sitting?

(i)
on a chair
(ii)
under the tree
(iii)
near the river
(iv)
on a bench
Ans. under the tree
c. Identify the figure of speech in line no. 3, White as an angel.
(i)
metaphor
(ii)
simile
(iii)
alliteration
(iv)
repetition
Ans. simile
d. Who is calling out to the black people?
(i)
sun
(ii)
clouds
(iii)
trees
(iv)
God
Ans. God
Answer the following questions:-
[1x6=6]
(e)
Why did the black boy call his own soul white?
Ans. because white is associated with good things.
(f)
Sunlight on earth is received by whom?

Ans. flowers/trees/beasts/men.
(g) How did the mother teach her boy?

Ans. by taking him on her lap under the tree and by kissing him.
(h) Which figure of speech is used in beams of love? Explain.
Ans. Metaphor as Gods love is compared to the rays of the sun.
(i) Why do the black people have sun-burnt face?
Ans. because black people are more loved by God so more sunlight falls on them.
(j) When will the clouds vanish?
Ans. The clouds will vanish when the voice of God is heard.
(k) Write down the words from the poem which means the following
(i) To give birth
(stanza 1)
(ii) Small forest
(stanza 4)
Ans. (i)
(ii)
bore
grove
-39-
[1x2=2]
NOTE MAKING
Tips to prepare Notes:
1. Prepare notes using phrases only, never use complete sentences
2. The topic sentence of each paragraph is the main point and ideas affiliated to it are
Sub points- one or more, depending on the concepts in the paragraph.
3. Each sub-point may or may not have supplementary ideas which become sub-subpoints.
4. Provide an appropriate title for the notes or the summary or abstract, as given in the
question.
5. Include a minimum of 4-6 distinctly different recognizable short forms i.e. abbreviations
of the words in the notes.
6. Cover all the important points in the notes meaningfully to prepare the
abstract/summary in about 80-100 words.
7. Write the summary or abstract in complete sentences in a paragraph.
INDENTATION OF NOTES
All similar level points should maintain the same distance from the margin.
Left hand margin heading
Write the heading/title in block letters.
Underline the heading/title.
Do not give a one-word title.
For Example, the title of a passage on Darwinism could be Need For Universal
Darwinism
A. Main Point
1. Sub-points
1.1 Follow the indented format
1.2 Dont write complete sentences
1.3 Use abbreviations and symbols where required.
1.4 Notes should not be very long.
1.5 ..
1.5.1 Sub-sub-sub point
1.5.2 Sub-sub-sub-point
2. Sub-point
2.1 Sub-sub point
2.2 Sub-sub point
B. Main point ..
-40-
KINDS OF FORMATS
Different kinds of formats may be used, depending on the theme of the passage.
FORMAT I
Mixed Indent with Examples
A. Reasons
1. cant rember much inf wout wrtng
2. help mem exams
3. can consult
B. Characteristics
1. short
2. main pts only
3. note form
(i) no cmplt sent
(ii) divs and sub-divs
(iii) use of abbr and symbols
4. understandable
FORMAT II
Indented Roman Numerals
A. Reasons
i.
cant discvr inf wout knwng
ii.
help rember- points through notes
iii.
can consult
B. Characteristics
I.
Short
II.
Main pts only
III.
Note form
(i)
No complt sent
(ii)
divs and sub-divs
(iii)
use of abbr and symbols
IV.
understandable
FORMAT III
Indented Decimals
A. Reasons
1.1 cant rember much inf wout wrtng
1.2 help mem-exams
1.3 can consult
B. Characteristics
2.1 short
2.2 main pts only
2.3 note form
2.3.1 no cmplt sent
2.3.2 divs and sub-divs
2.3.3 use of abbr and symbols
2.4 understandable
-41-
ABBREVIATIONS
Use standard abbreviation and symbols as far as practicable
a. First letters of names must be capitalized.
e.g., USA, Darwin, Mumbai etc.
b. Common abbreviations should be used.
e.g., sc for science, Mr, Mrs, Dr, Govt, etc.
c. Common symbols should be used.
e.g., +ve, -ve, -(approaches), (rising), (falling).
=(equal), = (equivalent), etc.
d.
Figures should be used in measurements.

e.g., 100kg, 1000mm, 100ml, 100, 10 etc.
e.
When making your own abbreviations, try to keep the main sounds of the word.
e.g., edn for education, ddvlpt for development
f.
Retain the suffix, so that when you are going over the notes later, you may
understand the full form of the abbreviation.
e.g., ednl (educational), progve(progressive).
g. As a general rule, headings should not be abbreviated. You can use
abbreviations in main points, sub-points etc.
h.
Ideally, you do not require more than 4-5 words to be abbreviated in a passage
besides the common abbreviations.
Some Common Abbreviations
Abbreviations
Words
Abbr
abbreviation
avt
aviation
fmly
family
pnt
point
engr
engineer
-42-
HOW TO SUMMARISE A GIVEN PASSAGE
Read (First Read) Read the passage very carefully and critically. Read the passage
straight through. Do not stop to look up anything that gives you trouble at the first reading.
You should get a feel for the authors tone, style and main idea.
Reread (Second Read) Rereading should be active reading. Underline the topic
sentences and key facts with pencil.
Label the areas that you want to refer to as you write your summary. Also label the areas that
you find irrelevant. Identify areas that you do not understand and try to clarify those points.
One Sentence at a time Now write the main idea of each paragraph in one welldeveloped sentence. Make sure that what include in your sentence are key points, not minor
details.
Write a Thesis Statement The key to a well-written summary is the Thesis Statement.
A quality Thesis Statement could either express one main idea or assert your conclusions
about the subject.
Generally, a thesis statement consists of the following parts
a clearly identifiable topic or subject matter, and
a succinct summary of what you have to say about that topic.
Ready to Write You can use Thesis Statement as the introductory sentence of your
summary, while your other sentences can make up the body.
In fact, a good summary should give ideas, facts or points in the order in which they are given
in the original text.
Add some transition words such as then, however, also, moreover etc, that help with the
overall structure and flow of the summary.
The following tips will help you to write a good summary
i)
Write in the present tense (preferably in active voice).
ii)
Be Concise summary should be within the words limit (about 80 words) and
should be coherent without any errors in logic. Dont put your opinions, ideas or
interpretations into the summary.
Check for Accuracy Reread your summary and make sure that you have accurately
represented the authors ideas and key points.
Make sure that your summary does not contain your own comments.
Revise Revise your summary for style, grammar and punctuation. Correct all the errors
in composition and rewrite it if needed.
-43-
PASSAGE 1
DISCURSIVE PASSAGE
1.
On a serious level, when was the last time you remember keeping your emotions solely
to yourself, when a disaster struck? Or was averted? Agreed, humans are social beings who
need feedback based on their social interactions. But, in todays times, where people-men
and women alike-thrive on social approval, it feels like your happiness is on a leash depend
on social media, or society at large. A person could possibly go to any extent to seek
attention. Lying, cheating, manipulating, constantly blabbing or being intentionally silent, are
all a part of the process to be the centre of attention. Everyone want to be liked and be
popular. Attention gives a pleasurable high and does wonderful thing to ones ego and selfworth. It is when to seeking exceeds normalcy that the trouble begins. Both too much of
attention and the lack of it are obvious signs of trouble.
2.
Also known as Histrionic Personality Disorder, attention-seeking is an attempt to
desperately attract the attention of other people, typically by disruptive or excessively

extrovert behavior. To find an attention-seeker around you, look for someone who says, I
want to kill myself, after a mere bad day at work, or simply throws a tantrum for not being
given enough time. Taking on the role of a victim or a damsel-in-distress is a typical trait of an
attention-seeker. Simply put, attention-seekers are the drama queens we come across
frequently in our life. According to clinical psychiatrist, Dr Harish Shetty, from Hiranandani
Hospital, Mumbai, Attention-seeking is not exactly a disorder. We all want approval in some
way or the other from the people we are around with. It massages our ego and therefore, has
a feel-good factor to it. Seeking approval enhances our identity. He explains how attentionseeking, if casual, can be encouraging, but once out of control, if the persons obsession sets
in, the trouble that follows ruins a persons relationships and eventually their peace of mind.
3.
Attention-seeking generally happens in a large magnitude to people who blame others.
The blaming is a type of coping mechanism the attention-mongers feel is essential to justify
the mistakes they refuse to own up to. Dr. Shetty elaborates, People who are narcissistic will
seek attention in a larger than life manner like dramatizing even the smallest of things that
happens to them. Also, adults who have been spoilt as children will have a lesser sense of
responsibility towards other as well as themselves, so are more likely to be narcissistic. This
behavior can be seen in adults who have had an unpleasant past, i.e. they have been
ignored, neglected bullied, or abused in may way before. They gradually start becoming
addicted to it. They think making up for all the years of unfairness they have faced as a child
-44-
is best done by seeking attention. They pre-teen years are extremely significant as they
mould the child he or she is to become when they fully grow up. Frustration, anger, and
disturbing relationships ensue if there is an excess of this behavior. The person can also grow
to be extremely anxious and develop an nervous anxiety. Dr. Shetty adds, Mostly seen in
kids, this behavior generally tends to die out with age. But as adults, people suffering from a
terminal illness, ones who have faced a huge loss in business, break-ups or divorces, also
portrary such behavior. If not handled with maturity, it worsens. But, when someone faces a
challenge, they think they are incapable of handling, it can amplify uneasiness in them and
they resort to playing the victim all the time. A lot of other causes, however are varied and
highly subjective.
(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it, using
headings
and
sub-headings.
Use
recognizable
abbreviations
(wherever
necessary minimum four) and a format you consider suitable. Also supply an
appropriate title to it.
TITLE : YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE

NOTES
1. Crave Attentn.
1.1 keeping your emotions
1.2 need feedback on social interactn.
1.3 thrive social approval
2. Extent to Seek Attentn.
2.1 lyng.
2.2 cheatng.
2.3 manpul.
2.4 constantly blabbng. or being intentionally silent
3. What exactly is attentn. seeking?
3.1 attempt to desperately attract the attentn.
3.2 persons obsession sets in
3.3 want approval in some way or the other
3.4 massages our ego, has a feel good factor
4. Once out of control
4.1 ruins a persons relationship and peace of mind
4.2 person grows anxious
5. Why it happens?
5.1 blame others
5.2 likely to be narcissistic
5.3 had an unpleasant past
-45-
Key to Abbreviation
1.
attentn.
attention
2.
interactn.
interaction
3.
lyng.
lying
4.
cheating.
cheating
5.
manpul.
manipulating
6.
&
and
7.
blabbng.
blabbing
(b) Write a summary of the above passage in about 80 words.
Everyone wants to be liked and be popular. Attention gives a pleasurable high and does a
wonderful thing to ones ego and self-worth. It is when the seeking exceeds normally that the
trouble begins. Both too much of attention and the lack of it are obvious signs of trouble. Also
known as Histrionic Personality Disorder, it attracts the attention of other people, typically by
disruptive or excessively extrovert behaviour. But once out of control, if the persons
obsession sets in, the trouble that follows ruins a persons relationships and eventually their
peace of mind. This behaviour can be seen in adults who have had led an unpleasant past i.e.
they have been ignored, neglected, bullied or abused in many ways before. If not handled
with maturity, it worsens. Instead of ridiculing the person, they should be sympathized with
and treated with compassion.
-46-
PASSAGE 2
FACTUAL PASSAGE
Read the passage carefully.
1. Pre- colonial history of Bengal is closely linked with the emergence, growth and decline of
Murshidabad. It has governed all the proceedings of the 18th century eastern India and
provided the platform from which the colonial interests had launched themselves and
subsequently became an imperial power in 1857.
2. It is quite obvious that such a socio- political stage has enormous potential to engage any
visitor from far and wide through its myriad cultural landscape. A seat of power of such a
scale attracts lot of wealth, creativity and activity. For example the annual revenue of
Bengal paid to the Mughal Emperor amounts to One Crore Sicca Taka-in early
seventeenth century was an unbelievable amount. In a cunning strategy move,
Murshidkuli Khan shifted the administrative power centre of Bengal to the Bank of
Bhagirathi- the prime life force of North India and almost in the geographic centre of the
province in 1701.
3. One primary policy decision triggered series of subsequent events. Sensing the potential
for enhanced financial opportunity, trading community from 'Nagore' town in the Rajput
State of Jodhpur migrated to Bengal. They settled in the areas of Mahimapur, Jyaganj and
Azimganj and got themselves known as 'Shaherwali Community'. Over the years the
accumulated enormous wealth and became an important factor governing the economy of
Bengal. Mughal Emperor acknowledged their importance and had conferred the title 'Jagat
Seth' (cashier of the world). Jainism spread rapidly with the prosperity of the community in
the localities of Azimganj, Jiyaganj and Katgola. While Murshidabad was being built
according to the Muslim traditions, Hindu philosophies governed the development of the
Jiyaganj, Azimganj.
4. In fact four of the important Jain Tirths in Bengal, three lies at Azimganj- Shree Chintamoni
Parswanath Bhagwan, Jiyaganj- Shree Sambhavnath Bhagwan, Katgola-Shree Adinath
Bhagwan.
5. The large havellis, mansions, palaces, gardens lay neglected and weathered. It draws
today certain amount of History, cultural enthusiast and that too on a day visit. Whereas its
enormous potential for cultural tourism and pilgrimage remained unexplored. Its old trade
links and networks also lay dormant for the want of sponsors.
6. The circuit of Mushidabad-Jiyaganj-Azimganj is just waiting for the right kind of initiative
and public support for its revitalization. Cultural tourism appears to be the right catalyst to
trigger such an initiative.
7. No tourism initiative is sustainable unless it gains the support of its local community.
Community initiatives are best when it rides on the pride for themselves and have a deep
-47-
rooted attachment for the place. Fortunately the Shaherwali Community have a very
strong social network bonded by the common religion of Jainism. They are very proud of
their legacy and command large parcels of land Heritage buildings, artefacts and are quite
committed for its restoration. Being mainly a trader's community they value their assets
and understand the need for its conservation. To them assistance of any kind is important
and they also realises that unless they obtain public support their individual effort is not
sustainable.
headings and sub-headings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever
5
TITLE: Bengal- Heritage Unparalleled
I.
NOTES
Emergence, Growth and Decline of Murshidabad
1. Imperial power proceedings
1.1 govrnd the proceedngs of the 18th century
2. Enormous otential
2.1 through its myriad cultural landscape
2.2 power attracts wealth, creativity and activity
3. Cunning strategical move
3.1.Murshidkuli Khan shifted power to Bank of Bhagirathi.
II.
Sensing Potential for enhance

1. Financial & trading opportunities
1.1 attracts tradng community
1.2 Nagore town
III.
Spread of Jainism
1. Shaherwali Community
1.1 strong social network
1.2 proud of legacy
1.3 enormous potential for cultural tourism and pilgrimage
1.4 deep rooted and attchmt.
2. Proud of legacy
2.1 heritage buildng.
2.2 artefacts
2.3 quite committed for restoration
3. Need of consvrtn.
3.1 obtain public support
3.2 individual effort not sustainable
-48-
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
(b)
Key to Abbreviation
proceedngs
proceedings
govrnd
governed
enhancemnt
enhancement
attachment
attachment
restoratn
restoration
buildng.
building
&
and
Consvrtn
conservation
Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words.
Pre-colonial history of Bengal is closely linked with the emergence, growth and decline of
Murshidabad. It is quite obvious that such a socio- political stage has enormous potential. In a
cunning strategical move Murshidkuli Khan shifted the administrative power centre from
Bengal to Bank of Bhagirathi. Over the years they accumulated enormous wealth and became
an important factor governing the economy of Bengal. Mughal Emperor acknowledged their
importance. Jainism spread rapidly with the prosperity of the community. Its enormous
potential for cultural tourism and pilgrimage remained unexplored. Fortunately the Shaherwali
Community have a strong social network bonded by the common religion of Jainism. Being
mainly a trader's community they value the assets and understand the need for its
conservation with public support.
-49-
PASSAGE 3
FACTUAL PASSAGE
1.
A vast blanket of pollution stretching across South Asia is cutting down sunlight by 10
percent over India, damaging agriculture, modifying rainfall patterns and putting hundreds of
thousands of people at risk, according to a new study.
2.
The startling findings of scientists working with the United Nations Environment
Programme indicate that the spectacular economic growth seen in this part of the world in the
past decade may soon falter as a result of this pollution.
3.
Research carried out in India indicates that the haze caused by pollution might be
reducing winter rice harvests by as much as 10 percent, the report said.
4.
Acids in the haze may be falling as acid rain, have the potential to damage crops and
trees. Ash falling on leaves can aggravate the impact of reduced sunlight on earths surface.
The pollution that is forming the haze could be leading to several hundreds of thousands of
premature deaths as a result of higher levels of respiratory diseases, it said. Results from
seven cities in India alone, including Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Kolkata, estimate that
air pollution was annually responsible for 24,000 premature deaths in the early 1990s. By the
mid-1990s they resulted in an estimated 37,000 premature fatalities.
5.
The haze has cut down sunlight over India by 10 percent (so far)a huge amount! As
a repercussion, the North West of India is drying up, Prof. V. Ramanathan said, when asked
specifically about the impact of the haze over India. Stating that sunlight was going down every
year, he said, We are still in the early stage of understanding of the impact of the haze.
6.
Asked whether the current drought in most parts of India after over a decade of good
monsoon was owing to the haze, he said, It was too early to reach a conclusion. If the
drought persists for about four to five years, then we should start suspecting that it may be
because of the haze.
7.
India, China and Indonesia are the worst affected owing to their population density,
economic growth and depleting forest cover. The preliminary results indicate the buildup of
haze, a mass of ash, acid, aerosols and other particles is disrupting weather systems,
including rainfall and wind patterns and triggering droughts in western parts of the Asian
Continent. The concern is that the regional and global impacts of the haze are set to intensify
over the next 30 years as the population of the Asian region rises to an estimated five billion
people.
-50-
headings
and
sub-headings.
Use
recognizable
abbreviations
(wherever
Title: Global Impact of Pollution

NOTES
1. Effects of pollution is S.E. Asia
1.1 cutting 10% sunlight over India
1.2 damaging agriculture
1.3 modifying rainfall pattern
1.4 many people at risk
2. Revelations of UNEP
2.1 eco. growth may falter of pollution
2.2 haze van cause premature deaths
2.3 acid rain can damage crops & trees
3. Impact of haze over India
3.1 rise in respiratory diseases
3.2 has cut down sunlight over India by 10%
3.3 N.W. India is drying up
4. Impact on India, China & Indonesia
4.1 worst affected of height density of population
4.2 affecting eco. growth
4.3 depleting forest cover
5. Its results
5.1 weather systems can be disrupted
5.2 wind patterns will be disturbed
5.3 can trigger droughts in W.Asian continent
Key to Abbreviations
S
%
UNEP
Eco.
N.W.
&
W
South
percent
United Nations Environment Programme
economic
North- West
and
West
because
-51-
(b) Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words.

3
The harmful effect of pollution can be seen across South Asia. This is most likely to falter the
spectacular economic growth. The presence of acids in the haze can reduce winter harvest by
ten percent. The pollution forming the haze can led to many premature deaths and has also
cut down the sunlight over India by ten percent. The droughts in India could also be because
of the haze . The worst affected countries are India, China and Indonesia because of their
population density , economic growth and depleting forest cover. The main concern is that the
regional and global impacts of haze are said to intensify over the next thirty years due to
increase in population by five billion.
-52-
Passage 4
FACTUAL PASSAGE
1.
Despite all the research everyone of us catches cold and most of us catch it frequently.
Our failure to control one of the commonest of all ailments sometimes seems ridiculous.
Medical science regularly practises transplant surgery and has rid whole countries of such
killing diseases as Typhus and the Plague. But the problem of common cold is unusually
difficult and much has yet to be done to solve it.
2.
It is known that a cold is caused by one of a number of viral infections that affect the
lining of the nose and the other passages leading to lungs but the confusing variety of viruses
makes study and remedy very difficult. It was shown in 1960 that many typical colds in adults
are caused by one or the other of a family of viruses known as rhinoviruses, yet there still
remain many colds for which no virus has yet been isolated.
3.
There is also the difficulty that because they are so much smaller than the bacteria
which cause many other infections, viruses cannot be seen with ordinary microscopes. Nor
can they be cultivated easily in the bacteriologists laboratory, since they only grow within the
living cells of animal and plants. An important recent step forward, however, is the
development of the technique of tissue culture, in which bites of animal tissue are enabled to
go on living and to multiply independently of the body. This has greatly aided virus research
and has led to the discovery of a large number of the viruses. Their existence had previously
been not only unknown but even an unsuspected.
4.
The fact that we can catch cold repeatedly creates another difficulty. Usually a virus
strikes only once and leaves the victim immune to further attacks. Still we do not gain
immunity from colds. Why? It may possibly be due to the fact that while other viruses get into
the bloods stream where anti-bodies can oppose them, the viruses causing cold attack cells
only on the surface. Or it may be that immunity from one of the many different viruses does
not guarantee protections from all the others. It seems, therefore, that we are likely to have to
suffer colds for some time yet.
a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it using
5
Ans: Title: No Control Over Common Cold
NOTES
1. How to control com. cold
1.1 no cure to control it
1.2 cure avail. for Typhus & Plague
1.3 prob. of com. cold not yet solved
2. Reasons for cold
-53-
2.1 it is a viral infec. that affects nose-lining

2.2 caused by fmly. of viruses called Rhinoviruses
2.3 for certain colds no viruses hv yet bn isolated
3. Prob. of identifying viruses
3.1 smaller than bacteria so cant be seen with ordinary microscopes
3.2 cannot be easily cultivated in bacteriologists lab grow within the living cells of
plants & animals.
4. Div. of tissue culture aided by
4.1 bits of animal tissue go on living
4.2 multiply independently off the body
4.3 has led to discovery of large no. of viruses
4.4 their existence previously unknown and unsuspected
5. No imm. fm. cold
5.1 viruses causing cold attacks only on surface & not blood stream
5.2 cannot be opposed by anti-bodies
5.3 imm. fm. one virus doesnt guarantee protection fm. all
5.4 you hv to suffer fm. cold for some more time
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
com.
&
avail.
prob.
infec.
fmly.
hv
bn
lab.
dev.
no.
fm
imm.
b) Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words.
common
and
available
problem
infection
family
have
been
laboratory
because
development
number
from
immunity
Despite having the cure to killing disease like Typhus and Plague it seems ridiculous that
medical science has not done much yet to solve the problem of common cold . this is because
the study of viruses remains confusing as they cannot be seen with ordinary microscopes.
Now with the development of the technique of tissue culture a large number of viruses have
been discovered whose existence was earlier unknown. We keep catching cold and never
-54-
become immune to it because the viruses causing cold attack only on the surface unlike other
viruses that get into the blood stream and so can be opposed by anti-bodies.
-55-
PASSAGE 5
FACTUAL PASSAGE
1.
The monsoon is such a welcome respite from the scorching summer thanks to the
overcast sky, gentle rain and lush greenery all around. Almost all of us love to savour spicy
and crunchy food items such as fritters (pakoras) and chaats like panipuri, sevpuri teamed
with cutting chai as the rainwater lashes against the window pane. However, the season also
brings along a lots of diseases such as dengue, malaria, conjunctivitis, typhoid, viral fever,
pneumonia, gastrointestinal disturbances, diarrhea, food poisoning, cholera, cough and cold
and jaundice due to bacteria in the environment. The challenge lies in going about your daily
routine without falling ill. If you suffer from low immunity, you are at a higher risk of contracting
these diseases. However, the right dietary tips can strengthen you immunity and help you say
hale and hearty.
2.
Due to the humid climate, you may not feel too thirsty and consume just one litre of
water every day. But you need to be well hydrated as sweat doesnt evaporate quickly in
monsoon. Consequently, this prevents the body from releasing heat. So consume a lot of
water as it helps to flush out toxins from the body. Ensure that the water is clean, pure and
safe to drink. Avoid aerated drinks; instead consume warm beverages such as green tea with
holy basil leaves, ginger, pepper and honey as they have anti-bacterial properties. A bowl of
hot vegetable soup is also a good option. The hot beverages increase your body temperature
(which will in turn give you warmth) while the ingredients will boost your immunity.
3.
Consume fruits such as cherries, bananas, apples, pomegranates, plums, litchis and
pears as they are packed with anti-oxidants and are rich in vitamin A,E, C and minerals.
Vegetables such as cauliflower, potatoes, cluster beans, ladys finger, kidney beans pigeon
pea and sprouted grains get spoilt easily due to the humidity. So, they should be avoided. Opt
for cooked or steamed veggies. Avoid salads as they comprise raw vegetables that contain
active bacteria which lead to various infections and affect the bodys immunity. Avoid strong
smelling or extra sweet fruits such as mangoes and jackfruit that attract flies as their excess
intake can cause skin irritation and stomach ache. Its also important to store vegetables the
right way during the rains. Do not wash the veggies thoroughly before storing, as the moisture
will attract pathogenic fungus. These bacteria can spread to other susceptible food items as
well, making them unhygienic. Instead, pat dry and store separate food items in different
containers. Buy them in limited portions and use them as soon as possible.
-56-
4.
Dehydration makes your hair brittle and scanty. So hydrate yourself. Zinc and iron help
to keep your tresses healthy and beautiful. Consume nuts, eggs and walnuts to maintain hair
strength. Walnuts are rich in biotin and vitamin E, which are excellent antioxidants. Proteins
are important for hair strength too. So add curd to your diet, as it is a great source of protein.
Amla juice, organs and other citrus foods are rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C keeps your hair
strong as it helps in production of collagen that among other things strengthens the hair
capillaries (ensuring proper nutrient supply to our hair). Also, ensure that you wash your locks
on alternate days and cover them well during the monsoon. Dried apricots, roasted sunflower
seeds and lentils are better foods to consume during monsoon than other iron-rich foods
which are susceptible to microbial attack. Do not forget to eat yummy corn on cob as corn is
also rich in iron and zinc.
5.
So, the secret to enjoy the rains, without the fear of affecting your health is to go light
on eating. Have a safe and healthy monsoon.
5
TITLE : EAT RIGHT STAY FIT
NOTES
1. Scorchng. summer
1.1 overcast sky, gentle rain and lush greenery.
1.2 brings host of diseases
2. Stay Well-Hydrated
2.1 humid climate - not feel too thirsty
2.2 flush out toxins
2.3 ensure purity of water
2.4 avoid aerated drinks
3. Switch to a Balanced Diet
3.1 consume fruits packed with ant.oxdt.
3.2 rich in Vit. A, E, C and minerals
3.3 avoid following things:
3.3.1 vegetables - get spoilt easily
3.3.2 salads contng. active bacteria
3.3.3 strong. smlg. or extra sweet fruits
3.3.4 washing veggies before storing
4. Maintain your tresses
-57-
4.1 hydrate yourself

4.2 consume Zn and Iron
4.3 biotin and Vit. E- antioxidants
4.4 eat Protein, Vit C
4.5 wash locks on alternate days
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
storng.
scorchng.
smlg.
ant.oxdt.
vit.
contng.
Zn
storing
scorching
smelling
antioxidants
vitamin
containing
zinc
(b) Write a summary of the above passage in about 80 words.
The monsoon is such a welcome respite from the scorching summer. Almost all of us love
savour spicy and crunchy food items. However, the season also brings along a host of
diseases such as dengue, malaria, conjunctivitis etc. due to humid climate, one may not feel
too thirsty and consume just one litre of water everyday. So consume a lot of water and it
helps to flush out toxins from the body. Consume fruits which are packed with anti-oxidants
and are rich in vitamin A, E, C and minerals. Do not eat vegetables get spoilt easily due to the
humidity. Avoid strong smelling or extra sweet fruits. Dehydration makes your hair brittle and
scanty. Zinc and iron help to keep your tresses healthy and beautiful. Proteins are important
for hair strength. Vitamin C helps in production of collagen that strengthens the hair
capillaries. Also ensure that you wash your locks on alternate days.
-58-
SECTION B
(30 Marks)
WRITING SKILLS
One Short Answer Question : Advertisements/Notices/Designing or
Drafting Posters/ Invitation & Replies
4 Marks
One Long Answer Question :
Letter Writing
Two Very Long Answer Questions :
6 Marks
Article/Debate/Speech
2x10=20 Marks
S.NO.
CONTENT
NO.
PAGE NUMBER
1.
Advertisement
15
60-69
2.
Notice Writing
70-73
3.
Poster Designing
74-79
4.
Invitation and Replies
80-86
5.
Letter Writing
16
87-107
6.
Article
108-114
7.
Speech
115-120
8.
Debate
121-128
-59-
SHORT COMPOSITIONS
(Advertisements/Notices/Designing or Drafting Posters/ Invitation & Replies)
ADVERTISEMENT
The word advertisement means a public notice or an announcement asking for or offering
services, advertising goods for buying or selling (property, household goods, vehicles) etc.
Advertisements are also used for giving information about missing persons, pets, goods and
so on. The written draft of an advertisement is termed as copy. Advertisement is a very
important tool for promotion of sales and services
Advertisements are of two types :
1. Classified Advertisements
2. Commercial or Display Advertisements
Classified Advertisement
You will come across classified advertisements in the columns of newspapers and
magazines. Important features of a Classified Advertisement are:
No blocks, no design and the language used should be factual.

Simple, formal and to the point.
Comprehensive, yet must not leave any important matter.
Never be too lengthy (confine to the word limit).
GUIDELINES FOR DRAFTING CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS
Advertisements should always be drafted in such a way that they attract the readers to
go through them.
Advertisements should always be meaningful and interesting so that they can attract
the attention of the readers.
Advertisements should always be simple and effective language.
Advertisements should always be brief and to the point.
The name of the advertiser and the advertised product should be properly highlighted.
Tip:- To develop expertise in drafting advertisements, students are advised to read

classified advertisement column of leading newspapers.
Marking Scheme:
Format:
Suitable heading/classification e.g., Situations Vacant.
1 Mark
Content:
Subject matter including contact address, phone number.
2 Mark
Expression: Grammatical accuracy, spelling, suitable style.

There is penalty of marks for exceeding the word limit.
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1 Mark
Important Tips To be followed

Classified Advertisements
Clearly state the category at the top, e.g., 'For Sale', 'To Let', etc.
Give all necessary details in points using commas.
Give contact address, name and telephone number.
Put the matter in a box.
Kinds of Classified Advertisements

1. Situation Vacant
2. Lost and found
3. Sale and Purchase
4. Accommodation Wanted
5. Educational
6. Placement services
7. Matrimonial
8. To Let
9. Tuitions
10. Packers and Movers
11. Kennel
12. Travels and Tours
1.
Situation Vacant
Begin with Wanted or Required

Name of the company, post and no. of vacancies
Age and sex of the candidate
Qualification and experience
Other details
Pay scale and perks
Mode of applying
Contact address and phone no.
SITUATION VACANT
Wanted a smart, confident PA/Stenographer for a leading export house. Qualification
graduate, age 25-30 yrs, typing speed 40 w.p.m. Preference to those who can handle
computer. Salary negotiable. Apply with complete Bio-data upto 15-12-2015 to
Secretary, Orient Export House, M. H. Nagar, Chennai 670001
-61-
2.
Matrimonial
Mention groom / bridge groom

Height, age, caste, religion, complexion, educational qualifications
Phone number / Post Box no. and name of newspaper.
Bridegroom Wanted
Alliance invited for Ramgarhia, Sikh Girl 29/165, M. A. English, tall, fair &
beautiful. Caste no bar. Send recent photo & biodata. Ph. 0497 2788330. Box
No. 1015 The Indian Express COCHIN 650337
3.
Lost and Found
Begin with Lost or Found

Specify item.
Brief physical description.
When / where lost or found.
Reward if any
Lost and Found

Lost a black coloured VIP suitcase model no 555, 38 x 30 contain important
documents related marketing, left in bus no. DL-p 6778 on Delhi to Jaipur route
on 10th August 2015. Kindly contact Purmal Singh Ph No. 9419284539
4.
For Sale
For sale/purchase etc

Type of accommodation / vehicle /article / household items.
Brief physical description
Contact address & phone number.
Car for Sale
For sale Maruti 800 DX, 2000, white, sparingly used, scratch less, self driven,
stereo-fitted, beautiful upholstery, excellent condition, no expense, rate
Negotiable. Contact Amit Sharma , 25677900
-62-
5.
To Let
Begin with Wanted or Available

Type of accommodation
Brief description
Rent expected
Contact address & phone no.
To Let
Available on rent Anand Vihar Colony First Floor 2/3 bedroom, well furnished
and ventilated, facing Park, car Parking, walking distance from main market.
Reasonable rent. Contact. H. R. Meena 1A /23, Anand Vihar 278810017
6.
Missing person/pet animals
Begin with Missing

Brief physical description;
For person- name, age, height complexion, built, clothes and other identifying
features
For pet-name, age, colour of fur and other identifying feature
Since when/ from where missing
Reward
Missing Person
Missing a boy, Santosh Kumar, 15 years, 55, fair slim built wearing black
T-shirt and white pants, since 10th August 2015 from Kota railway station.
Finder will be duly rewarded. Inform Kota police station phone no. 0744220010 or A.K. Sharma H.B road Kota phone no. 0744-220007
7.
Travels and Tour
Begin with Package Available etc
Name of travel agency
Destination and duration
Details of package-food/ boarding/lodging/sightseeing etc
Cost and discount if any.

-63-
Travel and Tours

Attractive package available for Manali and Ooty, 5 nights/4 days, breakfast
and dinner, stay at 5 star hotels, sight-seeing included. Rs 10000 per head.
Special discount for booking till 10th November 2015. Contact Blue Star Travel
and Tours. Chennai. 044-288000555
Display Advertisements:
These are designed for commercial purposes.

Require more space, hence are costly. Must be attractive with visuals, catchy phrases
and slogans
Main features:
Must be attractive with a catchy caption, heading or sub-headings.

Figurative language (alliteration and metaphors especially).
Proportionate spacing of fonts with different sizes.
Usually attractive with catchy slogans, punch lines, witty expressions, pictures or
sketches.
Special offers or discount, if any.
Details of the product or event given in a clear, precise way.
Give name, contact number and address of the advertiser.
Present the matter in a box.
Example:
SALE
Hurry !
Up to 50% discount
Shoes & slippers
Rush----------------------today
TATA FOOTWEAR
GLORY Market- JAIPUR
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Unsolved Examples:
Q.1 Samta Public School in Delhi requires cricket and hockey coaches. Draft a suitable
advertisement in not more than 50 words for the 'Situations Vacant' column of the 'Daily
Herald', stating your requirements regarding age, qualification, experience etc. You are the
Principal of the school.
Q.2 You plan to sell your flat. Draft a suitable advertisement in not more than 50 words t be
inserted in the classified columns of a local daily giving all necessary details of the flat. You
are Neeraj/Neeraja, 28, Gopal Nagar, Delhi.
Q.3 You are Dr. Madhu , M.D. You are looking for an independent house in Ghaziabad on
a reasonable rent for your residence-cum-clinic. Draft a suitable advertisement in not more
than 50 words to be published in Hindustan Times, New Delhi. Your telephone no. is
12341234.
Q.4 You plan to sell your motorcycle. Daft a suitable advertisement , in not more than 50
words, to be published in the classified columns of 'The Hindustan Times', Delhi. Mention the
details of the motorcycle. You are Ramesh of 15, Greater Kailash, New Delhi. Your mobile no.
is 2849021624.
Q.5 You want to sell a few (4 items) household items as you are going to abroad. Draft an
advertisement in not more than 50 words to be published in 'Dainik Bhaskar' under classified
columns. You are Dinesh/Divya of Moti Ganj, Balia.
-69-
NOTICE WRITING
A Notice is a written or printed information or news announcement. Notices are either
displayed at prominent places or published in newspapers/magazines. A notice is always brief
and to the point.
Points to be followed while writing Notices
Adhere to the specified word limit of 50 words.

Write the word NOTICE at the top.
Name and place of the school, organization or office issuing the notice should be
mentioned.
Give an appropriate heading.
Write the date of issuing the notice.
Clearly mention the target group (for whom the notice is to be displayed).
Purpose of the notice.
Mention all relevant details (date, venue, time).
Mention whom to contact for extra information.
Signature, name and designation of the person issuing the notice.
Put the notice in a box.
Format of a Notice : A notice is always written in a box.
NAME OF THE INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION/OFFICE, PLACE

NOTICE
DATE
SUITABLE HEADING
Content :
Target group- for whom the notice is. Date, time, venue and all
important details and any extra information needed. (Body of the Notice 50
words)Answer the questions- For whom, what, when, where , when how, by
whom + additional information.
Signature
(Name)
Designation
Word Limit : 50 words

Marks : 4 Marks
Format : Name of the organization/Notice/Heading/Date/Signature with name and
Designation
[1 Mark]
Content: For whom (Target group)?What? When? Where? Agenda etc.
[2 Marks]
Expression: Coherence, spellings and grammatical accuracy
[1 Mark]
-70-
Examples:
Q.1
You are Amit/Amita, Head boy/Head girl of your school (Zenith Public School,
Lucknow). Write a notice for your school notice board calling for entries from desirous
students for Britannia Quiz Contest- Preliminary round to be held at your school. (Word
limit- 50 words).
Ans.
ZENITH PUBLIC SCHOOL, LUCKNOW
NOTICE
22 August, 2015
INTER SCHOOL QUIZ CONTEST
An Inter-School Britannia Quiz Contest will be held in Bhartiya Vidya Sadan, Lucknow
on 15th September, 2015. The preliminary round for the quiz will take place at our
school. Entries are invited from the interested students of classes VI to XII. Their
names should be given to Hardik in the Activity Room during the recess. The last date
for receiving entries is 30th Aug, 2015.
Amit
(Head boy)
Q.2
You are Abhinav/Abha.. You have planned a 2-week course to be arranged to
help the children of your Group Housing Society at Kanpur, acquire the oral
communication skills. Prepare a notice for the society's notice board, stating the
objective of the course, giving necessary details of the course and requesting the
children of the society to join the course.
Ans.
GULMOHAR HOUSING SOCIETY, KANPUR
NOTICE
20 AUG, 2015
COMMUNICATION SKILL DEVELOPMENT COURSE
A 2-week course is to be arranged to provide a rare opportunity for the children aged
between 8-14 years to polish up their oral communication skills. The course starts on
10th Sept,2015 under the able guidance of qualified and experienced instructors.
The fee for the course is Rs 1500 per child and the timings are 3 pm to 6 pm
(Monday to Saturday). The children who are interested may register themselves at
the society office latest by 5th Sept,2015. For further details contact the undersigned.
Abhinav
(The Secretary)
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Q.3 Sarvodaya Education Society, a charitable organisation is coming to your school

to distribute books among the needy students. As Head Boy/Head Girl, Sunrise Public
School, Surat, write a notice in about 50 words asking such students to drop the lists
of books they need in the box kept outside the Principal's office. You are Navtej/Navita.
Ans.
SUNRISE PUBLIC SCHOOL, SURAT

NOTICE
19TH AUGUST, 2015
DISTRIBUTION OF BOOKS
Sarvodaya Education Society, a charitable organisation, is arranging to visit our
school on 25th August, 2015 to distribute books among the needy students. This is
to inform such students to drop the lists of books they need with their names written
in the box, kept outside the Principal's office. The books will be handed over to the
concerned students by the class teachers. For any queries contact the undersigned.
Navtej
(Head Boy)
Q.4 Your club is going to organise an inter-class singing competition. Write a notice
in about 50 words inviting names of the students who want to participate in it. Give all
the necessary details. You are Navtej/Navita, Secretary, Music Club, Akash Public
School, Agra.
Ans.
AKASH PUBLIC SCHOOL
NOTICE
20 AUGUST 2015
INTER CLASS SINGING COMPETITION
The Music Club of the school is going to organise an Inter- Class singing
competition for the students of class VIII to XII on 20th September 20XX in the
school auditorium. Songs could be folk, classical, light classical, even western.
Those interested may give their names to the class teachers latest by 25th August
20XX. For further details contact the undersigned.
Navtej
Secretary
(Music Club)
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Q.5 You are Sonia/ Sohan of Simon Public School, Meerut. Your school has decided
to organise a cultural programme to raise funds for the victims of floods in Bihar. Draft
a notice, in not more than 50 words, for your school notice board.
Ans.
SIMON PUBLIC SCHOOL, MEERUT
NOTICE
15 AUGUST, 2015
CULTURAL PROGRAMME
The school is organising a cultural programme to raise funds for the victims of
recent floods in Bihar. The show will be held at 5 p.m. on 20th September 2015 in
the school auditorium. The State Education Minister has concerned to be the Chief
Guest. Entry will be by tickets. Do contribute as well to the cause generously.
Sohan
(Head Boy)
Unsolved Examples
Q.1 As Librarian, Crescent International School, Gwalior, draft a notice in not more than 50
words asking all the students and teachers to return the library books they have borrowed,
two days before the commencement of the examination.
Q.2 As Sports Secretary of G.D.G Public School, Pune, draft a notice in not more than 50
words for your school notice board informing the students about the sale of old sports goods
of your school. You are Rohini/Rohit.
Q.3
You lost your wrist watch in your school auditorium. Write a notice in not more than 50
words for your school notice board giving a detailed description of the watch. You are
Anirudh/Arundhati of Class XII of Springfields School, Pune.
Q4
You are Saran/Swati, Cultural Secretary of Queen's Senior Secondary School, Patna.
Write a notice in not more than 50 words for your school notice board, giving details of the
cultural programme to be organised by your school. Invite the names of the participants.
Q.5 You are the President of your colony's Residents Welfare Association. There will be no
water supply on Saturday and Sunday in the colony due to repair work. Write a notice for the
colony Notice Board informing the residents about the same, advising them to store water,
giving phone no. of water tankers.
-73-
POSTER DESIGNING
A POSTER is a large notice announcing or advertising something. It generally creates social
awareness about any problem or needs. It also conveys a social message in an eye catching
way.
Format or Layout of a Poster:

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
Visually attractive.
Catchy heading/title.
Use a slogan or short verse.
Use clauses.
Make sketches or matchstick figures.
Use persuasive language.
Theme should be clear.
Word limit 50
Tense form generally used is either present tense or future tense.
Name of the issuing authority or the organizes is a must.
Marking Scheme: 4 Marks

1. Content - 2 Marks
2. Expression- 2 Marks
-74-
POSTER DESIGNING
1.
Your school Shardha Vidyalaya is organizing a cultural evening to collect funds
for slum children. The Human Resources Development Minister has consented to be
the Chief Guest. Draft a poster to be displayed in different areas of your locality. You
are the cultural secretary of your school.
CULTURAL SOCIETY
Shardha Vidyalaya, Ajmer
is organizing a
CULTURAL EVENING
to collect funds for
SLUM CHILDREN
on 11th March, 6:30 pm
Honble H.R.D. Minister,
Sh. K. Ravi
will be the Chief Guest
Attractions :
Dance-Drama by school children
Songs & Dances by TV stars
Poetic Recitations
Magic Shows
Venue : Shardha Vidyalayas Auditorium
COME ONE-COME ALL

HELP A NOBLE CAUSE
ADULTS : 20/STUDENTS : 10/-
SECRETARY
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2. Design a poster for promoting good health through Health Mela.
TRIPUTHI HEALTH CLUB

is arranging a
Health Mela
for promoting good health
at
Nehru Stadium
from 10th March to 20th March
(9 am to 10 pm)
10-DAYS OF FUN & FROLIC

For
Health Conscious people

Special Attractions :
Display of new health- machines
New Exercisers & Weight Reducers
Latest Health-Wears
Ayurvedic Massage
Herbs for Health & Beauty
Foods for Health & Taste
Plus
WRESTLING BOUTS
Entry by Tickets
Adults : 20/Students
: 5/-
Triputhi Health Club

Secretary
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3. Design a poster in not more than 50 words for your school library on the value of
books and good reading habits. You may use slogans.
READING NOURISHES THE MIND

Develop a reading habit. Know more about
people and places. Enter the world of books.
VISIT YOUR SCHOOL LIBRARY

for books on
:
Science
Literature
Fine Arts
Commerce
Biographies
Sports
Remember !
BOOKS ARE A TREASURE OF KNOWLEDGE
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4.
Recent rains have caused havoc in some parts of our country. You are Surya, a
member of the social service organization, SEVA MANDIR, Ahmedabad. Draft a poster
requesting people to help the rain and flood affected families physically and
economically.
SEVA MANDIR
Mahatma Gandhi Road, Ahmedabad
calls upon the people to
HELP
RAIN & FLOOD AFFLICTED FAMILIES
PHYSICALLY & ECONOMICALLY
DONATE LIBERALLY
Money
Old clothes
Medicines
Baby foods
Dry milk
COME ONE-COME ALL

HELP A NOBLE CAUSE
Surya
Member
SEVA MANDIR
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5. Your company is launching a new range of shoes for children next month. Draft
an attractive poster which can be displayed on all the market areas of your town
to promote its sale. Do not forget to mention the speciality of these shoes.
STAR SHOE COMPANY, AGRA

is launching next month, a new range of
SHOES FOR CHILDREN

(from one month to 10 years)
LITTLE MASTERS
&
JUNIORS
Best leather
Comfortable soles &heels
Stylish laces
Latest design/frame
Affordable prices
Little Masters
Juniors
: 475/- per pair

: 400/- per pair
AVAILABLE AT ALL LEADING STORES
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INVITATION AND REPLIES
INVITATION: To invite someone for an occasion, we use the written form of INVITATION.
Invitations are generally printed cards through which we invite our guests on some
auspicious occasions like wedding, birthday , wedding anniversary, house warming,
inauguration of a shop/factory, etc.
Invitations are of two types:
Formal
Informal
These can be printed on cards or can be drafted in the form of letters.

Main Characteristics:
An invitation contains complete information. It answers the questions: who, whom, when,
where, what time and for what. The important components of an invitation, therefore, are:
Occasion
Name(s) of the invitee(s)
Name(s) of the host(s)
Date, time and venue
Name(s) of the chief guest or special invitees, in case of an official invitation.
Format of Formal Invitations

In case of formal invitations, each of the following is written in a separate line with fonts of
varying sizes.
Names of the hosts

Name of the invitee (in case of a formal letter of invitation)
Formal phrase of invitation, for example:
a. Request the pleasure your benign presence/company
b. Seek your auspicious presence
c. Solicit your gracious presence on the auspicious occasion
Date, time and venue of the event.
Occasion/reason of the invitation.
Marking Scheme:
Word Limit : 50 Words
Marks : 4 Marks
-80-
Format
[1 mark]
Content relevance- Name of the person(s) who is inviting, the invitee, day, date, chief
guest, occasion, etc.
[2 Marks]
Expression: Grammatical accuracy, language
[1 Mark]
Characteristics of Formal Invitations:

1. Meant for a lot of invitees:
These are written in the third person.

In case a VIP is invited as the chief guest, the name of the VIP must appear
prominently.
Name of the invitee is not to be included. The addressee's address is to be written only
on the envelope.
Simple present tense is to be used.
The date of writing is not to be given.
There is no signature of the host.
The abbreviation RSVP (French: Rpondez Sil Vous Plat) i.e., 'Please reply' is written
below on the left side with name(s), address and phone number of the host(s).
Put the invitation into a box.
Do not exceed 50 words.
2. Meant for an individual (a formal letter of invitation)
Include the name of the invitee.

These are to be written on run-on lines. The sentence is not broken into different
words/phrases.
Other details are similar to mass-scale invitations.
Writing Informal Invitation

Informal
Written in a letter form, in informal format. Such letters are very persuasive in nature.
Written in the first person.
Salutation is 'Dear+name'.
Complimentary close 'Yours sincerely '.
Date of writing the invitation is given.
Sender's address appears on the left hand side.
Various tenses used to suit the sense.
REPLIES:
Accepting or Denying
-81-
Formal: Follow a set formula
formula words: 'kind invitation', 'great pleasure', 'regret', etc.

Use third person ('they') instead of first person ('I', 'We')
Address of the writer and the date to be written.
Informal:
Accepting or Denying
Like an ordinary letter
Do not use any formal expressions, but use informal words and expressions.
Use first person ('I', 'We').
-82-
INVITATIONS
A. FORMAL INVITATIONS
1.
Draft an invitation on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Tarla of 21 Sector-14, Bhopal, which
they may use to invite their friends and relatives on the birth anniversary of their son
Neeraj at their residence on August 16, 2015.
Answer
Mr. and Mrs. Tarla
request the pleasure of your benign presence
on the auspicious occasion of the
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
Of
their son
NEERAJ
at their residence
21, Sector-14, Bhopal
at 3.30 p.m.
On
August 16, 2015
R.S.V.P.
Mr. and Mrs. Tarla
2.
You are a student of Neelgiri public school, Ooty. The school is holding its annual
function. Write an invitation on behalf of the Principal of your school inviting the important
persons of the town to attend the function to be held on August 17, 2015 at 10.00am.
Answer
The Principal and the staff

of
NEELGIRI PUBLIC SCHOOL

Ooty
request your benign presence
on the auspicious occasion
of
THE ANNUAL FUNCTION

of the school
at 10.00 am on August17, 2015
Shri R.K. Shriniwasan, I.A.S.

will be the Chief Guest and will give away the prizes to the students.
R.S.V.P.
Principal
NEELGIRI PUBLIC SCHOOL
Ooty
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INFORMAL INVITATIONS
1.
Your parents have completed 50 years of happy married life. Send an informal
invitation to your uncle, residing in Salem, to join you in the Golden- Jubilee
celebration of their marriage at your house.
Answer 20 L Raja Gardens
Madurai
10 April 2015
Respected Uncle
With Gods grace I am fortunate to see the most momentous day of my life. My parents
have completed 50 years of their happy and prosperous married life. We are going to
celebrate the Golden-Jubilee of their married life on 25th of April, 2015. It will be a simple
ceremony. Only family-members and close friends are invited. Do join us on this auspicious
day.
Yours sincerely
Y.S. Ranganathan
2.
Invite your class-fellow and friend on the wedding of your elder brother.
Answer 16 Civil Lines

New Delhi
20th August 2015
Dear Lim
I invite you on the wedding of my elder brother Ramesh on 25th of August 2015. Please join
us at lunch at 1 p.m. The marriage party will leave for Hotel Ranjeet, New Delhi exactly at 6
p.m. Kindly join us on the auspicious day and oblige.
S. Angami
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RESPOND TO INVITATIONS
1.
You are Akshya/ Aakriti. You have been invited to participate in a seminar on
Fundamental Rights of Children, organized by a Lions Club of your district. Respond
to the invitation by writing a letter to the secretary of the club.
10 Mount Road
Chennai
10th September 2015
Th Secretary
Lions Club
Mount Road
Chennai
Sub : Inability to accept the invitation
Sir
Thanks for inviting me to participate in a seminar on Fundamental Rights of Children. I
feel honoured and obliged. However, I shall not be able to accept your invitation. Some
unavoidable previous engagements keep me tied down to my place on that day.
Thanking you once again for your kind invitation.
Yours faithfully
Akshya
2.
You are Arun/Aruna. You have been invited to attend the wedding of your
friends sister during summer vacation. Respond to the invitation accepting the
invitation.
15 Nilkanteshwar Road
Bhubneshwar-7510003
10th March 2015
Dear Anand
I am indeed thankful to you for inviting me to attend the wedding of your elder sister
Saroj. It is an auspicious occasion both for me and your family. I shall come a day before the
wedding day. I shall definitely lend a helping hand in making preparations for the marriage.
Yours sincerely
Arun
-85-
Unsolved Examples :
Q.1. The literacy club of your school is putting up the play 'Waiting for Godot'. As a secretary
of the club, draft an invitation inviting the famous writer Sudeesh Gupta to be the guest of
honour at the function. Write the invitation in not more than 50 words. You are Govind/ Gauri.
Q.2 You friend, Manish Tripathi has invited you to attend his wedding anniversary. You
cannot attend it as you have a family get-together on the same day. Write a polite letter, in not
more than 50 words, expressing your inability to attend the function and wish him all the
happiness on this joyous occasion. You are Mita/Mahendra Juneja of 5, Vasundra Colony,
Patna.
Q.3 As secretary of the literacy club of St Anne's School, Ahmedabad, draft a formal
invitation in not more than 50 words for the inauguration of the club in your school.
Q.4 You have received an invitation to attend the prize giving ceremony on the occasion of
the Regional Social Science Exhibition. Respond to the invitation, informing the secretary of
'The World View' (the organiser of the exhibition), about your inability to attend the
programme.
Q.5 You have opened a restaurant in Uppal Road, Hyderabad. Draft an invitation for the
inauguration of the same, specifying the chief guest and other important details like date, time
and venue. Do not exceed 50 words.
-86-
LETTER WRITING
LETTER
The most common form of a written communication is the letter. Letters should have a format
that goes with the latest conventions.
Types of Letters:
Informal Letters- These are letters written to close associates.
Formal Letters- These are:
a. Business or Official letters (for making enquiries, registering complaints, asking for and
giving information, placing orders and sending replies).
b. Letters to the editor(giving suggestions on an issue).
c. Application for a job.
Points to remember while drafting letters:
Write the letter in full block format (i.e., to the left).

State your reason for writing in the first paragraph and stay on track.
Always include specifics that will help ease the recipients task. For instance, if you are
writing to a bank, mention your account number.
If you refer to other correspondence, quote date of the letter(s), reference numbers, file
numbers, order numbers, cheque number with date. Include copies, whenever
possible.
Gently and respectfully direct the recipients course of action.
It may be strongly worded, but always be courteous and use polite language and
pleasant tone.
Self-introduction should be avoided.
Informal expressions, greetings or contracted forms of words should not be used.
The language should be simple, straight forward and to the point.
Leave a line/additional space between paragraphs since no indentation is followed.
Open punctuation to be followed (no punctuation marks to be used).
Do not mix up the old format and the new format.
In letters to the Editor: Do not ask the editor to solve the problems.
In job application letters, Curriculum Vitae (CV)/ Bio-data/ Resume should be written. It
should not be included in the body of the letter but after the complimentary close, as an
enclosure.
In the letter to the Editor, use yours truly or yours sincerely, as the complimentary
close.
1. BUSINESS LETTERS
Making enquiries/ asking for information

Replying to enquiries/giving information
Placing orders and sending replies
-87-
Cancelling Orders
Letters registering complaints
2. Official Letters
Registering Complaints
Making Enquiries
Making request/appeal
3. Letters to the Editor
Giving suggestions on issues of public interest.

Expressing views on an issue already raised in an article/ write-up/in a published letter.
4. Letters of Job Application

Application for a job
FORMAT:
Sender's Address :
Devi Enclave
Raj Ram Marg
Bangalore-21
Date : 24 July 20XX
Address of the Addressee:
The Director//Mr/Mrs
Global Enterprises,
8th cross, Victoria Layout,
Bangalore
Subject :
Salutation:
.................................................................
Sir
Content:
Introduction :
Body :
Conclusion :
Signatory:
Yours faithfully:
Name :
-88-
Marking Scheme:
Word Limit : 120-150 words
Marks : 6 Marks
Format: Proper Layout- Sender's address, Date, Receivers address Subject,
Salutation, Complimentary close.
1 Mark
Content: Relevant ideas to be presented in a coherent way. Use connectors
appropriately, divide into paragraphs. There should be minimum three
paragraphs.
3 Marks
Expression: Grammatical accuracy, spellings
2 Marks
No marks will be given for the format if the content is wrong.
-89-
BUSINESS LETTERS
1.
Enquiry You are Megh/Maya of class XII of St Peters School, Pitampura, Delhi. Write a letter to
the Manager of Book World, RK Puram, New Delhi, inquiring about the availability of a
few books you need for your school library. Write as the secretary of your school
library.
St Peters School
Pitampura
New Delhi-110088
17th October, 2015
The Manager
Book World
A-14, Sector1
RK Puram
New Delhi-110045
Subject
: Enquiry Regarding Availability of Books
Sir
We are in need of some books for our school library. I wish to inquire if these books are
available at your prestigious store.
We would like to purchase ten copies of each of the following books
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
English
Maths
Physics
History
Economics
Chemistry
Class
Class
Class
Class
Class
Class
XII
XII
XII
XII
XII
XII
All these books are the prescribed textbooks for CBSE published by NCERT.
Kindly reply as soon as possible at the above address. Also please send the latest catalogue
mentioning new arrivals and discounts extended.
Thanking You
Yours sincerely
Megh Chandra
Secretary, School Library
-90-
2.
Complaint You are Bhavik/Bhawna of class XII of Tejas International School, Vijay Nagar
Bulandshahar. Write a letter to the Manager of the Sports Store, Meerut, complaining
about the defective stop watches you purchased from their store. Write as the Sports
Secretary of your school.
Tejas International School
Vijay Nagar
Bulandshahar 121301
15th October, 2015
The Manager
Sports Store
A-27, Abu Lane
Meerut-250001
Subject : Defective Stop Watches Purchased on 13th October, 2015
Sir
I am writing this to express my extreme displeasure at the quality of the watches we
purchased from your store two days ago.
As soon as we reached the school and opened the packet, we realized two of the four
watches purchased were not working. The third one has started giving trouble since
yesterday. The button to stop is quite stiff.
Obviously, we are deeply disappointed at this purchase. Our schools sports meet is next
week, and these watches were needed urgently.
The watches were not checked thoroughly on the day of purchase, but your salesman had
advised me that they were brand new pieces.
I hope that you will either replace them or repair them satisfactorily.
Yours Sincerely
Bhawna
Sports Secretary
3.
Placing an Order You are the Sports Secretary of Jagjiwan Memorial School, Patparganj, Delhi. You
need a few items for the Annual Sports Meet to be held in your school. Write a letter to
Vats Sports Company placing orders for the items.
Jagjiwan Memorial School
12/100, Patparganj
Delhi-110092
25th July, 2015
The Proprietor
Vats Sports Company
-91-
23 Hapur Road
Meerut-250002
Subject : Order for Sports Goods
Sir
We are placing an order for the following goods required at the Annual Sports Meet of the
school scheduled for 5th August, 2015.
.
S.No.
Items
Quantity
1.
2.
Stop watches
Hockey sticks
12 pieces
28 pieces
3.
4.
Footballs
Cricket bats
12 pieces
10 pieces
5.
Cricket balls
6 pieces
The prices of the items should be the same as in the previous supplied to us.
Kindly arrange to supply the goods by the end of this month.
Also please ensure that the goods send are of the best quality and packed properly to avoid
any transit damage. Payment shall be made soon after receipt of the goods.
Damage goods or goods of inferior quality will not be accepted, nor any payment for the same
will be made.
We seek your cooperation in the regard.
Yours truly
(Shrish Sharma)
Sports Secretary
4. Reply to Placing an Order

You are the Manager of the Vats Sports Company. Write a reply to the above letter
giving the information regarding delay in supply of some items.
Vats Sports Company
23, Hapur Road
Meerut-250002
Ref No.- SG/258/2015
28th July, 2015
The Sports Secretary
Jagjiwan Memorial School
12/100, Patparganj
-92-
Delhi-110092
Subject : Delay in delivery of some items against your order dated 25th July, 2015
Sir
With reference to your above order, we regret that two of the goods you had ordered, i.e.
football and cricket bats, are presently not in the stock. However, we shall be receiving these
items in a couple of days time. This would delay the delivery of the goods by just two days.
All the goods will be delivered to you by 2nd August, 2015. The inconvenience caused is
regretted.
Please be assured about the quality and excellent packing of the goods.
Your truly
Rajat Jain
Manager
-93-
OFFICIAL LETTERS
1. You are Anuj Mittal. Write a letter to the General Manager of BSNL requesting him to
send you the list of phone calls made from your phone.
11, sector 3
Rajendra Nagar
Ghaziabad-211010
10th June, 2015
The General Manager
Ghaziabad Telephone Exchange
BSNL
Ghaziabad-211002
Subject : Request for List of Telephone Calls
Sir
I am a resident of Rajendra Nagar, Ghaziabad. The phone number 0120-2265298 has been
installed in my name at my residence, 11, Sector 3, Rajendra Nagar, Ghaziabad-211010.
I have not been receiving the list of phone calls made along with the bill sent to me every
month. I am enclosing a copy of the last bill. I request you to kindly resume the said service to
me.
I shall be grateful if you make this facility available to me at the earliest.
Yours sincerely
Anuj Mittal
Encl. Copy of the bill (paid) for the last month.
-94-
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

1.
Recently you travelled from Bengaluru City to Vasco aboard the Vasco Express.
To your dismay, you found that the coach was infested with cockroaches. Write a letter
to the Editor, The Hindu drawing the attention of General Manager, Southern Railway,
to the prevailing unhygienic conditions and asking for remedial action. You are
Saroj/Saran, 5/31 Bengaluru Cantt, Bangaluru.
5/31, Bengaluru Cantt,
Bengaluru-560006
1st March, 2015
The Editor
The Hindu
Bengaluru-560001
Subject : Prevailing unhygienic conditions in Southern Railway
Sir
Through the columns of esteemed daily, I wish to draw the attention of the General Manager,
Southern Railway and the concerned authorities towards the prevailing unhygienic conditions
in the trains and on platforms.
Recently when I was travelling from Bengaluru City to Vasco on the Vasco Express, I found
that the coach was infested with cockroaches. Further observations revealed that all the
coaches not only had cockroach infestation but also a rodent problem. Seeing all this was
pretty much disgusting. It was hard to sit while watching the cockroaches and rodents running
here and there. Moreover, the toilets on the train and on the platforms were not clean. Foreign
tourists travelling with us were very disappointed. The unhygienic conditions need to be
checked soon before they become a nuisance. I request you to take a note of the situation
and take some remedial action.
Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Saran
-95-
2.
After passing the secondary school examination, a candidate has to make a very
difficult choice from a number of streams available to him for further study at the
senior school level. There is no valid mechanism to assess the suitability of a
candidate for a particular stream. Write a letter to the Editor of a national daily
emphasizing the need of educational counsellors for guidance in this matter in each
school. You are Vinita/Vinay, 48, Agra Fort, Agra.
48, Agra Fort
Agra-282004
9th March, 2015
The Editor
The Times of India
Agra-282001
Subject
: Need of Educational Counsellors
Sir
Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I would like to bring to notice the dilemma that
every student is confronted with while appearing for the secondary school examination. After
passing this examination, a student has to make a difficult choice from a number of streams
available to him for further study at the senior school level.
Students appear to be totally helpless and sometimes even end up selecting the wrong choice
of subjects, which they regret later. As there is no valid mechanism to assess the suitability of
a candidate for a particular pressure, without realizing their own capabilities. Hence, I feel that
there is a need of educational counsellors for guidance that can show the students the right
path.
Educational counsellors can help the students to bring out their hidden qualities. So, they
need to be present in every school. Schools can also have career counselling workshops for
the students on a regular basis. Parents and teachers can also play a very important role in
shaping the young minds.
Thanking You
Yours sincerely
Vinita
-96-
3.
Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper on reckless driving.
No, 7, ABC Colony,

Ghaziabad-211008
14th March, 2015
The Editor
The Hindustan Times
New Delhi-110001
Subject
: Reckless Driving
Sir
It is high time that proper steps are taken to put a stop to the reckless driving of cars in the
narrow streets of our thickly populated city. Only yesterday a poor beggar very narrowly
escaped being hit while crossing the street when a car came dashing along at a speed of
about ninety kilometer an hour. Such reckless driving causes fatal accidents to pedestrians
crossing the roads.
It is true that regulations regarding the speed limit do exist. Bu t unless the police is strict in
enforcing them, what do the drivers care? The police seems to take little or no notice of
offenders. Consequently, car accidents are almost a daily occurrence.
I hope the police, the worst sufferer, will bring pressure to bear upon the police to put a stop to
reckless driving before we have any more deaths due to accidents.
Yours truly
Sunil Singh
-97-
4.
You are Nita Sharma, residing at A-406, Vasundhra Apartments, Ghaziabad. You
are disturbed to watch the portrayal of women in TV serials. Write a letter to the Editor,
The Times of India, BSJ Marg, New Delhi, expressing your views on the issue.
A-406, Vasundhra Apartments
Ghaziabad-211007
14th December, 2015
The Editor
The Times of India
BSJ, Marg
New Delhi-110002
Subject
: Skewed portrayal of women in TV serials
Sir
I would like to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards the skewed portrayal of
women in TV serials. Most of the TV channels telecast family soaps which do not show
women in proper light. A woman is either Kaikeyi or Sita.
The serials advocate values which are against basic Indian culture. There is no respect for
values in these serials. The women are being portrayed as a house breaker, conspirator or
vamp. The Indian women, known for her kindness, tolerance and sacrifices, is being
portrayed as just the opposite.
I am of the opinion that the content of TV serials should be regulated and put under
observation. This is the right time to check the trend before the image of the Indian woman is
tarnished.
Yours truly
Nita Sharma
-98-
5.
A part of Rajasthan and Delhi recently witnessed violence during a
demonstration by a particular class of society over the issue of reservation. Violence
has become a routine affair in India. You feel that people resort to violence as a last
resort when there basic demands are not addressed. Write a letter to the Editor, The
Times of India, expressing your views on the issue. You are Akanksha, living at 106
Maharani Bagh, New Delhi.
106, Maharani Bagh

New Delhi-110024
20th July, 2015
The Editor
The Times of India
BSJ Marg,
New Delhi-110002
Subject
: Violence during demonstrations
Sir
In a democratic country like India, every citizen has a right to express his views on any issue.
Freedom of expression is a fundamental right. Whenever there is any decision by the
government, all the citizens have the right to express their consent for the decision or protest
against it in a peaceful manner. A peaceful demonstration is the best way to communicate the
feelings of the masses to the authorities, but nowadays, peaceful demonstrations turn into
violent ones. People resort to violence and damage public property.
In my opinion, people resort to violence as a last resort, when repeated pleas to address their
problems are not attended to by the authorities. The Gujjar issues, Gorkhaland issue and
Reservation issues are long standing issues, but the government lets them fester till they
implode out of control.
Yours truly
Akanksha
-99-
JOB APPLICATION
Read the advertisement given below and write a suitable application in response to it.
Sign yourself as Neha/Nitin.
Wanted Office Assistant cum Administrator, preferably a commerce graduate, with
minimum two years of experience in a concern of repute. Knowledge of computer is a must. Good
communication and command over written and spoken English is desired. Apply within 10 days to
the Manager, Tulip India Ltd, Muzaffarnagar.
21, Raj Marg

Muzaffarnagar-267020
1st July, 2015
The Manager
Tulip India Ltd
Muzaffarnagar
Subject : Application for the post of Office Assistant cum Administrator
Sir
With reference to your advertisement in The Times of India dated 29th June, 20XX for the
post of Office Assistant cum Administrator. I wish to apply for the same. I have the required
qualification and experience for the post. I can join immediately if selected.
My detailed bio-data is enclosed.
Yours sincerely
Neha Mittal
Encl. Bio-data
-100-
BIO-DATA
Name
Neha Mittal
Sex
Female
Date of Birth
Fathers name
Marital status
16th March, 1984

Mr MK Mittal
Unmarried
Current address
21, Raj Marg, Muzaffarnagar-267020
Contact number
0561-2345234, 09872342556
Educational qualification
B Com
Work experience
5 years
Worked as Accounts Assistant in Goel Enterprise,
Muzaffarnagar.
Salary expected
Negotiable
Other skills
Well versed in English and Hindi

Knowledge of Ms-Office
References
1. Mr Prashant Juneja, Executive Engineer, UPSEB

2. Mr Sumit Sehgal, General Manager, JPG Products
-101-
LETTER OF COMPLAINT
1.
You are Arman/Arpita of 14, MG Road, Pune. You had bought textbook, Vistas
for class XII from neighbourhood bookstore. After browsing through the book, you
realized that a few pages were missing and the print overlapped on a few pages. Write
a complaint letter in 125-150 words to the Manager, Dawn Books, Lawrence Road,
Chennai, requesting him for a replacement or refund.
14 MG Road
Pune-411005
13th January, 2015
The Manager
Dawn Books
16, Lawrence Road
Chennai-600007
Subject
: Defective book replacement
Sir
I have bought a copy of the NCERT Book, Vistas prescribed by CBSE for class XII from your
authorized retailer, M/s Indian Schoolbook store, Shivaji Road, Pune-411005 vide cash
receipt no 145/13-14 for 60/-. I regret to inform you that printing has overlapped on some
pages, so it is unreadable. In addition, some pages of the book are totally missing. No doubt,
you must have received complaints about such problems from other customers, as it appears
that one batch of books is having such defects.
When I asked the shopkeeper to replace the book, he asked me to approach you, who are the
authorized distributor for NCERT books in South India.
I want you to replace this defective book, or if not possible, refund me the amount paid.
Thank you
Yours faithfully
Arpita
-102-
2.
You had bought an expensive wrist watch last week. Now you realize that it is
not functioning properly. Write a letter in 125-150 words to the Manager, Edison Watch
Works, New Delhi, complaining about it and requesting him to repair or replace it
immediately. You are Gobind/Gopa of 68, Park Street, Kolkata.
68, Park Street
Kolkata-800004
12th August, 2015
The Manager
Edison Watch Works
576/13 Mohammedpur
New Delhi-110066
Subject : Defective watch replacement
Sir
I have bought a HMT Watch Padmini sr no AC 14432/P from your authorized retailer, M/s
Indian Watch Store, Park Street, Kolkata-800004 vide cash receipt no /WS 476/13-14 for
560/-. I regret to inform you that the watch does not give the correct time, as it losing about 10
minutes everyday. In addition, the back cover has started showing signs of rust within one
month of use. It is shocking that such defective products are being sold to the unsuspecting
customers who support the government by buying products manufactured by the public
sector.
As it is within the guarantee period, I asked the shopkeeper to replace it, but he asked me to
approach you, who are the authorized distributor for HMT watches.
I want you to replace this defective watch, or if not possible, ask the retailer to arrange for its
satisfactory repair.
Thank you
Yours Faithfully
(Gobind)
-103-
3.
You are interested in doing a short-term course in computer graphics during
your holidays. Write a letter to the Director, Easy Computers, enquiring about their
short-term courses and asking for all the necessary details. You are Naresh/Nandini.
79, RK Puram
New Delhi-110045
12th April, 2015
The Director
Easy Computers
South Extension II
New Delhi 110048
Subject : Require Details of Short-term Course in Computer Graphics
Sir
This refers to your advertisement in the Times of India dated 10th April, 2015 informing about
the short-term computer courses you are conducting.
I am a graduate in Science and plan to take up a job in the line of software. Specifically, I am
interested in the course on computer graphics and similar other courses in this field. Please
send me details of the short-term courses you are conducting particularly those that start
around 1st May 2015.
I will appreciate it if you could forward me more details of the computer graphics course,
including duration, fees, etc.
Thank you
Yours sincerely
Naresh Kumar
-104-
4.
You are Neeta/Naveen of 43, Ram Nagar, Meerut, studying at a coaching centre in
Lakshmi Nagar, Delhi. You need accommodation for yourself. Write a letter to the
Manager of Paying Guest Service, 15 Aditya Complex, Lakshmi Nagar, Delhi inquiring
about the details such as the type of accommodation, monthly charges, facilities
provided etc.
43, Ram Nagar
Meerut-250005
16th August, 2015
The Manager
Paying Guest Service
15, Aditya Complex, Lakshmi Nagar
Delhi-110063
Subject : Required Paying Guest Accommodation
Sir
I have joined ABC coaching centre near Lakshmi Nagar area. For this reason I need
accommodation for next one year. My civil services examination is in November, 2015.
I will be needing a separate room with bathroom attached from August 2015 to November
2015.
You are requested to supply the details of the type of accommodation available, facilities
provided and the monthly charges for the room. Also confirm if such a room is available.
Room can be reserved for the mentioned period of time. Confirmation of these details from
your end will enable me to finalise other arrangements.
Yours truly
Naveen
-105-
5.
Write a letter to the Station Master, Anand, informing him about the loss of your
suitcase which you realized only on alighting at Anand. You travelled by Navjivan
Express from Chennai to Anand. You are Priya/Prasad of 12, Kasturi Bai Street,
Chennai-20.
12, Kasturi Bai Street
Chennai-500020
20th May, 2015
The Station Master
Anand-388001
Subject : Loss of Suitcase in Train
SirI am a resident of 12, Kasturi Bai street, Chennai-20. On 19th May, 20XX, I travelled from
Chennai to Anand by Navjivan Express. I had three suitcase with me. But when I alighted at
Anand, I realized that one of my suitcase was missing. At that moment, I was helpless. I
became alarmed because in the missing suitcase, all my certificates and other valuables were
kept.
Please treat this letter as letter of complaint and act accordingly. I hope for an immediate
response from your side to find my suitcase.
Yours sincerely
Prasad Rangrajan
Mobile no 097665XXXXX
-106-
Unsolved Examples:
Q.1 You are Prem/Parul of 16, TT Nagar, Bhopal. You would like to apply for the post of
Marketing Manager in a reputed firm in Mumbai. Write a letter to the Public Relations Officer,
Chantac Enterprises, Mumbai, applying for the job. Write the letter in 125-150 words giving
your bio-data.
Q.2 Recently you travelled in a State Transport bus from Chennai to Thiruvallavur, and to
your shock, air-conditioning in the coach was not working properly. The quality of the
maintenance of the bus was also not good. All the way you spent the time in unbearable heat.
Write a letter to the Editor, 'The Hindu', drawing the attention of the General Manager
(Maintenance) of the State Transport for taking action in this matter. You are Hema/Ganesh,
25,Avadi, Chennai.
Q.3 Write a letter to the Municipal Chairman of New Town, North Arcot District about the
dilapidated condition of a public monument requesting him to take urgent steps for the
preservation of this valuable heritage. You are Anarkali/Akbar, 10 Pudupet, New Town.
Q.4 Games and Sports are not giving as much importance in the country as is given to
academics. As a result of this, our achievements in the international arena are not very
spectacular. Write a letter to the Editor of a national daily on the importance of sports and
games and on the need to create awareness about it. You are Sunita/Sameer, 8/35, MG
Road, Bengaluru.
Q.5 People are migrating from rural areas to the cities in search of jobs. Consequently in te
fast expanding cities, children find that their playing fields are shrinking or simply vanishing.
Write a letter to the Sports Minister of your state drawing his attention to this issue. Make
suggestions to cope with this situation. You are Amit/Amita Jain, 15 Mall Road, Delhi.
-107-
Article
An article is an expression of ones thought on an issue or a subject logically and coherently
written in meaningful paragraphs.
Points To Remember:
Give a title that catches the attention of the reader.

Begin with a striking opening sentence which addresses that readers and gets them
interested in the topic.
Present a strong argument for your ideas supporting it with evidences or elaboration.
Use linking devices (however, therefore, although, even though, in order to) to
make the composition appear a whole.
Introduce a new point at the beginning of each paragraph that follows to strengthen
your ideas.
Develop your ideas as much as you can to make them interesting and substantial.
Conclude with your strongest point.
Use passive voice, humour, emotive language, rhetorical questions to provide a
specific effect.
Format of an Article
TITLE/HEADING:
Eye Catching, illustrating the central themes
BY LINE:
Writer's Name under the title towards the right from the centre
INTRODUCTION:
A comprehensive introduction touching upon on the plus and

minus of the topic.
Establish the context
Put the topic in perspective
Draw reader's attention. Specify and delimit your topic
Put a rhetoric question or give some startling facts, statistics or
quotation
CONTENT:
Spell out the various aspects to the topic-merits, demerits

causes, consequences, effects, advantages, disadvantages
TOPIC WINDING UP: Give your opinion, comments, criticism, recommendations

CONCLUSION:
Conclude with a hope, a warning, an appeal or a call for an

action
-108-
Marking Scheme:
Marks :
10 Marks
Format (Title +Writer's name):

Content:
1 Mark
(logical organization, relevance). Credit should be given for the

candidate's creativity in presenting his/her own ideas
4 Marks
Expression: 5 Marks. (2 + 2 )
Accuracy, Grammatical, appropriate words & spelling:
2 Marks
+
Fluency, coherence and relevance of ideas and style:
-109-
2 Marks
Sample Examples :
Q.1 Write an article in 150-200 words on how we can make India a carefree and
enjoyable place for women when they can go wherever they like to without any fear of
being stared at, molested or discriminated against. You are Navtej/Navita.
Ans.
How to Make India a Carefree Place for Women

-By Navita
A series of much publicised crimes against women has left many people wondering if India is
safe for women. The gang rape of a young woman who later died, aboard a private bus in
Delhi in December 2012 caused mass outrage in India. But the crimes continued taking place
in different cities of India.
India needs to address gender inequalities on many fronts and especially at the most basic
intrinsic level. The attitudes towards women need complete transformation, apart from all the
safety measures that needs to be adopted. Women need to be treated with respect and they
should be allowed to live free from fear, harm or oppression. They, too, have a right to
breathe freely and enjoy life which is possible only in a care-free and safe environment.
We need to create a culture of respect and gender equality which are taught and practised at
home. The law enforcing agencies must make sure that the public transportation is womanfriendly and is provided with adequate protection system. There have to be zero tolerance for
any nonsense. Women should begin to actively learn to defend themselves by gaining
confidence to stand up to violence. Self-defence courses can train women to deal with
untoward situations. Above all, the general public should be more sensitised towards women
and left India emerge one day as a place- safe, peaceful and enjoyable where women feel
secure and live their life with dignity and self - confidence.
-110-
Q.2 Ragging has raised its ugly head again. A recent incident at a prestigious school
has shown that this evil has not yet come to an end. Write an article in 150-200 words
on 'Ragging, an evil'. You are Navtej/Navita.
Ans.
Ragging, an Evil
- By Navita
Ragging in India is a damaging form of interaction of the seniors in the college or school with
the juniors, new comers or first year students.
Initially, the ragging started in British era in English colleges and universities but slowly it
spread and corrupted almost all educational institutions. Original aim was to teach the
students respect for hierarchy thereby enforcing traditions and discipline among them. The
senior prefect was to be treated as a teacher substitute, thus giving him/her the authority to
control and dominate. Soon, the authority started getting misused.
As a result, practice of familiarising beginners with their seniors has now turned into a
powerful tool for ill-treating and punishing poor students if they fail to obey their seniors.
Under the pretext of fun, a poor student is often assaulted, sometimes even stripped and
intimidated by his seniors and this torture obviously leaves an indelible impression on his
mind. The chilling incident continues to haunt him and unknowingly he develops various
psychological disorders. After experiencing the evil of ragging, a student tends to develop a
feeling of revenge for his 'unjustified harassment' and derives pleasure in ragging his juniors
on his turn. So the trend goes on and so does the suffering.
Sometimes the situation turns so bad that it compels the ragged victim to commit suicide. At
times, the ragging that it turns gets so violent fatal. In many colleges ragging has been
banned and is providing effective. Recently, ragging has rightly declared a criminal offence.
Still, ragging is prevalent in colleges in secretive ways. Solution lies in more practical steps
like having an anti-ragging helpline that can take anonymous complaints and act against the
culprits or having awareness programmes conducted a more specific level. This menace, in
any case, has to be contained and stopped.
-111-
Q.3 Joint family system is gradually disintegrating in the country. Many elderly
people get neglected because of the nuclear setup of families. It increases the need of
homes for the aged. Write an article in 150-200 words on the topic entitled Should
there be Homes for the Aged in India.
HOMES FOR THE AGED IN INDIA
- By Pradeep
Change is the law of nature. The world has witnessed many unprecedented changes in the
last 100 years. The disintegration of joint family system is one of such painful changes.
Industrialization and urbanization have brought disintegration at a crushing speed. The
breakup of the joint family system has led to so many social and cultural problems. Many
elderly people get neglected because of the nuclear set up of families. The country is not fully
prepared to deal with the problems of the aged people. The need of the hour is to have
adequate Homes for the aged in India, Europe and America have been able to address to
the problem of the aged persons. They have Homes and exclusive settlements for their
senior citizens. They provide all the necessary comforts and facilities for the aged. Diseases
and the disabilities are the constant companion for the old. Proper medical treatment and
facilities are necessary. Nutritious but light food is the need of the aged persons. Such
Homes provide all such comforts and facilities. The aged person to have a right to a decent
living. Their old and tied bones need rest and peace. They should not depend on the mercy of
their children. Nor should they be thrown at the charity of the people. Only such Homes can
help them to lead a decent and respectable life.
-112-
Q.4 Devika is a student of Holy Child School, New Delhi. She reads a report on the
miserable condition of the Child Labour in India in the Times of India. She is moved
and wants to express her strong feelings against the widespread exploitation of
children in an article. Using the hints given below in the input, help Devika to write a
purposeful article on The child Abuse for the school-magazine.
Child Abuse-a painful fact - children exploited India a poor country about 10 million
child
labour in India employed in dangerous trades and industries exploited - living
.
and working in inhuman conditions Effective legislation against Child labour
CHILD ABUSE
- By Devika
Childhood is the golden period of mans life. Children need love and care for their growth and
development. However, child abuse is the tragic irony of Indian social life. About 10 million
children are employed in unhealthy, hazardous and dangerous trades and industries. Bare
footed, lean and thin children have to work for 10 to 15 hours a day. They work in numerous
shops, dhabbas, brick kilns, small factories and cottage industries. Some risk their lives while
selling newspapers on busy roads.
These child-workers are generally ill-fed and treated like bonded labourers. They are
often underpaid. Thousands of children work in fire- crackers and match-factories in South
India. Many of them get killed in accidents and fires. The carpet industry in Uttar Pradesh
employs lacs of children. Children have to work in chemical factories in most inhuman
conditions.
Poverty is the main reason that compels many poor parents to send their children for
work. India has the largest number of children working in most inhospitable, and inhuman
surroundings. The Child Labour Act should be enforced with all sincerity and strictness.
Exemplary punishment should be given to the defaulters and the defiant employers.
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Unsolved Examples:
Q.1 You saw stray dog beaten to death by a groups of boys. Their act infuriated you and
you scolded them for their cruel act. You decided to write an article on cruelty to animals.
Write the article in 150-200 words. You are Nikhil/Naina.
Q.2 You are Rajendra Kumar, a social worker. You read an article in 'The Hindu' on 'Health
Care for Indian Workers '. Write a speech in 150-200 words on the importance of health care
to be delivered at a public function to create awareness among the workers.
Q.3 Write an article in 150-200 words for your school magazine on the topic, 'Obesity
among School Children'. You are Mohini/Mohit.
Q.4 You are Raman/Ruchika. Write an article in 150-200 words for your school magazine
on the topic, 'Life without Modern Gadgets'.
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SPEECH
Point to be Remembered:
The introduction should not be very lengthy. The main topic should be taken up as
quickly as possible. Use concrete terms and tangible examples. Avoid abstract phrases
which are quite vague. Use simple and familiar language.
The conclusion plays a very important role in the success of a speech. Give your own
conclusion on the topic in a telling manner.
Marking scheme is the same as for the Article.
Write Thank you at the end of the speech.
Format:
Heading or Title (Optional)

Formal Address
Introduction
Establishing the context and expression
Adverse effects and values
Conclusion
Formal thanks to audience
Marking Scheme:
Marks :
10 Marks
Format (Title +Writer's name):

Content:
1 Mark

4 Marks
2 Marks
+
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2 Marks
SPEECH
1.
You are the Headboy/Headgirl of your school. You decided to make the school
population aware of the advantages of tree plantation and tell them how trees can serve as
better source of oxygen and fresh air. Prepare a speech you intend to deliver in the
morning assembly the next day and write it in your answer sheet using not more than
150-200 words. Take help of the notes.
Notes
Trees keep environment cool by :
(a) Taking heat of earth and air
(b) Absorbing carbon-dioxide that helps in controlling temperature rise
(c) Bringing rains
(d) Checking direct sunlight
(e) Providing shade.
Advantages of Tree Plantation
Respected Principal madam, teachers and dear friends
Today I am speaking to you all on a topic which is really very important for all of us and
for the survival of the human race. It is the Importance of Trees. I am sure that each one of
you is aware how important are trees in our life. For example, they take and absorb the heat
of the earth. Indeed, they have numerous advantages. Precisely speaking, they absorb the
dangerous carbon-dioxide from the atmosphere. They help in controlling the temperature rise.
They bring rains which is life for us all. They take the heat off the earth as well as the
atmosphere. They provide us shade. They maintain the ecological balance of the earth and
provide us with life- giving oxygen. Seeing their enormous benefits we should plant as many
trees as possible. The Chipko Movement and Van Mahotsava celebrations highlight the
benefits of the trees.
I feel very sad that we have destroyed much of the flora and fauna for meeting our existential
needs. But we must replenish the depleting forests by planting more and more trees at every
possible inch of the land. Our life depends on trees. We should educate the people about the
benefits of growing more trees. This way we can cleanse our environment from the
environmental pollution. I am of the opinion that we must take a pledge to plant more and
more trees to make the earth a safe place for our lives and also for the coming generations.
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2.
You are Jay/Jaya, School Pupil Leader of Shyamala Memorial Hall. Trivandrum.
Write a speech in 150-200 words that you would deliver in the school assembly during
the Vigilance week on how to eradicate corruption from the private and public life.
Eradicating Corruption from both Private and Public Life
Respected Principal madam, teachers and my dear friends
I, Jay/Jaya, am going to speak on how to eradicate poverty from both private and
public life. We are celebrating the Vigilance Week. Why do we celebrate it? Doesnt the
occasion urge the countrymen, particularly the youth, to be vigilant and bold? Why should we
be vigilant and against whom? The answer is so simple. The country is gradually sinking in
the mire of corruption. Corruption, violence and nepotism have become the indispensable
ingredients of Indias private and public life. The environment has become polluted. Honesty,
faith and fairness have become outdated and forgotten values. Pragmatism and self-interests
have taken the place of principles and ethics in politics and public life. No one seems above
board. Right from the men in the ranks to the Prime Minister no one exudes confidence and
integrity. The UPA II has been constantly rocked by a series of scams and scandals. The
commonwealth Games scandal tarnished Indias name at home and abroad. Then came the
2G scam where thousands of crores were alleged to have been siphoned off in shady deals.
The COLGATE scam brought even the PMO in the range of suspicion and doubts. The fate of
the opposition-ruled states like Karnataka was not different either. The acts of omissions and
corruptions brought the BJP government down and out of power in Karnataka.
The cancer of corruption is eating away the vitals of our public and private life. Lets take
pledge to be vigilant. Lets not tolerate the corrupts and corruption. It is the duty of students
and the youths of today to fight against this cancer. They should take a pledge that they will
never give or receive any bribes in public or private life. Lets be vigilant! Why should be forget
that many of us have the right of voting. Lets exercise this power and elect only honest
persons and men of integrity for our legislatures and the parliament. Only a corruption-free
India will be a strong and prosperous India.
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Q.3 You are Suraj/Sandhya of Gargi Senior Secondary School, Delhi. Games and
Sports should be made compulsory in schools. Write a speech for morning assembly
on the Importance of Games and Sports in Personality Development in about 150-200
words.
Importance of Games and Sports in Personality Development
Respected Principal madam, teachers and my dear friends,

I, Sandhya, am going to speak on Importance of Games and Sports in Personality
Development.
Children living in cities are rarely seen playing outdoors, carried away by other attractions like
the televisions and computer games, they miss the joy of outdoor play. Today I would like to
talk on the importance of games and sports. In small towns, children are still seen playing
hide-n-seek or flying kites but in most of the so called advanced city set-up children playing
out in street parks has become a receding sight.
There were times when children would go out even in the heat of the afternoon to play and
they would not like to return home till late in the evening. Those children were obviously
happier and healthier. Outdoor games are very good means to physical exercise which keeps
one healthy and active. They make us agile and alert. Playing and running around with friends
makes them happy. There is no scope of loneliness and tension in this joyful group activity.
After the day's tiring mental work, an hour or two spent in playing takes off fatigue and
refreshes us all over again. Sports also teach us to cultivate in us positive values like
sportsman spirit, team work and cooperation which eventually help us in dealing with odds of
life.
Playing any sport, be it cricket, hockey , football or tennis or simple "gili-danda" is obviously
an exciting activity on the playfield, where children play, fight, agree and disagree and thus
develop a healthy, tolerant attitude towards life and world around. Outdoor games are often
group activities and they bring about an increase in the number of one's friends which widens
one's social circle. Isn't playing outdoors more joyful and enriching in many ways than sitting
glued to television or on computers and play some dead games?
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Q.4 Power shortage has become a norm even in the metropolitan cities. One way to
face this situation is by preventing the wastage of power. Write a speech in 150-200
words on the importance of power in our daily life and how to save power at school
and at home. Imagine that you are the Principal of your school.
Ans. Dear Students,
Today I am here to speak on a very important subject i.e., power shortage in our country and
how we can save power at school and at home.
Electric energy occupies the top grade in energy hierarchy. It finds innumerable uses in home,
industry, agriculture and even in transport.
No one can undermine the importance of
power in our daily life. For our day-to-day smooth living, we need an uninterrupted power
supply. But, despite impressive growth in power generation, power shortage still continues
and hits our every day existence badly. We, at our level, in our small ways should try to save
power. A small change to your lighting, gadgets and proper utilisation of electricity can do a
great deal to conserve the electricity. Replacing all the incandescent light bulbs with efficient
CFL/LED bulbs can help in saving the energy. Heaters, coolers, air-conditioners, water
heaters, washing machines etc., are the gadgets that should be used very discreetly to save
power. At school, you should see to it that all the fans, lights etc., are turned off while leaving
your classrooms and make others also aware of the need not to waste.
Sustaining electricity delivers the double purpose of helping stop the global warming and
saving a lot of money. In our day-to-day life we can use the natural lights whenever possible.
Today's wastage can be tomorrow's shortage. If you do not think of saving the power today, it
can bring dark nights in your life tomorrow. Conservation is important and you can do it if you
try. We all can actually play our part to save power in order to have a better and brighter
tomorrow.
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Unsolved examples:
Q.1 You are Ajay/Anu, Head Boy/Girl of Kendriya Vidyalaya. Yu have seen some
students of junior classes littering the school compound and verandahs with tiffins. It
makes the school look unclean and untidy. Write a speech in 150-200 words to be
delivered in the morning assembly, advising such students to keep the school neat and
clean.
Q.2 You are Rajendra Kumar, a social worker. You read an article in The Hindu on
Health Care for Indian Workers. Write a speech in 150-200 words on the importance of
health care to be delivered at a public function to create awareness among the workers.
Q.3 Media has a strong hold on society. Write a speech in 150-200 words on how media
influences public opinion to be delivered in the school assembly.
Q.4 People in India by and large are very religious. Almost all our school begin their
activities with our morning prayer. Write a speech in 150-200 words to be delivered in
the assembly on The Importance of Morning Prayer in the life of human being. You are
Ajay/Veena.
Q.5 Hockey is the national game of India. Today it is in name only. Write a speech in
150-200 words asking the students to play hockey. It is inexpensive, more healthy, a
short duration and a team game. You are Ajit/Rupa.
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DEBATE
Format:
Formal Address
Introduction : Against or For the motion
Arguments against or for the motion
Conclusion
Formal thanks
Marking Scheme:
Marks :
10 Marks
Format : Formal Address + Formal Thanks

Content:
1 Mark

4 Marks
2 Marks
+
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2 Marks
DEBATE
Q.1 Write a debate in about 150-200 words on the topic Homework should be
Abolished.
HOMEWORK SHOULD BE ABOLISHED

For the Motion
Respected Chairperson, honourable judges, members of staff and friends
I stand here today to speak for the motion that homework should be abolished. At the
very outset Id like to raise this question Is that homework to be done by the parents, the
tutor, or the already overburdened student ?
In my opinion, homework is rarely done at home. It is most often copied in the bus, in between
classes, or these days reproduced over the telephone. I submit, in fact, that homework often
becomes such a burden in my families, the parents decide to do it in the speediest and most
convenient manner. As a result, older children, private tutors, or even parents themselves set
to work completing it. Further, I feel very strongly that homework checks a childs physical,
emotional and social development. It simply programmes students to become competitive. I
should like to draw your attention to the fact that this monster homework becomes a thing
of fear and finally becomes a holiday horror. I fail to understand why my worthy opponent has
chosen to support something that consumes so much of the students free time and energy,
both in term-time and holiday-time.
My final argument is that it is of limited value. The type of homework most often set is
dull and mechanical, so as to keep students busy at home as in school. I support the motion
that homework should be abolished.
Against the motion
I stand here today to speak against the motion of the topic that Homework should be
Abolished. My knowledgeable opponent has submitted that homework is not a desirable
thing. But may I ask how the teacher is to check and assess the work of the student if not
through homework?
I strongly oppose the view that homework is done by parents, tutors or other children. On the
contrary, if homework is constructive, and stimulating, it becomes such a pleasurable activity.
I dont think that homework checks a childs growth. Instead, it builds childrens selfconfidence, and gives them a sense of achievement.
In class, most of the time has to be spent learning from the teacher or working groups. There
simply isnt enough time for the teacher to allow students to work silently and individually.
This, I submit, is the great value of homework that it encourages students to deepen their
understanding of topics covered in class, by working quietly and privately on a motivating
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task. I strongly reject the view that homework has to be dull and mechanical. Instead,
homework is usually thought-provoking. It is always interesting, if done in the right spirit.
Homework is an essential part of education. It is good for us as it is enjoyable.
Thank you all.
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Q.2 Write a debate in about 150-200 words on the topic Capital Punishment has No
Place in a Civilized Society.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT HAS NO PLACE IN A CIVILIZED SOCIETY
For the Motion
I, Anshu, stand before you to speak for the motion on Capital punishment has no place in a
civilized society. I feel that capital punishment is a sign of uncivilized human behaviour. The
sole basis of this argument is that when we cant give life to any one, what right do we have to
take it of others? This means even the state has no right to take away the life of a person.
Capital punishment actually kills a person by inches before it is given. I personally feel that
death sentence comes as a relief. I find these arguments hollow and unfortunate.
Life, we must know, is precious and it is once-in-a-life opportunity. It must be preserved at all
costs. A death sentence gives no chance of repentance and reformation. Nor does it give any
noble message to the people at large. Man is no animal and he has the capacity to be
reformed through choosing a right path. Sometimes his anger overpowers him and due to that
he commits sinful activities. But when he repents, it is all over by then.
I am of the opinion that such a person must be given a chance to improve his lost status
through repentance. This never means that his crime should go unpunished. But he should be
given a chance to reform. Capital punishment is no remedy.
Thank you all.
Against the Motion
I, Anupam, stand before you to speak against the motion on Capital punishment has no place
in a civilized society. I am of the opinion that if someone has fallen so low in the human scale
that he is no more an animal. He commits crime like animals. Naturally he must be dealt with
those measures that domesticate animals. Secondly, I find that when man has fallen so low,
he cant leave his animalism at any cost. In this way, he loses all chances of reformation. I
find, honourable judges that he has no right to live in the human society. He simply becomes
a danger to other peace-loving citizens of his society.
My knowledgeable friend has stated that a man who has tasted the blood has the possibility
of reforming himself. But I would ask him, can a beast of prey change into a non-preying
beast? Never, honourable judges. Such persons should be dealt with the laws of nature or the
famous one: eye for an eye. The most important thing is the presence of ear in the human
beings before going criminal. In the middle-east countries crimes are simply non-existent
because of this fear. And capital punishment is that instrument of causing fear in the minds of
the people. With them we can maintain a crime-free society.
Thank you all.
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Q.3 Write a debate in about 150-200 words on the topic Mall Culture in Cities have a
Positive Aspect for Teenagers
Mall Culture in Cities - Positive Aspects
For the Motion
I, Zeeshan, stand before you to speak for the motion on the topic Mall Culture in Cities have
a Positive Aspect for Teenagers. Shopping malls are becoming integral part of cities. Every
corner of a city has at least one shopping mall in it. They are fast emerging as new hallmark
of new development.
Teenagers love to visit malls with their friends and family. Air-conditioned atmosphere
provides a big relief from sweltering heat one has to face while shopping in markets in
summers. The neat and clean, safe and secure building helps teenagers to forget the stress
and pressure of schools and colleges enjoy free time in a relaxed way.
Shopping malls help teenagers to shop for anything under the sky under one roof. All
their favourite things like Junk Jewellery, latest DVD, newly released books all are available
there. They can take electronic item of any brand without caring about bargaining as the
articles sold in malls are of quality brands with fixed price tags. Window shopping, the best
way to learn about latest products in market is best done in malls. Teenagers with their peer
are seen window shopping at showrooms of famous brands there.
Shopping malls also provide perfect place to give and enjoy parties McDonalds,
Pizzahuts, KFC and many such eating joints have their outlets in malls. It is becoming a new
trend among teenagers to celebrate birthdays, friendship days and many such occasion in the
company of whole gang of their friends in shopping malls.
Shopping malls with their movie theatres provide another way of enjoying holidays with
friends and family. One can watch latest movie in cool and relaxed atmosphere of such
theatres.
Thus shopping malls are emerging as the most favourite place for teenagers to hang around
in the company of their loved ones without worrying about heat or hunger.
Against the Motion
I, Zeenia, stand before you to speak against the motion on the topic Mall Culture in Cities
have a Positive Aspect for Teenagers. Mushrooming of shopping malls in every nook and
corner of cities is becoming a nuisance for common people. Teenagers suffer most because
of increasing mall culture in cities.
Everything about malls is detestable. Their imposing structure and lucrative exterior
symbolise the superficiality of city life with increasing materialistic outlook of its people. They
seem to be blot on social growth of people. Youngsters, especially teenagers spend their
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valuable and hard earned money of their parents in malls.

Shopping malls are harmful for health of the visitors. The air inside the malls is due to its
being air-conditioned without proper ventilation. The air inside it contains fumes from its
eating joints besides breathed out air of the crowd there.
Shopping malls are heavy on the purse also. Most of the showroom in malls charge
higher prices in comparison to those in open markets as they have to pay higher rents. It
costs many times more to watch movies or buy things here.
Shopping malls encourage western culture among teenagers. They get lured by the
glossy advertisements about the eating joints there and want to give parties in them instead
of at home. They thus, harm teenagers as they get away from Indian values like partying at
home with parents.
To conclude, one can say it emphatically that today's teenagers under the bad influence of
western culture , encouraged by malls, spend their valuable time and hard earned by roaming
around aimlessly and many a times anonymously in malls in the name of window shopping.
They want to show off to their friends their spending powers and western outlook at the cost
of time and money.
Q.4 Write a debate in 150-200 words on the topic Relevance and Desirability of
Coaching Centres.
RELEVANCE AND DESIRABILITY OF COACHING CENTRES
For the Motion
Today I, Sumit, stand before you to speak for the motion on Relevance and Desirability of
Coaching Centres. Youll see that todays world is simply of neck-break competitions. Against
one seat in a medical or engineering institute there are hundreds of applicants. Herein comes
the coaching centre. If a boy or a girl shows very good score in the competitive examination,
his or her chances for admission are bright. So I dont think anything is wrong with these
coaching centres. There are many plus points in favour of these centres. The most important
is that only the bright, intelligent and deserving students get admission in prestigious and
professional colleges. If average students get into them without any competitive examination,
then theyll not be successful at all in life.
Youll say that these coaching centres charge very heavily as tuition fees. Then most of
them are teaching shops and their aim is only to mint money. This cant be applied onto
every coaching centre. A student can choose which coaching centre is suitable for him or
seeing his or her paying capacity. A light side is that even in life one needs to be conscious of
whats good or bad for him or her before he or she decides to choose. These centres, indeed,
provide coaching in such a way that even an average student can show good results. If it
were not so, many of them would already have been closed. So I am of the opinion that they
should stay.
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Thank you all.

Against the Motion
Today I, Krit Kumar, stand before you to speak against the motion on Relevance and
Desirability of Coaching Centres in todays society. My knowledgeable friend has laid down
before you some good reasons favouring the desirability of these coaching centres in todays
world. Youll see yourself that these centres are multiplying day-by-day. Their growth indirectly
tells the sad story of school and college education. In direct words, I would say that school
and colleges are not functioning as they should. So these coaching centres are there at their
cost. I feel that if these educational institutions function in the right spirit, these coaching
centres dont need to be there. For that our teaching fraternity is responsible together with the
administration.
Honourable judges, in my opinion, these coaching centres are teaching shops only.
These show rosy paths to the unsuspecting students and try to trap them into their net. Then
these start making money from them on one count or the other. These are centres for
misguiding the students. Thats why, many centres disappear overnight when their realities
are out. My knowledgeable friend has spoken favourably about prestigious coaching centres.
But their fees are so high that many sstudents cant afford them. What I want is that those
centres which mint money without doing good should be punished. Then school and college
education should be improved.
Thank you all.
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Unsolved Example :
Q.1 In an inter-school debate competition, you have to speak for the motion, 'Safety of
Women Working in Night Shifts is Inadequate.' Draft a debate speech accordingly.
Q.2 The government has banned the use of animals in the laboratories for the purpose
of dissection. Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the decision.
Q.3 Some people feel that electronic media (TV news) will bring about the end of print
media (newspapers). What are your views on the issue? Write a debate in 150-200
words either for or against this view.
Q.4 Draft a debate in favour of or against the motion in not more than 120 words on the
topic, Commercialization of Sports is the urgent need of the hour.
Q.5 Boarding schools are better than day schools for the all-round education of a
child is the topic of the Inter House Debate to be conducted at your school. Draft a
debate expressing your views either for or against the statement.
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SECTION C
(40 Marks)
LITERATURE TEXTBOOKS
AND LONG READING TEXT
S.NO.
CONTENT
PAGE NUMBER
1.
Flamingo - Prose
133-149
2.
Flamingo - Poetry
151-165
3.
Vistas
167-184
4.
Novel The Invisible Man
186-193
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SECTION C
LITERATURE TEXTBOOKS AND LONG READING TEXT - 40 Marks
FLAMINGO / VISTAS / THE INVISIBLE MAN
(40 MARKS)
Very Short Answer Questions - Based on an extract from poetry to test the
comprehension and appreciation.
4 Marks
Short Answer Questions -
Based on prose/drama/poetry from the texts.

12 Marks
Based on texts to test global comprehension and

extrapolation beyond texts to bring out the key
messages and values.
6 Marks
Based on texts to test global comprehension

along with analysis and extrapolation.
6 Marks
Based on theme, plot and incidents from the

prescribed novels.
6 Marks
(THE INVISIBLE MAN)
Based on understanding, appreciation, analysis

and interpretation of the character sketch. 6 Marks
(THE INVISIBLE MAN)
FLAMINGO
PROSE:
NAME OF THE LESSON
WRITERS NAME
The Last Lesson

Lost Spring
Deep Water
The Rattrap
Indigo
Going Places
(Alphonse Daudet)
(Anees Jung)
(William O Douglas)
(Selma Lagerlof)
(Louis Fischer)
(A.R Barton)
POETRY:
NAME OF THE POEM
POETS NAME
My Mother At Sixty-Six
An Elementary School
Classroom in a Slum
Keeping Quiet
A Thing Of Beauty
Aunt Jennifer
(Kamala Das)
(Stephen Spender)
(Pablo Neruda)
(John Keats)
(Adrienne Rich)
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VISTAS
NAME OF THE LESSON
WRITERS NAME
The Tiger King

The Enemy
Should Wizard Hit Mommy
On the Face Of It
Evans Tries an O- Level
Memories of Childhood
(Kalki)
(Pearl S. Buck)
(John Updike)
(Susan Hill)
(Colin Dexter)
(Zitkala- Sa and Bama)
LONG READING TEXT: Novel

THE INVISIBLE MAN
- H G Wells
Long Answer Questions - Based on theme, plot and incidents from the
prescribed novels.
Long Answer Questions - Based on understanding, appreciation, analysis
and interpretation of the character sketch.
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FLAMINGO
PROSE SECTION
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1. THE LAST LESSON

-ALPHONSE DAUDET
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each:
Q.1 Describe the effect on life at school, produced by the passing of Alsace and
Lorraine into Prussian hands.
The order from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine perturbed
the French greatly. Now they realized how important French was. The humdrum inside and
outside the class was missing. The silence of the graveyard welcomed each one. Students
and village people had a common people feeling of terror and of learning German under
pressure. All were settled to take the last lesson seriously. They realized their blunder of not
taking French seriously before. All sat with grim faces and their dislike for M. Hamel changes
to admiration. Even M. Hamel presented a different facet of his personality. He wished he
could teach the entire French in the Last Lesson. His patriotic fervour when he wrote 'Viva La
France' inspired the French to earn their freedom back.
Q.2 How was M. Hamel a different teacher while giving his last lesson?
The personality traits of M. Hamel underwent transition due to changed environment. The
order from Berlin had paralyzed the senses of all French people. Franz saw a different image
of M. Hamel. He was calm, gentle, highly emotional and patriotic on the last day. On reaching
late to school, Franz was not reprimanded but allowed inside the classroom. His approach to
teaching was serious and professional. He did not even spare himself. For the casual attitude
toward French. Franz and the villagers were no less careless about learning it. He advised all
to guard the French language as it was comparatively superb. He continued to teach till the
bell sounded the end of it. Finally he grew emotional and wrote 'Viva La France' on the
blackboard and in silence instructed all of them to depart.
Q.3 What changes did the narrator find in the school when the order from the Berlin
came?
The order from Berlin shocked the French. It stated that from henceforth only German would
be taught at Alsace and Lorraine. The whole environment was tense. The narrator found that
the sonorous rapping on the table, and other peculiar loud noises were no more. All mute
faces were writing busily disturbing the calm of the place. The villagers had occupied the back
benches to attend M. Hamel's class. He was also attired in a formal outfit. His attitudinal
change found him gentle in reprimanding everyone present. Including himself for being casual
to the most logical language, French. Everyone was engrossed in learning and Hamel made
them realize their mistake.
Q.4 How was the scene in the school in the morning of the last lesson different from
that on other days?
The school scene was utterly different. Silence pervaded everywhere. Even the noisy
classroom breathed quiet ambience. M. Hamel had worn special dress meant for special
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occasions. He taught in a different style that each one seemed to understand. The village
people had also joined them for the last lesson.
Q.5 What was the mood in the classroom when M. Hamel gave his last French lesson?
The environment in the classroom was highly unusual. The presence of the villagers aroused
anxiety. There was an absolute calm for all to feel remorseful of the harm they had done to
their mother tongue- French; the most beautiful language by being careless about it. All were
awestruck by the orders from Berlin and worked quietly.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:
Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:
Q.1 Describe the change in the attitude of Franz towards his language and his teacher.
Initially Franz is reluctant to go to school. He has never been a sincere and devoted student.
He fears that his teacher, M Hamel would scold him because he had not learnt his lesson. He
finds his son teacher strict and austere.
When he reaches school, he is surprised because M Hamel speaks kindly to him. He is still
confused and absorbing the situation, when M Hamel announces that it is to be their last
French lesson. Poor Franz now regrets not mother tongue and now he would never be able to
learn it. His books, which were a nuisance to him, suddenly seem like old friends. The thought
that he would never see M Hamel again makes him forget all about his crankiness. He begins
to feel very sorry for his teacher.
Q.2 Explain "M Hamel was an epitome of patience that day- A true patriot."
M Hamel was very patient that day. He did not remark on Franz's being late. He did not scold
Franz when he could not recite the rules of participles. In fact, he blamed all of them, including
himself, for neglecting the study of their mother tongue, the French language. That he was a
patriot is demonstrated by the fact that he praised the French language for its clarity, logic and
beauty and exhorted his audience to hold fast to it. M Hamel had been teaching for forty years
in the school, so everyone was overwhelmed by emotions at the time of his leaving the
school. But M Hamel maintained utmost dignity and composure. He exhibited strong courage
and patience and listened to every lesson to the last.
Finally, at the end of the lesson, he wrote on the blackboard, 'Vive La Franc e!', meaning 'long
live France', which showed that he was a true patriot.
VALUE BASED QUESTION:
Answer the following question in 120-150 words:
Q.1 "Then he turned to the blackboard, took a piece of chalk and bearing on it with all
his mighty, he wrote as large as he could 'Vive La France'!"
After reading the lesson you begin to feel that the Indian youth lack the spirit of
patriotism. Write an article in about 120-150 words on the need of a patriotic spirit
amongst the youth in India.
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India is the land of people like Mahatma Gandhi and Bhagat Singh, people who devoted their
whole lives in serving their motherland. But in modern India, their thoughts have become a
shadow of their previous self. The word 'patriotism' has faded 'patriotism' has faded away from
the heats of the youth. The youth remains so much immersed in their superficial world that
they have no interest in or intention of reflecting upon the idea of patriotism.
However, if they can channelize their energy into something positive, India will surely become
a super power as there is a lot of potential in the youth of our nation. The youth need to tap
their limitless energy in the service of the nation and make an effort for the better and bright
future of India, our motherland.
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2.
LOST SPRING, STORIES OF STOLEN CHILDHOOD

-ANEES JUNG
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:

Q.1 What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where has he come from and
why ?
Ans. Saheb hopes to find gold, some coins, a one-rupee note even when a ten-rupee note or
other valuables from the garbage pile. He hails from Dhaka in Bangladesh and since his
home and fields had been destroyed by the storm, he had to migrate.
Q.2 Garbage to them is gold. Why does the author say so about the rag pickers?
Ans. Garbage was gold for both adults and children. It helped the adults to earn a living while
for children it was 'lucky dip' where they could find coins, notes or valuables to enjoy life.
Q.3 What does the writer mean when he says, 'Saheb is no longer his own master'?
Ans. Saheb was no longer his own master. He was subjected to poverty and had to scrounge
the heaps of garbage to eke out a means of livelihood. His desire to study remained a mere
dream.
Q.4 Is it possible for Mukesh to realize his dream? Justify your answer.
Ans. Mukesh aspired to become a motor mechanic. He wished to think differently and
denounced the philosophy to walk miles together to learn where born only for the profession
of bangle-selling. He was determined to walk miles together to learn the fundamentals to the
trade.
Q.5 What does the title ' Lost Spring ' convey?
Ans. The beauty of the childhood is trampled under the burden of hard life. Saheb and
Mukesh did not experience any spring in their lives due to the responsibilities of their families
to supplement their income. They were derived education and pushed into family professions.
They lost the spring in their lives.
Q.1 Give a brief account of life and activities of the people like Saheb-e-Alam settled in
Seemapuri.
The author's acquaintance with Saheb and other barefoot rag pickers introduced her to
Seemapuri. It is a slum area located on the periphery of Delhi. The residents of Seemapuri
consist of people who left Bangladesh in the 1971 war and are basically refugees. Saheb's
family is among them. The area consists of mud structures, with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. It
does not have facilities of sewage, drainage or running water. About 10000 rag pickers live
here. Their only means of livelihood is rag picking. Thus, for them the rags are as valuable as
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gold, for their survival depends on these. When Anees visits that place, she comes to know
that these rag pickers have lived here for more than thirty years without any identity. They do
not have permits but do have ration cards, thanks to the selfish whims and wishes of the
politicians. With these they can get their name on the voter's lists and also buy grains for
themselves at a subsidised rate.
Q.2 'Lost Spring' explains the grinding poverty and traditions that condemn thousands
of people to a life of abject poverty. Do you agree? Why/ Why not ?
Yes, I do agree that 'Lost Spring' narrates the grinding poverty and traditions that condemn
thousands of people have succumbed.
The story written by Anees Jung revolves around the pitiable condition of poor children who
have been forced to live in the slums and work hard in dirty conditions. The first part tells the
writer's impression about the life of poor rag pickers who have migrated from Bangladesh but
now are settled in the Seemapuri area of Delhi.
The second part narrates the miserable life of the bangle-makers in the town of Firozabad.
The stark reality of these families is that, in spite of back-breaking hard work that they put in,
they cannot have two square meals a day. Besides, false and blind belief in traditions does
not let their children take up other respectable and better paying jobs which will improve their
financial situations.
1. Most of us do not raise our voice against injustice in our society and tend to remain
mute spectators. Anees Jung in her story, 'Lost Spring' vividly highlights the miserable
life of street children and bangle makers of Firozabad. She wants us to act. Which
qualities does she want the children to develop?
Anees Jung wants the children to become free from the vicious cycle of poverty into which
they have fallen due to the middlemen, sahukars and law enforcement officials. She wants
them to be bold enough to raise their voice against their oppressors. She wants them to be
fearless and optimistic so that they can dream of taking up other occupations, just like
Mukesh, who wants to be a motor-mechanic. She wants to become them free from their
traditional occupation so that they can realise their life's ambitions. She sees the spark of
such a quality in Mukesh, who is willing to go to any lengths to become a motor-mechanic.
She wants some people to help them develop these qualities so that they can be free from
injustice and exploitation take up other reapectable and better paying jobs which will improve
their financial condition.
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3. DEEP WATER
-WILLIAM O DOUGLAS
Q.1 How did the drowning experience affect Douglas?
Ans. Douglas had an aversion for water since his drowning incident when he was quiet
young. It did not allow him t touch waters again. He felt he would be revisited by the same
terror and his legs paralyzed due to the traumatic experience.
Q.2 How did the instructor help Douglas to overcome his fear of water?
Ans. Douglas had a hydrophobia due to his experience at YMCA pool. But the instructor
helped him to tide over this fear. Douglas practiced swimming for weeks when a rope was tied
to the belt. The training to exhale under water and to kick water with his feet, also helped him
swim comfortably.
Q.3 What did Douglas learn from his experience of drowning?
Ans. Douglas had an almost fatal encounter in the waters when he was quiet young. It had so
terrorized him that he developed a phobia for it and never tried taking a risk again. But
fortunately, the guidance of his instructor and his self-confidence enabled him to overcome
the fear of water and learnt to conquer the fear of the unknown.
Q.4 How did the incident at the Y.M.C.A. pool affect Douglas?
Ans. Douglas had a horrifying experience in the YMCA pool which continued to haunt him. He
was tossed into a nine feet deep swimming pool by a 'bully' when he had just began to learn
swimming. A sensation of death ran through him. He shouted for help in vain; but life smiled
at him and he was saved.
Q.5 Why was Douglas keen to overcome his fear of water?
Ans. The misadventure at YMCA pool left Douglas a misfit due to his phobia for water. He
was totally unhappy and wished he could get rid of the undesirable fear. Have resolved to
overcome it, he practised the skill at lake went worth and also dived into the warm lake. No
one could bully him now.
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Q.1 How did Douglas develop an aversion to water ?
Ans. William O. Douglas had developed an aversion to water when he was just a boy of three
or four. His father took him to the beach in California. He and his father stood together in the
surf. He was knocked down by the waves. He was buried in water. His breath had gone.
There was terror in his heart at the overpowering force of the waves. He was frightened and
developed a permanent fear for water. This fear revived when he was at the Y.M.C.A
swimming pool. A big boy of eighteen tossed him into the deep end of the pool. He soon
reached the bottom of the nine feet deep pool. But those nine feet were more like ninety. He
was nearly drowned. His hands and legs were paralysed and rigid. His lungs ached and head
pounded. When he came to senses, he found himself lying beside the pool, vomiting.
William O. Douglas decided to get an instructor and learn how to swim. He went to a pool and
practised five days a week. The instructor made him a perfect swimmer. He was not sure that
all his terror had left. So he went to Lake Wentworth and dived off a dock. He had conquered
his fear of water.
Q.2 How did the instructor make Douglas a good swimmer?
Ans. Douglas decided to get an instructor to learn swimming. The instructor started working
with him five days a week, an hour each day. He put a belt around Douglas. A rope was
attached to the belt that went through a pulley.
The instructor held the rope and pulled Douglas back and forth, across the pool, making him
practice. The instructor taught him to put his face under the water exhale, and to raise his
nose inhale. Slowly and steadily Douglas was able to shed his fear of water, which was the
greatest obstacle in his desire to swim. For weeks after this, his instructor made him kick with
his legs.
Initially his legs were not responding, but with time they relaxed and he was able to command
his legs at his will. In this way, piece by piece, his instructor made Douglas a swimmer.
Q.3 How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?
Ans. At the age of three or four, Douglas was engulfed by waves from the sea, which started
his fear of water. Then when he was ten or eleven years old, Douglas was tossed into a nine
feet deep swimming pool by a foolish boy. He had a near drowning experience which further
increased his fear. Determined to get rid of his fear, Douglas engaged an instructor under
whom he practiced five days a week, an hour each day. The instructor tied Douglas with rope
suspended from a pulley to overcome his fear. However every time when the instructor
loosened his grip, Douglas's fear returned. It took him three months to overcome it.
Next, the instructor taught Douglas to exhale under water and inhale by raising his nose. He
was made to, kick at the side of the pool with his legs to build up stamina.
Thus, Douglas spent six months with the instructor i.e. from October to April. Thereafter, he
practiced on his own way by swimming across various lakes, finally overcoming his fear.
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Answer the following question in about 120-150 words:
Desire, determination and diligence lead to success. Explain the value of these
qualities in the light of Douglas' experience in 'Deep Water'.
Ans. The terror of water followed Douglas wherever he went. To get rid of it, he made a
strong determination. He decided to overcome his fear though his 'will'. He engaged an
instructor who perfected him in swimming. the instructor gave him hundreds of exercises and
taught him to exhale and inhale in water.
The practice went on for three months and Douglas was able to counter his terror. Then after
more exercises, the instructor ordered him to dive. He swam across and back lakes. He had
now completely lost his fear of water. His desire, determination and diligence had succeeded
in banishing his fear of water.
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4. THE RATTRAP
-SELMA LAGERLOF

Q.1 Why did the peddler accept Edla's invitation? How did he feel?
Ans. The peddler could not be persuaded by the ironmaster to visit his house as told by the
father. Edla did a good job as she was warm, compassionate and friendly. The peddler
accepted her invitation because of her amiable ways.
Q.2 Did the stranger agree to go to the ironmaster's house? Why or why not?
Ans. On the constant persuasion of the ironmaster the peddler was reluctant, to accompany
him home to stay. He thought of his being discovered of the theft of thirty kroners. But on
being accosted by his daughter, he accepted the invitation because of Edla's warmth and her
understanding nature.
Q.3 How did the peddler react when he saw that the ironmaster had recognised him as
Nils Olaf, an old regimental comrade?
Ans. The peddler had come to the Ramsjo Iron works to warm himself and sleep. On
scrutinizing the face of the peddler, the iron-master misjudged him for an acquaintance. The
peddler hoped for some materialistic gain. A couple of kroners would certainly make him feel
good.
Q.4 How did the peddler betray the confidence reposed in him by the Crofter in 'The
Rattrap'?
Ans. The crofter was a cool man. He entertained his guests to his heart's content, least
bothered about their reactions. He offered porridge, supper and tobacco to the peddler. He
played with him and also displayed his earnings. But his trust was betrayed. The peddler
robbed him of the thirty kroners kept in his pouch. He made his way out of the house, least
bothered of betraying the trust of z generous host. The evil in him had surfaced once again as
he was not help to keep his image clean. He had deserted the crofter in a very cruel way.
Q.5 Why did the peddler think that the world was a rattrap ?
Ans. The peddler believed in the philosophy that the world was a rattrap. People get
ensnared by the temptations it offers. The moment one touches the bait of materialistic joys,
be is instantly trapped and condemned to the dark ways of the work.
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Q.1 How did the peddler feel after robbing the crofter? What course did he adopt and
how did he react to the new situation? What does his reaction reveal?
Ans. The crofter had treated the peddler with hospitality, and had even reposed his trust in
the poor vagabond. Still the peddler robbed him and was quite pleased with his smartness.
However, the fear of getting caught haunted him. So, he avoided the public highway and
turned into the woods. It was a big and confusing forest, and due to approaching darkness,
the peddler lost his way. He got exhausted moving around the same place, and was filled with
despair. He began to feel that the forest was like a big rattrap and the thirty kronor he had
stolen were like a set to tempt him. He felt helpless like a rat who had no way out of the trap in
which they had fallen.
His reaction reveals that he was feeling guilty for having stolen the crofter's money. His heart
was filled with remorse and self-loathing for his act of weakness.
Q.2 The story focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Explain.
Ans. All the characters in the story suffer from loneliness and are dreary souls. First of all, the
tramp appears to lead a sad, monotonous existence, left to his musings. He is always greeted
by sour faces and cold words. The old crofter lives all alone in a cottage by the roadside. He
is only too happy to get someone to talk to and get over his sense of loneliness. That's the
reason why he is so generous and hospitable as a host.
The ironmaster and his daughter, Edla also have no company for Christmas. The ironmaster
takes the tramp home, mistaking him to be his old comrade and he, with his daughter, are
happy to play perfect hosts to his friend. Thus, all of them have a strong desire for bonding
and comradeship. The crofter is happy to be friends with peddler, although only for a night.
Similarly, the ironmaster and his daughter have an opportunity to practice their Christian
virtues of kindness, sympathy and hospitality. It is the bonding with the young girl that
transforms the peddler.
Q.1 There is a saying 'Kindness pays, rudeness never'. In the story, 'The Rattrap' Edla's
attitude towards men and matters is different from her father's attitude. How are the
values of concern and compassion brought out in the story, 'The Rattrap'?
Ans. 'The Rattrap' is a story of a peddler who used to earn his living by selling small rattraps
of wire. Since his business was not profitable, he resorted to petty thievery. Nobody treated
him with kindness or respect. The first act of compassion was shown by the crofter who takes
the poor peddler in. Bu the peddler stole his money and ran away. Later, he was given a
place to stay by the noble ironmaster and his daughter. Though she was suspicious of him,
they promised him Christmas cheer. When his truth was discovered, Edla fought with her
father for the peddler. She not only requested her father to let the peddler stay for Christmas,
but also treated him like a real captain. The peddler was highly touched by this act of concern
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and compassion and before leaving the house, left the money he had stolen. This shows that
goodness is latent in the human heart which can be brought out by love, care and
understanding.
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5. INDIGO
-LOUIS FISCHER
Q.1 How was Gandhiji able to influence the lawyers?
Ans. The lawyers realized their narrow-minded approach and selfish interests when Gandhiji
declared that he was to be imprisoned for the cause of the share croppers. They resolved to
fight for them.
Q.2 How do we know that ordinary people too contributed to the freedom movement?
Ans. Gandhiji undertook the battle in Champaran all because of a simple peasant named Raj
Kumar Shukla. Be it the educated i.e. lawyers Prof. J.B. Kriplani and students or the illiterate
peasants; all came together to contribute their mite to support Gandhiji to champion the cause
of the peasants who were mercilessly exploited by the Britishers.
Q.3 How did Shukla succeed in persuading Gandhiji to visit Champaran?
Ans. Raj Kumar Shukla was bent on taking Gandhiji with him to Champaran. He expressed
his blind faith in Gandhiji's, leadership. He also patiently waited for Gandhiji to finish his
assignments and escorted him wherever he went. Gandhi's visit to Champaran thus, became
compulsive.
Q.4 How as Gandhiji able to influence the lawyers at Champaran ?
Ans. The lawyer decided to return to their home town in case Gandhi faced arrest. Their
callous attitude incited Gandhi to question their indifference t the cause of the poor peasants.
It awakened their sense of duty and they were prepared for court arrest.
Q.5 How did Gandhiji help the peasants of Champaran ?
Ans. The peasants of Champaran faced oppression due to the evil designs of the landlords,
Gandhiji helped them and agreed to a settlement of 25% refund to the farmers, making them
aware of their rights. They also gained courage and confidence.
Q.1 Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian
struggle for Independence ?
Ans. The Champaran episode was one of the major events in the struggle for Independence.
It was in the course of this small but significant movement that Gandhiji decided to urge the
departure of the British from India. A close examination of the problem of the Champaran
peasants opened Gandhiji's eyes to the unjust policies of the British.
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He realised that people had to be made free from fear and only then could they be freed from
foreign oppression. The spontaneous demonstration of the people proved that Gandhiji had
the nation's support in his fight against the Britishers.
The triumph of the civil disobedience at Champaran motivated the launching of the movement
on a large scale during the freedom movement. Gandhiji's winning the case of sharecroppers
proved that British authority could be challenged. Hence, the Champaran episode served as a
stepping stone to Indian struggle for Independence.
Q.2 Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of 25% refund to the farmers? How did it
influence the peasant-landlord relationship in Champaran ?
Ans. Gandhiji fought the case for the sharecroppers and the evidence that he collected was
so overwhelming that the landlords were asked to repay. When Gandhiji asked for 50%
repayment, the landlords offer to pay only 25% as they wanted to create a deadlock and thus
prolong the dispute. To everybody's surprise, Gandhiji agreed on a refund of 25%.
Gandhiji explained that the amount of refund was not important. What mattered was that the
landlords were obliged to surrender a part of their money and with it, part of their prestige.
The peasants saw that they had rights and defenders. They learned courage. Gradually,
indigo sharecropping disappeared from the area and the land came back to the poor
peasants.
Q.3 The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji's life. Elucidate.
Ans. The success of the Champaran episode made Gandhiji decide to urge the departure of
the British from India.
Gandhiji concluded that the root cause of the problem was fear, so going to law courts to
solve and the dispute was useless. It brought him face to face with reality and he became
aware of the miserable condition of the poor, illiterate farmers. He also realised the
exploitation
that
lay
beneath
the
policies
of
the
Britishers.
The spontaneous demonstration by the peasants was the beginning of their liberation from
fear of British. Civil disobedience had triumphed for the first time in modern India. Gandhiji
declared that British could not order him about in his own country. Thus, it was a turning point
in his life, which also served as a source of strength motivation for his future movements.
Q.1 Exploitation is a universal phenomenon. The poor indigo farmers were exploited by
the British landlords to which Gandhiji objected. Even after our independence we find
exploitation of unorganised labour.
What values do we learn from Gandhiji's campaign to counter the present day
problems of exploitation? The weak have always and at all times been the victims of
injustice and exploitation.
Ans. We see two real examples of exploitation in our books. One is of the indigo
sharecroppers at the hands of the British and the other is of the bangle workers of Firozabad.
Numerous such incidents are also reported in the newspapers. Gandhiji taught us a very
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beautiful way to counter the problems of exploitation. The exploited are fear-stricken. The real
relief comes for them when they get free from fear. Next is the path of non-violence and civil
disobedience. Not bowing to the demands of the oppressor can do wonders for the exploited.
Finally, Gandhiji's lesson in self-reliance is the most important to curb the menace of
exploitation. Until one is self-reliant, one cannot fight against injustice.
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6. GOING PLACES
-A.R. BARTON
Q.1 Why was Sophie jealous of Geoff's silence ?
Ans. Geoff, Sophie's elder brother was an apprentice mechanic. When he was silent, he was
away somewhere in those places where she had never been. Since the brother's world was
unknown to her, she craved to share his experiences.
Q.2 Write a character sketch of Jansie.
Ans. Jansie and Sophie were best friends but had contrasting natures. Jansie accepted the
facts of life, was practical and not a dreamer. She wished to be apprized of all the details of
Sophie's adventurous acts for a better understanding.
Q.3 What did Sophie imagine about her meeting with Danny Casey ?
Ans. Sophie was popular for her escapades. She cooked up the story of meeting the football
prodigy, Danny Casey. She imagined their meeting at the Arcade where she asked for his
autograph. But instead of an autograph, he asked her for a date.
Q.4 Describe the character of Sophie's father and the role played by him.
Ans. Sophie was fortunate to be blessed with the gift of hard working father. He cared to
provide all comforts and facilities to the members of the family. He was also a sports
enthusiast who took his family to watch United each Saturday. He was jovial and cheered
Danny to score goals. He was practical and faced life squarely. He also counsels Sophie
about her over-indulgence in day- dreaming and helps her face reality.
Q.5 Jansie is just as old as Sophie but she is very different from her. Bring out the
contrast between the two friends citing relevant instances from the story, 'Going
Places'
Ans. Jansie was a realist who guided Sophie when she was on the wings of her fantasies.
Her practical bent of mind made her stand apart from the dream world of Sophie. Though
Jansie and Sophie were of the same age-group but Jansie helped Sophie to manage her life
sensibly. She made her realize that money was the deciding factor when one dreamt really
big. She advised her to forget aspiring high if she was not determined to fulfil it. She was
indeed a sincere friend who wished her to accept reality and walk for the biscuit factory. On
the other hand, Sophie dreamt of becoming either an actress or a fashion designer. Her
dream meetings with Danny Casey leave her shattered but fortunately, the members of her
family help her to come out of the gloom.
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Q.1 Attempt a character sketch of Sophie as a woman who lives in her dreams.
Ans. Sophie has been portrayed as a central character in the story 'Going Places'. She
represents the girls her age from poor families. As in reality they can't have the things they
want, so they dream about them.
So is the case with Sophie. She always lives in her dreams. She always dreams impossible
things which are far removed from reality. She makes up the story of meeting Danny Casey, a
young charming and upcoming footballer. Nobody believes her but she refuses to accept that
it is her dream. Rather, she starts believing that she has met him. To show that she is telling
the truth, she makes up another story that she has fixed a date with him. He does not show
up her. Her dreams have become an integral part of her life, and she cannot distinguish
between her world of imagination and the real world.
Q.2 Contrast Sophie's real world with her fantasies.
Ans. The story 'Going Places' is a journey into the dream world of the protagonist, a school
girl named Sophie, who drifts from one dream to another. Sophie finds the reality of her life
too harsh to accept. She belongs to a lower middle class family where nobody encourages
her to dream of prospects. Still she dreams of owning the best boutique, becoming a manager
in some store or at other times becoming an actress or a fashion designer.
In reality, the pitiable condition of her life does not let her venture into such joyrides. However,
in her dream world, she visits the Royce's meets Danny Casey, the sports icon and even fixes
up a date with him. It's all in her mind but she considers it true and actually waits for him to
show up at a specified spot and time. The flight of her imagination is such that it flips from one
dream to another, from one place to the other.
Q.3 How would you describe the character and temperament of Sophie's father?
Ans. Sophie's father is a typical man belonging to the working class. He is the sole provider of
the family. We first meet him as a coarse, ill-mannered man stuffing shepherd pie into his
mouth, wearing his dirty and sweaty vest. He is a practical person who never leaves the world
of harsh reality. He wants Sophie to step out of her dream world and tells her that her habit of
making up stories is going to land her into trouble someday. He goes to the pub to celebrate
something as frivolous as a football match. Thus, he is quite selfish.
In spite of being the head of an impoverished family with so many mouths to feed, we never
see him indulging in self-pity or cursing his fate. He rather enjoys his life to the fullest by
making a weekly pilgrimage to watch the football match.

Q.1 Day-dreaming and escapism lead a person to create a different world of illusions
that is far removed from the harsh realities of life. How did Sophie, an incurable
dreamer, create such a world and with what results?
Ans. Day-dreaming leads only to escapism. When an ambitious but poor girl Sophie indulges
in day-dreaming and escapism, she deliberately creates a different world for herself. It is a
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world of romance, beauty and riches. What a person cant achieve in real life, she tries to
achieve in her dreams. She always lives in such a fanciful world and conveniently forgets that
her world is far removed from the harsh realities of life.
Sophie doesnt find the world and life to her liking. She is born in a poor family. She is torn
between wants and desires. She is young and of romantic disposition. No young hero comes
in her real life. Unfulfilled desires, poverty and limitations lead her to create a different world
for herself. It I s a different world where she can dream of meeting her hero Danny Casey.
She knows that Danny Casey will never care for such an ordinary girl like her. Many girls are
after such a celebrity. She knows that he will never come. But she takes the help of dreams to
reach him.
The helpless poor girl finds some consolation in dreaming big and beautiful things. She
dreams of having the grandest boutique in the town. She dreams of being a beautiful and
famous film actress. All her dreams are beyond her reach and resources. The results were
not very pleasant. Gradually, she allowed herself to be alienated from the world of reality. All
her dreams and disappointment were the creation of her own mind.
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FLAMINGO
POETRY SECTION
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1. MY MOTHER AT SIXTY-SIX
- KAMALA DAS
Extract Based Questions
1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
"Driving from my parent's home to Cochin last Friday
morning, I saw my mother, beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with pain that she thought away"
Questions:
(a) Where was the poet coming from ? Where was she going ?
Ans. The poet had gone to her parent's home to visit them. She was now going to Cochin
from where she had to board an aeroplane for her journey back home.
(b) Where was the poet's mother ?
Ans. The poet's mother was sitting beside her in the car. She was travelling with the poet to
Cochin to see her off at the airport.
(c) How does the poet describes her mother ?
Ans. The poet describes her mother as old and pale. As she dozed off beside her, the
mother looked almost like a corpse, for her face was colourless and seemed to have lost the
fervour of life.
(d) Who does 'she' refer to in the last line ? What thoughts had she driven away ?
Ans. 'She' here refers to the poet's mother. Like all elderly people, she also suffered from the
pain of loneliness and wanted her children to be with them. However, she seemed to have
accepted her seclusion with quiet resignation, reconciling herself with the circumstances and
compulsions of life.
"but after the airport's security check,
standing a few yards away,
I looked again at her, wan,
pale as a late winter's moon."
(a) Where was the poet standing?
Ans. The poet was at the Cochin airport waiting to board the plane after the security check.
(b) Who does 'her' refer to here? How did she look like?
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Ans. 'Her' here refers to the poet's mother. She was an aged lady and hence looked pale and
colourless.
(c) Why does the narrator 'look at her again'?
Ans. The narrator looked at her mother once again for the last time before she left to
reassure herself about the well being of her mother. She had tried to drive away the pain she
had felt on seeing her weak and aged mother. One last time she looked at her to wish her
goodbye.
(d) Explain: " wan, pale as a late winter's moon."
Ans. In this simile, the poet compares the mother's pale and withered face with the winter's
moon. The moon seems to lose its brightness in the winter season as it is veiled behind fog
and mist. The mother's face also seemed to have lost its radiance which was now misted by
age. Winter symbolises death and the waning moon symbolises decay.
but soon put that thought away,
and looked out at young trees sprinting,
the merry children spilling out of their homes
(a) Who looked at the young trees?
Ans. The poetess Kamala Das looked at the young trees.
(b) Which thought did she put away?
Ans. The thought that she put away from her mind was that of her ageing mother's decaying
condition and the thought that this could probably be their last meeting.
(c) What do young people sprinting trees signify?
Ans. The young sprinting trees signify the energy of the youth and continuity of life in contrast
to her thoughts related to her old-aged mother.
(d) Identify the figure of speech used in line no. 4.
Ans. Personification
Q.1 How does the poet's mother look like? What kind of images has the poet used to
signify her ageing and decay ?
Ans. The poet's mother is at sixty-six. She is sitting beside her. The mother is dozing as old
people usually do during the journey. She keeps her mouth open. This is also a sign of old
age. Her face looks pale and faded like ash. Actually, she is an image of decay and death.
Her 'ashen' face looks like that of corpse.
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Q.2 Why does the poet feel her old familiar ache and what is her childhood fear?
Ans. The sight of her mother's corpse-like face arouses ' that old familiar ache' in her heart.
Her childhood fear returns. The fear is that with ageing comes decay and death. Ageing and
decay are inevitable. No one avoid them. Perhaps she herself may have to face all these
things. This idea is quite painful and fearful to her.
Q.3 Describe the contrast of the scene inside the car with the activities going on
outside. Describe the use of images that poet employs to strike that contrast.
Ans. Inside the car sits an old mother beside the poet. She is sixty-six and ageing. Her
'ashen' face is pale and lifeless like a corpse. The world outside provides a stark contrast. The
'young' trees seem to be running past or sprinting. The children are making merry. The 'ashen'
and 'corpse-like' is contrasted with the 'young' trees 'sprinting' outside and the merry children
coming out of their houses.
Q.4 What were the poet's feeling at the airport? How did she hide them?
Ans. The poet experienced two opposite and contrasting feelings at the airport. The ashen
and the pale face of her mother brought an image of decay and death. But she immediately
hid her feelings. She composed herself and tried to look normal. She smiled continuously to
assure her mother that they would meet again soon.
Q.5 Describe the poetic devices used by Kamala Das in 'My Mother At Sixty-Six'.
Ans. Kamala Das ' My Mother At Sixty-Six is rich in imaginary. The use of simile is very
effective. Her face has been described as 'ashen'. The ashen face is 'like that of a corpse'.
Again the 'wan, pale' face of a mother is compared to a late winter's moon'. The poem excels
in contrasts.
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2. An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum

-Stephen Spender
"Far far from gusty waves these children's faces.
Like rootless weeds, the hair torn round their pallor:
The tall girl with her weighed-down head. The paperseeming boy, with rat's eyes. The stunted, unlucky heir
Of twisted bones, reciting a father's gnarled disease,
His lesson, from his desk. At back of the dim class
One unnoted, sweet and young. His eyes live in a dream,
Of squirrel's game, in tree room, other than this."
Questions
(a)
What do 'gusty waves' mean?
Ans. Gusty waves signify the vibrance and the bounties of nature which are far removed from
the reach of the children of the slum.
(b) What are the children like in the slum ?
Ans. The children hail from poor families. They are malnourished and look sickly.
(c)
Explain 'reciting a father's gnarled disease'.
Ans. The lessons recited by the child are but mute tragic story of the abnormalities of the
body. They continue to play havoc in their lives too (inherited disease).
(d) How do a child's eyes live in a dream ?
Ans. The child has a living dream in his eyes. It seems to be alive in his eyes despite the
dismal life of the slum.
" Unless, governor, inspector, visitor
This map becomes their window and these windows
That shut upon their lives like catacombs,
Break O break open till they break the town
And show the children to green fields, and make their world
Run azure on gold sands, and let their tongues
Run naked into books the white and green leaves upon
History their whose language is the sun. "
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Questions
(a)
How can 'this map' become 'their window'?
Ans. This map of the world is shaped and owned by the rich. It must also be thrown open to
the poor and unfortunate children of slums. Only then will it become 'their window'. They will
be able to peep inside it.
(b)
What have shut upon their lives like catacomb ?
Ans. Their dirty surroundings have blocked their progress and growth. They have been shut
inside them like the underground graves
(c)
Explain : '... till they break the town'.
Ans. Till they come out of the dirty surroundings and slums of the town into the open.
(d)
What will happen if the children come out of the bonds that bind them?
Ans. Then their world will be extended to the golden sands and azure waves and to the green
fields.
Open-handed map
Awarding the world its world. And yet, for these,
Children, these windows, not this map, their world,
Where all their future's painted with a fog.
narrow street sealed in with a lead sky
Far from rivers, capes, and stars of words.
(a)
What does the poet mean by 'a lead sky'?
Ans. 'A lead sky' suggests a grey and dull sky which means that there is no hope for the slum
children. They have a bleak future.
(b)
What does the poet say about the children's future?
Ans. The children's future is bleak and dark. They nurture hopes for a better future but
achieving these hopes is merely a dream for them.
(c)
What kind of world do we see on the map?
Ans. The map of the world is symbolic of hopes and aspirations and a mere look at this world
motivates the children to explore this world, which is full of the bounties bestowed by God.
(d)
Who are these children? What is their world like?
Ans. These are school children living in dingy and dirty slums. Their world is foggy, narrow
and polluted. It is far from the open sky, clean rivers and capes.
On their slag heap, these children
Wear skins peeped through by bones and spectacles of steel
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With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones

All of their time and space are foggy slum.
So blot their maps with slums as big as doom.
(a) Which two images are used to describe these slums?

Ans. The images used to describe these slums are: 'slag heap', 'bottle bits on stones' and
'slums as big as doom'.
(b) What sort of life do these children lead?
Ans. These children lead a life worse than death. The dirt and garbage of the slum is their
world so their lives are pathetic, full of misery and poverty.
(c) Which figure of speech is used in the last line ?
Ans. A simile has been used in the last line where slums are compared to a living hell.
(d) What blot their maps?
Ans. These living hells are the dirty slums. They are blots on the map of the civilised world. It
is the world of the rich and great.
Q.1 What is the message that Stephen Spender wants to give through the poem 'An
Elementary School Classroom in a Slum'?
Ans. In 'An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum', Stephen deals with the theme of social
injustice and inequalities. There are two different worlds. Art, culture and literature have no
relevance to slum children. They live in dark, narrow, cramped holes and lanes. Unless the
gap between the two world is abridged, there can't be any real progress or development.
Q.2 What should governors, teachers, inspectors and other important and powerful
persons do to improve the lot of children living in slums?
Ans. Two world exists simultaneously. They are quite opposite and incompatible to each
other. The gap between them must be abridged. Governors, teachers and powerful persons
can play an important role in it. They can help in removing social injustice and class
inequalities. All good things of life, the sea, the sun, and the fields should be within the reach
of slum- children.
Q.3 What does the poet wish for the children of the slums?
Ans. The world of slum children is of want, miseries, dirt and hunger. Stephen Spender wants
social justice and equality for them. The gap between the world of the rich and the mighty,
and the hellish and the foggy world of slums must be abridged. Their lives can be changed if
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social injustice and inequalities be removed. All good things of life must be within the reach of
slum children.
Q.4 Why does Spender call Shakespeare wicked and the map a bad example?
Ans. Spender calls Shakespeare 'wicked' because Shakespeare holds no interest and serves
no purpose to the slum children. The map of the world drawn and bartered by the mighty and
the rich has no relevance to them. They are not part of it.
Q.5 Crushed under poverty, disease and miseries do the little school children of slums
have any dreams or hopes? What are they?
Ans. The children living in slums have to live in most miserable and sub-human conditions.
The burden of poverty and disease crushes their bodies. They still have dreams. Their future
is foggy and uncertain. They have kept their hopes alive. They dream of open seas and green
fields. They dream of the games that a squirrel plays on the trees.
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3. KEEPING QUIET
-Pablo Neruda
"What I want should not be
confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.
If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with
death."
Questions:.
(a) What does the poet not want himself to be?
Ans. The poet doesn't want himself to be confused with advocating total inactivity.
(b) Explain: 'I want no truck with death'.
Ans. Total inactivity brings death. The poet has no association with death. Hence, he is not
advocating for death.
(c) What were we not focussing on?
Ans. It would have been better if we had not been focussing all the time on keeping our lives
moving. We should have given ourselves rest sometime.
(d) When can a huge silence do us good?
Ans. When we were threatening ourselves with death, a silence can do us a lot of good.
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1.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
"Perhaps the Earth can teach us

as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now I'll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go."
Questions:
(a) What can earth teach us?
Ans. The earth can teach a lesson to mankind how to live on it.
(b) What lives alive when everything seems dead?
Ans. Only the earth lives alive when everything else appears to be dead.
(c) What does the poet ask us while he counts upto twelve?
Ans. The poet asks us to keep quiet while he is counting upto twelve.
(d) Name the poem and the poet of these lines.
Ans. The name of the poem is 'Keeping Quiet' and the poet is Pablo Neruda.

Q.1 Why does Pablo Neruda urge us to keep still ?
Ans. Pablo Neruda considers that indecent haste and activities lead humanity to wars,
violence and death. He urges us to keep still to enjoy a few moments of peace, rest and
tranquillity. Sometimes keeping still gives us the much needed respite.
Q.2 How can suspension of activities help ?
Ans. Man's indecent haste has already caused a lot of problems. His activities have given
birth only chaos, war, violence and miseries. Suspension of human activities can help in
restoring the environment and health of this world. Suspension of undue haste and rush can
help in bringing peace and tranquillity in the troubled world.
Q.3 How will counting up to twelve and keeping still help us ?
Ans. Man keeps his never relenting activities throughout the twelve hours of the day. This
results in fresh turmoil and tensions. Violence, war and other mischiefs of man are the results
of his undue and indecent haste and hurry. Keeping still can help him to buy time for a
positive approach and thinking. It can help in bringing this uneasy and turbulent world to
peace and harmony.
Q.4 How can there be life under apparent stillness ? How does the poet prove it ?
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Ans. Neruda doesn't equate stillness with total inactivity. Under this apparent stillness there is
life. We can learn it from the earth. When everything seems dead, the earth remains still alive.
It is never dead. The life on the earth goes on as usual under the apparent stillness.
Q.5 How is 'stillness' not equal to total inactivity? Why does Neruda say : 'I want no
truck with death' ?
Ans. The Earth can teach us an important lesson. The earth is never dead. When everything
seems to be dead, it remains still alive. 'Stillness' shouldn't be confused with total 'total
inactivity'. Life goes on as usual. The poet doesn't advocate for total inactivity has no
association with death.
Q.6 Which sadness is Pablo Neruda worried about in his poem?
Ans. The sadness that Pablo Neruda is worried about in his poem is the sadness of isolation
that has made modern man its victim. This sadness has made man self-centred and uncaring
to the needs of his fellowmen. He has sacrificed the needs of his emotional self in favour of
materialism.
Q.7 Do you think the poet, Pablo Neruda advocates total inactivity and death?
Why/Why not?
Ans. No, the poet Pablo Neruda does not advocate total inactivity and death. He wants to
give mankind an opportunity of quiet introspection to know and realize how he has been
harming himself and others. He makes it clear that stillness should be confused with inactivity.
Stillness means halting of harmful human activities. He also wants mankind to understand
that life is sprouting out of seemingly dead surroundings.
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4. A THING OF BEAUTY
-John Keats
A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and heath, and quiet breathing. "
Questions:
(a) "A thing of beauty is joy forever." Explain.
Ans. A thing of beauty is constant and everlasting source of joy and pleasure. Time can't fade
its beauty as its loveliness increases with passage of time.
(b) Why does not a beautiful thing pass into nothingness?
Ans. A thing of beauty never passes into nothingness as its beauty is constant and eternal.
(c) What does the poet mean by "A bower quiet for us"?
Ans. As a pleasant place in the shade under trees provides peace and pleasure , a thing of
beauty also does the same . It is like a 'quiet' bower.
(d) Name the poem and the poet.
Ans. The name of the poem is A Think of Beauty and the poet is John Keats.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits."
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Questions :
(a) What are we doing every day?
Ans. We are weaving a flowery wreath every day to bind us to the beauties of this earth.
(b) Describe bad and evil things that we possess in us.
Ans. We suffer from disappointments, lack of noble qualities and unhealthy and evil ways.
(c) 'In spite of all'. Explain.
Ans. It means in spite of all these evil things mentioned above.
(d) What removes the pall from our dark spirits?
Ans. Some beautiful shape or a thing of beauty removes the pall of sadness from our hearts
or spirits.
Q.1 How is a thing of beauty a joy forever?
Ans. John Keats, a great Romantic poet, considers that a thing of beauty is a joy forever. It is
a constant source of happiness and pleasure. Its loveliness increases every moment. A thing
of beauty is never devalued. It never passes into nothingness.
Q.2 How do we bind us to the earth every morning?
Ans. Like all the Romantic poets, Keats stresses the unbreakable bond of man with nature
and the earth. The beauties of the earth fascinate man. Every object of nature is a source of
beauty and happiness. Every day we are weaving a wreath through these beautiful things.
This flowery band binds us with the earth.
Q.3 Why does Keats associate 'grandeur' with 'the mighty dead'?
Ans. The 'mighty dead ' were people of great power, authority and grandeur. They were
wealthy, brave and awesome people. They are dead in their grave but their grandeur and
glory survives. It is believed that they will be handsomely rewarded on the dooms day.
Q.4 How is the pall of despondence moved away from our dark spirits?
Ans. Man makes his life miserable by his own nature and actions. He faces miseries and
pains. Amid these miseries and sufferings, a thing of beauty provides the only hope to
humanity. A thing of beauty works wonders. It is a joy forever. It removes the pall of
despondence ad sadness from our 'dark spirits'.
Q.5 What is the message that John Keats wants to give through 'A thing of Beauty'?
Ans. The very first line of the poem conveys the message of the poet. John Keats was a
worshipper of beauty. A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Beauty never fades. Nor is it
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devalued. It never passes into nothingness. A thing of beauty removes the pall of sadness
and sorrows and gives us joy and pleasure.
Q.6 Mention any two things which, according to Keats, give us pain and suffering.
Ans. According to Keats man suffers from pain and suffering due to the inhuman dearth of
noble natures on earth and due to the inhuman and hostile attitude that makes our days sad
and darkness our ways with distress and wretchedness.
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5. AUNT JENNIFER'S TIGERS

-Adrienne Rich
"Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance across a screen
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty."
Questions:
(a) How are Aunt Jennifer's tigers described?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer's tigers are dynamic, sleek, and full of strength and chivalric grace.
(b) Why are they described as denizens of a world of green?
Ans. The tigers are the animals that live in forests. They live in the world of green surrounded
by green trees and thick green vegetation.
(c) Why are they not afraid of the men?
Ans. They are not afraid of the men because they are not real. Even otherwise ferocious and
strong tigers are never afraid of men.
(d) Name the poem and the poet.
Ans. The of the poem is Aunt Jennifers Tigers and the poet is Adrienne Rich.
"When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid. "
Questions:
(a) Why are Aunt Jennifer's hands terrified?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer's hands are 'terrified' as they still bear the cruel burdens of not so happy
wedded life.
(b) What are the ordeals that Aunt Jennifer faced in her life?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer didn't seem to have led a pleasant married life. The hard and bitter
experiences of her married life lie heavy on her.
(c) How are the tigers different from her?
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Ans. Aunt Jennifer's tigers provide a striking contrast. The old lady is weak and can't even
move her terrified 'fingers'. On the other hand, her tigers symbolise strength, power and
speed.
(d) What will happen to her tigers after her death?
Ans. The tigers will continue running unafraid in 'sleek' chivalry.

Q.1 Describe the tigers created by Aunt Jennifer?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer weaves and creates tigers in the panel. Her tigers symbolise strength,
speed and splendour. They pace with confidence and certainty. They provide a striking
contrast to the frail old lady who created them.
Q.2 How does the poet describe Aunt Jennifer's tigers?
Ans. The poet describe Aunt Jennifer's tigers as 'bright topaz denizens' of the forest. They
are fearless. They pace in 'sleek' chivalry. The symbolise pace, power and strength. They
provide a sharp contrast to the weak and old lady who created them.
Q.3 What is the weight that lies heavy on her hand and how is it associated with her
husband?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer can't move even her fingers freely in the wool. Actually, she has some
bitter experiences of her past married life. The memories of her married life with her husband
have been quite unpleasant. The weight of the wedding band sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's
hand. She finds it difficult even to pull the ivory needle easily with her weak fingers.
Q.4 What kind of ordeals is Aunt Jennifer surrounded by?
Ans. Aunt Jennifer is haunted and surrounded by the ordeals of her married life. The old
memories of her married life don't give her any solace or happiness. On the other hand, her
'terrified hands' only 'ringed' with ordeals that were given by her unhappy married life. The
unbearable and 'massive weight of Uncle's wedding band' made her fingers tremble and
shake.
Q.5 What will happen to Aunt Jennifer's tigers when she is dead?
Ans. The tigers Aunt Jennifer has created will not die when she is dead. They will survive her.
They will go on prancing, proud and afraid. Aunt Jennifer will die but her creations will survive.
Art always survives death.
Q.6 Describe the contrast between Aunt Jennifer and her creation, the tigers.
Ans. Aunt Jennifer is totally victimised and suffers from oppression by her male counterpart.
So she creates an alternate world of freedom in her art. The tigers she creates go on prancing
menacingly, exhibiting their pride and fearlessness of any social or gender conflicts.
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VISTAS
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1. THE TIGER KING

-KALKI
Q.1 Why did the Maharaja ban tiger hunting in the state?
Ans. After the Maharaja was crowned the king, the astrologer's prediction gradually reached
his ears, and he set out on a tiger hunt. When he killed his first tiger, the astrologer informed
him that he would have to kill a hundred tigers to escape the prophecy. So, that he could get
the required number of tigers to kill and reach the mark.
Q.2 Why was the Maharaja so anxious to kill the hundredth tiger?
Ans. The astrologer had foretold that the Maharaja should be wary of the hundredth tiger. The
Maharaja killed ninety-nine tigers but he could not even trace the hundredth one. Killing the
last tiger would mean that he proved the prophecy wrong and saved his life. That is why he
was so anxious to kill the hundredth tiger.
Q.3 When did the Tiger King stand in danger of losing his kingdom?
Ans. Tiger hunting was banned in Pratibandapuram. A high-ranking British officer visited
Pratibandapuram with a wish to hunt tigers. The Maharaja refused this permission. He feared
that if he relented, other British officers would turn up with similar requests. He stood in
danger of losing his kingdom because he refused the request of the British officer.
Q.4 How did the Tiger King meet his end? What is ironical about his fate?
Ans. The tiger King bought a wooden toy tiger for his son's birthday. It was crafted by an
unskilled carpenter. Tiny silvers of wood stood out all over it like quills. One of the silvers
pierced the Maharaja's hand. The infection soon spread all over his arm and he could not
survive. The irony about his fate is that the king killed many tigers, sometimes even with his
bare hands, but a harmless toy tiger proved to be the reason of his death. His death was thus
destined and the irony lay in his failure to survive the ominous prediction.
Q.5 How did the tiger king acquire his name?
Ans. The Tiger King acquired the name due to his ferocious attitude that he adopted at the
age of twenty when he was crowned the king. He continued to kill till he was successful in
achieving his mission of killing a hundred tigers. He was a terror to the tigers and killed ninetynine of them till destiny finally kills him.
Q.6 What did the British officer's secretary tell the Maharaja? Why did the Maharaja
refuse permission?
Ans. When the British officer was denied permission for hunting a tiger his secretary sent a
message to the Maharaja that the Maharaja himself could kill the tiger and then allow his
officer to get photographed holding the gun over the dead tiger. But the Maharaja did not
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agree to his request because he felt doing so would mean other officers would come with
similar demands.
Q.1 Describe the effects made by the Tiger King to achieve its target of killing a
hundred tigers?
Ans. The Tiger King spent a significant time and made numerous effect to fulfil his target of
killing a hundred tiger. He stayed in the forest for many days. He fired many of his officers for
not getting him tigers to kill.
The Tiger King even married a girl from another kingdom which had a large tiger population
when the tiger population become extinct in his own kingdom. The Tiger King also banned
tiger hunting in his state, and did not permit a high-ranking British officer who visited
Pratibandapuram to shot tigers. The King feared that other British officers would turn up for
similar expeditions. Later, he realised the danger to his throne and had to spend a sum of
three lakh rupees to impress the British officer's wife and discourage him from killing tigers. All
these efforts were made to fulfil his target of killing a hundred tigers.
Q.2 The astrologer's prediction about the death of the Tiger King came to be true. Do
you agree with this statement?
Ans. The astrologer has predicted that no harm would come to the Tiger King till he killed
ninety-nine tigers. He had to be worried of the hundredth tiger. This statement of the
astrologer forced the king to go on a killing spree. Tiger killing was banned in the state and
the king even married in a bid to kill the hundredth tiger. However, in spite of all his efforts to
avert the danger, the Tiger King was killed by the hundredth tiger, which was a crude wooden
toy bought for the prince. The wooden tiger killed the king merely by a sliver of wood that
pierced his right hand. The wound developed an infection and soon it spread all over the arm.
The best surgeons failed to save the King and thus the astrologer's prediction about the death
of the Tiger King proved the correct.
Q.1 The story The Tiger King has a powerful massage on preservation of mother earth
and its wild life. The story highlights the wanton nature of those in power. They have a
very callous attitude towards nature. They plunder the natural resources and today the
earth is in a very perilous condition. Based on your reading of the story write a
paragraph on the topic: Importance of Preserving Nature.
Importance of Preserving Nature
Never in the history of mankind has the earth suffered so much. Most of its resources have
been vandalized and today she is in a critical condition. We need to remember that if the earth
falls we too will vanish. What is important for today is a new awareness about ecology i.e., a
realisation that the earth is not our inherited property but we have borrowed it from our future
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generation. Conservation of wildlife is therefore, very necessary. Inspite of the gloominess

that prevails everywhere regarding the health of the earth we can be happy on account of the
fact that the young generation is more environmentally conscious. There is a growing
awareness of the necessity of conservation and preservation of wildlife. It is encouraging to
see that grass root environment consciousness is also on the increase, and more and more
people stepping in towards contributing to the conservation of wildlife
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2. THE ENEMY
-Pearl S. Buck
Q.1 What forced Dr Sadao to be impatient and irritable with his patient?
Ans. The wounded man urgently needed an operation or he would die. Hana was with Sadao
when he started operating on the prisoner. Hana, who had never seen an operation in her life,
started vomiting. Sadao wanted to help her in her distress but he couldn't leave his patient.
This made him impatient and irritable.
Q.2 What made a cool surgeon like Sadao speak sharply to his wife and what was her
reaction?
Ans. Hana had never seen an operation. When Sadao started operating, blood began to flow.
Hana choked at this moment. Sadao sharply told her not to faint because if he stopped, the
wounded man would surely have died. Hana clapped her hands to her mouth and ran out.
Sadao heard her vomiting.
Q.3 Why Hana had to wash the wounded man herself?
Ans. The wounded soldier was very dirty. He needed to be washed before any kind of
treatment could be started. Hana asked her maid Yumi to wash him. Yumi said that she had
never washed a white man and she wouldn't wash a dirty one like the soldier. Seeing her
fierce resistance, Hana backed out and washed the soldier herself.
Q.4 How did Dr Sadao ensure that the American sailor left his house but he himself
remained safe and secure?
Ans. Dr Sadao first waited for the General's assassins to kill the American. But they never
arrived. Sadao, then, himself arranged for a boat and helped Tom to escape. He later told the
General that the prisoner had escaped. The General realised that it was a sheer carelessness
on his part to have forgotten about the matter. If the whole thing was disclosed, he might be
charged with negligence of duty. It was clear that the secret would be kept. Thus, Dr Sadao
ensured that the American left his house but he himself remained safe and secure.
Q.5 How did the writer indicate that Dr Sadaos father was a very traditional and
conventional man?
Ans. The writer has very clearly indicated that Dr Sadao's father was a very traditional and
conventional man. Sadao didn't marry Hana until he knew she was Japanese because his
father wouldn't have approved of her otherwise. The old man never let any foreign object even
enter his room.
Q.6 What was the old gardener's reaction when Dr. Sadao gave shelter to the enemy
soldier?
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Ans. Like all the servants the gardener did not like Sadao's efforts to save a wounded
American soldier. He felt it was unpatriotic to give shelter to a prisoner of war and it was also
risky not to hand over the soldier to the army or the police. He could not tolerate the fact that
his master should save a white man from a hostile country.
Q.7 Why did the messenger come to Dr. Sadao? What did Hana think about him?
Ans. The uniformed messenger comes to Dr. Sadao to inform him that the old General was in
pain again. Hana felt relieved to hear that the messenger had come only to inform Dr. Sadao
about the General's ill-health. She had earlier feared that the servants had informed the police
who had sent the man in the uniform to their house.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :
Q.1 What impression do you form about Dr Sadao as a man and as a surgeon on your
reading the chapter 'The Enemy'?
Ans. Dr Sadao is not only a superb surgeon but he is a superb human being as well. As we
go through the chapter, we see different shades f his character. Dr Sadao was a famous
surgeon and scientist. He was about to perfect a discovery which would render wounds
entirely clean. The General trusted him so much with his life that he was not sent with the
troops. Dr Sadao respected his father very much. It was his father's wish that he became a
surgeon and Sadao fulfilled it. They married Hana according to his father's wishes. Dr Sadao
is a man full of compassion. He saved the dying enemy. A man who stuck to his decision, he
didn't allow the servants to pressurise him. He did everything he could do to save the
American. He was also a patriot. He told the General about Tom without any fear.
Throughout the story he kept calling the American his enemy.
Q.2 Describe the difficulties faced by Dr Sadao when he decided to help the enemy
soldier.
Ans. Dr Sadao was drawn by the sheer feelings of humanity and compassion towards Tom.
Just because Dr Sadao harboured an enemy, he had to face innumerable problems. The
servants left the house in defiance and he was under perpetual threat of being branded a
traitor. He told the General about how the American prisoner of war was washed ashore and
the circumstances under which he was granted refuge in the Sadao's household. The General
understood his situation and assured him of sending assassins to eliminate the American.
However, when no assassins came for three nights, Sadao decided that he could not 'go
through another night'. He decided to save the American sailor's life a second time.
VALUE BASED QUESTION :
Answer the following question in 120-150 words each:
1. Do you think Dr Sadao's final decision was the best possible one in the
circumstances? Why/Why not? Explain with reference to the story, 'The Enemy'.
Ans. When Dr Sadao came across the prisoner of war, the first thing he did was to save his
life. As a doctor, he fulfilled the moral obligation of saving a human life. Next, he proved
himself to his country by informing the General about the enemy. When the General assured
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Dr Sadao of sending the private assassins to eliminate the American sailor, Dr Sadao felt
restless and perhaps guilty of betraying the same person whose life he had saved. After
spending three sleepless nights, he finally deliberated on a flawless plan to let Tom, the
American prisoner of war, escape. By letting him escape, Dr Sadao proves that even if two
countries are at war, the religion of humanity does not alter. Its basic tenet is saving a human
life, which Dr Sadao does with aplomb. In a way, Dr Sadao echoes the author, Pearl S Buck's
views against war and hatred that it generates between man and man. Through Dr Sadao, the
author conveys the message of universal brotherhood, peace and amity. It is indeed the best
solution to the problem.
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3. SHOULD WIZARD HIT MOMMY

-JOHN UPDIKE
Q.1 Why did Roger Skunk go to see the old owl?
Ans. Roger Skunk smelt very bad. Everybody teased him by calling him 'Stinky Stunk.' He
had no friends. Nobody wanted to play with him or even go near him. In order to solve this
'problem', Roger went to see the old owl. The owl was very wise and experienced and Roger
believed that he would certainly come up with some solution.
Q.2 Why does Jo insist that her father should tell her the story with a different ending?
Ans. Jo, being a child, failed to accept the harsh realities of life. According to her, Roger
Skunk was happy with the smell of roses. She didn't want him to smell bad.
She was used to stories that ended happily. That was why she insisted that her father should
tell the story in which the wizard hit Mommy Skunk back and did not change Roger's smell
back.
Q.3 What did Jo want the wizard to do when Mommy Skunk approached him?
Ans. After the wizard gave Roger the smell of roses, he was very happy. His entire life
changed, for he got many friends to play with. But mother Skunk thought otherwise. She hit
wizard on the head and made Roger get back his foul smell. This made Jo very angry. She
wanted that the wizard should hit Mommy Skunk back.
Q.4 How did the wizard help Roger Skunk?
Ans. Roger Skunk went to the wizard to get rid of his awful smell. The wizard asked him what
he wanted to smell like, and Roger replied that he wanted to smell like roses. The wizard then
chanted a spell and changed his smell to that of roses. Roger Skunk was very happy, as now
everybody liked to play with him.
Q.5 What part of the story did Jack himself enjoy the most and why?
Ans. Jack enjoyed the part of the story most when he had to speak in the wizard's voice, as it
was one of Jack's own favourite effects. He did it by scrunching up his face and somehow
whining through his eyes. He felt being an old man suited him. Besides, he also enjoyed
telling the story when Jo listened carefully, without interrupting him with questions.
Q.6 How did the Roger Skunk pay the wizard?
Ans. The wizard demands seven pennies as fee to make Roger Skunk smell like roses.
Skunk has only four pennies. The wizard tells him how and where to find the rest of the three
pennies. Roger follows the wizards instructions and finds the three pennies in the magic well
and pays the wizard the full amount.
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Q.1 Why did Jo disapprove of Jack's ending of the story of Roger Skunk? How did she
want it to end?
Ans. Roger Skunk went to the wizard to get rid of the problem of his awful smell. The wizard
gave him a new smell of roses. For Roger it was a moment of happiness, but Mother Skunk
was not happy with Roger's new smell. She took Roger back to the wizard, hit him on his
head and ordered him to give Roger back his original smell. The wizard compiled and gave
Roger his same bad smell back. This made Roger lonely and disappointed again. This was
the ending of the story of Roger Skunk. Jo was shocked with Mother Skunk's behaviour. She
felt that Roger was better off with his new smell because he was very happy. He made new
friends and society accepted him. She wanted the story to end happily, and therefore
disapproved of Jack's ending of the story. In Jo's ending, when Mother Skunk hits the wizard,
the wizard should hit her back and should not take away Roger's smell of roses.
Q.2 Why is an adult's perspective on life different from that of a child's?
Ans. It is obvious to find a marked difference between in an adult's perspective on life and
that of a child's because on earth, a child is considered as a form of a God as his/her heart is
very pure and innocent. It doesn't know what is wrong or what is right. There is no bad
intention in child's mind behind doing any deed. it is just because its perspective on life, its
actions and reactions, are natural and not guided by any past experiences. A child speaks
from the heart what seems to be ethically and morally correct. In the case of an adult, its
perspective is based on what it has learnt over the years, the expectations of society and
similar other experiences. It also knows the worth of originality so it thinks according to the
situation and takes a good decision on the basis of right and wrong.
Q.3 What is your stance regarding the two endings to the Roger Skunk story?
Ans. It is interesting to contrast the two endings of the Roger Skunk story. Jack's ending of
the story is quite mature and practical. It points out the harsh realities that one has to go
through in life. The world is based on individual differences; every species of animals has its
distinct features, which must be respected and accepted in totality. Moreover, parents know
what is best for their children, and their decisions should be respected and obeyed. Jo wanted
the story to end happily. She wanted Roger Skunk's problems solved and expected that he
would live happily, playing with his new friends. This ending too is justified when we look at it
from a child's point of view.As a child, Jo was unable to understand the worth of one's
originality and individuality. Besides, it is difficult for children to understand or explain unhappy
endings.

Q.1 What is the moral issue that the story raises?
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Ans. The moral issue that the story raises is whether parents are the best judge of what is
good for their child or not. A sharp contrast is displayed in the story about the child's viewpoint
and an adult's perspective of life. In the story, the child Jo felt that the happiness of being able
to make friends is more than anything else and so she wanted the story to end with Roger
Skunk smelling of roses. On the other hand, her father ended the story by saying that the
mother was right in getting Roger's smell back to its original state, implying to his daughter
that parents know what is best for their children. He also advocates that children should
respect their parents' opinions and obey them unquestioningly. Jack also narrated that all
other animals finally accepted Roger, as he was emphasising the importance of a person's
originality and individuality.
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4. ON THE FACE OF IT
-SUSAN HILL
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :
Q.1 How does Mr Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit cool?
Ans. When it's a bit cooler, Mr Lamb gets a ladder and a stick to pull down the crab apples.
He calls them magic-fruit and likes to make jelly out of them.
Q.2 What qualities of Mr Lamb attracted Derry to him?
Ans. Mr Lamb is a very positive person. He doesn't let his physical disability destroy the
happiness in his life. He is not afraid of Derry's face, unlike others. The quality that attracted
Derry most to Mr Lamb was his tremendous patience as he listened to him. He talked to him
about things which mattered; things nobody else had ever said to him.
Q.3 What did Derry's mother think of Mr Lamb?
Ans. Derry's mother is quite skeptical of Mr Lamb. She considers him to be eccentric. She
claims that she has heard many things about Mr Lamb and some have also warned her
against him. That is why she doesn't want Derry to meet Mr Lamb.
Q.4 How does Mr Lamb try to remove the baseless fears of Derry?
Ans. Mr Lamb appears to have understood Derry's psyche completely. Derry says that people
are afraid of his face. Mr Lamb replies that there are other things in the world to be noticed.
He asks Derry how can one distinguish a flower from a weed when both are plants. They are
all life. He also tells Derry that he has to take the risk by coming out of his shell. Everybody
has problems in his life, but it is our attitude that matters.
Q.5 If you were to give a different ending to the story, 'On the Face of it' how would you
end it?
Ans. The ending of the story, 'On the Face of it' is very sad as Mr Lamb is probably dead.
Such a beautiful story should not have such a tragic ending. In the end, Derry should have
returned just in time to save Mr Lamb from falling by holding the ladder or, perhaps, the old
man regained consciousness with Derry's efforts. Such positive endings would have given a
message of hope.
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Q.1 What benefits did Derry reap from his association with Mr Lamb?
Ans. Though Derry's association with Mr Lamb is brief, yet the boy benefits greatly from the
old man's company. Derry had lost all zest for life due to his burnt face. After meeting Mr
Lamb, Derry is filled with a new enthusiasm for life. He undergoes a major transformation and
develops into a confident youth from the meek young boy that he earlier was. Mr Lamb's
words have a profound effect on him an inspire him to see the brighter side of life. He is
encouraged to choose happiness in life rather than accept his isolation. He is no more
bothered about his impairment, and wants to live his life to the fullest. His entire attitude
towards life has changed drastically.
Q.2 Derry and Mr Lamb both are victims of physical impairment, but their attitudes
towards life are completely different. Explain?
Ans. The conversation between Derry and Mr Lamb reveals their different attitudes towards
life. Derry is a fourteen year old boy, half of whose face is disfigured, as it got burnt by acid.
The half-face has left him miserable. He feels unwanted. He thinks that people think he is ugly
like the devil and they are afraid of him. He gets infuriated when people sympathise with him.
All these bad experiences have made him cynical, and he has developed a pessimistic
attitude toward life. On the other hand, Mr Lamb is a complete contrast to Derry. He doesn't
let his physical disability destroy his life. He is an optimist. He finds beauty and peace in
everything. When children tease him by calling him Lamey-Lamb, he is not offended. He feels
that such a name suits him. He is full of hope and positivity.
Q.3 How did Mr. Lamb try to give courage and confidence to Derry?
Ans. Derry suffers from an acute sense of self-hatred and rejection because of his burnt face.
He feels he is very ugly and so no one will love him. Mr. Lamb too has heard Derry only
complain and bemoan about himself. He feels very sad to see a fourteen year old boy giving
up on life just because of his physical disability. Mr. Lamb at first startles Derry with his
strange talk. He tells Derry his is interested in everything created by God. His encouraging
words have a magical effect on Derry. Mr. Lamb's conversation that everyone and everything
is essentially the same, the notion of beauty is relative and his concept of the world and
friendship baffle but appeal to Derry and he is fascinated by the old man. Slowly he sheds his
complex about his ugliness and rediscovers the joys of life.
Q.4 The lesson 'On The Face Of It', is an apt depiction of the loneliness and sense of
alienation experienced by people on account of a disability. Explain.
Ans. The lesson 'On The Face of It' aptly depicts the loneliness and sense of alienation
experienced by Derry and Mr Lamb on account of disability. The actual pain and
inconvenience caused by the disabilities is often much less than the sense of alienation felt by
the disabled person. Derry suffered from severe negative complexes because of his burnt
face. He became a pessimistic loner who indulged in self pity and was always suspicious of
the intention of others. His anger and frustration made him withdrawn and an introvert. Mr.
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Lamb, on the other hand, was inwardly a loner who craved for company and acceptance.
Though outwardly he was always jovial, outgoing and optimistic, he was an extremely
sensitive person. Derry and Mr. Lamb's physical disabilities caused pain and suffering not
only to their body but also to their mind and soul.

Q.1 Both Derry and Lamb are physically impaired and lonely. It is the responsibility
of the society to understand and support people with infirmities so that they do not
suffer from a sense of alienation. As a responsible citizen, write in about 120-150 words
what you would do to bring about a change in the lives of such people.
Ans. People with some physical disabilities or impairment are often pitied and ridiculed by
others. This makes them develop a sense of inferiority. They form a shell around themselves
and begin to lead a life seclusion. As a responsible citizen, it is our duty to treat such people
with love and affection, and not make them a subject of our pity or ridicule. We should try to
understand their infirmity and empathise with them. We must give them due respect, and thus
motivate them to feel at par with others in society, so that they do not suffer from a sense of
isolation and are able to live a normal life. We must make them aware of the innumerable
opportunities available to them and bring a ray of hope in their lives.
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5. EVANS TRIES AN O-LEVEL

-COLIN DEXTER

Q.1 What were the contents of the small suitcase that McLeery carried?
Ans. The small brown suitcase that McLeery carried contained the items he needed for the
examination. It had a sealed paper envelope, a yellow invigilation form, a special
'authentication' card from the Examinations Board, a paper knife, a Bible and the current copy
of The Church Times. It also contained a small semi-inflated rubber ring for sitting on by
McLeery.
Q.2 How did the Governor react to the two phone calls he received in quick
succession?
Ans. The first phone call came from the Examinations Board. The Governor immediately
checked on it and found the line busy. He thought that it was stupid of him to check the same
line. The second call came from the Magistrates' court. The Governor again thought that it
was hoax. But he told himself not to be silly.
Q.3 Why did Evans not take off his hat when Jackson ordered him to do so?
Ans. Evans knew that the duplicate McLeery, who was invigilating during the O-level German
examination, had short hair. So, he crops his hair to pass off as McLeery later. The 'bobble
hat' was an important part of the plan to conceal Evans cropped hair.
Q.4 What clues did the answer sheet of Evans provide to the Governor?
Ans. The Governor had no clues about the whereabouts of Evans till he got his hands on the
answer sheet. The index number 313 and the centre number 271 on the answer sheet gave
the Governor a reference number - 313/271 on the Ordnance Survey Map of Oxfordshire. The
reference number helped him to trace Evans at the Golden Lion of Chipping Norton.
Q.5 How does McLeery explain the presence of a small semi-inflated rubber ring? What
did it actually contain ?
Ans. McLeery tells Jackson that he is suffering from haemorrhoids (piles) and the ring helps
him when he has to sit for a long time. In reality, the ring contained pig blood, which Evans,
impersonating as the injured McLeery, would splatter on his head an escape from the prison.
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Q.1 Give a character sketch of the Governor of Oxford Prison based on your
understanding of the story, 'Evans Tries an O-level'.
Ans. The Governor of the HM Prison, Oxford appears to be a considerate and kind-hearted
fellow at the start as he arranges for an O-level language exam for a prisoner notorious for his
ability to escape from the prison. However, he is quite skeptical of Evans and makes every
arrangement to make sure that Evans doesn't escape. He is also rather proud and self
conscious. from his prison. The Governor has presence of mind which is clear from the fact
that he cross-examines every call that was made to the prison that day. He is intelligent
enough to realise that he has been duped but could not judge the extent of the deception. He
gets a little over-confident when he tells himself that Evans had no chance of escaping. He is
short tempered and gets infuriated with his officers when Evans runs away. At last, he proves
to be just another good-for-a-giggle gullible Governor when Evans tricks him again and makes
a final escape. His over confidence and self-praise let him down.
Q.2 How was the injured McLeery able to befool the prison officers?
Ans. The 'injured' McLeery was, in fact, Evans himself, and he acted very well. He made
blood, that was supplied to him by his invigilator friend, pour down from his head. With a
'feeble' hand he got his handkerchief and held it to his bleeding head, to give the impression
that he was actually injured and bleeding. In that process, he was able to hide his face from
the eyes of the prison officers. He pretended to be in so much pain that he could hardly utter a
coherent word. In this way, he concealed his voice and was able to dodge the officers. The
moment he heard the suggestion of bringing in an ambulance, he interrupted and asked them
to call the police. He offered them his help in tracing Evans. This was the part of his plan in
which all the officers got trapped. He became successful in making them believe that the
seriously injured McLeery was really trying to help them.
Q.3 What purpose did the question paper and the correction slip serve? How did
they both the criminals and the Governor?
Ans. The purpose of the photocopied sheet that was superimposed on the question paper
and the correction slip was to supply the details of the escape plan to Evans without uttering a
single word. It was a well-thought out meticulous plan. It was also a meant to make the
authorities believe that the wounded man was McLeery himself. And at that moment, it
worked as was thought and the authorities got trapped. The correction slip helped the
Governor also in locating the place where Evans was hiding. The six-digit number of the
correction slip i.e. the index number and the centre number 313/271 helped the Governor. He
put these numbers together and with the help of the Ordnance Survey Map of Oxfordshire, he
reached the hotel where Evans had decided to hide for the day.
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Q.4
What precautions were taken by the prison authorities to ensure that the
German exam was conducted smoothly and also under strict security?
Ans. To ensure that the German was conducted smoothly and also under strict security
Evans' razor and nail scissors were removed from the cell. The Reverend Stuart McLeery
who was the invigilator was frisked on arrival. Police officer Stephens was deputed on duty
inside the cell. All the prison officials were also put on high alert. There were two locked doors
between Evan's cell and the yard. A microphone was installed in the cell as a precautionary
measure through which the warden could listen to their talk by switching on the receiver. The
senior prison officer, Jackson and officer Stephens had worked round the clock and made fullproof arrangements and taken all the necessary precautions to ensure that the exam was
conducted smoothly.
Q.1 While we condemn the crime, we are sympathetic to the criminal. Is this the reason
why prison staff often develop a soft corner for those in the custody ?
Ans. Yes, it is a fact that although we hate crime, we have a soft corner for the criminal. This
is the case with the Evans also. Although the Governor is conversant with his past record and
escapades, he does not want to deprive Evans of an opportunity to learn. Similarly, the author
describes the relationship between Evans and Jackson as that of 'warm enemies' . Jackson is
kind- hearted and that's the reason why he allows Evans to wear his hat during the exam,
when the latter says that it is his good luck charm. Evans' tender heart and his affectionate
side is seen and appreciated by the staff. He is an active participant in Christmas plays, is
good at imitating people and is known to be violent. Even the Governor does not like to
believe that Evans is planning to escape once again. From Evans' example, it is seen that
even the prison authorities do not like to treat prisoners harshly. With time, even they develop
a liking to and a rapport with them.
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6.MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD
-ZITKALA-SA AND BAMA
Q.1 Why was Zitkala-Sa in tears on the first day in the land of apples?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa was already feeling uncomfortable in her new dress when she entered the
dining hall. A small bell was tapped. Thinking that they had to be seated, Zitkala pulled out a
chair and sat on it. But t her surprise everybody kept standing. She was getting up when the
second bell rang and all were seated. Finally, she could not use the knife and fork for eating
and she started crying because of her embarrassment.
Q.2 Why was Zitkala-Sa terrified when Judewin told her that her hair would be cut
short?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa was terrified by the thought of having her hair cut because in her community
shingled hair was worn by unskilled warriors who were captured by the enemy and their hair
was cut. Thus, it was a sign of cowardice. She decided that she would not go down without a
fight.
Q.3 Which words of her brother made a deep impression on Bama?
Ans. Annan told Bama that only education could help them earn some respect in society.
These words had a very deep impact on her. She studied very hard, almost like crazy. As
Annan had urged, she stood first in her class. Now, everybody wanted to be her friend.
Q.4 What made Zitkala lose her spirit?
Ans. Zitkala was hiding under the bed in order to avoid her hair being cut short. But she was
found, dragged out from the hiding position, carried downstairs and tied to a chair. She was
kicking and shouting all the while. At last, she felt the cold blade of scissors against her neck
gnaw off one of her thick braids. This cutting of her hair made her lose her spirit.
Q.5 Why did the landlord's man ask Bama's brother on which street he lived? What was
the significance?
Ans. Annan was returning home from the library in the neighbouring village, when the
landlord's man asked him his name. Then he wanted to know where Annan lived. He asked
this to ascertain Annan's caste, because all the lower caste people lived in one area of the
town.
Q.6 What did Zitkala-Sa feel when her long hair was cut?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa felt rather anguished and indignant when her long hair was cut. She lost her
spirit and felt as helpless as a puppet. She got the feeling of being an animal driven by a
herder and desperately looked for some comfort. With her hair being shingled like a coward's,
she moaned in anguish. She also felt she had lost her distinct cultural recognition and identity.
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Q.1 What are the similarities in the lives of Bama and Zitkala-Sa though they belong to
different cultures?
Ans. The struggle for identity and the oppression faced by the marginalised communities is
the common thread between the lives of Bama and Zitkala-Sa. Zitkala-Sa was taken from her
mother. An alien culture was forced on her. She got embarrassed and craved for her mother.
She yearned for freedom. Bama also faced the same kind of embarrassment. She belonged
to a low caste community and she learned that they were stripped of all honour and dignity.
Another common thing between them was the way both reacted to their situations. They
refused to bow down to exploitation and oppression. They decided to fight the social
discrimination that their communities had to face.
Q.2 Describe the experience Bama had on her way back home which made her feel
sad?
Ans. The narrator was steel a little girl. She belonged to a low cast but never had any bitter
experience related to untouchability. One day an old man of her street attracted her
attention. He was carrying a small packet of food by its string without touching it. The elder
went straight to the landlord, bowed low and extended the packet towards him.. she wanted to
shriek with laughter. The way such a big man was carrying a small packet looked very funny.
Bama told this story in all its comic detail to her elder brother. But her brother was not
amused. The landlord was from an upper caste. He didnt want that man to touch the packet
of food. If he did, it would be polluted. That was why the man had to carry the packet by its
string. When she heard this her laughter vanished. She felt terribly sad she felt so much
provoked and angry that she herself wanted to touch those vadais straightaway. These
people too were human beings and deserved human dignity and respect.
Q.1 Both the units of Memories Of Childhood present autobiographical episodes from
the lives of two women from marginalised communities. Describe the main issues
raised as well as the common features highlighted in them.
The lesson Memories of Childhood presents autobiographical episodes from the lives of two
women. They highlight the plight of the marginalised communities. The people of these
communities never receive honour and dignity due to them. In The Cutting of My Long Hair
Bonnin describes how an Indian girl suffered extreme indignities. She tried to maintain her
identity and her distinct culture. She liked to wear, long and thick hair. But the paleface
woman and others dragged her out. They tied her fast in a chair and gnawed off her long
hair. In We Too are Human Beings Bama, a Tamil Dalit writer, presents the struggle of a girl
of a low caste. The people of low castes are never respected and honoured. They have to
carry a food packet by its string without touching it. The girl in We Too Are Human Beings
struggles, and stands first in the class. She attains equality, and honour.
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The most common feature of both these episodes is the struggle and fight against racial and
social discrimination. They dont take oppression, exploitation and injustice meekly.
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NOVEL
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THE INVISIBLE MAN

-H.G. Wells
Q.1 Write in about 100 words the character sketch of:

1. Mrs. Hall: Mrs. Hall Is the wife of Mr. Hall and the owner of the Coach and Horses Inn. A
very friendly, down-to-earth woman who enjoys socializing with her guests, Mrs. Hall is
continually frustrated by the mysterious Invisible Man's refusal to talk with her, and his
repeated temper tantrums. The Halls are a typical family. Mr. Hall drinks and Mrs. Hall nags
him about drinking. Mr. Hall isn't so quick and Mrs. Hall takes out her frustrations on Millie, the
serving girl. Mrs. Hall, although not a major character, is revealed as rather devious in a
harmless sort of way. She really wants to know what the strange man's disfigurement is; she
assumes he has been in a horrible accident, and the motherly side of her wants to know how
to express sympathy. She is a very good innkeeper under the circumstances.
2. Mr. Teddy Henfrey:
A clock repairman who happens to visit the inn for a cup of tea. Mrs. Hall takes advantage of
him to try to find out about her strange guest. She wants Teddy Henfrey to fix a clock in the
stranger's room. Teddy deliberately takes as long as he can with the clock, taking it apart and
re-assembling it for no reason. He tries unsuccessfully to engage the stranger in
conversation. The stranger catches him wasting time, though and tells him to finish up and get
out. Because the stranger will not talk, Teddy convinces himself that the man is someone of a
"suspicious" nature. He begins the rumours about the man being wanted by the police and
merely wrapping himself up to conceal his identity.
Teddy Henfrey is a character typical of
the other people of the town. He wants to know the man's story, and when he is rebuffed for
his persistence, he begins to imagine all sorts of things. His imagination soon becomes fact to
him, and he spreads his knowledge to anyone who will care to listen.
3. Dr. Cuss: Dr. Cuss is a doctor living in the town of Iping. Intrigued by tales of a bandaged
stranger staying at the Coach and Hoses Inn, Dr. Cuss goes to see him under the pretense of
asking for a donation to the nurse's fund. The strange man, Griffin, scares Cuss away by
pinching his nose with his invisible hand. Cuss went immediately to see Rev. Bunting, who not
surprisingly did not believe the doctor's wild story.
Later, after Griffin had been
exposed as The Invisible Man, Dr. Cuss and Rev. Bunting got hold of his notebooks, but
these were stolen back from them by the invisible Griffin, who took both men's clothes.
Although the unlucky Rev. Bunting had all his clothing stolen by Griffin, Dr. Cuss only lost his
trousers.
4. Rev. Bunting : The Rev. Bunting is the vicar in the town of Iping. Dr. Cuss want to see him
following his first encounter with Griffin. Bunting laughed at Cuss' claims of an invisible hand
pinching his nose, but the next night his home was burgled by the Invisible Man himself.
Later, Bunting and Cuss tried to read Griffin's notes but were stopped by the Invisible Man,
who stole their clothes. Although Cuss escaped missing only his trousers, Bunting had his
entire wardrobe purloined.
-186-
5. Mr. Sandy Wadgers: Mr. Sandy Wadgers was the village blacksmith, who is also
supposed to be an exorcist. He was the one whom people thought, the one who could deal
with the ghosts and spirits. Mr & Mrs. Hall sent Millie across the street through the golden five
o'clock sunshine to rouse up Mr. Sandy Wadgers, the blacksmith. He was a knowing man,
and very resourceful person. He took quite a grave view of the case. "I am surprised if that is
not witchcraft" was the view of Mr. Sandy Wadgers. "Do you want horseshoes for the ghosts."
He came round greatly concerned. They wanted him to lead the way upstairs to the room, but
he didn't seem to be in any hurry. Wadgers is joined by Huxter, and together they ponder the
likelihood of witchcraft and contemplate the propriety of breaking through the door in order to
examine the situation more closely. However, before they can carry out any such action, the
door opens and the stranger emerges, wrapped and bundled as usual. He enters the parlour
and slam the door against them. When Mr. Hall raps on the door and demands an
explanation, the stranger tells him to "go to the devil "and "shut the door after you." Wadgers
delays "breaking" into the room, using the excuse of propriety when the real and very human
reason is fear and apprehension. While they may talk of spirits and witchcraft in their leisure, it
is clear that they have no real experience with such things.
6. Griffin : The story of the Invisible Man, is the story of a protagonist Griffin, who had been a
brilliant young chemist and researcher. Unfortunately, he began his road to 'decline' in college
when he became extremely obsessed with his experiments, that he kept his work in a
clandestine manner lest someone else claimed credit for that. His passion for pure scientific
investigation accelerated to such an extent that when he required money for further research,
he stole it from his father. And later, in a fit of anger and frustration, he even murdered him.
The barberous crime thus committed made rest of his crimes pale in comparison. He turns
himself from scientist to fanatic when he starts focusing all his attention merely on the concept
of invisibility and never ever thinks of the repercussions that may follow. He may not have had
any intention initially trying the potion on himself, but the interference of his landlord and
prying neighbour lady instigate him to experiment on himself. Once he becomes invisible, his
life becomes miserable. At the close of the novel poetic justice is done, Griffin is seized,
assaulted and killed by a mob. The invisible Man's naked, battered body gradually becomes
visible as he dies.
7. Thomas Marvel: Thomas Marvel is a tramp unwittingly recruited as a scapegoat to assist
the Invisible Man as his partner in the deeds causing panic. He is short, fat and a loner. He is
the area tramp. Thomas Marvel carries the Invisible Man's scientific notebooks and stolen
money. Eventually Marvel grows afraid of his unseen partner and flees to Port Burdock. He
also confiscates both the notebooks and the money with him where he seeks police
protection. Seeing through his intentions and misgivings, the Invisible Man gets infuriated and
vows to avenge Marvel, but he becomes preoccupied with hiding from the law and retaliating
against Dr. Kemp, and in the process Marvel is spared. Marvel feels blessed with the stolen
money and the notes of the Invisible Man. He opens his own Inn and names it 'The Invisible
Man' and prospers too. The novel ends with him secretly 'marvelling' at Griffin's notes. He is
indeed the man of the world who behaves as an opportunist to take advantage of his
circumstances to thrive in life.
8. George Hall: George Hall, the husband of Mrs. Hall, is a simple innocent folk, assisting his
wife in the Inn. Couch and Horses Inn. He is the first person in Iping to suspect the mysterious
Griffin. When a dog bites Griffin and tears his glove and nips his trousers, it was George Hall
-187-
who follows him to see if he was alright but he was taken aback when he saw a handless arm,
waving towards him, slam the door in his face and locked.
9. Mr. Huxter: Huxter, the shop owner, sees this guy Marvel waiting outside a window of the
Coach and Horses inn holding a bag. Marvel walks into inn and nervously enters the parlour.
Mr. Hall shouts that this is a private room, causing Marvel to rush out in panic. He then enters
the bar and steadies himself with a drink. Marvel walks outside and stands near the parlour
window, appearing to smoke a pipe. However, his hands are shaking, and Mr. Huxter's
suspicious are aroused. Marvel suddenly goes into the yard, and Mr. Huxter is certain he is up
to something unlawful. He rushes out and finds that Marvel has taken a bundle tied in a blue
tablecloth and three books. So Huxter runs after the guy, yelling "Thief!" But, before he can
catch the man, something (the Invisible Man) trips Huxter and knocks him out.
10. The Old Mariner (Sailor): When Marvel had been sitting for the best part of an hour, an
elderly mariner, carrying a newspaper, came out of the inn and sat down beside him. The
mariner in Port Stowe has one job here, which is t tell us that the Invisible Man story is in all
newspapers. Later the mariner hears another fantastic story- that of money floating along a
wall in butterfly fashion. The story is true, however. The sailor thinks the story in the
newspapers is believable because it comes equipped with names and details.
11. Doctor Kemp: Doctor Kemp is a scientist living in the town of Port Burdock. He is an old
friend of Griffin, who comes to his house to hide after Griffin's transformation into the "Invisible
Man." Kemp has a hard time accepting the fact that his friend, who he had not seen for years,
suddenly appears uninvited and invisible, but eventually he overcomes his shock and sits
down and talks with Griffin. Narrative-wise, Kemp then allows Griffin to relate the story of how
he began his experiments, and all that happened to him between his arrival on his old friend's
doorstep and then. Kemp, realizing that Griffin is insane with power, is quick to summon
Colonel Adye of the Port Burdock police. Adye fails to apprehend Griffin, who escapes and
brands Kemp a traitor, vowing to kill him. Kemp's attitude is representative of the average
established, self-confident, and self-sufficient individual. He sees a man in trouble, but his
reaction is contemptuous instead of concern. He has heard warning cries about an Invisible
Man, but clearly doesn't believe any of it. He is a man who keeps himself apart from the
concerns of the general public, is buried in his work, interested only in what award it will
ultimately bring him.
LONG ANSWERS TYPE QUESTIONS:

Q.1 What kind of scientist was Griffin? Did he use his scientific discovery in the right
direction or misused it? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans. The narrator uses the Invisible Man to experiment with the depth to which a person can
sink when there are no social restrictions to suppress his behaviour. When Griffin's father
commits suicide, he excuses it away by saying that the man was a "sentimental fool." When
he takes the portion himself, he endures such pain that he "understands" why the cat howled
so much in the process of becoming invisible. Nevertheless he has no compassion for the cat,
-188-
for his father or for any of the people he takes advantage of in the course of trying to survive
invisibility.
The plot of the story is very straightforward. It begins in third person as the narrator introduces
the Invisible Man midway through his experiences. Once the man is revealed, Griffin himself
takes over and tells how he began his experiments ad what happened to him after he had
taken the potion. At the end, the point of view once again changes to that of an objective
narration.
As Griffin tells his story, one can see that his behaviour becomes increasingly reprehensible.
In a very logical way, people first in Iping, and then in surrounding towns, become aware of
the strange being in their midst. The people are curious, frightened and then determined in
their attempts to bring him down and to find out who and what he really is.
This isn't a book about using a superpower to fight evil. But power is definitely a big piece of
the puzzle in the Invisible Man. And not just superpower (i.e. invisibility). The Invisible Man
touches on how knowledge- in this case, science- is power and how this power can corrupt.
Science takes on a lot of different roles in The Invisible Man. First, it's what scientists do to
work out problems they have. For instance, we hear from the Invisible Man about how he
developed his invisibility formula through trial and error. Second, science means a community
of scientists and their particular traditions; like when you discover something awesome (say,
an invisibility formula), you're supposed to tell people about it.
Q.2 How did Griffin, the Invisible Man died? Describe the scene after his death.
Ans. Kemp continues running towards Burdock. The road is long and empty, and no one in
the nearby houses will help him. Griffin chases Kemp through the town. People begin to join
in the chase. When Kemp realizes that people are chasing Griffin, he stops running, which
allows the Invisible Man to catch him. Still, when Kemp arrives in Burdock, he finds a couple
of workmen (navvies) on the road. When he yells about the Invisible Man, everyone nearby
tries to find and hit the Invisible Man. When the Invisible Man able to grab Kemp, the navvies
knock the Invisible Man down. There was a big fight between the crowd and the Invisible Man.
Even though people cannot see him, they are able to grab hold of the Invisible Man and keep
him down. The effort is not needed for long as Griffin has been fatally injured and seems to
have lost a lot of blood. As the town people watch, the effect of invisibility is gradually
reversed, and soon, Griffin, now dead, is visible. In death, his invisible albino body gradually
materialises again. His body is carried into the Jolly Cricketers.
When Griffin dies and becomes visible, his albino condition is also revealed. It is interesting
that the people are not horrified or even surprised. Nor is there any speculation about how this
bizarre incident could have happened. The people watch as his broken, battered body slowly
becomes visible from his extremities to the centre of his being. It is only when his white face
and hair and staring garnet eyes are revealed that someone calls for them to "cover that face"
before the children in the town can see it.
Q.3 Who was Mr. Heelas? Why did he refuse Doctor Kemp to enter into his house?
When did he start believing in the existing of the Invisible man?
-189-
Ans. Mr. Heelas was a neighbour of Doctor Kemp. He didn't believe in the Invisible man but
his wife did believe in the Invisible man. He insisted upon walking about his garden just as if
nothing was the matter, and he went to sleep in the afternoon. He slept through the smashing
of the windows, and then woke up suddenly with a curious persuasion of something wrong.
He looked across at Kemp's house, rubbed his eyes and looked again. he said he was
damned, but still the strange thing was visible. The house looked as though it had been
deserted for weeks- after a violent riot. Every window was broken, and every window, save
those of the belvedere study, was blinded by the internal shutters. When he saw that the
shutters of the Kemp's drawing-room window were flung open violently, and the housemaid in
her outdoor hat and garments, appeared struggling in a frantic manner to throw up the sash.
He saw the house maid and Doctor Kemp helping her out of the window Then Mr. Heelas saw
Doctor Kemp jump from the window and running along the garden and towards Mr. Heelas
house. Then he realised that there is an Invisible Man who is running after Doctor Kemp. He
ordered his cook and servants to lock all the doors and shut all the windows as the Invisible
Man running after him and might enter his house along with Doctor Kemp.
Q.4 How did Doctor Kemp escape from the terror of the Invisible Man, when Griffin
came to his house to kill him?
Ans. After Griffin leaves, the next afternoon, Kemp receives a letter from Griffin, written in
apocalyptic language, which announces 'day one of year one of the new epoch'. In the worst
letter ever, Griffin tells Kemp that he is taking charge: "Port Burdock is no longer under the
Queen, tell your Colonel of Police, and the rest of them; it is under me- the Terror! This is day
one of year one of the new epoch- the Epoch of the Invisible Man. I am Invisible Man, the
First ". The letter also says that Griffin will kill Kemp that day. What's even better is that Griffin
sent that letter without a stamp, so Kemp had to pay for it upon delivery. Kemp has his
housekeeper lock up all the windows and gets his revolver ready. He writes a note for Col.
Adye, saying that Kemp will act as bait to catch Griffin and that Griffin will be caught because
he will have gone to fair. A knock at the door turns out to be Adye with news that Kemp's
housekeeper- who was carrying message (notes) for the police- had been attacked and the
notes taken from her. Then Griffin does what he does best: he breaks some windows. But
there's no way for him to get into Kemp's house because they've anticipated his arrival. This is
the siege of Kemp's house. Griffin makes his presence known by smashing windows in
Kemp's house. During the battle that follows, Col. Adye is shot. Griffin gets inside the house
and tries to tell the police to "stand away" as he is only after Kemp. He swings an axe at them,
but one of them manages to strike him with an iron poker. By this time Kemp has followed his
housekeeper through a window and is nowhere to be found.
Q.5 The narrator sympathises with Griffin at the beginning of the chapter "The
Wicksteed Murder". Do you think this sympathy is totally justified? Give your own
opinion.
Ans. The narrator presents evidence to suggest that, after leaving Kemp's house, Griffin
proceeded to Hintondean, where he murdered Lord Burdock's steward, Mr Wicksteed. After
this he seems to have gone on to the download where, the campaign to track him down was
-190-
now in full swing. The Invisible Man lies low. The narrator constructs a tale about Griffin's
whereabouts and actions using his imagination and a few available facts.
After Griffin runs out of Kemp's house, the narrator loses track of him for a day: "No one
knows where he went nor what he did". But no one else is going to be in nice to Griffin:
everyone else seems to be out hunting him with guns and dogs. To make things worse, Kemp
spreads the news that people need to keep the Invisible Man from eating or sleeping. The
narrator is careful to emphasize that these are his conjectures- no one can exactly know how
the events occurred, or how Griffin came to possess a weapon. The narrator further theorizes
that Griffin's agitated state of mind and general lack of empathy make him immune to the
crime he has committed. The narrator attempts to provoke the reader's sympathy by
emphasizing the series of disappointments that Griffin has suffered to harden him, the worst
blow being Doctor Kemp's treachery.
Q.6 Write in brief about the murder of Mr. Wicksteed. How was Griffin involved in the
murder?
Ans. The entire countryside around the Burdock has been mobilized. By 2:00 in the
afternoon, men set out with guns, clubs and dogs, and the police warn the village people to
lock their doors and stay inside. Griffin manages to evade his pursuers for a 24-hour period
except for one encounter with a middle-aged man (Mr. Wicksteed) who had apparently
concerned him. Griffin kills the man by beating him with an iron rod. The narrator constructs a
tale about Griffin's whereabouts and actions using his imagination and a few available facts.
In his words, the irate Griffin hurts a child on his way out of Kemp's house and hides in the
thickets of Hintondean to scheme again. From mid-noon to two-thirty, he possibly stays there,
trying to come to terms with Kemp's betrayal and cursing his luck. Then he sets out, armed
with an iron rod for some purpose that cannot be guessed. a harmless man by the name of
Wicksteed witnesses the rod moving on its own, ignorant of Griffin's reputation. He follows he
rod is violently murdered by Griffin in a gravel pit. Since no one was there but Griffin we'll
never know what happened, only that Wicksteed was beaten to death with an iron rod. The
narrator is careful to emphases that these are his conjectures - no one can exactly know how
the events occurred, or how Griffin came to possess a weapon.
Q.7 To save himself from the cold and the snowstorm of London, where did Griffin go?
How did he spend the night there and what happened next morning? Write in detail.
Ans. With a January snowstorm blowing in London, Griffin needed to find a place to stay. He
went to a giant department store named Omniums. With the intention of clothing himself so
that he might reclaim his notebooks and cheque book. He had gone into the Omniums, a
large apartment type store where one could buy everything from groceries to clothing. Griffin
waited until the place closed, then he started searching around for things he could use. He
stole some food and clothes. Over by toys, he saw some fake noses, wigs and other costume
stuff that could help him pretend to be normal. He made his way to an area of bedsteads and
mattresses, hoping that once the store is closed for the night, he would be able to sleep on
the mattresses and steal some clothes with which to mask his condition.
In the night he procured a complete set of clothes for himself, helped himself to food in a
refreshment department, and then slept in the bedding department. He failed to awaken
-191-
before the morning crew had entered, however, and was unable to escape as long as they
could see him. The workers chased him around the store (they could see him because he has
wearing clothes); but once again, Griffin took off his clothes to become invisible. He was only
able to escape by discarding his clothing and assuming invisibility once more. Since he
couldn't steal clothes, Griffin had to leave the store with nothing on (naked).
Q.8 How did Griffin discover the drawbacks of being invisible? How did he avoid a unit
of a marching Salvation Army Brand?
Ans. Griffin continues to explain his experiences with invisibility. Griffin recounts his
adventures immediately after escaping from his lodgings. These were not the 'wonderful
things' he had fantasised about, but a series of calamities and accidents experienced as ,
naked and invisible, he attempted o negotiate the busy streets of Central London. He soon
discovered that being invisible had as many drawbacks as advantages. People ran into him
and stepped on him. He had to be continually on guard as to the movements and position of
others in order to avoid accidental contact. To make matters worse, although people could not
see him, dogs could detect him with their keen sense of smell. As he had to remain naked, he
was soon uncomfortable. Also, he could not eat, as food was visible until it was fully
assimilated into his system. At one point, he had run up the steps of a house in order to avoid
a unit of a marching Salvation Army band. He tried to get out of the way, but he had stepped
in some mud and left muddy footprints. While he waited, two youngsters spotted he prints of
his bare feet in the mud. Soon a crowd of people had gathered to look at the "ghost prints".
Q.9 Why did Griffin decide to experiment to become Invisible on himself? How did he
manage to protect and secure his theory of invisibility? Write in detail.
Ans. Back at the boarding house, Griffin continued his experiments. He made some wool
invisible and then he made a neighbourhood cat invisible. Later the next day he had an
altercation with the landlord who brought reports of Griffin tormenting a cat in the night. The
landlord wanted to know what Griffin was doing in the room and what all the paraphernalia
was for. The two argued and Griffin shoved the landlord out of the room.
This event and his near-bankruptcy precipitated Griffin's decision to make himself invisible.
Griffin knew he would have to act quickly, so he made arrangements to have his belongings
stored. Realizing that this would lead to trouble, Griffin decided to disappear. He sent his
books off by mail to some place where he could pick them up later. Then he started the
process of turning himself invisible, which really hurt. He managed to protect and secure his
theory of invisibility by sending his books and destroyed his equipment and set his room on
fire.
Q.10 Why did Griffin switch from medicine to physics? Why did he not want to publish
and disclose his research theory to his professor? Give reason?
Ans. Over breakfast, Griffin begins to tell Kemp at length how he became invisible. He had
been a medical student, but had dropped medicine and taken up physics. Griffin was a
medical student at the same time as Kemp, but Griffin switched to physics because he was
interested in light. We also learn that, after leaving London seven years previously, he earned
a living and had access to experimental resources as a demonstrator in a college in
-192-
Chesilstowe. He came up with a loose theory for how to make objects invisible, but needed to
figure out a method to actually do it.
He discovered a formula of pigments that lowers the refractive index of a substance, allowing
light to pass through it rather than being reflected or refracted. After experimenting with
pigments for three years, he came upon the secret whereby animal tissue could be rendered
transparent. He was continuously trying to hide his work from another professor. He thought
that his professor Mr. Oliver might take the credit for Griffin's published theory.
-193-

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ENGLISH CORE

BLUE PRINT OF QUESTION PAPER

Factual Passages e.g., instructions, descriptions, reports.

Business or official letters (for making enquiries, registering complaints,

Letters to the editor (giving suggestions or opinion on issues of public interest)

Application for job

Short Answer Questions -

Based on prose/drama/poetry from the texts.

Long Answer Questions -

Based on texts to test global comprehension and

Long Answer Questions -

Based on texts to test global comprehension

Long Answer Questions -

Based on theme, plot and incidents from the

(THE INVISIBLE MAN)

Long Answer Questions -

Based on understanding, appreciation, analysis

(THE INVISIBLE MAN)

QUESTION PAPER DESIGN

SECTION -A [READING UNSEEN PASSAGE AND NOTE-MAKING]

Note Making & Abstraction

GUIDELINES FOR ATTEMPTING SECTION A

Discursive passages involving opinion,

STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED WHILE ATTEMPTING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

GUIDELINES TO ATTEMPT COMPREHENSION PASSAGE

5. Write in short , simple sentences unless required to do otherwise.

Recognising Literary Forms / Figures of Speech

Repeating a constant sound in

The phrase buckets of big blue

The term in poetry refers to the

Using a mild or gentle phrase

Lick, crack, sick hack. The

A play on two words similar in

The pen mightier than the sword

longer time, which sounds more

An analogy or comparison implied

Once upon a time a frog/croaked

The glories of our blood and

FASHION IS A PROFILE PIC

The way we look at fashion has changed, thanks to

Fashion Writers need to learn the art of reviewing a show in

(iv) 150 words/Characters

Traditional media refers to

Ans. Both (i) and (ii)

Meaning of 'faux pas' is

Answer the following questions briefly:

What has the fashion industry 'welcomed'?

State any one way in which we report fashion today.

What does fashion media shy away from?

How does an online e-commerce store help the fashion industry?

What has social media given anyone and everyone ?

Find words from the passage which means the same as :

A merchant who sells goods at retail

Arnab is a person who is a :

The writer appeared on television to defend the following magazine:

In Arnab's show, Arnab is the Director

What did the 'Open' magazine publish ?

Answer the following questions briefly:

Ans. People are at home in front of their TV, watching Arnab.

Why did the writer continue appearing on Arnab's Channel?

Which section of society watches Arnab's show ?

Ans. Section of middle class which is comfortable watching news on television in

Who is 'xenophobic' in its nationalism ?

Ans. Middle class is 'xenophobic' in its nationalism.