KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN: CHENNAI REGION

CLASS XII COMMON PRE-BOARD EXAMINATION 2016-17

Subject : English Core Time Allotted: 3 hours Max Marks: 100

General Instructions:
(i) This paper is divided into three sections: A, B and C. All the sections are compulsory.
(ii) Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these
instructions very carefully and follow them faithfully.
(iii) Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

SECTION A
READING (30 MARKS)

1. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow: (12 Marks)
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

1. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Concussions are brain injuries that occur when a person receives a
blow to the head, face, or neck. Although most people who suffer a concussion experience initial bouts of
dizziness, nausea, and drowsiness, these symptoms often disappear after a few days. The long-term effects
of concussions, however, are less understood and far more severe. Recent studies suggest that people who
suffer multiple concussions are at a significant risk for developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE),
a degenerative brain disorder that causes a variety of dangerous mental and emotional problems to arise
weeks, months, or even years after the initial injury. These psychological problems can include depression,
anxiety, memory loss, inability to concentrate, and aggression. In extreme cases, people suffering from CTE
have even committed suicide or homicide.

2. The majority of people who develop these issues are athletes who participate in popular high-impact
sports, especially football. Although both new sports regulations and improvements in helmet technology
can help protect players, the sports media and fans alike bear some of the responsibilities for reducing the
incidence of these devastating injuries. Improvements in diagnostic technology have provided substantial
evidence to link severe—and often fatal—psychological disorders to the head injuries players receive while
on the field. Recent autopsies performed on the brains of football players who have committed suicide have
shown advanced cases of CTE in every single victim.

3. In response to the growing understanding of this danger, the National Football League (NFL) has revised
its safety regulations. Players who have suffered a head injury on the field must undergo a "concussion
sideline assessment"—a series of mental and physical fitness tests—before being allowed back in the game.
In an effort to diminish the amount of head and neck injuries on the field, NFL officials have begun
enforcing stricter penalty calls for helmet-to-helmet contact, leading with the head, and hitting a defenceless
player. Furthermore, as of 2010, if a player’s helmet is accidentally wrenched from his head during play, the
ball is immediately whistled dead. There is hope that these new regulations, coupled with advances in
helmet design, will reduce the number of concussions player endure, and thus curb the number of CTE
cases.

4. Efforts by the NFL and other professional sports leagues are certainly laudable; indeed, we should
commend every attempt to protect the mental and physical health of players. However, new regulations at
the professional level cannot protect amateur players, especially young people. Fatal cases of CTE have
been reported in victims as young as 21. With appropriate equipment and form, tackling need not be
1
dangerous. Proper tackling form—using the arms and shoulders to aim for a player’s midsection rather than
leading with the top of the head—should be taught at an early age.

5. Youth, high school, and college leagues should also adopt safety rules even more stringent that the NFL’s.
Furthermore, at an early age, athletes should be educated about the serious dangers of head injuries. Perhaps
the most important factor in reducing the number of traumatic brain injuries, however, lies not with the
players, the coaches, or the administrators, but with the media and fans. Sports media producers have
become accustomed to showcasing the most aggressive tackles and the most intense plays. NFL broadcasts
often replay especially violent collisions, while the commentators marvel at the physical prowess of the
players involved. Some sports programs even feature weekly countdowns of the hardest hits. When the
media exalts such hazardous behaviour, professionals are rewarded for injuring each other on the field, and
amateurs become more likely to try to imitate their favourite NFL athletes.

6. Announcers, commentators, television producers, and sportswriters should engage in a collective effort to
cease glorifying brutal plays. In turn, fans should stop expecting their favourite players to put their lives on
the line for the purposes of entertainment. Players must stop being encouraged to trade their careers, health,
happiness, and their lives for the sake of a game.

1.1.On the basis of your understanding of this passage answer the following questions with the help of
the given options: (1 x 4 = 4)
a) The author apparently believes that

i. NFL officials have not thoroughly implemented stricter safety regulations

ii. doctors need to do more research about the potential long-term effects of CTE
iii. amateur athletes suffer more serious long-term effects of CTE than professional athletes
iv. fans share some of the blame for athletes’ injuries

b) According to the author, each of the following statements are true EXCEPT one. Identify it.

i. Tackling itself is not dangerous; however, players who use improper tackling form may suffer injury.
ii. Sports programs showcase exceptionally hard hits.
iii. NFL officials have done nothing to address the problem of CTE.
iv. Athletes who are praised for exceptionally brutal hits are likely to continue engaging in such dangerous
behaviour.
c) According to the author, which of the following contribute(s) to an increase in incidences of CTE in
amateur players?

I. fewer safety regulations than professional players

II. a lack of education geared to youth players about the dangers of head injuries
III. a desire to emulate professionals
i. I only
ii. II only
iii. I and II only
iv. I, II, and III

2
d) The author’s tone in the final paragraph can best be described as
i. apologetic
ii. depressed
iii. confused
iv. solemn

1.2.Answer the following briefly. (1 x 6 = 6)

e. What are the initial symptoms experienced by those who suffer from CTE?
f. Mention any one of the safety regulations implemented by NFL.
g. Who are the people that share the blame for athletes’ injuries?
h. What kind of education should be given to players at an early age?
i. How can we reduce the number of traumatic brain injuries?
j. What kind of hazardous behaviour is applauded by media?
1.3. Find words from the passage which mean the same as (1 x2 = 2)

k. praiseworthy (para 4)

l. glorifies (para 5)

2. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. (10 Marks)

1. A close look at the facts relating to political interference in administration shows that it is not a one-way
process. There is often a nexus between power hungry and corrupt politicians and civil servants with
convenient principles. Many civil servants are only too anxious to oblige the politicians, and then cash the
obligation when they need some special favour. So the attitude of self-righteousness adopted by the civil
servants is sometimes only a way of covering their own flaws by blaming others.
2. Every now and then some retired civil servants come out with his memoirs, painting a glorious picture of
the heights of administrative efficiency reached during his reign. There is often the suggestion that had there
not been so much political interference, things would have been even more fantastic. It is not unusual for the
self- styled hero to blame not only interfering politicians but also fellow civil servants, for his failures. This
attitude of smug self-satisfaction is, unfortunately, developed during the years of service. Self -preservation
rather than service is encouraged by our whole system of rules and procedures.
3. The remedy has to be drastic and quickly effective. The over protection now granted to civil servants must
end. Today to remove an erring civil servant is just not possible.And the only thing that the highest authority
in the Government, both in the State and at the Centre, can do is to transfer an official from one job to
another. The rules for taking disciplinary action are so complicated that, in the end, the defaulting civil
servants gets away, and gets his full emoluments even for the period of the disciplinary proceedings, thus
making it a paid holiday for him.
4. The result is that the administration has become rule-oriented and not result-oriented. Action is possible
against the official who takes some interest in his work, but no action is ever taken against a person who

3
does not deliver the goods. If the country is to adopt a result-oriented approach, it is necessary to link job
performance with job retention.

2.1.On the basis of your understanding of this passage answer the following questions with the help of
the given options: (1 x 2 = 2)
a. The facts relating to the problem of political interference indicate that:
(i) honest bureaucrats are always being troubled by politicians.
(ii) politicians are often misled and trapped by civil servants.
(iii)politicians and civil servants co-operate to gain mutual advantages.
(iv) politicians and civil servants use interference as an excuse for victimising the common man.
b. The expression linking job performance with job retention refers to a policy in which:
(i) selection to civil service jobs is on the basis of rigorous performance tests.
(ii) selection to civil service jobs is on the basis of rigorous performance and not a minister’s opinion
is the basis of transfer or promotion.
(iii) retention of good government servants by discouraging their going to private companies.
(iv) continuation in service will depend on satisfactory performance.

2.2. Answer the following briefly. (1 x 6 = 6)

c. Why does the writer feel that the attitude of self-righteousness adopted by the civil servants is dishonest?
d. What claim do the civil servants who write their memoirs after retirement generally make?
e. What is the drawback in the existing system of administration?
f. What is the main principle of remedy proposed by the writer?
g. According to existing procedures, what kind of action is taken against a civil servant if he is found to be
unsuitable or dishonest?
h. Why does the writer refer the period of the disciplinary proceedings to a paid holiday?

2.3. Pick out the words/ expressions from the passage that mean the following: (1 x2 = 2)

(i) relationship or connection (para 1)

(j) show good job performance (para 4)

3. Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions that follow: (8 Marks)

1. Salt, a miraculous gift of nature, is one of the most useful and amazing minerals on Earth derived from the
sea and rocks. Do you know that it is the only rock the humans can eat?

2. Salt has seasoned our history, language and food, besides making nutritious foods more palatable. Used in
all bakery products, prepared foods, sauces, soups, spices, cereals, dairy foods, meats, poultry. It is also an
extraordinary effective food preservative, retarding the growth of spoilage by micro-organisms and making
food storage possible long before refrigeration.

3. How much is salt necessary for human consumption? Medical experts agree that everyone should practice
some reasonable ‘moderation’ in salt consumption. For the average person, a moderate amount might run
from 4 to 10 gm a day, or roughly half to one and one-third teaspoons. The equivalent of one to two gm of
this salt allowance would come from the natural sodium in food. The rest would be added in processing,
preparation or at the table.

4
4. Common salt, a chloride of sodium, is chemically represented by the symbol NaCl. The human body has a
continual need for salt. Sodium chloride or the common salt is 39 percent sodium and 61 percent chloride.
Forming a solution in the body, these two components separate into sodium and chloride ions, each with a
different task. Chloride maintains the balance of water between the living cell and its environment, plays
part indigestion, and pairs with sodium to maintain the blood’s acid-base balance, critical for life. Sodium
assists in regulating the volume of blood and blood pressure. It facilitates the transmission of nerve impulses
and is necessary for heart and muscle contractions. Although the popular conception is that salt is a flavor
enhancer, a recent American study suggests that it functions as a flavor filter on food, selectively enhancing
and suppressing various tastes. Other studies showed that the use of salt suppresses the bitter taste of dark
green vegetables like bitter gaurs.

5. Salt’s functions in the body are already elucidated. Deficiency signs include lethargy, dizziness, cramps
and palpitation. In women excessive salt intake promotes fluid retardation and can cause breast pain.

6. But what the good salt can do, in the right dose, is unequalled. Snorers should try spraying their nose with
a salt water to moisten mucous membrane and make it easier to breathe. To invigorate the body when tired
or to remove dead skin cells, rub a handful of salt all over your body before having a bath. Salt baths
encourage detoxification and greatly help muscle and joint pains. Add a pound of salt to a comfortably hot
bath and lie in it for 20 minutes, add hot water as it cools. Wrap up in cotton towels and get into a warm bed.
You should perspire freely, sleep well and feel much better in the morning. Remove all the congestion in
your throat by saline gargles.

7. The recommendation that no one should exclude salt totally from the diet is awfully wrong. Scientists are
of the view that salt is an invisible killer and, therefore, a health hazard. As new evidence piles up; alarm
bells have started ringing. And the next battle might just be against salt! Specialists are convinced that a diet
high in salt causes high blood pressure, a disorder that afflicts one-third of people above the age of 60.
Moreover, this is a risk factor for two big killers—coronary heart disease and stroke.

a) On the basis of your reading of the passage carefully, make notes on it, in points only using headings and
sub-headings. Use recognizable abbreviations and a format you consider suitable. Also supply an
appropriate title to it. (5 Marks)

b) Make a summary of the above passage in about 80 words: (3 Marks)

SECTION B
ADVANCED WRITING (30 MARKS)

4. You are Mohan/Mohini, Secretary, Social Activities Club of A.B.C. School, Gokulpuri. The club has
decided to launch a cleanliness drive in a slum colony near your school during the Dussehra holidays. Write
a notice, in not more than 50 words, informing Class XII students of your school about the drive and urge
them to volunteer for programme. Give all the necessary details. (4 Marks)

OR

You are disturbed after visiting a slum area wherein some children do not go to school. Many organisations
have come forward with the idea of ‘Education for All’. Inspite of their best efforts it is still a dream. Design
a poster suggesting ideas to make it a reality as education is the only way to progress. (50words)

5. You are moved by the miserable condition of the street children who make a living by collecting saleable
material from rubbish dumps and live in unhealthy surroundings. Write a letter in 120-150 words to the
5
editor Times of India, Odisha requesting him to highlight their plight and urge the society and authorities to
provide them with opportunities for growth and development. You are Suraj/Sumitra of 10, Raj Nagar,
Odisha. (6 Marks)

OR

You are Neena/Neeraj, Secretary of the Home Science Club of Pinnacle Senior School. You had placed an
order for a consignment of articles of crockery. On receipt you find that some of them have been damaged
and broken in transit. Write a letter in 120-150 words to the Sales Manager ‘Kitchen Plus Solutions’
complaining about receipt of damaged goods. Request them to replace the damaged goods.

6. The members of Saraswati Residents Welfare Association held a protest rally at the District Park against
the decision of the Municipal Corporation to cut down trees for widening of roads to ease traffic congestion.
Write a report on the rally in 150 – 200 words. You are Puneeta/Pramod, the President of the Association.
(10 Marks)
OR
‘Old age homes are not required in India.’ Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the motion.
You are Raj / Raji.

7. You are Fatima / Farhan, a budding journalist for a local magazine. Write an article in 150 – 200 on
"Crisis of Childhood" based on the input given below : (10 Marks)

Junk food - obesity • lack of exercise • Competitive schooling • Life-style changes -- working
parents, electronic means of entertainment • Leisure activities -structured rather than unorganised

OR

Members of the Social Activities Club of your school recently visited an orphanage run by a well-known
N.G.O. Members of the club were greatly impressed with the atmosphere in the orphanage. Write a speech
in 150– 200 words, giving your views on how the orphanages can help the poor and needy by providing a
congenial atmosphere for their healthy growth. You are Nutan/Naveen, President of your school’s Social
Activities Club. (10 Marks)

SECTION – C
Literature : Text Books and Long Reading Text(40 Marks)
8. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow : (4 Marks)

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.

(a) Why are the tigers called ‘Aunt Jennifer’s tigers’? [ 1 Mark]
(b) What does the phrase, ‘a world of green’ mean? [ 1 Mark]
(c) How are the tigers different from their creator? [ 1 Mark]
(d) Why are the tigers not afraid of the men beneath the trees? [ 1 Mark]
OR

6
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.

(a) How does beauty help us when we are burdened with grief ? [ 1 Mark]
(b) Explain : ―― ‘Some shape of beauty’. [ 1 Mark]
(c) Identify the figure of speech used in the above lines. [ 1 Mark]
(d) Name the poem and the poet. [ 1 Mark]

9. Answer any four of the following questions in 30-40 words each : (3 × 4 = 12)

a. Which images in the poem, ―’Keeping Quiet’ show that the poet condemns violence?
b. What were the poet’s feelings as she drove to Kochi airport ?(My Mother at Sixty six)
c. What tempted Franz to stay away from school ?
d. What were the contents of the package left by the peddler as a Christmas gift for Edla Williamson?
e. Why did Mr.Lamb help Derry?
f. Why was Roger Skunk’s mother angry ? On whom did she displace her anger?

10. Answer the following in 120-150 words : (6 Marks)

(a) Childhood is the spring time of one’s life but Saheb and Mukesh are the victims of the evil of child
labour. You feel pained to see children working at factories, dhabas and tea stalls. Empathising with them
give concrete suggestions to deal with the problem.

OR

(b) “Practice makes a man perfect”. Douglas tries hard to reach the level of perfection by perseverance, and
proves Churchill’s statement, “Never, never, never give in”. Comment.

11. Answer the following in 120-150 words : (6 Marks)

(a) What activities did Bama witness on her way back home from school ?

OR

(b) How did the arrival of the prisoner destroy the peace of Sadao’s home ?

12. Answer the following in 120-150 words : (6 Marks)

How was the stranger different from the other visitors at the Coach and Horses? Why did the landlady
accommodate him?

13. Answer the following in 120-150 words: (6 Marks)

Marvel, the tramp is troubled by Griffin, yet he proves himself to be an opportunist. Describe Marvel’s
character in the light of the statement given.

********************************************************************************