Placid Vidya Vihar Sr. Sec.

School Chethipuzha

Term 2 Examination 2020-21

Class XII English Core Time: 2 hrs

Max.Marks: 50

Part A - 15 Marks

I. Read the following passage carefully. (10 marks)

1. Archaeology is the scientific study of the remains of past human culture. Archaeologists investigate the lives of early
people by studying the objects that people have left behind. Such objects include buildings, artwork, tools, bones, and
pottery. Archaeologists may make exciting discoveries, such as a tomb filled with gold or the ruins of a magnificent
temple in the midst of a jungle. However, the discovery of a few stone tools or grains of hardened corn may reveal even
more about early people.

2. Archaeological research is the chief means to learn about societies that existed before the invention of writing about
5,000 years ago. It also provides an important supplement to our knowledge of ancient societies that left written records.
In America, archaeology is considered a branch of anthropology, the scientific study of humanity and human culture.
European archaeologists, however, think of their work as closely related to the field of history. Archaeology differs from
history in which historians mainly study the lives of people as recorded in written documents. Archaeologists look for
information about how, where, and when cultures developed.

Like other social scientists, they search for reasons why major changes have occurred in certain cultures. Some
archaeologists try to understand why ancient people stopped hunting and started farming. Others develop theories
about what caused people to build cities and to set up trade routes. In addition, some archaeologists look for reasons
behind the fall of such early civilizations like the Mayas in Central America and the Romans in Europe.

3. Archaeologists examine any evidence that can help them explain how people lived in past times. Such evidence
ranges from the ruins of a large city to a few stone flakes left by someone making a stone tool long ago.

4. The three basic kinds of archaeological evidence are artefacts, features, and ecofacts. Artifacts are objects that were
made by people and can be moved without altering their appearance. Artefacts include objects like arrowheads, pots
and beads. Artefacts from a society with a written history may also include clay tablets and other written records.
Features consist mainly of houses, tombs, irrigation canals, and other large structures built by ancient people. Unlike
artifacts, features cannot be separated from their surroundings without changing their form.

Ecofacts reveal how ancient people responded to their surroundings. Examples of ecofacts include seeds and animal
bones. Any place where archaeological evidence is found is called an archaeological site. To understand the behaviour
of the people who occupied a site, archaeologists must study the relationship between the artefacts, features, and
ecofacts found there. For example, the discovery of stone spearheads near bones of an extinct kind of buffalo at a site
in New Mexico showed that early human beings had hunted buffalo in that area.

5. If objects are buried deep in the ground, their position in the earth also concerns archaeologists. The scientists study
the layers of soil and rock in which objects are found to understand the conditions that existed when the objects were
placed there. In some places, archaeologists find many levels of deposits called strata. The archaeological study of
strata, called stratigraphy, developed from the study of rock layers in geology. Archaeologists use special techniques
and equipment to gather archaeological evidence precisely and accurately. They also keep detailed records of their
findings because much archaeological research destroys the remains being studied. Locating sites is the first job of the
archaeologist. Sites may be above ground, underground or underwater. Some large sites are located easily because
they are clearly visible or can be traced from descriptions in ancient stories or other historical records. Such sites include
the pyramids of Egypt and the ancient city of Athens in Greece.
6. Archaeologists use systematic methods of discovering sites. The traditional way to find all the sites in a region is
through a foot survey. In this method archaeologists space themselves at measured distances and walk in pre-set
directions. Each person looks for archaeological evidence while walking forward. Scientific methods are used to help
discover underground sites. Aerial photography, for example, can reveal variations in vegetation that indicate the
presence of archaeological evidence. Archaeologists describe, photograph, and count the objects they find. They group
the objects according to type and location. Three steps are followed to interpret the evidence found. They are
classification, dating, and evaluation.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any ten of the following questions by
choosing the most appropriate option. (1 × 10 = 10 marks)

i. The job of archaeologists involve:

a) The study of civilizations before the invention of writing.
b) Investigation of the lives of early humans by studying the remnants left behind by them.
c) Search for reasons why certain cultures changed drastically.
d)Trying to understand why early humans stopped hunting and started farming.

ii. Archaeological research :

a) Supplements our knowledge of civilizations that left behind written records
b) Examine evidence to explain life of people in the past
c) Studies about societies that existed before the invention of writing.
d) options ‘a’ and ‘c’.

iii. Archaeologists source their knowledge from:

a) Ancient, man- made, movable objects.
b) Large, immovable structures built by ancient man.
c) Early man’s response to his surroundings as evidenced from archaeological sites.
d) all of the above.

iv. The most systematic methods of discovering archaeological sites involve:

a) Drilling and excavation
b) Excavation and foot survey
c)Aerial photography and foot survey
d)Excavation and aerial photography.

v. Archaeologists’ study of evidence begin with

a)Classification, dating and evaluation
b)Description photography and counting
c)Classification, description and evaluation
d)none of the above.

vi. What are the best sources of finding out archaeological facts?
(a) Artwork, building, bones and pottery
(b) Tombs filled with gold
(c) Grains of hardened corn
(d) Ruins of a magnificent temple

vii. What are the basic kinds of archaeological evidence?

(a) Artefacts, features and ecofacts
(b) Mayan and Roman civilizations
(c) Cultural developments in written documents
(d) Cities and trade routes

viii. What is an archaeological site?

(a) Where tombs and buildings exist
(b) Where archaeological evidence is found
 (c) Where extinct animal bones are located
(d) Where ancient civilizations perished

ix. How is archaeology taken in America?

(a) As lives of people as recorded in written documents
(b) As study of humanity and human culture
(c) As closely related to the field of history
(d) As written records of ancient people

x. Which of the following do archaeologists not study?

(a) Ancient hunting and farming
(b) Ancient cities and trade routes
(c) Fall of some civilizations
(d) Weather and climate

xi. The given passage is a:

a)Factual Description
b)Narrative
c)Science Fiction
d)Biography

Literature (5marks)

2. Read the extracts given below and attempt any one of the two given by answering the questions that follow:

I did. The instructor was finished.

But I was not finished. I still wondered if I would be terror stricken when I was alone in the pool. I tried it. I swam
the length up and down. Tiny vestiges of the old terror would return but now I could frown and say to that terror”.
Trying to scare me, eh? Well, here’s to you! Look!”. And off I would go for another length of the pool.

This went on until July. But I was still not satisfied. I was not sure that all the terror had left. So I went to Lake
Wentworth in New Hampshire, dived off a doke at Triggs Island and swam two miles across the lake to Stamp
Act Island.

i. What had the instructor finished with?

a) trying to teach Douglas to swim
b)) helping Douglas to breath while swimming.
c)teaching Douglas to swim
d) none of the above

ii. ”Trying to scare me, eh? Well, here’s to you! Look!”.What is the poetic device used here?:
a)Hyperbole
b)Metaphor
c)Oxymoron
d)Personification

iii. Tiny vestiges of the old terror would return. The old terror refers to:
a) The fear of drowning in the Yakima river.
b) The terror he experienced at the California beach
c)the terror he experienced in the misadventure at the YMCA swimming pool.
d) The fear he experienced while fishing with his friends

iv. ‘But I was still not satisfied’. Douglas is still plagued by

a)a fear of death
b)Self doubt
 c)Uncertainity
d)Terror of water

v. The given extract is an excerpt from William Douglas’s :

a)Go East Young Man
b)The Court Years
c)Of Men And Mountains
d)My Wilderness.

OR

On sour cream walls, donations. Shakespeare’s head,

Cloudless at dawn, civilised dome riding all cities.
Belled, flowery, Tyrolese valley. 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,

i. What does the expression - sour cream walls – suggest?

a. Display of donated artefacts on the walls.
b. Badly maintained walls.
c. Wall-to wall furniture.
d. A poor choice of paint for walls.

ii. The map of the world in the classroom symbolizes

a. hopes and aspirations of the children.
b. travel plans of the school authorities.
c. a world that is unconnected to the children.
d. interconnectivity within the world.

iii. The expression, Shakespeare’s head is an example of

a. pun.
b. satire.
c. parody.
d. irony.

iv. In the extract, ‘future’s painted with a fog’ suggests that the
(a) classroom is as foggy as the paint on the walls.
(b) beautiful valleys are not a part of the children’s future.
(c) life ahead for the slum children is as unclear and hazy as fog.
(d) fog often finds itself in the classrooms through broken windows.

v. How are the windows ‘their world’?

a)The windows show them the world as they know it
b)The world map is hung on the window frame
c)The window is open to the slum
d)None of the above
 PART B DESCRIPTIVE. ( WRITING 16 MARKS)

3. Attempt Any ONE of the following: (1X 3= 3)

a. Your School has appointed a new counselor to facilitate better mental health of the students. As the Vice
Principal of the school, write a Notice informing the students about the appointment of the counselor in not more
than 50 words. Include relevant details.

OR

b.Principal , Sunrise Global School , Tvm requires a receptionist for the school. Draft a suitable advertisement in
about 50 words to be published in the classified columns of a national newspaper giving all the necessary details of
qualification and experience required.

4. Attempt Any ONE of the following: (1X 3= 3)

a. Your school has its Annual Day on January 15. You wish to invite the parents on this occasion. Draft a formal
invitation in not more than 50 words on behalf of the management and students in this connection .You are Anoop /
Athira, school leader.

OR

b. You have been invited as a judge to an inter – school debate. Draft a reply confirming your acceptance to the
invitation.

5. Attempt Any ONE of the following: (1X 5= 5)

a. You are Manu/Malavika , residing in Haritha Apartments, Kochi. The main road leading to this colony has three
open manholes causing frequent accidents at night. Write a letter to the editor of ‘The Times of India’ expressing your
concern about the apathy of the authorities towards this situation.

OR

b. Draft an application with bio-data in about 120-150 words for the post of the Librarian in Vision Senior Secondary
School, Calicut. You are Radhika/ Rajeev.

6. Attempt Any ONE of the following: (1X 5= 5)

a. The number of women in the Police force seems insufficient especially when we see the increasing involvement of
women in public protests. Write an article in 150-200 words for the ‘Indian Express’ on the need of having more
women in the Police force.

OR

b. You are Asma/Arun , the head boy or head girl of your school. You school organized the regional CBSE Online
Quiz Competition. Write a report of this event for your school newsletter in 150-200 words.

LITERATURE: (19 Marks)

7. Attempt any FIVE of the following: (2X 5= 10)

a. Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water?
b. What plan did Douglas make to come to the surface?
c. What will keeping still help us achieve?
d. What lesson does the earth teach us in the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’?
e. Why is Shakespeare wicked and the map a bad example?
f. Who is the unlucky heir and why is he described as ‘unlucky’?

8. Attempt Any TWO of the following: (2X 2= 4)

a. How does Charley describe Galesburg, Illinois of 1894?
b. How did Charley realize that he was on the third level?
c. Why did the messenger come to Dr Sadao? What did Hana think about it?
d. Dr Sadao was not arrested on the charge of harboring an enemy? Why?

9. Attempt Any ONE of the following: (1X 5= 5)

a. What impression do you form of Dr Sadao as a man and as a surgeon after reading the chapter, ‘The Enemy’?
b. How did the misadventure in Y.M.C.A pool affect Douglas? What efforts did he make to conquer his fear of water?