TERM 1- ASSESSMENT-4

Code - 301
SUBJECT: ENGLISH CORE TIME : 90 Mins.
CLASS: XII M.M. : 40
General Instructions:
• This paper has THREE sections.
• Section A READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions as per specific instructions for each
question.
• Section B WRITING SKILL has a total of twelve questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions as per instructions
given with each question.
• Section C -LITERATURE Section has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per instructions for each
question.
• All questions carry equal marks.
• There is no negative marking.
• A reading time of ten minutes is set along with Writing time of 90 Minutes.
• The answers are to be neatly written in a notebook.
• Click a clear picture of the answers.
• Name of the student, class, section and page number should be written on each page.
• Save the image as PDF on your device with correct question number.
Go to MS Teams and upload all images (answers) as Add Work within the submission time and Turn in your
assignment.

READING

I. Read the passage given below:

(1) I was born on 30th November, 1835 in the almost invisible village of Florida, Monroe
County, Missouri. I suppose Florida had less than three hundred inhabitants. It had two
streets, each a couple of hundred yards long; the rest of the avenues mere lanes, with rail
fences and cornfields on either side. Both the streets and the lanes were paved with the
same material – tough black mud in wet times, deep dust in dry.
(2) Most of the houses were of logs: all of them indeed, except three or four; these latter were
frame ones. There were none of brick and none of stone. There was a log church with a
puncheon floor and slab benches. A puncheon floor is made of logs whose upper surfaces
have been chipped flat with the adze. The cracks between the logs were not filed: there
was no carpet; consequently, if you dropped anything smaller than a peach, it was likely
to go through. The church was perched upon short sections of logs, which elevated it two
or three feet from the ground. Hogs slept under there, and whenever the dogs got after
them during services, the minister had to wait till the disturbance was over. In winter
there was always a refreshing breeze up through the puncheon floor, in summer there
were fleas enough for all.
(3) A slab bench is made of the outside cut of a saw-log, with the bark side down; it is
supported on four sticks driven into auger holes at the ends; it has no back and no
cushions. The church was Twi -lighted with yellow tallow candles in tin sconces hung
against the walls. Week days, the church was a school house.
(4) There were two stores in the village. My uncle, John A. Quarles, was proprietor of one
of them. It was a very small establishment, with a few rolls of "bit" calicoes on half a
dozen shelves ; a few barrels of mackerel, coffee, and New Orleans sugar behind the
counter; stacks of brooms, shovels, axes, hoes, rakes and such things here and there ; a
lot of cheap hats, bonnets, and tinware strung on strings and suspended from the walls ;

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and at the other end of the room was another counter with bags on it, a cheese or two and
a keg of powder; in front of it a row of nail kegs and a few pigs of lead, and behind it a
barrel or two of New Orleans molasses and native corn whisky on top. If a boy bought
five or ten cents pouch of anything, he was entitled to half a handful of sugar from the
barrel.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any eight questions from
the ten that follow, choosing the correct option:
1. Lanes in Florida were paved with ..............
• wet earth and shingles
• tough black mud in wet times and deep dust in the dry months
• black mud in wet times and dry mud in dry times
• dry mud in wet times and wet mud in dry times
2. During week days, the local church served as a ..............
• bazaar
• pilgrim spot
• school house
• priest's lodgings
3. If a boy customer bought five to ten cents' worth of goods, he was entitled to .......
• a spoonful of molasses free
• a bale of calico
• a cheese or two
• half a handful of sugar
4. The church was Twi lighted with ..............
• red candles
• beautiful light house
• yellow bulbs
• yellow tallow candles
5. The word ‘Proprietor ‘in the passage would mean same as:
• Landlady
• Owner
• Builder
• Engineer
6. The houses were built of ..............
• brick and stone
• straw
• wooden logs
• Alloys
7. Which of the following statement, according to the passage is true ?
• Uncle John’s store was a great enterprise.
• Uncle John’s store earned him great profit.
• Uncle John’s store was a humble establishment.
• All the statements are true.
8. The church of Florida
• It was a magnificent structure
• It had green gardens on both sides of its entrance passage
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 • Perched upon short sections of logs
• None of the above
9. Find a word from the passage for 'existing naturally in a place'.
• Resident
• Dweller
• Native
• None of these
10. Winters are marked with
• Stale breeze
• Gusty wind
• Hail storm
• Refreshing breeze
II. Read the passage given below:
Adam Johnson is a gardener. He has always loved trees and says that his ambition is to
plant a thousand trees within a period of five years. He asks us to imagine what is would
be like if all the gardeners in the world were to work together, they could plant a rain forest.
Adam has always been interested in the environment. As a child, he used to visit his
grandfather, who grew vegetables, and that was what inspired him to love gardening. He
grew up at a time when a number of children's television programs were encouraging young
people to cultivate their gardens and recycle their rubbish. he started gardening about three
years ago.
To start with he planted a tree in his own garden. Then he suddenly, thought that it would
be a good idea to put a few more around the neighborhood. So, he started planting them in
his friend's gardens and began to look around to see if there were any local areas that would
benefit from the presence of a few trees. There were and then he has planted trees all over
the own.

Adam usually plants fruit trees, apples, pears and plums, because these are the easiest trees
to plant. When they produce their fruit, he like says he can pick some for himself and other
people can also do the same.
The public parks are well looked after by the local authorities and Adam does not want to
interfere with their efforts. At the moment, he is working on a hospital garden and he is
always on the lockout for new places, but he no longer goes into private gardens. He has
his eye on a local government compound which he would like to brighten up but he is not
sure if he will be given permission.
As well as his gardening activities, Adam also does whatever paid work he can so that he
can earn money to buy more trees. He lives a simple life. He grows his own vegetables and
what he cannot grow himself, he buys from his local cooperative food store. He likes this
shop because it supports low-energy light bulbs and does not have a cart or computer, if he
needs some entertainment, he's got MP3 player because, after gardening, music is the love
of his life.

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Adam says that when it comes to the environment, we must constantly look for solutions.
'You have got to keep positive and give people answers. Let's see if we can save what we
can and do what we can. My ambitions are simple, I like to care for my local community
and improve the environment. We can all do something towards that. We could all plant a
fruit tree or a native tree. I wish I could plant more myself. But if any person in my
community wants to buy trees, I will happily plant them.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight,
questions given below by choosing the most appropriate option:
1. What does Adam Johnson want?
• To plant 1200 trees within five years
• To plant 1000 trees within five years
• To grow fruits and vegetables on a large scale
• To grow only fruit trees
2. According to Adam Johnson a rain forest could be in existence if:
• all the farmers in the world work together
• all the gardeners in the world work together
• all the countries in the world implement the planting
• all the fields in the world are planted together
3. Gardening became a hobby of Adam Johnson due to the inspiration received
from his:
• father
• mother
• teacher
• grandfather
4. Children's television programs were specially for young people so that they
might:
• cultivate their gardens
• recycle their rubbish
• Both (i) and (ii)
• grow vegetables, fruits and make manure
5. According to the graph, how many trees does Adam Johnson expect to have
planted by 2011?
• 300
• 400
• 500
• 450
6. According to the graph, how many trees did Adam Johnson plant by 2010?
• 100
• 300
• 250
• 200
7. Adam liked to:
• Care for his community
• Plant Trees
• Improve Environment
• All the above options are correct
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 8. According to the passage, ‘to give people answers’ would mean:
• Bring a positive change
• Give a solution
• Improve Environment
• To reply
WRITING

(III) Answer ANY FOUR of the five questions given, with reference to context below:
The President of R.W.A. Malabar Heights, Pune, has to put up a notice to inform
residents about a power-cut for their residential area.
Choose the most appropriate option:
9. Select the appropriate title for the notice.
• Choosing Own Power Cuts
• Scheduled Power Cut
• The Need to Save Power
• Power and Resident Safety
10. Select the option that lists the most accurate opening for this notice.
• Greetings and attention please, to one and all in Malabar Heights.
• This notice is written to share some news with you all about.
• This is to inform all the residents of Malabar Heights about.
• I wish to share with all officials of R.W.A. Malabar Heights that.
11. Select the option with the information points to be included in the body of the
notice.
(1) Opinion about regular power cuts
(2) Resolution for power cuts
(3) Reason for the power cut
(4) Timings of the power cut
(5) Complaint against regular power cuts
(6) Date of the power cut
• (1) and (4)
• (2), (3) and (5)
• (2) and (6)
• (3), (4) and (6)
12. Would this notice reflect the name of the R.W.A.?
• Yes, because it is the issuing body.
• No, because it is understood through the signature.
• Yes, because it makes it informal.
• All the statements are correct
13. Select the appropriate conclusion for this notice.
• Stay informed
• Collaboration solicited
• Stay prepared
• Inconvenience regretted
(IV) Answer ANY SIX of the seven questions given, with reference to context below:
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 Write a letter to the Editor of the Hindu on the fear that is spreading among people due
their anxiety over the widespread terrorism in the world. Give suggestions to curb such
antisocial activities. You are Vikram.
Choose the most appropriate option:
14. Vikram should project terrorism as a
• Communal Issue
• National Issue
• Global issue
• Individual issue
15. The concern that Vikram expresses through his letter is about
• People as victims of terrorism
• People falling in the vicious circle of terrorism
• People living in unrest and amidst violence
• People living in peace

26 Vikram writes his letter to the Editor as a/an

• Individual to attract the attention of Editor towards him

• Individual to attract the attention of readers towards him
• Individual to attract the attention of the readers towards the problem
• Individual to attract the attention of the Editor towards the problem

27. You feel that the problem of terrorism should be presented with
A. Understanding and delving deep into the root cause of problem
B. Sarcasm and blaming the governments for the failure to curb it
C. Hatred and cursing the people involved in it
D. Criticism and condemning the act of terrorism

28. This letter can be categorized as a/an

• Informative one
• Individual to attract the attention of readers to the problem
• Effect-cause one
• Cause-effect one.

29. Pick one of the statements which help the writer to conclude his letter
• I ’m sure, you will take an initiative to curb the problem of terrorism.
• I am hopeful about your positive response to my letter.
• I am sure your intervention will set right the
• I am sure you will aware the readers about the problem by publishing it.

30. The letter will be impressive only when it has the following features

Format-clarity of expression-fluency-relevance
• Format-verbose-strong expression-relevance
• Format-strong language-relevance-fluency
• Format-irrelevance-fluency-humorous
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 LITERATURE
This section on has subsections V, VI, VII, VIII and IX. There are a total of 30 questions

in the section. Attempt any 28 from sub sections V to IX.

V. (1) Read the extract given below to attempt questions that follow:
" Sometimes I think Grand Central is growing like a tree, pushing out new corridors
and staircases like roots. There’s probably a long tunnel that nobody knows about
feeling its way under the city right now, on its way to Times Square and maybe
another to Central Park. And maybe that’s how the tunnel I got into. But I never
told my psychiatrist friend about the idea.”
31. The above extract isn’t an example of
• Allegory
• Analogy
• Imagery
• Metaphor
32. Charley decided not to tell his psychiatrist friend about his idea. Choose the
option that reflects the reaction Charley anticipated from his friend--------------
• ‘That’s such a lovely comparison. Why don’t you become a writer, Charley?’
• “Oh Charley. It is so sad to see your desperation to run away! So very sad.”
• “Maybe that’s how you entered the third level. Who would have thought!”
• “You need help, my raving friend. You are way too invested in this crazy
thought!”
33. The idiom ‘feeling its way’ implies ----------- movement
• Swift
• Tentative
• Circular
• Disorganized
34. This extract has been taken from the unit:
• Deep Water
• The third level
• Last Lesson
• Lost Spring
35. The word ‘Probably’ in the extract means same as:
• As the case maybe
• In all probability
• To all appearance
• Seemingly

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VI. “My introduction to the YMCA swimming pool revived unpleasant memories and
stirred childish fears. But in a little while I gathered confidence".
36. What are the 'unpleasant memories' of the writer?
• His fight with his friends
• His teacher's scolding in the school
• His fearful experience on the beach in California when he was 3 or 4 years old.
• Coming through the market
37. How did the writer overcome his childhood fear in YMCA pool?
• By reading books on swimming
• With firm determination to learn swimming
• His friends helped him a lot
• All of the above
38. Which sentence best explains the meaning of ‘stirred’, from the extract?
• He stirred the cream until it was soft.
• She stirred and cuddled into him.
• She was overwhelmed and the narration stirred her emotions.
• None of the statements is correct.
39. What describes the writer best?
• Bold
• Scared
• Tired
• Strong willed
40. The synonym of word ‘revived’, according to the extract is:
• Bring back
• Scared
• Painful
• Rehabilitation
VII.
I saw my mother
Beside me
doze, open mouthed, her face
Ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with pain
that she was as old as she looked but soon
put that thought away
41. ‘I’ is the

• The narrator
• The poet, Kamala Das
• The narrator
• None of the above

42. Identify the poetic device used in the line, ‘Ashen like that.’
• Alliteration
• Personification
• Simile

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 • Metaphor
43. Why did the poet put her thoughts away?
• She did not want to share anything.
• She saw her mother sick.
• The thought of separation from her mother was unpleasant.
• None of the statements stand true.
44. The line ‘like that of a corpse’ , implies

• An old woman sitting next to the poet

• Pale, wrinkled and bloodless face resembled that of a corpse
• Poet’s worry and fear
• None of the statements are correct
45. What is the distinctive feature of the poem, ‘My mother at Sixty-six’?
• Its imagery
• Its metaphors
• Narrative Style
• Imagery used
VIII But neither of them moved. They were staring with a curious repulsion upon the
inert figure.
46. Who are ‘they’ here?
• Hana and her husband
• Mr. And Mrs. Harley
• Kamala Das and her husband
• Maria and her brother
47. Who were they staring at with great repulsion?
• White man belonging to U.S.A
• White man belonging to UK
• Dark man belonging to Nigeria
• Fair complexioned fellow from Britain
48. What was the state of the Inert figure?'.
• Dead
• Dizzy
• Unconscious
• In good spirits
49. The extract has been taken from the unit
• Third Level
• Enemy
• Deep Water
• Keeping Quiet
50. ‘Repulsion’ in the extract would mean
• The Inert figure wasn’t acceptable to them.
• The Inert figure was attractive.
• The Inert figure didn’t agree with them.
• All the statements are correct.
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IX. Attempt the following.
51. "What I want should not be confused with total inactivity."
Choose the option that draws the most accurate parallel
Keeping quiet: total inactivity
• reflection and death
• silence and reflection
• stagnation and introspection
• mindfulness and meditation

52. "The Third Level' refers to the third level at the Grand Central Station. As a
metaphor, ........... would NOT be an appropriate explanation of the title?
• The convergence of reality and fantasy.
• The bridge between the past and the present.
• The oppressive monotony of modern life.
• The need for an alternate plane of understanding.
53. 'She did not wish to be left alone with the white man.'
Why did Hana feel so, despite having studied in America?
This was so because:
• Being Japanese, it wasn't appropriate to stay on with a stranger
• America and Japan were not allies in the ongoing World War.
• He was someone she'd recognized from her past in America.
• Her husband had cautioned her against the American.
54. How is Mukesh different from his peers, in the story Lost Spring?
.
• He goes to school.
• He is a good singer.
• He earns a lot of money.
• Unlike his peers he has a dream to do something different.
55. Which types of wars the poet talks about in the poem, 'Keeping Quiet'?
• Green wars, wars with gas, wars with fire
• All the statements are true.
• Technological warfare
• Nuclear wars
56. Why did the surgeon speak sharply to his wife?
• To get things he needed
• To get her help
• To stop any disturbance that could lead to him harm the wounded man
• To make her feel guilty
57. What is the meaning of 'Waking dream wish fulfillment'?
• A pleasant wish that makes one forget the present
• A pleasant wish that takes one to the future
• A pleasant wish which inspires to work
• A pleasant wish that makes one enjoy the present
58. What is the universality of the theme of the poem, My mother at sixty-six?
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 • Death is inevitable.
• To be happy
• Everyone is old.
• None of the statements is true
• She has duties

59. Why was the narrator seeing the Third Level?

• As a wish to visit Galesburg
• Wanted to meet his friends
• Wanted to take a break from the office
• As a result of stress and anxiety in his mind
60. Identify the tone of the poet Stephen Spender in the poem “An Elementary
school classroom in a slum”
• Misery and desperation
• To see the beautiful landscape
• Joy and Happiness
• Grief

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