ENGLISH II

Term Test- Grade 13

Three hours

1. Write a composition on one of the following topics, paying attention to relevant facts and
supporting evidence, structure, organization, coherent argument, accurate language and
expression.
(1) Sri Lanka’s environmental challenges
(2) Urban planning and development
(3) A review of a novel you have read in which the effects of good communication has been
discussed
(4) A report on the increasing number of crimes, their causes, with recommendation for
Preventive measures.
(5) Imagine that you have witnessed a train-elephant crash and you were in the same train at the
Time. Describe the scene.

Write a précis of the following passage using your own words as far as possible.
(1) Begin the précis in a new sheet. Divide your page into 5 columns, number the lines
(2) Write the précis in approximately 120 words
(3) State the number of words you have used

Whether we are aware of it or not, most of us are influenced by idealogy.Every television

program, newspaper, book or film directly or indirectly, internationally or unintentionally
presents an ideology. Some of these presentations are simple; others are very complex: all of
them influences us. As we grow up,our family,teachers and friends help us shape our
personalities and beliefs by pushing us to do or believe what they do or believe.At times we also
make conscious choices among beliefs and attitudes; either because we weight one position
against another and conclude that one is better or worse according to some standard ,or perhaps
simply because we do,or do not, respect a person who holds that belief.
We gradually come to the set of beliefs and attitudes with which we will live, those we
believe represent truth, even though we may not be aware of it. This set of beliefs will change
throughout our lives,but it is less likely to change as we grow older.Most of us are not deeply
aware of what we believe.we do not take our beliefs out and examine them very often, if at all.We
may rethink one position or change another without really thinking about it, but we rarely look
carefully or thoroughly at our beliefs.
In the development of our own beliefs and attitudes, we are affected by a variety of belief
systems religious and /or political views of the world that are, or are believed to be, internally
consistent and consciously held by many people: we call these belief systems ideologies. We may
accept parts of these ideologies simply because we have been taught to react positively or
negatively to words that represent them. For example, people in the west are likely to believe that
democracy is right and communism is wrong even if they have never read a book that discusses
democracy and communism. We react to words because they have emotional content even if they
do not have intellectual content. Most people, of course, find some emotional and some
intellectual content in most important words. At times, each of us reacts on the basis of an
ideology; at such times we are acting as though we accepted the ideology, even if we don’t accept
all the attitudes and beliefs that make us the ideology.
3. Read the following passage and answer the questions given below.use your own words
“What’s all this about” asked Ochumelov, shouldering his way through the crowd.” What are you
doing here? Why are you holding up your finger? Who shouted?”
“I was walking along, your honour, as quiet as a lamb,” began Khryukin,coughing in to his fist.”I
had business about some wood with Mitri nuisance bit my finger.Excude me, but I as a working
man..Mine is a very intricate trade.Make them pay me compensation perhaps I won’t be able to
move this finger for a week.It doesn’t say in the law, your Honour, that we have to put up with
ferocious animals.if everyone’s to start biting, life won’t be worth living..”
“h’m…well, well,” said Ochumelov severely, coughing and twitching his eyebrows.”well, well…
whose dog it is? I shan’t leave it at this. I’ll teach people to let dogs run about! It’s time
something was done about gentlemen who are not willing to obey the regulations! He’ll get such
a fine, scoundrel- I’ll teach him what it means to let dogs and cattle of all sorts rove about! I’ll
show him what’s what! Edrin,” he continued, turning to the constable. “Find out whose dog it is,
and draw up a statement. And the dog must be exterminated without delay. It’s probably mad…
Whose dog is it I asked?
“I think it belongs to General Zhingalov” said a voice from the crowd.
“General Zhingalov! H’m.help me off with my coat, Edrin.. Phew, how hot hot it is! It must be
going to rain.” He turned to khryukin: “one thing I don’t understand, How did it happen to bit
you? How could it have got at your finger? Such a little dog, and you such a strapping fellow?
You must have scratched your finger with a nail, and then taken it into your head to get paid for
it. I know you fellows! A set of devils!”
“He burnt the end of its nose with a lighted cigarette for a joke, your honour, and it snapped at
him, it’s nobody’s fool! That khryukin’s always up to some mischief, your honour!”
“None of your lies, squinty! You didn’t see me do it, so why lie? His Honour is a wise gentleman,
he knows who’s lying and who’s telling a God’s truth. May thee justice of the peace try me if I’m
lying! It says in the law…. All men are equal now. I have a brother in the police myself, if you
want to know…..”
“Don’t argue!”
“No it isn’t the General’s dog” remarked the constable profoundly’
“The general hasn’t got a dog like that. All his dogs are pointers.”
“Are you sure?”
“Quite sure, your Honour.”
“And you are right! The general’s dogs are expensive, breed dogs,and this one—just look at it!
ugly, mangy curl why should anyone keep a dog like that? Are you crazy? If a dog like that were
to find itself in Moscow or Petersburg, d’ you know what would happen to it? Nobody would
worry about the law, it would be got rid of in a minute. You’re a victim, Khryukin, and mind you
don’t leave it at that. He must be taught a lesson! It’s high time…”
“Perhaps, it is the General’s after all,” said the constable, thinking aloud.”you can’t tell by
looking at it. I saw one just like it in his yard the other day.”
‘of course it is the General’s!” came the voice from the crowd.
“Him! Help me on with my coat, Eldrin..I felt a gust of wind.Im shivery. Take it to the General
and ask them. Say I found it, and sent it. And tell them not to let it into the street.Perhaps it’s an
expensive dog. It’s your own fault.Stop showing your silly finger.”
(a) What do you think is Ochumelov’s occupation? What sort of person he is?
(b) Do you think Khryukin is telling the truth about the incident? Give reasons from the passage
to support your answer.
(c) Explain the significance of the following (i) Ochumelov’s taking off and putting his coat (ii)
Kyrykin’s statement that “all men are equal now’
(d) What implicit criticism does the author offer about the society he describes?
(e) What is the role played by the crowd in this incident?

4. Read the following poem and answer the questions given below.

The Poplar Field

The Poplars are felled, farewell to the shade.

And the whispering sound of the cool colonnade;
The winds play no longer and sing in the leaves,
Nor ouse on his bosom their image receives

Twelve years have elapsed since I first took a view

Of my favorite field, and the bank where they grew,
And now in the grass behold they are laid,
And the tree is my seat that once lent me a shade.

The blackbird has fled to another retreat

Where the hazels afford him a screen from the heat;
And the scene where his melody charmed me before
Resounds with his sweet-flowing ditty no more.

My fugitive years are all hasting away,

And I must ere long lie as lowly as they,
With a turf on my breast and a stone at my head,
Ere another such grove shall arise in its stead.

'Tis a sight to engage me, if anything can,

To muse on the perishing pleasures of man;
Short-lived as we are, our enjoyments, I see,
Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we .

( Ouse : an English river)

(a) What is the poet’s attitude to the poplars?

(b) Describe the chief attributes of the poplar field (when it was intact)
(c) A connection is implied in the poem between the fate of Poplars and the poet’s own fate.
Explain this connection.
(d)Define the overall tone/ mood of this poem.
(e) Describe and examine the view that this poem expresses on life in general

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