Sample Paper English Core (Code-301) for class 12, CBSE.

Sample Paper – 2010

Class – XII

Subject – ENGLISH CORE

CODE NO.: 301

1. Read the passage given below and then answer the questions that follow:

1.  Instead of students going to Aristotle, Aristotle has to go to the students. That”s the basic philosophy of Open Distance Learning (ODL). Besides removing the traditional constraints of face-to-face, teacher-centric education, ODL strives to make available the best teachers, the best courses and all types of quality learning resources to any number of students anytime anywhere at affordable costs. Is it wishful thinking or a possibility and a reality?
2. There are all kinds of myths about ODL. Some of them being: ODL cannot ensure quality; you cannot teach all subjects, particularly science and technology courses; and ODL graduates can”t be employed because they are inferior to “regular” students. But these myths can be exploded, if we try to understand ODL”s potential and promise. Everyone knows that no country can progress without good education. However, quality education for all, democratisation of education and education at affordable costs have always remained mere dreams for Indians.
3. Notwithstanding the various commissions and the reports on education, the question of access to quality education for all still remains. If we compare the quality of our classroom courses and millions of unemployed educated youth, and the 5 per cent certified skilled work force, we can well understand the “quality” of the existing system. The huge dropout rates and hardly 11 per cent participation of the eligible age group in higher education tell us about the effectiveness of a system that refuses to see the plight of thousands of bright students crying for seats in various colleges.
4. ODL has the answer. The number of Indian universities (800, including the deemed to be universities), 20,000 colleges and centres of excellence should be seen in relation to demand and supply in a country with a 1.2 billion population. Do we know that to become a developed country, the minimum level of participation in higher education is 40 per cent. Can we reach the benchmark without using ODL?

5.  The total enrolment of distance learners at the higher education level is 3.5 million, which is about 25 per cent of the enrolment at this level. The 11th Plan target is to hike it to 40 per cent. The National Knowledge Commission”s recommendation to set up 1,500 new universities can”t be implemented in the near future, given the way the 16 new central universities have come up and the controversies over the appointments of their vice-chancellors. Setting up more ODL institutions is imperative to meet the planned targets.
6. The four indispensable requirements to meet the challenges are to Create a relevant, flexible, innovative curriculum and formulate quality study material, ensure efficient student support services, make sure there is a responsive and effectively managed educational administration, Encourage high quality systemic research and development in all departments.
7. Without having all the above four, it is impossible to practise genuine ODL. Once it is in place, many of the prejudices about genuine ODL will disappear, as has happened in the developed world. The sheer pressure of numbers, relevance, flexibility and costs will persuade both sceptics and policy makers to take this method of education seriously. We should not throw away the baby along with the bathwater, and the tub

• Answer the following questions:

1. What does ODL strive to do?
2. What are the various myths about ODL?
3. What shows that National knowledge commission’s recommendations to set up new universities can’t be implemented in the near future?   W
4. hat are the indispensable requirements to meet the challenges of setting up more ODL institutions?
5. What will persuade the policy makers to take up the ODL system of education seriously?

1.2 Find the words from the passage which mean the same as:                                    3

2. restrictions (para 1)
3. necessary (para 5)
4. preconceived opinions (para 7)

2. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :

               Helicopter parenting is when parents are constantly interacting and many times interfering with their children’s lives. They hover over their children like a helicopter. Some even call them Black Hawk parents like the helicopter used by the military.

Helicopter parents will make decisions for their children as to what extra curricular activities they do after school. Helicopter parents will get the child ready for practices, school and any event that happens in life. Some helicopter parents have been known to do their child’s work so that their child can get the best grade, or score.

Helicopter parents have a constant connection with their children and the cell phone makes it even better for the helicopter parent. Many helicopter parents have a “best friend” relationship with their children. Helicopter parenting is having a constant concern that your kids are doing well and succeeding in everything they do. If this concern is not satisfied then a helicopter parent will interfere in the child’s life.

Some advantages to helicopter parenting are that there is a close relationship between parent and child. Many parents like having a very close relationship with their child. The parent and child can call and talk to each other about anything and feel very comfortable with each other, even with friends around. This can happen without helicopter parenting, but many helicopter parents feel that it is more evident in the helicopter parenting style of parenting.

Some advantages to helicopter parenting are that there is a close relationship between parent and child. Many parents like having a very close relationship with their child. The parent and child can call and talk to each other about anything and feel very comfortable with each other, even with friends around. This can happen without helicopter parenting, but many helicopter parents feel that it is more evident in the helicopter parenting style of parenting.

Helicopter parenting can enable parents to know what is going on in their child’s life. This will extend into college and the child’s professional life. Many parents like knowing what their children are doing and helicopter parenting allows them this comfort. This is because helicopter parenting gives the parents intense involvement in the lives of the children. This involvement can also help parents to guide their kids and prevent the kids from repeating the parent’s mistakes. Children of helicopter parents can be protected by their parents from making the same mistakes their parents did. The children may never know the exact mistake, but the helicopter parent hovering over them will prevent them from making the mistake.

Here is an overview of the disadvantages of helicopter parenting. Children become dependent on their parents longer into their life. Children of helicopter parents will depend on their parent’s money, time and advice past their college years and into their professional careers. Some helicopter parents will write acceptance letters to colleges for their children. They will also want to be on the phone when their children talk to college administrators and teachers. Helicopter parents have even been known to pressure their children in salary negotiations as well as which job to take.

Helicopter parenting can develop into resentment between child and parent. If the helicopter parent is too pushy and doesn’t let the child live the life he or she wants to, the child may resent the parent drastically and rebel. Many times helicopter parenting can force a child to do things or take paths in life that are only what the parent wants and not the child.

(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                    5

(b) Write a summary of the above passage in 80 words using the notes made and als  Suggest a suitable title.

SECTION B : ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS

3. Water is precious and it should be used with care. Prepare a poster in not more than

    50 words urging people to employ various methods of rain water harvesting in their

    Colonies.

OR

    You are Regional Sales manager of a reputed pharmaceutical company. You need Science graduates with at least 2 years experience and less than 28 years of age, as medical representatives for your company. Draft a suitable advertisement in not more than 50 words to be published in the situations vacant column of a daily newspaper

4. Your school recently launched ‘Ban Polythene’ campaign. The programme  included guest lecture, motivational plays and public awareness campaigns in the areas near the school. As Sachin / Sanchita, secretary of Eco club of your school, write a report in 125-150 words,  to be published in your school magazine.

OR

        As staff   reporter of The Times of India, you witnessed the exhibition of the ‘Red Ribbon express”  the  train, to raise AIDS awareness among the youth in India.  write a report in 125-150 words to be published in your newspaper.

5. You are Apoorva, resident of 29, Rajendra Nagar, Lucknow. You are given the  Responsibility of fixing the venue for your sister’s wedding. Write a letter in 150- 200 words, to the manager of a five-star hotel for booking the wedding hall for   wedding  reception.  Also inquire about the facilities,  catering , decoration other  charges etc.

OR

    You are Tushar Garg,   residing at 100, Pushpanjali apartments, Indore. You bought an LCD television from M/S Sagar electronics, Bada Bazar, Indore. It does not function properly. Write a letter to the sales manager of the shop, complaining about  the defect and seeking immediate replacement or repair, as necessary.

Write an article in 150-200 words on the topic ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’.

OR

    It is the habit of media to sensationalise the news to gain attention and to raise  their viewership. Write an article on the topic in 150-200 words.

SECTION C  :  TEXT BOOKS

7 (a) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :

        Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victories with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.

(i) What is meant by ‘green wars’ and who prepare them?                               2

(ii) What does ‘doing nothing’ signify?                                                            1

(iii) When will the war creators walk about with their brothers?                      1

OR

   Sometimes I feel myself I can hardly bear

         The thought of so much childish longing in vain,

         The sadness that lurks near the open window there,

         That waits all day in almost open prayer

         For the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car

       (i) What does ‘childish longing’ imply?                                                            1

(ii) Whose ‘childish longing’ does the narrator refer to?                                  1

(iii) What do the people with ‘childish longing’ wait for?                                1

       (iv) Why is ‘sadness’ lurking at the open window?                                         1

(b) Answer any three of the following questions in 30-40 words each:                3×2 =6

(i) What does the parting words of Kamala das signify?

(ii) What does the poet want for the slum children?

(iii) Name any two shapes of beauty that moves away the pall from our dark spirits?

(iv)  What does ‘Tigers’ symbolize in the poem?

8. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each: 5×2=10

(a) What words were thunderclap for Franz and why?

(b) What is ironical about saheb’s name?

(c ) How was the champaran episode a turning point in Gandhi’s life?

(d)  What was the reason for office boy’s frustration?

(e)  What are Interstices?  How does Umberto Eco utilize his interstices?

9. Answer the following question in 125-150 words: 10

What misadventure took place with Douglas? What impact did it leave on him?

OR

     ‘Essential goodness of a human being can be awakened through love and

Understanding” How does the story ‘Rattrap’ brings forth the idea?’

10. Answer the following questions in 125-150 words : 7

How were both Zitkala-sa and Bama victims of oppression and discrimination?  How did they try to fight against this?

OR

      How was Mr. Lamb able to remove the baseless fears of Derry?

11. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each: 4×2 =8

• How did skunk’s mother get his own smell back?
• What is ironical about the death of the Tiger king?
• “Take care of the small things and the big things will themselves fall into place.
• With what example from Antarctica, does the writer prove this point?
• How does the governer come to know the name and location of the hotel Evans was staying in?