AHSEC – Class 12 | Alte English Solved Question Paper -2016

HS 2^ndYEAR ALTERNATIVE ENGLISH

Q. PAPER 2016

Pass Marks: 30

Time: 3 hours

The figures in the margin indicate full marks for the questions.

GROUP – A

1. Answer any five of the following:                                                           1×5=5

a)      For how long had the Verger been working at St. Peter’s?

Ans: The verger had been working for sixteen years at St. Peter’s.

b)      Where had the new vicar come from?

Ans: The new vicar has come from the East End.

c)       What name does R.K. Narayan propose for his most ambitious work?

Ans: The name that the author propose for his most ambitious work is “Testament of a Walker”.

d)      What does R.K. Narayan Lack and yet does not regret?

Ans: Narayan lacked automobile sensibility. No, he never regretted this lacking.

e)      Whose voice does Mriganko Babu recognize in the voice of scarecrow?

Ans: He recognized Abhiram’s voice, in the call of the scarecrow.

f)       Where does Mriganko Babu’s driver go  to fetch petrol ?

Ans: Mriganko Babu’s driver goes  to Panagarh fetch petrol.

g)      How much money had Della managed to save for Jim’s present?

Ans: Della had managed to save one dollar and eighty-seven cents.

h)      What was the full name of Jim?

Ans: Full name of Jim was Mr. James Dillingham Young.

i)        What is the name of the philosopher mentioned by the person sitting at the table next to Robert Lynd’s at the lounge of the hotel?

Ans: Epictetus is name of the philosopher mentioned by the person sitting at the table next to Robert Lynd’s at the lounge of the hotel

j)        To whom does Lynd compare himself in his eagerness in desiring wisdom.

Ans: Lynd compare himself to Solomen in his eagerness in desiring wisdom

a)      How did the verger regard his official dress?

Ans: The verger regarded his official dress as the dignified symbol of his office, and without the gown he had the disconcerting sensation of being somewhat insufficiently clad.

b)      What business did Albert Edward Foreman set up and where?

Ans: After resigning from the church, the verger set up in business as a tobacconist and news agent. He started it in a long street where there were no tobacconist.

c)       What is R.K. Narayan’s philosophy that leaves him indifferent to a hike in the price of petrol?

Ans: The author is indifferent at the mention of any petrol ‘hike’ or the uproar of the petrol price; because he believes that he doesn’t need to worry about such matters when he is having two legs given by the God. He believes that man’s ultimate destiny lays in walking.

d)      What are the things that Narayan values and what cause these to be lost?

Ans: The things that Narayan value the most are privacy and anonymity. But they were lost when he starts to move about in his car because his car was very attractive having unique features that attracts everybodys’ attention .It is like sitting in a howdah on elephant back and hopping not to be noticed.

e)      Where had Mriganko Shekhar Mukhopadhyay been invited and why?

Ans: Mriganko Babu was headed to Durgapur because he was invited by a club to a cultural function were he was to be felicitated.

f)       Why was Mriganko Babu terrified?

Ans: Mriganko Babu got stranded near paddy near paddy field on his way back to the city as his car ran out of petrol. Suddenly he felt as though the scarecrow made some movement. Then he thought that it was his imagination. But then he saw and the scarecrow actually came to life and moving towards him. The scarecrow came near Mriganko Babu and introduced him as Abhiram, an old servant who served Mriganko Babu and his family for long twenty years. So he was terrified.

g)      What were the prized possessions of the James Dillingham Young’s?

Ans: The prized possessions of the James Dillingham Young’s were- Jim’s gold precious watch, a family heirloom and Della’s long beautiful lustrous hair.

h)      What does Della expect Jim to say when he returns and sees her?

Ans: Della was worried that Jim would get angry with her about the way she looked now. And if not angry he would give her a second look and surely would say that she looked like a Coney Island chorus girl

i)        What does Lynd expect philosophers to do?

Ans: The author confesses that he needs wisdom,; he eagerly wants to be wise like King Solomon. He wishes that all the philosophers should make laborious and hard task and find out wisdom and after that he would like take the fruits from them. He would like to buy wisdom from the philosophers in exchange of some money like buying apples, medicines etc.

j)        Why was the stealing of the lamp unprofitable to the thief?

Ans:  The Stealing of the lamp unprofitable to the thief because he had lost faith of others for a lamp. Nobody was  going to believe him even he acquired bestial qualities for a lamp and he was morally degraded.

3. Answer any three of the following:                             4×3=12

a)      Why was the bank manager in Maugham’s tale surprised? Why did it seem the most extraordinary thing he had ever heard?

Ans: The bank manager in Maugham’s tale was surprised because Edward Albert Foreman, the former verger of St Peter’s Neville Square, informed him that he was unable to read or write except for his name and that too he had learnt it when he set up his business.

For the bank manager this seemed to be the most extraordinary thing that he had heard because Foreman had accumulated a large sum of money through his business as a tobacconist and a newsagent. It is generally though that handsome amount of money can be earned only by people who are literate and as Foreman was an illiterate person, the manager found it very extraordinary that Foreman could earn such a big sum of money.

b)      Why is the acquisition of a sophisticated imported car” an irrelevancy ands a nuisance” for Narayan?

c)       What did Mriganko Babu do on reaching home and why?

Ans: Abhiram told Mriganko Babu the truth of his stolen watch, that he was not the their, he has always been loyal to them, and that the watch was still there in their house. On reaching home, Mriganko Babu searched for his watch under the wardrobe as directed by the scarecrow and found his watch there. He then realized his mistake and decided never to believe the witch doctors ever again.

d)      In spite of not being any wiser, does Lynd lose faith in books? What does he still believe?

Ans: No, in spite of not being any wiser, Lynd doesn’t lose faith in books. Rather he kept on reading more and more books, from one philosopher to another, in search of wisdom. He believes that,in books, there is some kind of wise presence which would enrich the reader with philosophical depth and the strength of character. And all this can be gained by the reader while he may be relaxing in an armchair and smoking.

4. Explain with reference to the context any two of the following:                    4×2=8

a)      “The last vicar knew that, sir,” he replied. “He said it didn’t make no difference. He always said there was a great deal too much education in the world for ‘is taste.’

Ans:The quoted lines are an extract from the short story ‘the Verger’ written by William Somerset Maugham. The lines are spoken by Albert Edward Foreman, the verger of St Peter’s Neville Square, to the new vicar.

The new vicar had been recently appointed at St Peter’s church. Albert Edward Foreman was the verger of that church for the last sixteen years and he did not know how to read and write. The new vicar found it very strange that the verger of a church located in such a respectable locality as Neville Square should have an illiterate verger. So he called Foreman to the vestry one evening after the formalities of the church were over and enquired about his incapability to read and write. The vicar said that it was rather unpleasant that he had to disclose to Foreman that the latter’s illiteracy was an extraordinary circumstance and that a respectable church like St Peter’s cannot afford to have an illiterate verger. Such a disclosure could not embarrass the verger who replied that the former vicar was aware of this and he had told Foreman that there were too many things in the real world outside formal education which would be enough to educate anybody and satisfy people. And therefore, for the former Vicar, Albert Edward Foreman’s illiteracy did not make much difference.

b)      I began to fear that at this rate (I was obliged to visit the workshop every other week to shed my savings), I should soon reach the brink of bankruptcy effortlessly.

Ans: The quoted lines are from ‘The Testament of a Walker’ by R.K. Narayan. The author writes these lines while contemplating upon his imported car. In this prose piece, the author narrates how he became the owner of an imported car by chance.

This car comprised of most sophisticated parts that the author never understood about. Whenever the car had any problem the author had to take it all the way to Bangalore to the authorised workshop. At the city workshop, the specialist mechanics would prescribe replacement of parts and other such repairs which would cost the author a huge amount of money every time. Moreover, as he possessed an imported car he was considered an affluent person and therefore, it was expected that he would not enquire about the cost of repairing and servicing and would not show his disappointment even if he had to pay a hefty amount every other week. Under such circumstances R.K. Narayan felt that he would soon become bankrupt quite easily

c)       So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating?

Ans: So Della did it. Which instigates the reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating. The quoted lines are from O’ Henry’s short story ‘The Gift of the Magi’. The story is about the James Dillingham Youngs, a couple who are rather poor to afford the best gifts for one another on Christmas Eve. Della is Jim’s wife and she wishes to buy something precious for her husband. But as she counts the money that she had saved from her daily expenses she realised that she had a meager amount of one dollar and eighty seven cents which was too little money to be able to buy the desired gift for her dear Jim. She felt helpless as she knew that there was no way for her to increase the money and in a sense of utter hopelessness she felt that the only thing that she could do was to cry. In her desperation she began crying while there is this realisation that life comprises of ups and downs and it is perhaps the miserable moments that make up most of our life.

d)      Certainly I do not think of telling myself, This waiter is my kinsman, he is the offspring of Zens,” Besides, even if he were, why should the offspring of Zens wauit so badly?

Ans: The quoted lines are from the essay ‘On Not Being a Philosopher’ by Robert Lynd. The author contemplates rather amusingly about the Greek stoic philosopher Epictetus believed that human beings should be tolerant towards one another in the affairs of day to day life. The author understands the wisdom in Epictetus’ words but in real life he is unable to practise the philosopher’s teaching and he says that in a restaurant if he has an inefficient waiter serving him, he would lose his temper and be irritated. He says rather amusingly that unlike Epictetus he would not be able to consider the erring waiter as his kinsman and excuse him as the latter was like him, one of Zeus’ sons. Moreover, he adds humourously that even if he believed that all human beings were sons of Zeus and that the waiter was one of them, it would not provide the author with any valid reason to excuse the waiter for his lapse in servings a customer.

5. Answer any five of the following:                              1×5=5

a)      Who is recounting the tale of Sita in Toru Dutt’s poem?

Ans: The mother of the three children  is recounting the tale of Sita in Toru Dutt’s poem

b)      Who is the ‘poet-anchorite’ referred to in the poem ‘Sita’?

Ans: Valmiki is the ‘poet-anchorite’ referred to in the poem ‘Sita’

c)       Who is ‘I’ in the poem ‘The Brook’?

Ans: The Brook is the ‘I’ in the poem ‘The Brook’.

d)      Who does the brook rush down to join?

Ans: The brook rush down to join the brimming river.

e)      Whom did the narrator of ‘Ozymandias of Egypt’ meet?

Ans: The narrator met a traveller.

f)       What is a sonnet?

Ans: A sonnet is a poem of fourteen lines.

g)      What season is referred to in the poem ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’?

Ans: The season referred to is winter.

h)      Where did the knight meet the lady?

Ans: The knight met the lady in the meadows.

j) Who is ‘Thou’ in the poem ‘Village Song’?

Ans: Thou refers to God.

i)        What is the name of the river mentioned in the poem ‘Village Song’?

Ans: Yamuna

6. Answer any four of the following:                            2×4=8

a)      Whose are the heads that are bowed in sorrow in the poem ‘Sita’?

Ans: The heads that are bowed in sorrow in the poem ‘Sita’ refers to the poet, her brother, and her sister.

b)      What are the fishes that inhabit the brook?

Ans: The fishes that inhabit the brook are the trout and grayling.

c)       What was inscribed on the pedestal of the Statue of Ozymandias?

d)      Who did the knight see in his dream?

e)      What are the things that the speaker in ‘Village Song’ is afraid of?

7. Answer any four of the following:                         4×3=12

a)      Describe the dwelling of the poet anchorite in ‘Sita’.

b)      What is the refrain in the poem, ‘The Brook’? Bring out the profundity in it.

c)       What do the words on the pedestal of the statue of Ozymandias imply?

Ans: Ans. The message that the poet wants to convey through the words inscribed on the pedestal is that time spares none. The poet tells us about a king, named Ozymandias. He was a very proud, cruel and tyrant king. He was boastful of his works and possessions. He erected a statue himself and wrote on the pedestal calling the other kings to look at his works and despair. But the statue of king Ozymandias now lay in ruins. Two vast trunk-less legs of stone stand in the desert. Near them was a half sunk shattered visage. This symbolizes the ravages of time. Nothing can stand time and its power. The inscription on the pedestal reminds us the man’s hollow pride and futility.

d)      Describe the experience of the knight in ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’.

Ans: The knight is enraptured by the beauty of a woman who he meets in the wilderness. She leads him to a cave and lulls him to sleep, saying she loves him. However the knight sees a dream in which earlier victims of the lady warn him that he has been bewitched by the lady who is devoid of any pity. He sees pale kings, princes and warriors who are tormented by the indifference of the lady. When he wakes up he finds that the lady has disappeared and he is forced to loiter aimlessly with the anguish of unrequited loved.

e)      What is implied by the words, “Unless Thou succor my footsteps and guide me, Ram re Ram! I shall die”, in ‘Village Song’?

Ans: The maiden is afraid that very soon there will be a storm, and lightning may strike her. Helpless against all these inherent dangers, she prays to God to protect and guide her home safely. The maiden’s deep and unwavering faith in Lord Rama is reasserted in the last line as she exclaims “Ram re Ram! Shall die” in the hope that her savior will rescues her from death.

8. Explain with reference to the context any one of the following:            5×1=5

a)      ‘Tis hushed at last

        And melts the picture from their sight away,

        Yet shall they dream of it until the day!

Ans: These lines have been taken from the poem ‘Sita’ composed by Toru Dutt.

The poet reflects on her childhood days when she, along with her brother and sister, would listen to the sad story of Sita. As the mother narrates the story, the children are so moved that they start crying. The poet is then brought back to her present state where she is all alone as her brother and sister are no longer alive. Although the tale is melancholic, she remembers the happy time when all three sat together under the protection of their mother, and listened to bedtime stories. The poet becomes nostalgic and longs for those happy days to come back, so that she can re-live those moments of happiness spent with her family members.

b)      Nothing besides remains, round the decay

        Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,

        The lone and level sands stretch far away,

Ans: These lines have been taken from the poem ‘Ozymandias of Egypt’ composed by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

The poet here uses Ozymandias as a metaphor to comment upon the impermanence of political power. Ozymandias lived with the idea that other mighty rulers would not be able to attain his greatness. However what remains now is only the ruins of his statue and herein lies the irony. Neither the powerful king nor his empire remains, and the ruins of the statue speak of the artist’s skill and greatness. Through these lines the poet brings to the reader the idea of human mortality and the permanence of art.

c)       I saw their starved lips in the gloam,

        With horrid warning gaped wide,

        And I awoke and found me here,

        On the cold hill’s side,

Ans: These lines have been taken from the poem ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ composed by John Keats.

The knight is led to a cave and lulled to sleep by a beautiful lady. In his dream he sees pale kings, princes and warriors who are tormented by the indifference of the lady has disappeared and he is forced to loiter aimlessly with the anguish of unrequited love. He thus realizes that his dream was a prediction of things to come.

GROUP – B

(VIBGYOR & EFFUSION)

(NEW & OLD SYLLABUS)

9. Change any five of the following sentences as per the directions given in the brackets without changing the meaning:                                                 1×5=5

(a) Who does not know that the sun rises in the east? (Change into affirmative)

Ans. Everybody knows that the sun rises in the east.

(b) I will always remember the horror of the floods. (Change into negative)

Ans. I will never forget the horror of the floods.

(c) There is no cloud without a silver lining. (Change into affirmative)

Ans. Every cloud has a silver lining.

(d) This is not the correct way of answering the question. (Change into interrogative)

Ans. Is this the correct way of answering the question?

(e) He will do the work all by himself. (Change into interrogative)

Ans. Will he do the work all by himself?

(f) One can never forget a good friend. (Change into interrogative)

Ans. Can anyone ever forget a good friend?

(g) Only authorized personnel may enter through these gates. (Change into negative)

Ans. None but authorized personnel may enter through these gates.

(h) Are all of them going for the movie? (Change into affirmative)

Ans. All of them are going for the movie.

10. Add tag questions to any five of the following:                     1×5=5

(a) You are very intelligent, ____.

Ans. You are very intelligent, aren’t you?

(b) He can finish the assignment by tomorrow, ____.

Ans. He can finish the assignment by tomorrow, can’t he?

(c) It is very cold today, ____.

Ans. It is very cold today, isn’t it?

(d) All students must wear their uniform, ____.

Ans. All students must wear their uniform, mustn’t they?

(e) He hopes to win the competition, ____.

Ans. He hopes to win the competition, doesn’t he?

(f) We will go for a picnic, ____.

Ans. We will go for a picnic, won’t we?

(g) The little white dog is wearing a red collar, ____.

Ans. The little white dog is wearing a red collar, isn’t it?

(h) She is very stylish, ____.

Ans. She is very stylish, isn’t she?

11. Fill in the blanks of any five of the sentences given below withy suitable prepositions:                             1×5=5

(a) The cat has licked the cream ____ the jug.

Ans. off.

(b) My house is ____ the side of the post office.

Ans. by.

(c) The bird ____ that tree is a painted stork.

Ans. on.

(d) The dog dived ____ the bed at the sound of the Diwali crackers.

Ans. under.

(e) Aditya dived from the spring board ____ the pool.

Ans. into.

(f) You must never hop ____ a moving train.

Ans. on.

(g) All the time, while dad fussed around, the pen was ____ his pocket.

Ans. in.

(h) The children laughed is glee to see the monkeys ____ their cage.

Ans. in.

12. Rewrite any five of the following sentences using verbs given in brackets in their correct forms:         1×5=5

(a) They ____ (start) early to reach the root bridge before dark.

Ans. started.

(b) The children ____ (chatter) nineteen to the dozen when the teacher entered.

Ans. were chattering.

(c) Rupam ____ (leave) for football match long before Partha arrived.

Ans. had left.

(d) They ____ (plan) to go for the concert when Neel strode in.

Ans. were planning.

(e) Rahul ____ (learn) to play the guitar, isn’t he?

Ans. is leaving.

(f) She ____ (watch) the T.V. too much for her own good.

Ans. watches.

(g) Papon ____ (sing) folk songs very beautifully.

Ans. sings.

(h) MLTR ____ (perform) in Shilpagram last December.

Ans. performed.

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

Manali, the very name of the place evokes a strange mountain mystique, stirring the spirit of adventure even in the most laid back traveler. The new of the snow clad peaks in and around Manali, at the height of over 17,000 feet above sea level is like a journey into the heavens. Mountains, peaks and ridges stand out in bold relief against the skyline.

As for tourists, whether domestic or foreign, travel to Manali and its surrounding areas unforgettable experience deep purple seems over sheer cliffs reach down towards the valley. Silver streaks of water glistening in the clear sunlight cascade down the perpendicular slopes. The pinewood trees flank the sides of sheltered ravines and ascend in irregular, up spoilt and undulating formation towards rock crowned crests.

Manali derives its name from “Manavalaya” i.e. the abode of the ‘Manu’. The Words ‘Manav’ and Manushya’ are derived from the root word ‘Manu’. ‘Manu’ was the only survivor of the ‘Mahaparlaya’ – the great flood – and is said to have fathered the human race. A visit to the temple of Manu is must. It is the only shrine in the country dedicated to the great Manu Rishi.

Manali, apart from tourist who are in for a good holiday, beckons of the adventure lovers in large numbers every year. In the lap of these mountains, one can be sure to achieve what he or she is looking for, whether it is mountaineering, rock-climbing, white water rafting, skiing, heli-skiing, high altitude jeep safari and bicycling, paragliding, hiking or trekking. With all the basic amenities available in Manali, it is the right base camp for any activity.

(a) What does the name ‘Manali’ evoke?                                             2

Ans. The name ‘Manali’ evokes a strange mountain mystique, stirring the spirit of adventure even in the most laid back traveler.

(b) How high are the peaks at Manali?                                                   1

Ans. The peaks at Manali are at the height of over 17,000 feet above sea level.

(c) What trees grow on the sides of ravines?                                       1

Ans. Pinewood trees grow on the sides of ravines.

(d) From what does Manali derives its name? What does it mean? What is the legend behind its name?

Ans. Manali derives its name from “Manavalaya”.

The word ‘Manavalaya’ means ‘the above of the Manu’.

The legend behind its name is that Manu was the only survivor of the ‘Mahaparlaya’ – the great flood – and is supposed to have fathered the human race. The words “Manav” and “Manushya” are derived from the root word Manu.

(e) What activities does Manali have for adventure seekers?

Ans. Manali has a number of activities for adventure-seekers like mountaineering, rock-climbing, white water rafting, skiing, heli-skiing, high altitude jeep safari and bicycling, paragliding, hiking or trekking.

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