Practice paper–6( 2016-17) Class : XII time : 3 hours Subject : English Core Marks: 100 General Instructions

1. 
   This paper is divided into three Sections: A, B and C. All the sections are compulsory.
   
2. 
   Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions very carefully and follow them faithfully.
   
3. 
   Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
   

1. 
   Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: 12 Marks
   

1. 
   The Titanic, in its watery grave, is a great museum of human history and is at risk of being lost forever because of curious voyagers and treasure hunters, fears Bob Ballard, who first discovered the remains of the iconic ship in 1985. Famous for discovering the great ship, Ballard is a former US Navy Officer and a professor of oceanography.
   
2. 
   “Titanic is a museum of human history without door and guard. I am deeply concerned about not only the Titanic but all the ancient history that is now at risk. If we cannot save this iconic ship, then there is very little hope we can save ancient ships. The world should realize that you don’t have to go down and take everything and you do not have to do a treasure hunt. This is a common heritage of all of us and if we really want to take steps to preserve human history in the ocean, we need to start with Titanic,” Ballard said in a telephonic interview from London.
   
3. 
   Ballard, as part of a tie-up, is presenting a documentary called “Save the Titanic” on the 100^th anniversary of the sinking of the great ship – April 15, 1912. The ship and her fate continue to fascinate, largely because of the horror that took place that night, with 1,522 passengers and crew losing their lives.
   
4. 
   Ballard says that despite being on the ocean floor for 100 years, the ship is full of human footprints. “You will find pairs of shoes everywhere. The sea and the life below has claimed everything but they do not know what to do with shoes so you will find a pair of mother’s shoes next to her little daughter and that’s their gravestone. At her wreckage, we almost felt that we were surrounded by the lifeboats of all the people that were in the water at that spot”.
   
5. 
   Ballard says that the fate of Titanic continues to fascinate so many years after it sank because it is “irony personified in history”. “The story has all the ingredients to make it timelessly fascinating. You have this revolutionary ship that’s unsinkable, and carrying a cross section of people in society. And then, it goes and hits an iceberg and sinks on its maiden journey. It’s an irony personified in history”.
   
6. 
   Talking about his discovery, which came after great research and 75 years later, Ballard, says it was a sombermoment went they first spotted the boiler o the Titanic. “In the 90s, advanced technology gave us double diving capabilities in the Atlantic Ocean. I knew that the Titanic was sitting at almost 12,000 feet. What led me to her discovery was a simple technique that I followed. We decided to look for the debris trail instead of the ship”.
   
7. 
   Ballard says the ship, if preserved well and not subjected to constant submarine journeys, will last for a long time on the Atlantic floor. “The deep sea, because of its darkness, its cold temperatures and its great pressure, creates a high state of preservation. With a little caution, we can protect the Titanic for future generations to visit.”
   
8. 
   Ballard has also connected to the people of Belfast, who refused to talk about the tragedy “The ship’s construction took place at Belfast. After the tragedy, families of the workers refused to talk about it because of the shame and sadness in the loss of life involved”.
   

1. 
   The Titanic sank on------------------
   
   1. 
      its 100th anniversary
      
   2. 
      15th April 1912
      
   3. 
      an iconic voyage in 1985
      
   4. 
      leaving the port of Belfast
      

2. 
   The Titanic continues to attract attention because----------
   
   1. 
      it is irony personified in history
      
   2. 
      its advanced technology gave double diving technologies
      
   3. 
      it is a treasure hunt
      
   4. 
      it is a common need
      
3. 
   Ballard’s documentary on the Titanic is titled--------------------
   
   1. 
      a museum of human history
      
   2. 
      the titanic
      
   3. 
      save the Titanic
      
   4. 
      75 years later
      

4. 
   How have the Chinese played an important role in enhancing the education system? 
   
5. 
   What happened on April 15,1927?
   
6. 
   Who is bob Ballard and what did he discover?
   
7. 
   Why does Bob Ballard call it a museum of human history?
   
8. 
   Why did the people of Blfast refuse to talk about Titanic?
   
9. 
   What did Bellard do as part of the 100th anniversary of thesinking of the Titanic?
   
10. 
    Explain “it is irony personified”
    

a. first of its kind (para -5)

b. very solemn or serious(para -6)

2. 
   Read the poem given below and answer the questions that follow: 10 Marks
   

Upon this barren land

Once stood a great tree

In the once brown rich sand

For mortal eyes to relish and see.

Its leaves were emeralds,

Its fruits were rubies, bright and fair.

Squirrels leaped about as heralds

For the spring that was in the air.

Spring passed and autumn came to dwell.

The tree’s leaves blushed and fell,

Fluttering in the wind like a ship’s sail.

But the tree bowed not to the gale.

Winter came and did its worst,

Coated the tree with a shower of snow.

But the tree did not freeze and burst,

It stood to offer perch to the homeless sparrow.

The tree survived nature’s ravages,

To bloom again in summer.

But came along man the savage;

Hacked it down and called it lumber.

Is it so that man, a creation

Turn upon the Creator and other?

We cut down trees, calling it deforestation

And take trees from Nature – their mother and ours
On the basis of your reading of the above poem answer the following questions given below with the help of the options that follow:

1. 
   In poem ,“man the savage would reflect the image of the human as
   

1. 
   polite
   
2. 
   cruel
   
3. 
   angry
   
4. 
   cumber
   

2. 
   “barren land”,reflects which stage of mortal people
   

1. 
   lifeless
   
2. 
   stage of death
   
3. 
   full of hope of life
   
4. 
   craving for wealth
   

3. 
   Who proved to be dangerous for the tree
   

1. 
   the winter season
   
2. 
   the summer season
   
3. 
   snow
   
4. 
   the man
   

4. 
   What was the condition of land before becoming barren?
   
5. 
   How did squirrel react to the spring season?
   
6. 
   Did the tree bow to the strong wind?
   
7. 
   What happened to the trees in the winter season?
   
8. 
   What harm does the man cause to the mother earth?
   

1)Bright green colour

3. 
   Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: 5 + 3 = 8
   

1. 
   On the basis of your reading of the passage, make notes on it using headings and sub-headings in a format you consider suitable. /5 Marks/
   
2. 
   Use recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. Also supply a suitable title to the passage. /3 Marks/
   

4. 
   You have recently opened a store called ‘All for Kids’. Draft an advertisement for the same offering attractive discounts. /4 Marks/
   

5. 
   You are Ishant / Ishantini, House No. 23, Rose Lane, Surat. You have recently bought a water purifier for your home from M/s Natioanl Cooling Systems, Surat. The purifier has not been functioning properly for the last two weeks. Wirte a letter to the Manager, Customer Care complaining about the malfunctioning unit and seeking redressel for the problem. /6 Marks/
   

6. 
   Rohit is the President of the Debate Club of his school and has to speak on the topic “In the field of education whose contribution is more effective-Private Institution” or Government Institutions’?” for the Inter-House Debate Competition. Draft the debate either in favour or against the topic in about 150 words. /10 Marks/
   

7. 
   Today the 24 hour television news channels give us instant news from every nook and corner of the world. But the fact remains that the importance of the newspaper remains intact. Write an article in 150-200 words expressing your view on ‘The Relevance of Newspapers’. You are Sunil/Sunita. /10 Marks/
   

8. 
   Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: 4 Marks
   

And felt that old

Familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,

But all I said was, see you soon, Amma,

All I did was smile and smile and smile…

1. 
   What ‘familiar ache’ did the poet feel?
   
2. 
   What could have been the poet’s childhood fears?
   
3. 
   Why did the poet only ‘smile’?
   
4. 
   Did the poet share her thoughts with her mother?
   

9. 
   Answer any four of the following in about 40 words each: 4 X 3 = 12
   

1. 
   Why didn’t M. Hamel punish Franz, even though he was late?
   
2. 
   What does garbage symbolize for the adults and children?
   
3. 
   Why did the Maharaja suddenly decide to marry? On what criteria was the bride chosen?
   
4. 
   Why did the General overlook the matter of the enemy soldier?
   
5. 
   What was the miracle that took place in the royal palace?
   
6. 
   What does the poet do to shrug off the painful thought of her mother’s approaching end?
   

10. 
    Answer the following question in 125 to 150 words : / 6 Marks/
    

Analyse the character of M. Hamel as a teacher.

‘Lost Spring’, is a sad commentary on the political system of our country that

condemns thousands of people to a life of abject poverty. Comment

11. 
    Answer the following question in 125 to 150 words : / 6 Marks/
    

Do you agree with the doctor’s decision to help an enemy soldier? Why / why not?

12. 
    Attempt the following question in 125 to 150 words : / 6 Marks/
    

Describe Griffin’s arrival at the Coach and Horses.

What is for poor, is for rich; and what is for rich, is for poor, in Raveloe. Explain.

13. 
    Attempt the following question in 125 to 150 words : / 6 Marks/
    

14. 
    (OR)