CBSE Question Paper 2014 class 12 English Core

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.

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SECTION – A
(READING)

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

1. Too many parents these days can’t say no. As a result, they find themselves raising ‘children’ who respond greedily to the advertisements aimed right at them. Even getting what they want doesn’t satisfy some kids; they only want more. Now, a growing number of psychologists, educators and parents think it’s time to stop the madness and start teaching kids about what’s really important: values like hard work, contentment, honesty and compassion. The struggle to set limits has never been tougher – and the stakes have never been higher. One recent study of adults who were overindulged as children paints a discouraging picture of their future: when given too much too soon, they grow up to be adults who have difficulty coping with life’s disappointments. They also have distorted sense of entitlement that gets in the way of success in the work place and in relationships.

2. Psychologists say that parents who overindulge their kids, set them up to be more vulnerable to future anxiety and depression. Today’s parents themselves raised on values of thrift and self-sacrifice, grew up in a culture where no was a household word. Today’s kids want much more, partly because there is so much more to want. The oldest members of this generation were born in the late 1980s, just as PCs and video games were making their assault on the family room.

They think of MP3 players and flat-screen TV as essential utilities, and they have developed strategies to get them. One survey of teenagers found that when they crave for something new, most expect to ask nine times before their parents give in. By every measure, parents are shelling out record amounts. In the heat of this buying blitz, even parents who desperately need to say no find themselves reaching for their credit cards.

3. Today’s parents aren’t equipped to deal with the problem. Many of them, raised in the 1960s and ’70s, swore they’d act differently from their parents and have closer relationships with their own children. Many even wear the same designer clothes as their kids and listen to the same music. And they work more hours; at the end of a long week, it’s tempting to buy peace with ‘yes’ and not mar precious family time with conflict. Anxiety about future is another factor. How do well-intentioned parents say no to all the sports gear and arts and language lessons they believe will help their kids thrive in an increasingly competitive world? Experts agree: too much love won’t spoil a child. Too few limits will.

4. What parents need to find, is a balance between the advantages of an affluent society and the critical life lessons that come from waiting, saving and working hard to achieve goals. That search for balance has to start early. Children need limits on their behavior because they feel better and more secure when they live within a secured structure. Older children learn self-control by watching how others, especially parents act. Learning how to overcome challenges is essential to becoming a successful adult. Few parents ask kids to do chores. They think their kids are already overburdened by social and academic pressures. Every individual can be of service to others, and life has meaning beyond one’s own immediate happiness. That means parents eager to teach values have to take a long, hard look at their own.

(a) Answer the following:

(1) What values do parents and teachers want children to learn? (2)

(2) What are the results of giving the children too much too soon? (2)

(3) Why do today’s children want more? (1)

(4) What is the balance which the parents need to have in today’s world? (2)

(5) What is the necessity to set limits for children? (2)

Ans.  (1) – to learn what’s really important i.e. values like hard work, contentment, honesty and compassion / to be contented with what is given to them / to learn how to overcome challenges for becoming a successful adult / to learn how to be of service to others / to understand that life has a meaning beyond one’s own immediate happiness (anyone)

(2) – they grow up to be adults who have difficulty coping with life’s disappointments / they have distorted sense of entitlement that affects success in the workplace and in relationships / they become more vulnerable to future anxiety and depression (anyone)

(3) – there is much more to want / new inventions and brands being launched in the markets / parents are giving in to their demands easily / purchasing power of parents has increased / even getting what they want doesn’t satisfy many of them / parent’s inability to say no (anyone)

(4) – balance between the advantages of an affluent society and the critical life lessons that come from waiting, saving and working hard to achieve goals / balance between holding their ground and saying yes to the demands of their children / balance between imposing limits on children’s behaviour and fulfilling their emotional demands / balance between too much love and too few limits (anyone)

(5) – children feel better and more secure when they live within a secured structure / to help them overcome challenges so that they become successful adults / to teach them that life has meaning beyond one’s own immediate happiness / to teach them the value of self-control (anyone)

(b) Pick out words from the passage that mean the same as the following: (3)

(1) a feeling of satisfaction (para 1)

(2) valuable (para 3)

(3) important (para 4)

Ans. (1) contentment

(2) precious

(3) essential / critical

2. Read the passage carefully.

1. I remember my childhood as being generally happy and can recall experiencing some of the most carefree times of my life. But I can also remember, even more vividly, moments of being deeply frightened. As a child, I was truly terrified of the dark and getting lost. These fears were very real and caused me some extremely uncomfortable moments.

2. Maybe it was the strange way things looked and sounded in my familiar room at night that scared me so much. There was never total darkness, but a street light or passing car lights made clothes hung over a chair take on the shape of an unknown beast. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw curtains move when there was no breeze. A tiny creak in the floor would sound a hundred times louder than in the daylight and my imagination would take over, creating burglars and monsters. Darkness always made me feel helpless. My heart would pound and I would lie very still so that ‘the enemy’ wouldn’t discover me.

3. Another childhood fear of mine was that I would get lost, especially on the way home from school. Every morning, I got on the school bus right near my home – that was no problem. After school, though, when all the buses were lined up along the curve, I was terrified that I would get on the wrong one and be taken to some unfamiliar neighbourhood.

I would scan the bus for the faces of my friends, make sure that the bus driver was the same one that had been there in the morning, a16 even then ask the others over and over again to be sure I was in the right bus. On school or family trips to an amusement park or a museum, I wouldn’t let the leaders out of my sight. And of course, I was never very adventurous when it came to taking walks or hikes because I would go only where I was sure I would never get lost.

4. Perhaps, one of the worst fears I had as a child was that of not being liked or accepted by others. First of all, I was quite shy. Secondly, I worried constantly about my looks, thinking people wouldn’t like me because I was too fat or wore braces. I tried to wear ‘the right clothes’ and had intense arguments with my mother over the importance of wearing flats instead of saddled shoes to school. Being popular was very important to me then and the fear of not being liked was a powerful one.

5. One of the processes of evolving from a child to an adult is being able to recognise and overcome our fears. I have learnt that darkness does not have to take on a life of its own, that others can help me when I am lost and that friendliness and sincerity will encourage people to like me. Understanding the things that scared us as children helps to cope with our lives as adults.

(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes using headings and subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. (5)

Ans. (a) NOTE MAKING

Distribution of Marks

Abbreviations / Symbols (with /without key) – any four

Title

Content (minimum 3 headings and sub-headings, with proper indentation and notes)

Suggested Notes

NOTE:

Accept the notes and summary in the third person.

Also accept them written in the first person provided the format is correct and content is covered properly

Title: Childhood fears / Fears / Memories of childhood / Evolving from childhood to adulthood / any other relevant title

1. Memories of childhood

1.1 generally happy & carefree

1.2 but always deeply frightened

2. Fear of darkness

2.1 saw

2.1.1 clothes hanging

2.1.2 curtains moving

2.1.3 heard loud noise

2.2 felt

2.2.1 helpless

2.2.2 heart pounded

3. Fear of getting lost

3.1 while walking home

3.2 taking a wrong bus

3.3 of being left alone

4. Worst fear

4.1 of not being accepted

4.2 of not looking good

4.2.1 tried to wear rt. clothes

4.2.2 watched wt.

5. Evolving as an adult

5.1 to recogn’e and overcome fear

5.2 to realise that

5.2.1 others will help

5.2.2 being friendly & sincere will pay

5.2.3 understanding the child’s fear

(b) Make a summary of the passage in not more than 80 words using the notes made and also suggest a suitable title. (3)

Ans. Summary

The summary should include all the important points given in the notes.

Content

Expression

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SECTION – B
(ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS)

3. An inter school Kabaddi Competition is organized by your school. Write a notice, in not more than 50 words, requesting the students to be present at the venue to encourage the players. Invent all the necessary details. You are Arjun, the sports captain of your school. (5)

OR

You possess an acre of land in the heart of the city. You want to dispose of this property since you have decided to buy a flat. Write an advertisement to be published in a national daily, giving all the necessary details. You are Krishan of Moti Nagar, Delhi.

Ans. NOTICE

Format

The format should include: NAME OF THE INSTITUTION (ISSUING AUTHORITY) / NOTICE / TITLE, DATE, and WRITER’S NAME WITH DESIGNATION. The candidate should not be penalized if he has used capital letters for writing a notice within or without a box.

Content

Expression

Suggested value points

[INTER SCHOOL KABADDI COMPETITION]

– what – inter school kabaddi competition

– when – day, date, time (duration)

– where – venue

– request to the students to be present and encourage the players

– any other relevant details

OR

ADVERTISEMENT

Content

Expression

Suggested value points

[LAND FOR SALE / FOR SALE / any other]

– prime property, location, size, surrounding landmarks

– price (negotiable)

– contact name and number

– any other relevant details

(due credit should be given for economy of words used)

4. Incessant rain has caused irrecoverable damage in your area. As an active participant in the flood relief prograrnme, write a report in 125-150 words on the different flood relief measures carried out. You are Krishan/Krishna. (10)

OR

You have visited a book exhibition in your neighbourhood. Write a report in 125 – 150 words on the exhibition. You are Rohan/ Rohini.

Ans. REPORT WRITING

Format

1. title, reporter’s name

Content

Expression

grammatical accuracy, appropriate words and spelling

coherence and relevance of ideas and style

Suggested value points:

(FLOOD RELIEF PROGRAMME / any other suitable heading)

– what (flooding caused by incessant rain), where, when (duration)

– how serious was the situation – falling of trees, flooding of low level houses, traffic jams, power failure etc.

– flood relief carried out by which agency – NGO, govt. body, local people, volunteers etc.

– evacuation of civilian population, pets and animals

– providing food packets, medical aid, shelter etc.

– any other relevant details (min 4)

OR

Format

1. title, reporter’s name

2. place, date (optional)

Content

Expression

grammatical accuracy, appropriate words and spelling

coherence and relevance of ideas and style

Suggested value points:

(BOOK EXHIBITION / any other suitable heading)

– what (book exhibition), where (neighbourhood), when (day, time, duration), who organised it

– details of books exhibited

– special attraction – visit by any author / writer (optional)

– discount offered on purchase (optional)

– response of the public

– any other relevant details (min 4)

5. You are the librarian of Amla Public School. You had placed an order for text books with Dhanpati & Sons. Since the books did not arrive on time, you have decided to cancel the order. Write a letter to the Manager, Dhanpati & Sons, Chennai, cancelling the order. (10)

OR

You are interested in doing a short-term course in computer graphics during your holidays. Write a letter to the Director, Easy Computers, enquiring about their short-term courses and asking for all the necessary details. You are Naresh/Nandini.

Ans. LETTER WRITING

Format

1. sender’s address, 2. date, 3. receiver’s address, 4. subject / heading, 5. salutation, 6. complimentary close.

Content

Expression

grammatical accuracy, appropriate words and spelling

coherence and relevance of ideas and style

(CANCELLING THE ORDER FOR BOOKS)

Suggested value points

– what – cancelling the order for text books

– reference to the order placed and terms and conditions

– reason – books did not arrive on time

– refund of advance amount (if any)

– any other relevant details

OR

(SHORT TERM COURSE IN COMPUTER GRAPHICS)

Suggested Value Points

– admission criteria / eligibility condition

– details of the course – duration, total fees charged, recognition of the course, job opportunities, student concession or scholarship (if any), hostel facilities, starting dates etc.

– request for brochure / prospectus

– any other relevant details

6. You are Rajendra Kumar, a social worker. You read an article in The Hindu on ‘Health Care for Indian Workers’. Write a speech in 125 – 150 words on the importance of health care to be delivered at a public function to create awareness among the workers. (10)

OR

Media has a strong hold on society. Write a speech in 125 – 150 words on how media influences public opinion to be delivered in the school assembly.

Ans. SPEECH

Format (opening address and conclusion)

Content

Expression

grammatical accuracy, appropriate words and spelling

coherence and relevance of ideas and style

Suggested Value Points

(HEALTH CARE FOR INDIAN WORKERS)

– the present scenario – condition of health and hygiene of workers, no proper health care facilities for workers

– reason – lack of finance, awareness, facilities

– effect – poor health, diseases, untimely death etc.

– need / importance of health care – providing access to hospitals and clinics, creating awareness, free camps, health insurance etc.

– role of govt. agencies, NGO’s, volunteers and social workers

– any other relevant details

OR

Suggested Value Points

(MEDIA INFLUENCE PUBLIC OPINION)

media

– types

• electronic media: radio, TV / internet
• print media: newspapers, magazines / journals

– role of media –creating awareness, information, entertainment, public opinion etc.

positive and negative influences of media

– positive influence

• means of information, awareness, knowledge
• medium to communicate and interact
• influences views and ideas

– negative influence

• children getting addicted to social media sites
• increase in cyber crime
• over sensationalization of sensitive issues

– any other influences of media

– any other relevant details

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SECTION – C
(TEXT BOOKS AND LONG READING TEXT)

7. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: (4)

All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink.
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.

(a) Name the poem and the poet. (1)

(b) What is the thing of beauty mentioned in these lines? (1)

(c) What image does the poet use in these lines? (2)

OR

With ships and sun and love tempting them to steal …
For lives that slyly turn in their cramped holes
From fog to endless night?

(i) Who are ‘them’ referred to in the first line? (1)

(ii) What tempts them? (1)

(iii) What does the poet say about ‘their’ lives? (2)

Ans. (a) Poem – A Thing of Beauty

Poet – John Keats

(b) – lovely tales – heard or read / literature

(c) – image of – an endless fountain of immortal drink / an endless fountain of immortal drink pouring upon us from the heaven’s brink

OR

(i) – children of the slum school / children of elementary school classroom in a slum / poor and deprived children of the slum

(ii) – ships, sun, love / the beautiful world outside the slum

(iii) – miserable condition / live in cramped holes / entire life spent in the disgusting slums / bleak world / desolation / misery / no hope for future / foggy existence / unclear future

8. Answer any two of the following questions in about 30 – 40 words: 2X2 = 4

(a) How does Kamala Das try to put away the thoughts of her ageing mother?

(b) Which is the exotic moment that the poet refers to in ‘Keeping Quiet’?

(c) What are the difficulties that aunt Jennifer faced in her life?

Ans. (a) – looks out of the car window at young trees sprinting / the merry children running out of their homes / by not looking at her mother’s old, ashen face / by distracting herself

(b) – silence / stillness / no speech / no movement / counting to twelve / keeping still / without rush / without engines / all together in a sudden strangeness / a moment of introspection / taking a break from all types of violence and war mongering / fostering understanding with others (anyone)

(c) – difficult marriage / constraints of a bad marriage / dominating, authoritarian and domineering husband / ordeals / oppression / physical infirmities / mental agony (any one)

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