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SILVER BELLS SCHOOL Ist UNIT TEST ENGLISH - STD:12th MM 50 General instructions:1. This paper is divided into 2 sections A and B. 2. Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions very carefully and follow them. PART A READING (10) 1. Read the passage given below 1. It is impossible to think about the welfare of the world unless the condition of woman is improved. It is impossible for a bird to fly on only one wing. - Swami Vivekanada. Woman are not born, but made. What is better than India to exemplify this statement by Simon de Beauvior with the whole world celebrating International Women s Day with great pomp and show. It would be on apt to analyse the position and space Indian women occupy today, and comparing it to the times 60 years ago when the country had just gained Independence. With the woman participating in nationalist movements to being pushed into domestic household place to their resurgence as the woman in our count have seen it all. 2. There have been innumerable debates about gender in India over the years. Much of it include women s position in society, their education , health, economic position , gender equality etc. what one can conclude from such discussion is that woman has always held a certain paradoxical position in our developing country. One the one hand , the country has seen an increased percentage of literacy among women and woman are allowed to enter into professional fields , while on the other hand the practices of female infanticide , poor health condition and lack of education still persist. Even patriarchal ideology of the home being a woman s real domain and marriage being her ultimate destiny hasn t changed much. 3. The matrimonial advertisements , demanding girls of the same caste, with fair skin and slim figure, or the much criticized fair and lovely ads, are the indicators of the slow changing social mores. If one looks at the status of women then and now , one has to look at the two sides of the coin; one side which is promising and one side which is bleak. When our country got its independence , the participation of women nationalists was widely acknowledged. When the Indian constitution was formulated , it granted equal rights to women, considering them legal citizens of the country and as an equal to men in terms of freedom and opportunity. The sex ratio of women at that time was slightly better than what it is today, standing at 943 females per 1000 males. Yet the condition of women screamed a different reality. 4. They were relegated to their households and made to submit to the male dominated society, as has always been prevalent in our country. Indian women, who fought as an equal to men in the nationalist struggle were not given that free public space anymore. They became homemakers and were mainly meant to build strong home to support their men who were to o being build the new independent country. Women were reduced to being secondary citizens. 5. The national female literacy rate was an alarming low approx 8.9 percent. The Gross enrollment Ratio (GER) for girls was approx 24.8 percent at primary level and approx 4.6 percent at the upper primary level ( in the level 11-14 years age group). There existed insoluble social and cultural barriers to education of women and access to organised schooling. On the basis of your understanding the passage , answer any TEN questions from the eleven given below: (1x10=10) 1. The writer says that the women have seen it all because: a. they participated in the nationalist b. they were pushed into household space movement c. they have become superwomen today d. all of the above. 2. Pick any one sentence that brings out the paradoxical s nature of women s position in society today. a. They are entering professional fields and become literate. b. They lack education and female infanticide is still rampant. c. They are still victims of patriarchal mindset. d. While they are allowed to enter the professional fields they are still victims of patriarchal mindset. 3. The Indian Constitution did not ensure: a. that the women get equal rights. b. that they were considered equal to men. c. that the sex ration would be 943 females per 1000 males. d. that they were legal citizens of India. 4. Despite the provision of the constitution: a. women are relegated of the household. b. women are not allowed free space. c. women were dictated by patriarchy. d. all of the above. 5. Based on y Our understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the correct sequence of passage: 1. The country has seen an increased percentage of literacy among women. 2. The sex ratio of women at that time was slightly better than what it is today. 3. Women participating in nationalists movements to being pushed into domestic household . 4. The Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for girls was approx 24.8% at the primary level and approx 4.6% at upper primary level. 5. One side which is promising and one side which is bleak. a. 4,3,1,5,2 b. 3,1,5,2,4 c. 2,5,3,1,2 d. 1,5,2,3,4 6. Did Indian women participated in nationalist movement for India s freedom? a. YES B. NO C. For some days D. None of the above 7. Which of the following are hurdles in the way of women s education? a. Social Barriers b. Cultural Barriers c. Access to organised schooling d. All of the above 8. Find the synonym of the word signs in the options given below. a. Indicators b. Space c. Occupy d. Comparing. 9. Find the synonym of the word widespread in the options given below. a. Infanticide b. Condition c. Prevalent d. Persist. 10. Find the synonym of the word impossible to solve in the options given below. a. Acknowledge b. Insoluble c. Bleak d. Alarmingly. 11. Find the antonym of the word responsibility in the options given below. a. Opportunity b. Freedom c. Submit d. Existed. LITERATURE (12) 3. Read the extract given below and attempt any ONE and answer the question that follows: (1X4=4) Poor man! It was in honour of this last lesson that he had put on his fine Sunday clothes, and now I understood why the old men of the village were sitting there in the back of the room. It was because they were sorry, too, that they had not gone to school more. It was their way of thanking our master for his forty years of faithful service and of showing their respect for the country that was theirs no more. i Why does the narrator refer to M. Hamel as Poor man! ? a) He empathizes with M. Hamel as he had to leave the village. b) He believes that M. Hamel s fine Sunday clothes clearly reflected that he was not rich. c) He feels sorry for M. Hamel as it was his last French lesson. d) He thinks that M. Hamel s patriotism and sense of duty resulted in his poverty. ii Which of the following idioms might describe the villagers act of attending the last lesson most accurately? a) Too good to miss b) Too little, too late c) Too many cooks spoil the broth d) Too cool for school iii Choose the option that might raise a question about M. Hamel s faithful service . a) When Franz came late, M. Hamel told him that he was about to begin class without him. b) Franz mentioned how cranky M. Hamel was and his great ruler rapping on the table . c) M. Hamel often sent students to water his flowers, and gave a holiday when he wanted to go fishing. d) M. Hamel permitted villagers put their children to work on a farm or at the mills for some extra money. iv Choose the option that most appropriately fills in the blanks, for the following description of the given extract. The villagers and their children sat in class, forging with their old master a (i) _____ togetherness. In that moment, the class room stood (ii) _____. It was France itself, and the last French lesson a desperate hope to (iii) ______ to the remnants of what they had known and taken for granted. Their own (iv) _______. a) (i) graceful; (ii) still; (iii) hang on; (iv) country b) (i) bygone; (ii) up; (iii) keep on; (iv) education OR She still has bangles on her wrist, but no light in her eyes. Ek waqt ser bhar khana bhi nahin khaya. she says, in a voice drained of joy. She has not enjoyed even one full meal in her entire lifetime-that s what she has reaped! Her husband, an old man with a flowing beard says, I know nothing except bangles. All I have done is make a house for the family to live in. Hearing him one wonders if he has achieved what many have failed in their lifetime. He has a roof over his head! The cry of not having money to do anything except carry on the business of making bangles, not even enough to eat, rings in every home. The young men echo the lament of the elders. Little has moved with time, it seems in Firozabad, years of mind-numbing toil have killed all initiative and the ability to dream. i She still has bangles on her wrist, but no light in her eyes. This implies that a) she is married but has lost the charm in her eyes. b) she is a married woman who has lost her grace and beauty. c) though she is married, her eyes are devoid of happiness. d) she is a married woman who has lost her eyesight. ii He has a roof over his head! The tone of the author is a) pessimistic b) empathetic. c) sympathetic. d) optimistic. iii Choose the term which best matches the statement The young men echo the lament of their elders. a) acceptance b) reflection c) reiteration d) doubtfulness iv Years of mind-numbing toil have killed all initiative and the ability to dream . This shows that a) the bangle makers are exhausted yet they are enterprising and have dreams. b) the drudgery of work has destroyed their willingness to improve their lot. c) the daily grind has stolen the dreams of the bangle makers and made them dull. d) the bangle makers have been working so hard that there s no time to dream. 4. Read the extract and answer the question that follows: (1x4=4) And looked out at Young Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling out of their homes, but after the airport s security check, standing a few yards away, I looked again at her, wan, pale as a late winter s moon and felt that old familiar ache i What is the most likely reason the poet capitalised Young Trees ? This was to a) convey a clearer meaning b) highlight the adj.-noun combination. c) enhance the contrast. d) draw a connection with the title. ii Choose the option that appropriately describes the relationship between the two statements given below. Statement 1: The poet knows her mother has aged. Statement 2: The poet feels the pain of separation. a) Beginning Ending c) Question Answer b) Cause Effect d) Introduction Conclusion iii Choose the option that completes the sentence given below. Just as the brightness of the winter s moon is veiled behind the haze and mist, similarly, __________________. a) the pain of separation has shaded mother s expression. b) age has fogged mother s youthful appearance. c) growing up has developed a seasoned maturity in the poet. d) memories warm the heart like the pale moon in winter. iv The tone of the poet in the poem is primarily a combination of _____ and _____. 1. dauntlessness 2. apprehension 3. dejection 4. disappointment a) 1, 2 b) 2, 3 c) 3, 4 d) 1, 4 4. Attempt any FOUR questions from the five given below: (1x4=4) 1. The phrase old familiar ache has been used to refer to a fear, in the poem. This phrase can also be used to a) compare physical pain with mental agony. b) elicit someone s unanswered queries. c) substantiate reasons for aches and pains. d) describe a longing one has been aware of. 2. Choose the statement that is NOT TRUE about ragpickers in Seemapuri. a) Children are equally involved in rag picking as their parents. b) The ragpickers settle down in a place permanently. c) Rag picking has accomplished itself as a skill and form of art. d) Ragpickers live in unsteady shanties on the outskirts of Delhi. 3. Franz saw a huge crowd assembled in front of the bulletin board, but did not stop. How would you evaluate his reaction? a) Franz was too little to care about the news of lost battles. b) Nobody in Franz s family was in the army, so it did not matter. c) Bad news had become very normal, so he went about his task. d) It was too crowded for Franz to find out what news was up on the board. 4. According to the chapter Lost Spring- Stories of stolen childhood - what does a heap of garbage stands for the children s parents: a) A source of water b) A means of survival c) Both (a) and (b) d) None of the above. 5. What fear comes to the mind of the poetess? a) She would miss the filght. b) her mother would die soon. c) She would miss her mother once she goes back. d) She would lose her money. PART B WRITING (8) 5. Attempt any One of the following: (3) (A) You are Gaurav/Garima . As the secretary of the Social Service League of your school , you have organised a cultural benefit show in aid of mentally handicapped children of your town. Write a notice in not more than 50 words for your school notice board giving all necessary details. OR (B) You are Pratibha/Pankaj. As the secretary of the Science Club of your school , write a notice informing students about an Inter School Science exhibition and encouraging students to participate in it. Invent all the necessary details. 6. Attempt any One of the following : (5) While reading about the high tech devices , there are different boons or banes . Write an article in 120-150 words for the magazine Gadgets Today . You are Radhika/ Rajat. OR While reading about new places and searching for them online has its merits, the advantages of actually travelling to various destinations far exceed them. Write an article in 120-150 words for the magazine Travel Times, evaluating both these options. You may use the cues given below along with your own ideas. You are Amrit/ Amrita . LITERATURE (20) 7. Attempt any FOUR questions in 30-40 words each (2x4=8) 1. If this had been M. Hamel s first lesson, how do you think the school experience of the students might have been impacted? 2. The pain of separation is expressed both literally and metaphorically in the poem My mother at sixty-six . Elucidate. 3. Why do you think Mukesh is content to dream of cars and doesn t dream of flying a plane? 4. How is garbage gold to the ragpickers? 5. How is Mukesh s attitude towards life different from that of his family? 8. Attempt any three questions in 30-40 words (2x3=6) 1. It is a tradition to stay barefoot . What is the attitude of the ragpickers of Seemapuri towards wearing shoes? 2. What were the poet s feelings at the airport? How did she hide them? 3. Descibe the irony in Saheb s name. 4. How different was the scene in the classroom on the day of the last lesson. 9. Attempt any One of the following in 120-150 words: (1x6=6) Certain traditions and lineage, condemn thousands of children to a life of abject poverty and choke their aspirations. Do you agree? Explain. How can we change this? Suggest some ways to tackle this issue. OR Imagine the mother gets to know of the poet persona s fears. Write a letter, as the mother, telling the daughter why she must not dwell on these fears. You may begin this way: Pallipuram Cochin, Kerala 22 August 60 My dear Kamala I am writing to you because when you left me at the airport, I felt something wasn t right. Judging by how little you spoke that day . (continue) With love Amma
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