LITERATURE

SECTION C: LITERATURE (40 marks)

Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two given
(1)
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes and
walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
(poem - Keeping Quiet)
I. What is a common outcome of all the wars described?
II What does the imagery of ‘walking about with their brothers in the shade’ primarily represent?
A. The readiness for further conflicts.
B. A return to normal activities post-conflict.
C. A moment of unity and peaceful reflection.
D. The physical environment of a typical war zone.
III. Complete the following suitably. The putting on of ‘clean clothes’ by the warmongers,
symbolises_________.
IV. Select the correct option from those given in brackets, to fill in the blank. The excerpt tells us that the
speaker ________ (condemns / glorifies) the destructive nature of modern warfare.
V. Read the assertion and the reason below, with reference to the given extract.
Assertion: The poet advocates for 'doing nothing' as a way to prevent the devastation of war. Reason: 'Doing
nothing' refers to a time for stopping any action for a few moments.

Choose the correct option regarding their relationship.

A. Both the assertion and the reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
B. Both the assertion and the reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
C. The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
D. The assertion is false, but the reason is true.

VI. How can the message in the excerpt, about the outcome of wars be applied to promote peace?

(2)

While greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts of prey,

Swarm over their lives enforcing benefits
That are calculated to soothe them out of their wits,
And by teaching them how to sleep they sleep all day,
Destroy their sleeping at night the ancient way.
(poem-The Roadside Stand)

I. Select the phrase that suggests the following: The so-called aids are not offered out of genuine care or
consent but are imposed in a controlling and perhaps unwelcome manner.

II What does the imagery of ‘swarm’ NOT represent in the given extract?
A. Coordinated help
B. Overwhelming force
C. Discomfort and chaos
D. Neglect of individual needs

III Complete the following suitably. In the line, ‘destroy their sleeping at night the ancient way,’ the phrase
‘the ancient way’ refers to________.

IV. Select the correct option from those given in brackets, to fill in the blank.

The poet has used phrases like ‘greedy good-doers’ and ‘beneficent beasts of prey’ to illustrate the ________
(irony/satire) in the situation where those claiming to help the rural poor actually impose self-serving and
detrimental actions on them.

V. Read the assertion and the reason below, with reference to the given extract.

Assertion: The poet criticizes the way the rural poor are treated by benefactors, suggesting it instills ambition.
Reason: The interventions are overwhelmingly calming and lead to a loss of critical thinking among the rural
poor.

Choose the correct option regarding their relationship:

A. Both the assertion and the reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
B. Both the assertion and the reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
C. The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
D. The assertion is false, but the reason is true.

VI. State in one sentence, what cautionary advice your address to the rural poor from the extract, is most
likely to include.

(3)

To visit Antarctica now is to be a part of that history; to get a grasp of where we’ve come from and where we
could possibly be heading. It’s to understand the significance of Cordilleran folds and pre-Cambrian granite
shields; ozone and carbon; evolution and extinction. When you think about all that can happen in a million
years, it can get pretty mind-boggling. Imagine: India pushing northwards, jamming against Asia to buckle its
crust and form the Himalayas; South America drifting off to join North America, opening up the Drake
Passage to create a cold circumpolar current, keeping Antarctica frigid, desolate, and at the bottom of the
world. (Journey to the End of the Earth) I. Complete the following suitably.

I. The passage suggests that visiting Antarctica offers insight into geological processes and 9 Earth's
history by ______________.
II. How does the author imply the role of geological knowledge in understanding the Earth's past and
potential future changes?
III. The writer says, ‘When you think about all that can happen in a million years, it can get pretty mind-
boggling.’ What is the most likely impact on the writer?
A. Feels overwhelmed by the vastness of geological time scales.
B. Is uneasy about the rapid pace of geological changes.
 C. Feels indifferent towards geological phenomena.
D. Is surprised by the lack of significant geological events over a million years.

IV. How might understanding the geological processes mentioned in the passage help scientists in
predicting and mitigating future environmental changes, particularly in polar regions?

(4)

I cried aloud, shaking my head all the while until I felt the cold blades of the scissors against my neck, and
heard them gnaw off one of my thick braids. Then I lost my spirit. Since the day I was taken from my
mother I had suffered extreme indignities. People had stared at me. I had been tossed about in the air like a
wooden puppet. And now my long hair was shingled like a coward’s! In my anguish I moaned for my
mother, but no one came to comfort me. Not a soul reasoned quietly with me, as my own mother used to
do; for now, I was only one of many little animals driven by a herder. (Memories of Childhood: The
Cutting of My Long Hair)

I. Complete the following suitably. Zitkala-Sa's description of her experience at the boarding school
conveys a sense of abandonment through her portrayal of __________

II. List any one emotion that Zitkala-Sa experiences as her hair is being cut.

III. Select the suitable option to complete the following.

The metaphor of being ‘tossed about in the air like a wooden puppet’ contribute to the reader's
understanding of Zitkala-Sa's feelings of being ________.

A. forced to interact with others

B. manipulated and controlled
C. preached at and insulted
D. made to exist like toy animals

VI In what ways does the imagery of her ‘long hair shingled like a coward's’ symbolise the erasure of
Zitkala’s cultural heritage and the imposition of Western norms?

(5)

Read the following extracts and answer the questions for any one of the given two. 1x6=6 10

A. What a thunderclap these words were to me! Oh, the wretches; that was what they had put up at the
town-hall! My last French lesson! Why, I hardly knew how to write! I should never learn anymore! I must
stop there, then! Oh, how sorry I was for not learning my lessons, for seeking birds’ eggs, or going sliding
on the Saar! My books, that had seemed such a nuisance a while ago, so heavy to carry, my grammar, and
my history of the saints, were old friends now that I couldn’t give up. And M. Hamel, too; the idea that he
was going away, that I should never see him again, made me forget all about his ruler and how cranky he
was.
(The Last Lesson)

I. What was the writer’s purpose in using the metaphor of a ‘thunderclap’?

 II. Select the correct option from those given in brackets to fill in the blank. The use of exclamatory marks
in the first five sentences of the extract serves to express the speaker’s _______ (hidden/ intense) emotions.
III. Complete the following suitably. The activities of seeking birds' eggs and sliding on the Saar reveal two
things about Franz's character before his change in perspective. First, his youthful carefree nature and
second, his preference for _________________.
IV. What is reflected through the shift in the speaker’s perception of Mr. Hamel, conveyed through his
readiness to forget the ruler? V. Select the textual option that is closest to indicating a sense of panic.

A. Oh, how sorry I was for not learning my lessons…

B. Why, I hardly knew how to write!
C. Oh, the wretches; that was what they had put up at the town-hall!
D. And M. Hamel, too;

VI. What does the following line from the extract, showcase? My books, that had seemed such a nuisance a
while ago, so heavy to carry, my grammar, and my history of the saints, were old friends now that I
couldn’t give up.

A. realization
B. confusion
C. expectation
D. affirmation

(6)

And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it has acquired the proportions of a fine
art. Garbage to them is gold. It is their daily bread, a roof over their heads, even if it is a leaking roof. But
for a child it is even more “I sometimes find a rupee, even a ten-rupee note,” Saheb says, his eyes lighting
up. When you can find a silver coin in a heap of garbage, you don’t stop scrounging, for there is hope of
finding more. It seems that for children, garbage has a meaning different from what it means to their
parents. For the children it is wrapped in wonder, for the elders it is a means of survival.
(Lost Spring – Stories of Stolen Childhood)

I. What does Saheb's statement about finding money in the garbage reveal about his daily life and
aspirations?
II. Select the correct option from those given in brackets to fill in the blank.

Describing garbage as ‘gold’ metaphorically elevates its value to the children, helping the reader understand
the _______ (dynamic / desperate) conditions under which these children live, where even garbage can
represent crucial economic resources.

III. Complete the following with a suitable reason. Children continue to scrounge in the garbage because
_______.

IV. How does the perception of garbage differ between children and adults in Seemapuri?

V. What is implied by the description of rag-picking as having ‘acquired the proportions of a fine art’ in the
excerpt?
A. Rag-picking is an undesirable and simple task that anyone can do without effort.
B. Rag-picking has evolved into a complex skill that is valued within the community.
C. Rag-picking is a temporary activity that does not significantly impact the community.
D. Rag-picking has the status of an artistic hobby that children pursue for enjoyment.

VI. What is the reason for Saheb’s eyes ‘lighting up’?

A. The immediate experience of finding something valuable.
B. Discussing his findings with others.
C. Reminiscing about past findings in the garbage.
D. Planning future scavenging expeditions

(7)

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,
my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was, see you soon,
Amma, all I did was smile and smile and smile......

i. Choose the correct option:

In the above extract, the narrator feels
(i) sentimental ii) fearful
(iii) nostalgic (iv) regretful

ii. Identify the word in the extract, that means ‘colourless’

iii.Read the following statement and choose the correct option:

1. The poet had gone through the security check.

2. She looked at her to smile and bid her goodbye
a. 1) is true but 2) is false
b. Both 1) and 2) are true
c. 1) is false but 2) is true
d. Both 1) and 2) are false

iv. Complete the following analogy correctly.

She sang like a bird: Simile
All I did was smile and smile and smile:

v. What childhood fear is the poet referring to?

vi. Fill the blank with appropriate words, with reference to the extract.
‘Pale as a winter’s moon’ suggests………………………………….

(8)
Now we will count to twelve and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of the Earth let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second, and not move our arms so much.
It would be an exotic moment without rush, without engines,
we would all be together in a sudden strangeness.

i.The significance of counting up to twelve is :

a.it is time to start the start b. it is symbolic of life
b.it is measure of time d. that time does not wait for anyone

ii The word -----------in the extract means unusual and exciting.

iii.Excessive activity will create an atmosphere of:

a. productivity b.mechanisation
c. confusion d. competition

iv. The poet would want to create all the following EXCEPT
a. a peaceful environment b. a harmonious world
c. an atmosphere for introspection d. a world of hustle and bustle

v. On the basis of the extract, study the two statements

1. People must keep silent at twelve every day
2. Introspection will lead to peaceful coexistence
Choose the most appropriate option:
a. 1 is false but 2 is true b. Both 1 &2 are false
c.Both 1&2 are true d. 1 is true but 2 is false

vi. Complete the given analogy by selecting the correct option.

Face of the earth:---------::sudden strangeness: alliteration

(9)
A. The man ceased his mutterings, and then a third bell was tapped. Every one picked up his knife and fork
and began eating. I began crying instead, for by this time I was afraid to Page 11 of 16 venture anything
more. But this eating by formula was not the hardest trial in that first day. Late in the morning, my friend
Judewin gave me a terrible warning. Judewin knew a few words of English; and she had overheard the
paleface woman talk about cutting our long, heavy hair. Our mothers had taught us that only unskilled
warriors who were captured had their hair shingled by the enemy. Among our people, short hair was worn
by mourners, and shingled hair by cowards! (Memories of Childhood: The Cutting of my Long Hair)
i Which of these can be inferred from the extract?
A. The speaker did not understand or speak English.
B. The speaker did not think highly of her own culture.
C. The speaker did not have any living family members.
D. The speaker did not know what a knife or fork were used for. 1
ii How was the speaker feeling by the time the third bell rang? Why did she feel this way? 1
iii Complete the given sentence appropriately. The speaker compares her experience of eating to that of a
trial because __________. 1
iv Based on the extract, what would it mean to the speaker if her long hair was cut?

(10)
A. The presidents of the New York Central and the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroads will
swear on a stack of timetables that there are only two. But I say there are three, because I've been on the
 third level of the Grand Central Station. Yes, I've taken the obvious step: I talked to a psychiatrist friend
of mine, among others. I told him about the third level at Grand Central Station, and he said it was a
waking-dream wish fulfillment. He said I was unhappy. That made my wife kind of mad, but he
explained that he meant the modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and all the rest of it, and
that I just want to escape. Well, who doesn't? Everybody I know wants to escape, but they don't wander
down into any third level at Grand Central Station. (The Third Level)
i Complete the given sentence appropriately. Unlike the two levels that have 'a stack of timetables' to prove
their existence, the third level has __________.

ii Yes, I've taken the obvious step. What is the narrator assuming that the reader is thinking when he says
the above line?

iii Which of these is an example of 'a waking-dream wish fulfillment' as described in the extract?
A. Meenal loses her book and swears that it is her enemy who stole it.
B. Milind claims that he was petting his beloved dog whom he lost a few years ago.
C. Malini tells everyone that she saw a Cheetah though she herself knows it is a lie.
D. Mrinal thinks that he saw a spaceship in the sky which later turned out to be a normal aircraft.

iv Based on the extract, what does the narrator think about the psychiatrist's opinion?

(11)
A. The old man was just as generous with his confidences as with his porridge and tobacco. The guest was
informed at once that in his days of prosperity his host had been a crofter at Ramsjo Ironworks and had
worked on the land. Now that he was no longer able to do day labour, it was his cow which supported him.
Yes, that bossy was extraordinary. She could give milk for the creamery every day, and last month he had
received all of thirty kronor in payment. The stranger must have seemed incredulous, for the old man got
up and went to the window, took down a leather pouch which hung on a nail in the very window frame, and
picked out three wrinkled ten-kronor bills. (The Rattrap)

i Based on the extract, which of these can we infer about the old man?
A. He made more money at the creamery than as a crofter.
B. His occupation changed due to the limitations of old age.
C. His generosity increased as he became more prosperous in old age.
D. He preferred to earn by being his own boss rather than working under someone.
ii What is the author implying when she compares the old man's confidences with his porridge and tobacco?
iii Complete the given sentence appropriately. Based on the extract, we can infer that being a crofter paid
the old man __________.
iv Which of these sentences uses 'supported' in the same way as the extract does?
A. The pillars supported the thick ceiling that was made completely of stone.
B. Raman supported his friend's decision to find a job that pays her more money.
C. Lalitha supported her mother by sending some money home on a regular basis.
D. Few people supported the policy while the majority of the voters were against it.
v Why would the peddler have seemed 'incredulous'? State a reason.
vi Justify any one trait of the old man that the extract reveals.
A. Meenal loses her book and swears that it is her enemy who stole it.
B. Milind claims that he was petting his beloved dog whom he lost a few years ago.
C. Malini tells everyone that she saw a Cheetah though she herself knows it is a lie.
 D. Mrinal thinks that he saw a spaceship in the sky which later turned out to be a normal aircraft. 1
iv Based on the extract, what does the narrator think about the psychiatrist's opinion?

(12)

So it is hardly surprising that opinions of the interview --- of its functions, methods and merits --- vary
considerably. Some might make quite extravagant claims for it as being, in its highest form, a source of truth,
and, in its practice, an art. Others, usually celebrities who see themselves as its victims, might despise the
interview as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives, or feel that it somehow diminishes them, just as in some
primitive cultures it is believed that if one takes a photographic portrait of somebody then one is stealing that
person's soul. V. S. Naipaul feels that, 'Some people are wounded by interviews and lose a part of themselves.'
Lewis Carroll, the creator of Alice in Wonderland, was said to have had 'a just horror of the interviewer' and he
never consented to be interviewed. (The Interview: Part I)

i Identify any one contrast in the extract and explain it in one sentence in your own words.
ii Based on V. S. Naipaul's quote, we can say that interviews __________.
A. are forced upon people
B. are physically violent in nature
C. can build hostility and hatred
D. can be a traumatic experience
iii What is common between how celebrities feel about interviews and how primitive cultures viewed
photographic portraits?
iv Which of these uses 'just' in the same way as the following expression in the extract? 'a just horror of the
interviewer'
A. The just decision in the case against the criminal will empower us.
B. I just need to buy one pencil so we can go shopping tomorrow.
C. We will get back to you on this query in just a moment.
D. The little girl looks just like her mother.
v What makes an interview 'a source of truth'? State any one feature.
vi Complete the given sentence appropriately. The author of the extract has a/an __________ tone while
describing the interview.

SHORT QUESTIONS

Answer the following six questions in about 40-50 words

1. What do you understand about the author’s (Asokamitran) literary inclinations from the account (Poets
and Panckes)?
2. Why does Sophie's father look at Sophie with disdain in the following scene from 'Going Places' ?
"Sophie's met Danny Casey", Geoff said.
3. In the poem 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers', why does the poet describe the tigers as 'bright topaz denizens of a
world of green'?
4. What were some strategies that helped the narrator to overcome his fear of water that one can apply in
their own life for facing any major fear? Explain any two. (Deep Water)
5. Explain the theme of “The Last Lesson.” What is the reason behind its universal appeal?
6. Imagine that John Keats meets someone who is feeling sad. What advice would he give to such a person?
State any one feature of beauty from 'A Thing of Beauty' and relate the advice to it.
 7. In the story, 'On the Face of It', what brings Derry and Mr Lamb together as friends? What can you
conclude about friendships from this?

8. How would a student’s learning experience be enhanced in the 'Students on Ice' programme as compared
to studying only in a classroom? Analyse any one point. (Journey to the End of the Earth)

9. With reference to 'The Enemy', describe any two ways in which Sadao's father influenced Sadao's life.

10. Identify an instance of hope or resilience in ‘Lost Spring’ and analyse how it reflects one of the story's
themes.

11. Interpret the use of visual imagery by Kamala Das in her poem to depict the passage of time.
12. What does the contrasting imagery of the church clock and the Prussian trumpets represent, in ‘The Last
Lesson’?
13. How does the author's writing style in ‘The Interview’ affect the reader's understanding of the story?
14. Explain how the rattrap symbolises the dual aspects of human nature. (The Rattrap)
15. What factor/s were largely instrumental in the victory of the peasants in ‘Indigo’?

16. Discuss the significance of the toy tiger in the climax of ‘The Tiger King.’
17. Interpret the significance of both literal and metaphorical journeys in the story, ‘The Third Level.’
18. How does Susan Hill subtly portray a blend of pessimism and optimism in ‘On the Face of It’?

LONG QUESTIONS:
1. Imagine that Mahatma Gandhi from the text 'Indigo' visits Mukesh's town Firozabad as described in
'Lost Spring'. Gandhi sees how the poor bangle-makers are caught up in 'a vicious circle of the
sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of law, the bureaucrats and the politicians.' True
to his nature of being an activist and a social reformist, he decides to do something about it over a
month.
As Mukesh, write a diary entry on the last day of Gandhi's one-month stay, elaborating on any two things
that he did that transformed the people's lives in Firozabad. You may begin this way:
Dear Diary, Today marks a month of Mahatma Gandhi being in our town...

2. Observe the following lines from two different poems.

(Aunt Jennifer's Tigers) When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie Still ringed with ordeals she was
mastered by.
(The Roadside Stand) I can’t help owning the great relief it would be to put these people at one stroke out
of their pain.
There are many commonalities between the two poems. Imagine that you are interviewing Adrienne Rich
and Robert Frost together. Ask them any two questions that would highlight two points of similarity
between their poems, and create their responses to each. You may begin this way:
Interviewer:
Rich:
Frost:

3. The influence of belief in traditions such as religion, family bonds, or patriotism can be used to
develop narrative techniques like setting, motivation, sources of conflict, and pacing. Analyse how the
 writer has incorporated such influences to good effect in the story, The Enemy. Support your answer
with valid textual evidence.

4. Discuss the narrative techniques used by the author in The Third Level. How do these techniques
effectively convey the themes of escapism and nostalgia? Provide specific examples from the text to
support your analysis.

5. Recall the story 'We too are Human Beings' from the text 'Memories of Childhood'. Imagine that Bama
stops the elderly man who was carrying the packet of vadais, and strikes up a conversation with him.
She asks him a couple of questions. As the man, respond to Bama's questions. You may follow the
given format and include the two questions in your conversation. Bama: Hi sir, I noticed that you were
carrying that packet in a funny manner. Why were you doing so? Elderly man: ... Bama: But that's
terrible. How does that make you feel?

6. Create a pen picture of the social, political and economic situation of then India. (The Tiger King).

7. Analyse the poems, A Roadside Stand and Aunt Jennifer's Tigers for the theme of inequality and its
impact on the bearers.

8. How do the characters of Sophie from ‘Going Places’ and Subbu from ‘Poets and Pancakes’ compare
and contrast in terms of their aspirations, constraints, and the pursuit of their dreams?

9. Recall the story 'We too are Human Beings' from the text 'Memories of Childhood'. Imagine that Bama
stops the elderly man who was carrying the packet of vadais, and strikes up a conversation with him. She
asks him a couple of questions. As the man, respond to Bama's questions. You may follow the given format
and include the two questions in your conversation. Bama: Hi sir, I noticed that you were carrying that
packet in a funny manner. Why were you doing so? Elderly man: ... Bama: But that's terrible. How does
that make you feel?

10. Create a pen picture of the social, political and economic situation of then India. (The Tiger King)