HYENGSET1AK1115 8/12/15

HALF YEARLY EXAMINATION (2015-2016)

ANSWER KEY
Subject: ENGLISH CORE Max. Marks: 80 mks
Grade: XI Time: 3 hrs
Name: Section: Roll No:

SECTION A – READING 20M

1 Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:- 12marks
a) On the basis of your understanding of the passage choose the right option

(a) The Titanic sank on------------------ 1

(i) its 100th anniversary

(ii) 15th April 1912

(iii) an iconic voyage in 1985

(iv) leaving the port of Belfast

(b) the Titanic continues to attract attention because— 1

i) it is irony personified in history

(ii) its advanced technology gave double diving technologies

(iii) it is a treasure hunt

(iv) it is a common need

(c) Ballard’s documentary on the Titanic is titled------------------- 1

(i) a museum of human history

(ii)the titanic

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 (iii) save the Titanic

(iv) 75 years later

b) Answer the following questions :- 1*6=6

(a)What happened on April 15, 1927?

On April 15,1912 the Titanic ship, on its maiden journey, hit an iceberg and
sank in the Atlantic Ocean As many as 1522 passengers and crew lost their
lives on that fateful night

(b)Who is Bob Ballard and what did he discover?

Bob Ballard is a former US Navy officer and a professor of oceanography. He

first discovered the remains of the Titanic in 1985.

(c ) Why does Bob Ballard call it a museum of human history?

Bob Ballard calls it’s museum of human history because it is full of human footprints.
At her wreckage one feels surrounded by the life boats of all the people that were in
the water at that spot.

(d)Why did the people of Belfast refuse to talk about Titanic?

The Titanic ship was constructed at Belfast. After the sinking of the ship, the people of
Belfast refused to talk about the tragedy because of the shame and sadness in the loss
of life involved

(e) What did Ballard do as part of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic?

Ballard presented a documentary called ‘Save the Titanic’ as part of the 100th
anniversary of the Titanic.

(f) Explain “it is irony personified”.

It means that Titanic which could have proved safest ironically turned out to be
disastrous. It killed 1522 passengers. History has witnessed and recorded it.

c) Find the words from the passage which mean the same as:- 3

(a) first of its kind(para5)-maiden

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 (b) very solemn or serious(para6)-somber

(c ) Famous or popular (para1)-iconic

2 Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:- 8marks
ANY SUITABLE TITLE(Max words 5)-1 mark
1) Qualities of good business letter:
a) Concise
b) Clear
c) Courteous
2) Features of a concise letter:
a) To the point
b) Use precise sentences.
c) Do not ramble
3) Features of a clear letter:
a) Structure of the letter
i) Paragraphs
ii) Topic sentences
iii) Introduction
iv) Conclusion
b) Use accepted format
c) All explanation in the letter adequate
d) Information given complete
4) Features of a courteous letter:
a) Avoid sarcasm and insults
b) Explain things politely
c) Avoid grammatical and spelling errors
Pls note:Notes should be brief and to the point,notes should be relevant to the topic .
The notes should not be so brief that their clarity is lost

KEY TO ABBREVIATION(4-5 words)-1mark

Any other relevant subheading and points to be considered based on the passage.

b) Summary writing should be 80 words only. Title of the summary should be the
title of the note making.
Content_2marks
Expression- 1 mark

30 M
SECTION B- WRITING SKILLS AND GRAMMAR
3.  Notice 4marks
o Format – 1 mark
o (Heading, The word ‘ Notice’, Date, Signature, Designation)
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 o Content – 2 mark
o (Occasion for writing the notice , venue , date, time)
o Expression – 1 mark

OR
 Poster
(slogans {may be arranged in any manner with good spacing, different font etc },
sketch or diagram, heading not a must, name of the individual or organisation at the
bottom.
o Content - 3 mark
o Expression – 1 mark
o Put the poster in a box

4. Letter to the editor 5½

o Format – 1 mark marks
o Content – 4 mark
o Expression – 1 mark

OR
Letter placing an order

o Format – 1 mark
o Content – 4 mark
o Expression – 1 mark
5. Speech 9marks
o Format – 1 mark
o Content – 4 mark
o Expression – 2.5 mark
o Coherence – 2.5 mark

OR
Article
o Format – 1 mark
o Content – 4 mark
o Expression – 2.5 mark
o Coherence – 2.5 mark

6. Complete the following conversation using Modals: ½ *6=3

(a) Will
(b) Should
(c) Can
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 (d) Should
(e) Can/will
(f) Can/will
7. Rearrange the following words to make meaningful sentences. 1*3=3
a. Land is covered with snow in the north/In the north land is covered with snow
b. They cannot get food so easily
c. They fly to South to escape chill and starvation.

8. There is an error in each line of the following passage. Edit the passage and write the 4marks
correct and incorrect words in the sheet provided:
Incorrect Correct
I first saw the leopard when I am crossing (a)__am_____ __was______
a small stream. As I crossed a stream and (b) __a_____ ____the____
begun climbing the hill , the grunting and (c ) _begun______ began______
chattering increased, such though (d) ___such_____ _as_______
the langurs was trying to warn me from (e) ___was_____ ___were_____
some hidden danger. A tiger was not looking (f) ___a_____ ___the_____
towards me , but it must have sense my (g) ___sense_____ __sensed______
present. It slowly turned its head and looked (h) _present_____ presence _______
down at me. I had disturbed the animal in its
quest for food and I felt sorry.

SECTION C –LITERATURE AND LONG READING TEXT 30 M

9. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

a What did the child observe about adults? 1

-Adults were not what they seemed to be. They talked and preached of love but
did not act with love.
b What idea do you get about a child who learns to see through the hypocrisy of the 1
adult?
Child has become mature to understand the true nature of people around him.
c Who is ‘I’ in the poem? Name the poet. 1
Child/poet. Poet- Markus Natten
OR
a How does rain give back life to its own origin? 1
Rain washes down all the dust particles and drought prone area, it helps the
dormant seeds to grow, it makes everything around pure and beautiful.
b From where does the rain originate? 1
Rain originates from the land and bottomless sea
c Why are the last lines put within brackets? 1
The last two lines contain a general observation of the poet regarding music.
These are in brackets because it differs from the first nine lines.
10 Answer any two of the following in 60-80 words. 3*3=9
a Who was Amenhotep IV? Why is he described as ‘Wacky’?

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 Amenhotep IV was a pharaoh of Egypt. Amenhotep promoted the worship of
Aten, the sun disk, changed his name to Akhenaten and moved the religious
capital from the old city of Thebes to the new city of Akhetaten. He further
shocked the country by attacking Amun, a major god, smashing his images and
closing his temples. Hence he was described as ‘Wacky’.
b ‘Of all the things I had to forget, that would be the easiest’. What does the speaker
mean by this and why?
The narrator had gone through so much in life. The trauma of it will remain with
her for the rest of her life, it was not easy to forget it. Material possessions were
the easiest to forget.

c Why did Albert hate his lodgings? What would he do to divert his mind?
Albert had his lodgings in the poorest quarters of Munich. The food was bad.
Lack of comfort, dirt and squalor made his life miserable. The atmosphere of
slum violence was oppressive. Music was a source of comfort for him,he played
his violin to divert his mind.
11 Answer the question in 120-150 words 5½
marks
The Portrait of a Lady is a reminder about a growing distance between the young and
the older generation. Comment.
OR
Knowledge about the past is useful to complete our knowledge of the world we live in.
Substantiate your view with reference to the chapter ’Discovering Tut’.

12 Answer the question in 120-150 words 5½

marks
What attempts were made by the Canterville ghost to frighten the Otis family?
OR
Give a character-sketch of Virginia as the harbinger of love and peace.

13 Answer the question in 120 -150 words 5½

marks
Do you think the Canterville Ghost was afraid of the twins? Describe incidents that
support your view.
OR
Mr. Otis is quite practical and modern in his beliefs and views. Discuss.

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