(a) There is an increase in the usage of toilets among rural households.

(b) There is an increase in the construction of community-shared toilets.

(c) There is an increase in the building of toilets inside households.
(d) There is an increase in access to toilets but are not being used by the villagers.

viii. Which international organisation is helping in providing sanitation and how? (Answer in about 40
words)
2
Why is the government successful in providing access to toilets to over 99% of rural households? 1
(a) Government is giving false data.
(b) Villagers also want to have access to toilets to minimize the negative impact of open defecation.
(c) Villagers are cooperative.
(d) Rural households have become educated .

Read the following text. 10

1. The conquest of happiness has meant different facts to different generations. Our forefathers took pride
in scholarship, a spirit of sacrifice and solicitude for the welfare of others. Gone are those days. Today
we live only for ourselves. We are jealous of the advancement of our neighbours. We end up tense and
unhappy.
2. The term ‘happy’ has a variety of meanings. It stands for the lucky, fortunate, content, glad or apt.
Happiness lies within the mind of the individual. No amount of external wealth may be helpful in making
him happy.
3. Our forefathers had lifestyles, very much different from those we have today. Their life was based
mainly on the concept of ‘Simple living and high thinking.’ People were satisfied with whatever they
obtained after working hard. Excessive material wealth did not mean much for them. They aimed at
deriving mental satisfaction and enrichment from whatever they did.
4. The structural framework of our forefathers’ families was different from those of ours. They lived in
a cohesive joint family structure where they were happier than we. They cared for each other. The
siblings grew up with their cousins. The bond of love which they shared cannot be easily found in the
nuclear family of the day. The family provided an emotional cushioning effect against tension and stress.
However, in the nuclear family, we are detached from the feelings towards our kith and kin. At times
even the cousins do not recognise one another, when they happen to be self-centred. Disputes in the
family may lead to divisions. This may finally destroy the family psyche.
5. The joint family system provided a proper environment for the child to grow up. The value of respect,
tolerance, responsibility, integrity, etc. were internalised in the child. In the long run, they became better
human beings, compared to those in the present generation. Our forefathers felt happiest if their children
became ‘honest’ human beings. But today we are happy only if we attain our coveted material ends. We
are ready to resort to any means to attain that end. Our philosophy of life has turned out totally
Machiavellian.
6. Our forefathers had a vision to make India the best. To attain their ambitions, they were ready to make
all sorts of personal sacrifices. Their happiness lay in that of the millions of Indian brothers and sisters.
On the other hand, today people are ready to migrate to the West, to enjoy a comfortable life. They run
away from the evils of the Indian society without trying to remedy them. Often they become successful
 in foreign lands. But in the process, they become alienated from their motherland. The nostalgic feeling
of their childhood and the relationship they left lingered on which cannot make them happy. Distance
from their ailing parents is a worrying factor and keeps them perturbed. It is not easy for them to return,
as their children will not be able to adjust to the Indian environment and the way of life. Thus, in our
generation, tradition and modernity have intermingled to form our special system.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. What concept was our forefathers’ life based upon? 1
(a) Satisfied with whatever they obtained after working hard.
(b) Simple living and high thinking.
(c) Excessive material wealth did not mean much for them.
(d) All of the above
ii. According to the passage, state two aspects which bring out the difference between lives of our forefathers
and today’s generation. Answer in about 40 words. 2
iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
People are ready to migrate to the West because .....
iv. The passage includes some words that are opposites of each other. From the sets (a)-(e) below, identify
two sets of antonyms : 1
(a) Sacrifice and solicitude
(b) Happy and unhappy
(c) Satisfaction and enrichment
(d) Joint family and nuclear family
(e) Perturbed and compared
v. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
People who migrate to foreign lands are which makes them feel anxious and concerned.
vi. Supply one point to justify the following. (Answer in about 40 words.) 2
The conquest of happiness has meant different facts to different generations.
vii. The intermingle of modernity and tradition is shown by ..... 1
(a) parents going to live at their children’s place.
(b) children staying away from their families.
(c) children helping their parents or grandparents in using smart gadgets.
(d) None of the above
viii. How does the joint family system make a child a good human being? 1

2. Read the following text. 10

1. The emergence of novel COVID-19 epidemic has been spreading in India which brought the sudden
lockdown situation in the country. After government execution of lockdown with different stages, beings
rapidly change their pattern of living. The affection of such controls affected entertainment with several
entities. Many productions of entertainment programs get stopped that results the broadcast of new
 programs and several episodes has been stationary till the unlocked. To avoid the forfeiture in revenue,
production houses used the concept of minimax programming that belongs to repeated telecast of running
or evergreen programs. “Their current success may seem as an aberration at first glance. Doordarshan
itself has replayed its old shows in the past too and these have always gone unnoticed,” says Shailesh
Kapoor, founder and CEO at Ormax Media. Meanwhile, the condition of movie theatre is much similar
to other entertainment substances that have been closed and unable to perceive the entertainment.
2. Under such circumstances, web series enable to emphasis the audiences with its own concept of
‘anywhere-anytime’ where audience can watch and interact with programs with their convenience and
of personal medium. Web series are developing a new breed for new content providers, who produce
fresh content for digital audiences. Spreading the Internet access in rural and urban areas is much
responsible for increasing of audience of web series in digital platform. Since, the revolution of 4G
in India, OTT (Over-The-Top) platform such as Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon Prime video, ALTBalaji are
delivering the content like web series, movies, TV serials, sports and news with different languages to
the user (audience) with a boundless quality. A study revealed that 95% youth (age between 18 and 25)
have admitted to watching web series in a metro city like Mumbai and approximately 81% audiences
are watching in online manner by using OTT platform where in 42% of audiences watching web series
on a daily basis, by using OTT high rate.
3. In a study, certain responses were collected on watching habits of web series between before and after
lockdown. It was clear that approximately 15% of rise was seen in audiences during lockdown. Audiences
showed their interest more towards web series. In the same study, another interpretation showed the
meaning of free time to watch web series during lockdown. Before lockdown, ‘all day’ users of web
series were quite low to approximately 4% but during lockdown, an increase of users approximately
36% was seen in category.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. Complete the following sentence appropriately. 1
A study revealed that (age between 18 and 25) have admitted to watching web series in a metro city
like Mumbai.
ii. Fill in the blank with appropriate word/words. 1
Web series are creating a new kind of who produce fresh content for people who watch movies or
series on OTTs.
iii. State one example which proves the statement. (Answer in about 40 words) 2
COVID19 induced lockdown affected entertainment industry.
iv. State the reason in the increase in the trend of web series in digital platform. 1
v. Substitute the word ‘forfeiture’ with ONE WORD similar in meaning, in the following, sentence from
Paragraph 1. 1
To avoid the forfeiture in revenue, production houses used the concept of minimax programming that
belongs to repeated telecast of running or evergreen programs.
vi. Select the chart that appropriately represents the trend in the audience of watching web series: 1
 (1) (2)

(3) (4)

(a) Option 1
(b) Option 2
(c) Option 3
(d) Option 4
vii. What do you understard by ‘Minimax Programming’? How did Doordarshan apply it in India? (Answer
in about 40 words.) 2
viii. Which of the following is over the top platforms delivering to the audience? 1
(a) Movies and sports
(b) Web and TV series
(c) News with different languages
(d) All of these

1. Read the following text. 10

1. Not too long ago, a group of teachers made a study of the students and learning problems. A curious fact
came out of this study. The teachers discovered that the students who did poorly in subjects such as Maths
or Art could still do very well in other subjects. But the students who did poorly in reading, almost did
poorly in all their other courses.
2. For a while, the teachers who made the study were puzzled by this but they soon had an answer to this
puzzle. The teachers looked at the subjects that the students were failing in and discovered that even
subjects like Maths and Science were based on reading.
3. Of course, there were also other skills involved such as learning to add and subtract in Maths class. Most
of the explanations of how to do things had to be read by the students. Much of the home work
assignments required students to read long sets of directions and tests and problems in class often
involved story problems, problems that were explained in words and had to be read and understood
before they could be solved. Your success or failure in these classes will depend on your ability to read
 the required material.
4. Finally, if you go to college, almost all your study time will be spent in reading. You need more and more
information and most of the information come from the printed material you have to read. Even if you
could get tapes or movies containing all the information, you need to know that they would not be of
much help until and unless you know how to read. Magazines and books may all be on microfilm in the
next few years, but they will still have to be read. The same is true of most of what you have to learn in
school. Your school is probably not going to throw all printed material out of the window very soon.
5. Success in school courses still depends on an ability to read and those students, who cannot read or at
least read well enough to master material, are in trouble. You are moving into a world where everyday
more and more technical reading is required. Instructions for using applications are becoming more
complex. There are written instructions to follow, for food preparations, traffic signs, travel directions
and safety information, all requiring the ability to read.
6. Also your ability to get and keep a job is directly related to your ability to read. Even the simplest jobs
require some reading ability and many people advance to more important and better paying jobs by
getting additional knowledge and skills through reading. The more specialised the job, the greater the
need to read confidently, quickly and efficiently. Doctors read professional journals so that they can use

the latest medical knowledge in treating patients while pharmacists have to read the prescriptions the
doctors write. Lawyers spend their days reading briefs. The number of semiskilled and professional
occupations that require high reading ability is increasing rapidly. Today a person who cannot read is
almost unemployable.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. What is the most essential pre-requisite to keep a job? 1
(a) One’s ability to hear
(b) One’s ability to write
(c) One’s ability to read
(d) One’s ability to speak
ii. How is reading ability helping various professionals in their fields? Answer in about 40 words. 2
iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
“The students who did poorly in reading, almost did poorly in all their other courses”
This is so because .
iv. The passage includes some words that are opposites of each other. From the sets (a)-(e) given below,
identify two sets of antonyms. 1
(a) Puzzled and understood
(b) Subjects and courses
(c) Add and subtract
(d) Explanation and information
(e) Instruction and briefs
v. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
The study of a group of teachers revealed that ........
vi. List the ways in which reading is crucial to student life. Answer in about 40 words. 2
vii. Select a suitable title for the given passage. 1
(a) The results of the Survey
(b) The skills needed in life
(c) Reading
(d) Learning how to Read
viii. Why is reading crucial in the modern-day world? 1

2. Read the following text. 10

1. Right from literacy, accessibility to schools and household expenditure on education, the rural-urban
gap remains significant. There is a digital divide, too, with just 4% of rural households having access to
computers as compared to 23% in urban areas. These and other trends in a rural-urban gap in education
are revealed in the details of a survey conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO).

2. The report on ‘Household Social Consumption: Education’ surveyed 1.13 lakh households spread across
over 8,000 villages and 6,000 urban blocks between July 2017 and June 2018. The study involved 1.52
lakh students across different levels of study.
3. On accessibility, while 92.7% of the rural households have a primary school within 1 km as compared
to 87.2% in urban areas, the situation gets skewed as only 38% of the rural households have access to
secondary school as compared to 70% in the urban areas on similar parameters.
4. While accessibility to a neighbourhood school at the primary level is not an issue in rural areas, the gross
attendance ratio is also satisfactory with nearly 100% of boys and girls in rural as well as urban areas
attending classes. However, in sync with reduced accessibility, there is a gap at a the secondary level
between rural and urban settings. The all India literacy rate among persons aged 7 years and above is
77.7%. However, for the same age group, rural literacy is 73.5% and for urban areas it is, 87.7%.
5. The digital divide between rural and urban households is stark with just 4% of the rural population
having access to computers. The report highlighted that while only 15% surveyed population in the rural
cluster has internet access, 42% of the students in the urban areas have access to the internet.
6. At school level while the majority of the urban households had shown a preference for private schools,
it’s the opposite for rural households. The report highlights that 76.1% of the rural children are attending
primary and middle school run by the government, while only 38% of the urban children are attending
government schools. However, for graduate and above studies, 49.7% rural students are attending classes
in government institutions as compared to 41% of the urban counterparts in government institutions.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Complete the following sentence appropriately. 1
The majority of urban households show preference to .
ii. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in the brackets, based on your understanding
of passage. 1
Rural areas have (more/less) primary schools (within/without) a km as compared to that
in urban areas.
iii. What data shows that the rural-urban gap is visible at the secondary level of education? Answer in about
40 words. 2
iv. What did the survey conducted by the NSO cover? 1
v. In which aspect is the condition of education in the urban and rural households equal? 1

vi. Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the factors that indicate the
rural-urban gap. 1
(a) Infrastructure development and Employment opportunities
(b) Accessibility to schools and Digital divide
(c) Right to literacy and Household expenditure
(d) All of the above
vii. Explain in about 40 words the digital divide between rural and urban households based on the
passage. 2
viii. What does the Household Social. Consumption: Education focus on? 1
(a) Need for making technology more affordable
(b) Backtracking of online education.
(c) Rural-urban gap in education
(d) How the digital divide is non-existent in education.
1. Read the following text. 10
1. A piano teacher described an interesting encounter she had with a young lady who came to inquire about
music lessons. The young lady asked her, “How long will this course take? My father tells me that it is in
fashion now to be able to play musical instruments and that I should learn one quickly. I want something
that will be quick, fast and easy like, like. ” When the amused teacher explained that it would take a
lifetime of meticulous practice to learn music, her face fell and needless to say, she never came back.
2. The single most important factor that distinguishes those of us who succeed in any venture and those of
us who don’t is this ‘instant coffee’ attitude. Most of us want results quickly. We want to reach the top
immediately and get worked up when things go wrong. Perseverance and patience are forgotten words.
We get upset, frustrated and angry when a skill or activity requires us to put in a lot of effort and time.
We get dejected and want to give it up.
3. But such thinking serves no good. For, it doesn’t solve the problem.
4. Life is tough for those with an ‘instant coffee’ attitude. Success, real success and happiness come to those
who have a ‘bread-making’ attitude. Those who are willing to knead the dough, wait for hours for it to
rise, only to punch it down and knead some more, wait for another couple of hours for it to rise again,
and then bake it before it is ready to be eaten. Nothing is instantaneous. For every endeavour-whether in
the area of career, academics, music, sports, relationships, physical fitness or even in spirituality-it is a
long arduous journey.
5. Only if we are willing to put in the time, painstaking effort and have faith, can we get results. If we don’t
accept this difficult-but-true fact of life, our lives will be far from being happy and fulfilling. For we may
 not make that extra effort which can change the course of life dramatically, for the good.
6. The major problem with these ‘instant coffee’ solutions is that they are invariably short-lived. If we
stubbornly refuse to give up this search for quick solutions, all we do is end up on the wrong track.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. Why did the young lady wishing to learn piano not go back to her teacher? 1
(a) Because the teacher told her that piano learning would take a lifetime of practice.
(b) Because the young lady wanted to learn guitar.
(c) Because the teacher was incompetent.
(d) Because she did not have enough money.

ii. Explain the ‘bread-making’ attitude. Why does success and happiness come to those with this attitude?
Answer in about 40 words. 2

iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1

The author supports .

iv. The passage includes some words that are opposites of each other. From the sets (a)-(e) below, identify
a set of antonyms. 1
(a) Amused and upset
(b) Quickly and immediately
(c) Dejected and happiness
(d) Punch and knead
(e) Effort and instant

v. Complete the sentence appropriately. According to the passage, the biggest problem with ‘instant coffee’
solutions is that . 1

vi. The writer uses the phrase instant coffee attitude. What does it consist of? Answer in about 40 words. 2

vii. Select the inappropriate reason for negating the instant coffee attitude. 1
(a) Presence of mistakes (b) Ineffective
(c) Frustrating (d) Short-lived

viii. Who according to the author are the people who succeed in life? How are they different from the
rest? 1

2. Read the following text. 10

2
1. Obesity has been defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m , with extreme obesity
defined as a BMI greater than 40 kg/m2. Obesity is rapidly becoming the leading cause of preventable
death in the United States, with obesity-related deaths projected to soon surpass deaths related to tobacco
abuse. The incidence of obesity has doubled in the United States since 1960, with one-third of the adult
population currently obese. Perhaps more alarming is the increase in overweight children; over the past
25 years, this rate has risen from 6% to 19%.
2. Obesity is the next major epidemiologic challenge facing today’s doctors, with the annual allocation of
healthcare resources for the disease and related comorbidities projected to exceed $150 billion in the
United States. The incidence of obesity has risen in the United States over the past 30 years; 60% of
 adults are currently either obese or overweight. Obesity is associated with a higher incidence of a number
of diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Consumption of fast food, Trans Fatty
Acids (TFAs), and fructose-combined with increasing portion sizes and decreased physical activity-has
been implicated as a potential contributing factor in the obesity crisis.
3. The use of Body Mass Index (BMI) alone is of limited utility for predicting adverse cardiovascular
outcomes, but the utility of this measure may be strengthened when combined with waist circumference
and other anthropomorphic measurements. Certain public health initiatives have helped to identify and
reduce some of the factors contributing to obesity.

4. In New York City and Denmark, for example, such initiatives have succeeded in passing legislation
to reduce or remove TFAs from residents’ diets. The obesity epidemic will likely change practice for
gastroenterologists, as shifts will be seen in the incidence of obesity-related gastrointestinal disorders,
disease severity and the nature of comorbidities. The experience gained with previous epidemiologic
problems such as smoking should help involved parties to expand needed health initiatives and increase
the likelihood of preventing future generations from suffering the consequences of obesity.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Complete the following sentence with appropriate words. 1

60% of the adult population in the USA is either or .

ii. Fill in the blanks with appropriate option from those given in brackets. 1
The annual allocation of budget in the US for obesity and related diseases is (projected to decrease
by $150 million/projected to exceed $150 Billion)

iii. What problems are caused by obesity in the United States? Answer in about 40 words. 2

iv. Based on your understanding of the passage, infer one medical problem caused by obesity. 1

v. Which initiative has been taken in New York City and Denmark? 1

vi. Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists medical problems caused by
obesity. 1
1. Heart diseases
2. Diabetes
3. Lung diseases
4. Cancer
 5. Thyroid
6. Hormonal disorders
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 3 and 4
(c) 5 and 6 (d) All of these

vii. How will the obesity epidemic change practice for gastroenterologists? Answer in about 40 words. 2

viii. Which of the following is not true as per passage? 1

(a) Obesity is the most common amongst late teenagers in America.
(b) Obesity is defined in terms of the Waist Hip ratio.
(c) Obesity has been termed as an epidemic.
(d) Obesity is related to smoking.

1. Read the following text. 10

1. Crows are incredibly aware of their surroundings and have a way of observing humans. Corvids-a family
of birds including crows, magpies, and ravens develop relationship with human beings. Once corvids
accept the friendship, it is expressed by bringing gifts for their human friends. This, crow lovers say, is a
possibility but not a given. Some people feed crows as a meditative practice.
2. Crow behaviour varies from family to family and region to region. There are about 50 species of corvids
around the world, and they behave differently from each other. They’re not the only intelligent birds
around, but in general, corvids are smart in a way that resonates deeply with humans, because they’re
good at some of the things that we are good at. Crows can think about their own thoughts. Crows can
recognize individual human faces, associate them with friendliness or danger, and pass that knowledge
along to their pals.
3. Their social system is the most like the Western human civilization of any animal that we know of.
American crows have a family and a space that they defend, but they also have a neighborhood that they
pay attention to. And crows will interact with larger groups of crows that they don’t know as well, sort
of the way how humans will engage with their communities beyond their closest relationships.
4. But they’re also cautious. Crows have been paying attention to individual people more than perhaps any
other bird. PET scans reveal that when crows viewed human faces that they associated with threat or
care, the birds had increased activity in the amygdala, thalamus and brain stem-areas related to emotional
processing and fear learning. In response to threatening faces, areas that regulate perception, attention
and fleeing also lit up. Similarities to the human brain in this case are most striking.
5. They do have preferences in food. If you put out a pile of different foods, like a little buffet for the
crows, they’re all going to kind of home in on something. All one needs are patience and routine. Crows
need to learn you’re not a threat, that the food is safe, and that it will be there every day. Crows go viral
for bringing their human friends gifts. But the reality of being a friend to corvids reflects a deeper
responsibility.
6. Crow lovers have been encouraging humans to feed crows for decades. But there are ways for this
practice to go wrong and make them a nuisance. Leaving out too much food can lead crows to mob your
neighbourhood constantly. Just as the crows talk to each other, human crow friends need to be aware of
how their habits affect their human neighbours.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. The writer asserts in paragraph 3 that crows are socially responsible birds much like human beings.
Which of the following statements agrees with this assertion? 1
1. All 50 species of crows behave differently in different social settings.
2. Crows can be friendly with humans.
3. They pay attention to their neighbourhood.
4. They interact with larger groups of crows from other areas.
5. American crows have a family and a space that they defend.
(a) 1 and 4 (b) 2 and 5
(c) 3 and 4 (d) 4 and 5
ii. What makes the writer compare ‘the social system of the crows is closest to the Western human civilization
of any animal known to humans’ in the given lines from paragraph 3? Rationalise your response in about
40 words. 2
iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
The author’s observation that crows have been paying attention to individual people more than perhaps
any other bird is backed by .
iv. The passage includes some words that are either opposites of or similar to each other. From the sets (a)-
(e) below, identify two sets that belong neither to antonyms or synonyms. 1
(a) neighbourhood and family space
(b) patience and routine
(c) threat or care
(d) communities and closest relationships
(e) emotional processing and fear learning
v. The writer says in paragraph 2 that corvids are good at detecting friendship as well as danger - some of
the things that we, humans are also good at but . 1
vi. Based on the reading of the passage, examine, in about 40 words, how does the author emphasise the
most fascinating traits of crows. 2
vii. Evaluate the options below and pick out the one that is incorrect from the set and does not correspond to
crow behaviour. 1
(a) They can handle vast quantities of food.
(b) Crows are territorial.
(c) They process different emotions just like humans.
(d) Crows are independent thinkers.
viii. Mention two points to remember while feeding the crows. 1
 2. Read the following text. 10
1. Sports and energy drinks consumed by athletes and fitness-freaks, are beverages rich in essential
components such as nutrients, vitamins, carbohydrates, etc., that provide much-needed mental and
physical stimulation. They not only provide an instant energy boost but also help to replenish the
electrolytes which are lost during the workout keeping the body hydrated which is of utmost importance.
Indian consumers drink 120 billion liters of beverages of which 4% are ready-to-drink energy drinks
which are available in a variety of flavours and also in an organic avatar.
2. Furthermore, aggressive promotion and marketing by the big brands across all media have also
contributed significantly to their market growth. Collaboration with celebrities and sports personalities,
development of more consumer-oriented products such as sugar-free drinks or customizable drinks,
product availability across various platforms, and sponsoring various sporting events or teams are
believed to even further increase the growth of these brands.

3. The market size of Indian Sports and energy drinks reached US$ 2.4 billion in 2022. And going by the
current rate, projections estimate the market size to reach US$ 5.0 billion by the year 2027; thereby
exhibiting a growth rate of (CAGR) of 13.27 during 2022-2027.
4. A lot of athletes gets confused between an energy drink and sports drink. Sugar is the biggest enemy for
any athlete if its intake is not balanced correctly. Any beverage which contains more than 10% of sugar
is considered to be an energy drink. So aerated beverages, sodas, juices (like mango, lime etc.) all fall
under the energy drink category. When an athlete consumes any energy drink, it creates a sudden insulin
spike in the body and for a short duration of period feels energetic. However, the insulin spike is soon
followed by an insulin spike drop, leaving behind the athlete dull, lethargic and fatigued. This is not
desirable in an athlete as they need to constantly maintain their energy & focus for higher performance.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. Complete the following analogy appropriately, based on your understanding of paragraphs 1 and 2. 1
The fact that sports drinks are the preferred choice of sports persons is comparable with the fact that
energy drinks seem to be .
ii. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your understanding
of paragraph 2. 1
Indian consumers drink 120 billion liters of beverages of which 4% or 4.8 billion liters are ready-to-
drink energy drinks that are available in a variety of flavours and also in an organic avatar is (a
fact/ opinion) because it is (a/an subjective judgement/ objective detail).
iii. Justify the following, in about 40 words :

2
Big brands and MNCs are keenly pushing and aiding the growth of their beverages’ markets by
widening
their consumer base.
iv. Based on the passage, mention two marketing tactics involving big events and known faces
adopted by the big brands to popularise their energy and sports drinks?

1
v. Study the statement: ‘Sports and energy drinks are beverages that seem to have nailed not
only the wide- ranging taste buds of the consumers but also the latest fads prevalent in
society.’

1
State any one inference that can be drawn from this.
vi. Select the option that correctly displays what ‘avatar’ signifies. (Reference-Paragraph 1)

(a) Only (i) (b) (i) and (iii)

(c) Only (v) (d) (ii), (iii) and (iv)

vii. Infer one benefit and one drawback of athletes consuming sports and energy drinks. Answer in
about 40
words.

2
viii. Select the appropriate option to fill in the blanks.

1
From paragraph 1, we can infer that sports and energy drinks are a source of and
especially if you are into regular and heavy work-outs.
1. electrolytes
2. instant energy
3. hydration
4. organic matter
5. flavours
(a) 1 and 4 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 4 and 5 (d) 1 and 5
Read the following text. 10
1. Even international students whose first language is English can find themselves struggling to
understandan alien academic culture. The problems are very familiar. Students’ first problem is
often with listening skills. They may feel nervous about this and it is certainly a steep learning
curve. They need a structuredlistening experience, for instance how to pick out the main ideas.
They also need help with academic reading — how to approach an article or book, how to
skim, read and make notes.
2. However, while a student’s confidence in listening skills grows, it is in the area of academic
writing where more serious cultural differences become apparent. Much of British education
is based on essay writing, but this may be a demanding task for students from other cultures.
Suddenly, they are faced withthe need to express their own ideas, develop their opinions and
evaluate different issues, all in polishedEnglish. For some, the concept of originating this kind
of written discourse can prove problematic and they may find themselves scoring low marks
because of plagiarism or reproducing someone else’s ideas.In Britain, plagiarism is regarded
as academic theft, though this is not always the case in other countries.Students are expected
to do research in a library before tackling an assignment and simply regurgitatinglecture notes
is also not acceptable.
3. The best way to overcome these hurdles is to be prepared. The first step is to take a test to
assess the English language skills needed to cope with the issues of academic culture.
4. If an accredited test indicates that a student’s language skills are not sufficient to embark on a
universitydegree, the next step is to consider pre-session-al courses, generally at the university
where the studentwill take a degree. These can last from three weeks to an academic year, so
it is wise for students to be realistic about their needs. It is generally accepted that
approximately 200 hours of study are needed toimprove on one bad score on some tests. Some
of the ‘new’ universities that formed from polytechnicsin 1992 are experimenting with new
styles of pre-session-al and foundation courses. Elisabeth Jones, Director of the Centre for
Language Study at Leeds Metropolitan University explains, “Our courses aremonthly and so
students from parts of the world with a different academic year can enrol at any time.”
5. She feels that language training in new universities is generally more flexible than in older
institutions.“Universities like ours can take students with lower language test grades and can
put them through a programme that will bring them up to the required standard, though we
cannot guarantee how long it will take.”

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Select the option that depicts what the writer projects, with reference to the following. 1
Much of British education is based on essay writing, but this may be a demanding task for
students from
other cultures.
(a) Warning (b) Anguish
(c) Concern (d) Exhilaration
ii. Why is an essay writing a demanding task? Answer in about 40 words.

2
iii. Complete the following with a phrase from Paragraph 1.

1
 Even international students whose first language is English can find them struggling .
iv. The passage includes some words that are opposites of each other. From the sets (a)-(e)
below, identifya set of antonym.

1
(a) Discourse and lecture
(b) Assess and evaluate
(c) Approach and skim
(d) Nervous and confidence
(e) Hurdle and embark
v. Complete the sentence appropriately.

1
British education is primarily based on .
vi. What according to the author causes international students to score low marks? State any
one reason.(Answer in about 40 words.)

2
vii. Choose the option that incorrectly states the meaning of ‘accredited’ as used in the passage.

1
1. To credit
2. To thank
3. Officially recognised or authorised
4. To give license
5. Of quality
6. To give an
appointmentCodes
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 3 and 4
(c) 5 and 6 (d) 3 and 6
viii. Based on your reading of the text, list any 1 benefit of pre-sessional courses. 1

2. Read the following text. 10

1. Right from literacy, accessibility to schools and household expenditure on education, the
rural-urban gap remains significant. There is a digital divide, too, with just 4% of rural
households having access tocomputers as compared to 23% in urban areas. These and other
trends on a rural-urban gap in educationare revealed in the details of a survey conducted by
the National Statistical Office (NSO).

2. The report on ‘Household Social Consumption: Education’ surveyed 1.13 lakh households
spread acrossover 8,000 villages and 6,000 urban blocks between July 2017 and June 2018.
The study involved 1.52lakh students across different levels of study.
3. On accessibility, while 92.7% of the rural households have a primary school within 1 km as
compared to 87.2% in urban areas, the situation gets skewed as only 38% of the rural
households have access to secondary school as compared to 70% in the urban areas on similar
 parameters.
4. While accessibility to a neighbourhood school at the primary level is not an issue in rural
areas, the gross attendance ratio is also satisfactory with nearly 100% of boys and girls in
rural as well as urban areas attending classes. However, in sync with reduced accessibility,
there is a gap at the secondary levelbetween rural and urban settings. The all-Indian literacy
rate among persons aged 7 years and above is 77.7%. However, for the same age group, rural
literacy is 73.5% and for urban areas, it is, 87.7%.
5. The digital divide between rural and urban households is stark with just 4% of the rural
population having access to computers. The report highlighted that while only 15% surveyed
population in the ruralcluster has internet access, 42% of the students in the urban areas have
access to the internet.
6. At the school level while the majority of the urban households had shown a preference for
private schools, it’s the opposite for rural households. The report highlights that 76.1% of
the rural childrenare attending a primary and middle school run by the government, while
only 38% of the urban children attend government schools. However, for graduate and above
studies, 49.7% of rural students are attending classes in government institutions as compared
to 41% of their urban counterparts in government institutions.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Complete the following appropriately.

1
The majority of urban households show preference to .
ii. Fill the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your
understanding of the passage.

1
The rural-urban divide in the field of education is much more rampant in
(primary/s
econdary)education due to the problem of (accessibility/ income).
iii. What data shows that the rural-urban gap is visible at the secondary level of education? Answer
in about 40 words.

2
iv. Based on your understanding of the passage, list the factors that indicate the rural-urban gap.

1
v. What did the survey conducted by the NSO cover?

vi. Which word can substitute the word ‘accessibility’ in the following sentence from Paragraph
4. 1
The students were concerned about the accessibility of quality academic counselling
(a) merging (b) sufficiency
(c) availability (d) presence
vii. What did the ‘Household Social Consumption: Education’ survey found out? (Answer in
about 40
words.) 2
viii. In which aspect is the condition of education in the urban and rural households equal? 1
(a) On gross attendance ratio of both girls and boys
(b) On the accessibility of secondary schools
(c) On the accessibility of primary schools
(d) On digital access to computers and the Internet

1. Read the following text. 10

1. Sport has rapidly become an established part of the entertainment industry and the smallest
details of sportsmen’s private lives are exposed by the media to public scrutiny. Top
professionals are often described as ‘stars’ and large business interests exploit their skills.
Considerable profits are made out of selling sports gear which is a replica of the gear used by
the professionals, newspapers sell more copies if their sports coverage is good and substantial
gains can be made out of the spectators’ willingness to gamble on results.
2. The increasing demand for new talented sportsmen serves to strengthen the popular image of
professional sports as a highly glamorous occupation. Even those who reach the heights
maintain their supremacy for only a relatively short period and then desperately need help to
establish themselves in a new career.
3. It is always attractive to do something interesting and to do it as well as possible, but serious
injury or an unaccountable loss of form quickly halts the progress of many young sportsmen.
Outdoor life can be delightful except when the prevalent weather conditions are rain, wind,
snow, fog or ice. It’s flattering to hear one’s name chanted with acclaim by thousands on the
terraces but crowds are fickle and soon forget, once time takes its toll on muscle and mind.
4. Sportsmen at the height of their professional life travel all around the world - a cricket team
may spend its winter in Australian summers and the Wimbledon Women Champions may
spend the year bathed in sunshine, but their own social lives are disrupted and leisure hours
have to be sacrificed to hard, exhausting practice. All professional sportsmen must adhere to
strict training schedules to maintain their physical fitness; their lives are devoted to keeping
the body in peak condition by exhausting exercise combined with a strict regimen of self-
discipline and moderation in food and drink.
5. Retirement comes at an early age and the financial rewards gained will probably not provide
enough to live on for the rest of life and the early-retired sportsman has to seek a new career.
He/she enters the new career fifteen years later than his/her contemporaries and often with
not enough reputation in his/ her sport to persuade an employer to pay him/her a high salary.
 Perhaps, after all, it is better to remain a keen amateur.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1

Professional sport is considered as a highly occupation.
(a) Glamorous
(b) Temporary
(c) Boring
(d) Risky

ii. How is life after retirement for the sportsmen? Answer in about 40 words. 2

iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1

The smallest details of sportsmen’s private lives are given out by .

iv. The passage includes some words that are synonyms of each other. 1
From the sets (a)-(e) below, identify one set of synonyms :
(a) Private and public
(b) Rapidly and quickly
(c) Relatively and desperately
(d) Enough and often
(e) Fickle and exploit

v. Complete the sentence appropriately.

1
Sportsmen have to sacrifice their leisure life to

vi. Supply the things that halts the progress of young sportsperson and state the challenges faced
by them. Answer in about 40 words.

vii. Which of the following will be the most appropriate title for the passage?

1
(a) Fame, Power and Career-Sports
(b) Being a Sportsman Forever
(c) A Celebrity Sportsperson
(d) Being Forever Young

viii. State whether the given statement is TRUE or FALSE in the context of the passage.

1
Sportsmen have to keep their bodies in good condition.

2. Read the following text.

 10
1. India’s population is expected to grow by 25%, with reference to 2011, to 1.52 billion by 2036,
according to the final report of the technical group on population projections dated July 2020.
The group was constituted by the National Commission on Population (NCP) under the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the mandate to provide population projections
for the period 2011 to 2036.

2. India’s population growth rate is expected to decline to its lowest since the Independence in
the 2011- 2021 decade, with a decadal growth rate of 12.5%. It 0.0 will decline further to
8.4% in the 2021-2031 decade, as per the report, 0 0.8 which The Wire has seen. According
to these projections, India will overtake. China as the world’s most populous country around
2031-almost a decade later than the United Nations projection of 2022.

India’s population is projected to increase to 1.52 billion by 2036.

Source : Report of the technical group on population projections

3. The projections have been delayed quite significantly. “Ideally, they should have come by
2016. But there were delays in setting up the committee and then more delays at the
government’s end even after we submitted the report. We had submitted our report in
November 2019,” said a member of the committee wishing to remain anonymous. This was
confirmed by two other members as well.
4. India’s population was 1.21 billion as per the Census of 2011 and the projections now estimate
that the population will grow by 311 million by 2036.
5. The report projects that as much as 70% of this increase will be in urban areas. India’s urban
population will increase from 377 million in 2011 to 594 million in 2036-a growth of 57%.
So, while 31% of Indians were living in urban India in 2011,that will grow to 39% by 2036.
6. Consequently, the proportion of the rural population will decline from 69% to 61% as the
urban population is projected to increase more than twice the projected increase in the rural
population.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Complete the sentence appropriately.

1
The number by which the population of India is estimated to grow by 2036 is .

ii. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets.
 1
This passage contains the decadal (growth/decline) rate for the decade 2011-2021, which
is 12.5%.

iii. Which population projections were highlighted by the NCP’s report about India’s
population growth? Answer in about 40 words.
2

iv. “It will decline further to 8.4% in the 2021-2031 decade...” What does this statement mean?

v. According to the passage, how much delay from the UN’s projection can be seen in India becoming
the most populated country in the world?
1
vi. Why did the projections come in July of 2020?
(a) Delay by the committee
(b) Delay by the government
(c) Delay in setting up the committee
(d) Both (a) and (b)

vii. Infer two facts about India on the basis of your reading of the passage. Answer in about 40
words.

viii. The purpose of the above report was to give

1
(a) Population projections for 2011-2036
(b) Population projections for 2036
(c) Population projections for 2011
(d) Population projections for 2031

Read the following text. 10

1. Summer vacation offers families dilemmas and opportunities. For too many kids it becomes a
period ofintellectual passivity and stalled personal growth. For others-and their parents-it’s a
time of overload andfrantic scheduling.
2. “Summer is a great time for parents to build a relationship with their children,” says a renowned
child psychologist. And it’s an opportunity both for the kids to learn and for the family to grow
together. To make this a reality, educators and psychologists point to several simple strategies
that parents can start planning before summer gets under way.
3. “Summer’s a perfect time for kids to take skills they’ve learned in a classroom and use them
in new ways,” notes a well-known educator. Comparing prices in a grocery shop can sharpen
children’s mentalmaths skills. Taking measurements to build a new tree house or design a
simple plaything teaches geometry. Car trips provide opportunities to study maps and learn
geography.
4. Sometimes kids will need a small push in the right direction. Victoria encouraged her seven-
year-old son, Philip, to take part in their local library’s summer reading club. For every book
report a child wrote, he received a raffle ticket. At the end of the summer sports prizes were
raffled off. Philip, who’d painstakingly produced seven book reports won an autographed
picture of a hockey star and had his name in one of his reports printed in the local newspaper.
(If that’s not possible, encourage children to write letters to editors on current affairs, or about
school-related issues.) “Philip moaned and groaned about writing the reports, but in the end,
he was happy he put the effort in,” notes his mother. “And his ability to express himself really
improved.”
5. It’s the daily practice of stimulation-intellectual, creative, esteem-building-that parents can
give their children that have the greatest impact,” says an eminent researcher. In an informal
study conducted in 1998 other researchers surveyed successful college students about how they
spent their free time from ages five to 12, then compared their activities with those of troubled
youngsters. They found that the successful ones were more likely to play spontaneous games,
more involved in household chores and more likely to engage in playful activities with their
parents.
Sample Papers.
6. Truly successful kids, say educators, are those who’ve learnt to budget time to help others-
whether it’shelping an invalid neighbour or preparing their own family’s meals a couple of
nights a week. Where parents fail, say, experts, is in the way such responsibilities are presented.

7. For most parents of school-age kids, the largest block of time they’ll have with their children
is in the summer. With a little advance preparation, parents can use the summer to help develop
their youngstersinto smarter, more creative, more caring human beings.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. Why does the writer say that ‘Summer vacation offers families dilemmas and
opportunities’? Pick outthe odd option that should not be in the list. 1
(a) For many children summer vacation is a long break from intellectual activities.
(b) The personal growth of many children comes to a standstill.
(c) A few parents build meaningful relationships with their children.
(d) Many parents chalk out backbreaking schedules for their kids.

ii. What is the objective of the writer when he says that “the kids need a small push in the right
direction”?Rationalise your response in about 40 words. 2

iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1

Experts are of the firm opinion that when it comes to budgeting time, it is in a
positive mannerand not the kids.

iv. The passage includes some words that are near synonyms of each other. From the sets (a)-
(e) below,identify two such sets of synonyms. 1
(a) educators and psychologists
(b) moaned and groaned
(c) overload and frantic scheduling
(d) build or design
(e) dilemmas and opportunities
 v. Complete the sentence appropriately.

1
The author uses many examples to prove that summer is a perfect time for kids to
take skillsthey have learnt in a classroom and use them in new ways by .

vi. Based on the reading of the passage, examine, in about 40 words, how parents can make
the greatestimpact on the lives of their kids.

vii. State which of the following is NOT true for troubled youngsters according to experts.

1
(a) They show apathy to household chores.
(b) They don’t play spontaneous games.
(c) They spent their free time from ages five to 12 constructively.
(d) They don’t get involved in playful activities with their parents.

viii. What is the essence of the expert opinion regarding advanced planning of the summer
vacation? 1

2. Read the following text. 10

1. Times view: Private coaching is a multi-million rupee industry in India. But it is the symptom
of a problem, not the problem itself. Coaching centres merely fill the gap caused by lack of
quality teachingespecially in government school, more so in small towns and villages. Only a
sincere and sustained effort to improve education in such schools will alter the picture and
prevent this huge drain on the resources of the families desperately seeking to give their
children decent education.
2. Secondary level students topped the number of students taking private coaching with 31%
males and 29% female students taking recourse to the method, a recent NSSO survey has
shown. The report also showed that nearly 20% students attending pre-primary and above level
(21% of males and 19% of females) were taking private coaching.

3. Private coaching is a thriving business across the country and according to a 2016 NSSO report
more than 7.1 crore students were taking private coaching or tuition classes in addition to their
basic education.
4. Experts attributed the trend of a larger share of students at the secondary level taking recourse
to privatecoaching to the entrance exams for professional courses such as engineering and
 medicines.
5. Anil Swarup, former Secretary school education in the ministry of human resource
development, explained the increase of students taking private coaching to the different
competitive examinations andsaid this was a result of the dichotomy between learning and
understanding. (Source : The Times of India) (243 Words)
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. Complete the following analogy appropriately, based on your understanding of paragraphs 1
and 2. 1We can say that the dichotomy between learning and understanding widely considered
to be the main reason for the increase in the number of students taking private coaching is
comparable with two banksof a river because.
ii. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your
understandingof paragraph 2. 1
According to the author, private coaching is the symptom of a problem, not the problem itself
is

(a/an fact/opinion) because it is (a/an subjective judgement/objective detail)

iii. ‘Private coaching is a thriving business across the country’ according to a NSSO report
issued in 2016.Justify the reasons for this trend in about 40 words. 2
iv. Based on the survey results, which two concerns clearly demonstrate the larger problem
associated withthe fact that private coaching has become a multi-million-rupee industry in
India? 1

v. In the given table state any one inference that can be drawn from the fact that 11.6% of pre-
primary and
16.4 % of primary students need private coaching too.

1
vi. Select the option that correctly displays what ‘dichotomy’ signifies in the passage. (Reference-
Paragraph5).

1
(a) Only (i) (b) Only (iii)
(c) (ii), (iii) and (iv) (d) (i) and (iii)
vii. Infer one benefit and one drawback of mushrooming of private coaching centers in India.
Answer in about 40 words. 2
viii. Below are given the main takeaways from the NSSO report mentioned in the passage about
the effect ofprivate coaching on professional courses on secondary-level students. Which of
these is NOT mentionedexplicitly in the report? 1
(a) The lack of good teachers is most felt at the secondary level.
(b) There is a dichotomy between learning and understanding.
(c) They need coaching to qualify for engineering and medical entrance exams.
 (d) 27.5 % of the students depends on private coaching at this level.

Read the following text. 10

1. Peer pressure is a phenomenon wherein we tend to get influenced by the lifestyle and the ways
of thinking of our peers. Peer pressure can prove beneficial but it is most often observed to
have negative effects.
2. The thought, behaviour and taste in fashion, music, television and other walks of life of the
masses are often seen to have a deep impact on society. We tend to get influenced by the lifestyle
of our peer group. The changing ways of life of our peers often force us to change our ways of
looking at life and leadingit. It’s a human tendency to do what the crowd does. Few have the
courage to resist peer pressure and betheir own selves rather than being one among the lot.
3. Peer pressure is bound to affect most of us both positively and negatively. The distinction
between positive and negative peer pressure lies in a thoughtful analysis of the views of the
masses. Following your peers blindly leaves a negative impact on your life while an analytical
approach to looking at peerbehaviour can help you act positively.
4. Peer pressure is not always bad. It can help you analyse yourself and contemplate your ways
of life. Some of the practices that the masses follow may actually teach you the way of living.
You may be ableto change yourself for the better. Looking at what others do can help you
bring about a positive changein your way of thinking. If you can pick selectively, peer pressure
can actually result in a positive changein your way of life.
5. Teenage is that phase of life when you are exposed to the world outside. These are the years
when you spend most of your time with your friends. Teenage is the phase of beginning to
become independent inlife; the years of forming your ideals and principles, the years that
shape your personality and the yearsthat introduce you to your own self. As adolescents, you
often spend most of your daily time with friendsand, owing to this, you tend to imitate your
friends. The people around you are bound to influence you. However, the effect of the
influences of the masses is greater during your teen years. Parents have a vital role to play
during this phase of your life.
6. Parents and teachers need to be careful while dealing with teenagers as they are most
susceptible to succumbing to peer pressure during these years of their life. Teenage
individuals need to be taught to distinguish between the good and the bad, the right and the
wrong and should be taught to be thoughtfulin life.

7. A strong support from family, an ability to differentiate between the positive and the negative
and a skill to choose friends from among peers this three-pronged strategy is the best way to
keep away fromnegative peer pressure.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Select the option that corresponds to the following relation below. 1

Peer pressure can prove beneficial but it is most often observed to have negative effects.
(a) Sleep is good for memory but too much sleep can also be linked to health problems.
(b) Beginnings and ends are easier to remember than middles.
(c) Some people enjoy seeing anger in others.
(d) Food tastes better when someone else makes it.

ii. Based on your reading of the text, list 2 reasons why the writer says Peer pressure is not
 always bad.
Answer in about 40 words. 2

iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1

The changing ways of our peers’ life can affect us by .

iv. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1

Adolescents tend to imitate and share views with their friends because .

v. The passage includes some words that are opposites of each other. From the sets (a) - (e)
given below,identify two sets of antonyms. 1
(a) looking and leading
(b) walks and masses
(c) positively and negatively
(d) distinction and change
(e) right and wrong

vi. In about 40 words, supply one point to justify the following. 2

Parents and teachers need to be careful while dealing with teenagers as they are most
susceptible tosuccumbing to peer pressure during these years of their life.

vii. Which of the following is an appropriate reason for the effect of peer pressure in teenage
years? 1
(a) Teenagers spend more time with their parents and old people.
(b) Teen years are always unmanageable.
(c) Teenagers spend more time with their peers and friends.
(d) It is impossible to convince teenagers.

viii. The writer mentions ‘The people around you are bound to influence you’. (Paragraph 5) 1
Mention one reason from the passage that supports the above statement.
2. Read the following text. 10
1. India’s average temperature has already increased by around 0.7 degrees Celsius during the
1901-2018period due to Greenhouse gas emissions and by the end of 2100 it is expected to
rise by approximately
4.4 degrees Celsius warns the first-ever climate change assessment report by the Indian
government.
2. The report Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region prepared by the Union
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) warned that the rapid changes in the temperature would
mean increasing stress on India’s “natural ecosystems, agricultural output and freshwater
resources, while also causing escalatingdamage to infrastructure.” This ultimately means a
serious impact on the ‘country’s biodiversity, food,water, energy security and public health.
3. It said that several regions in India are global biodiversity hotspots with numerous endemic
species of plants and animals and with the “climate changing more rapidly than usual, they
may face increasing threats on account of these changes.”
4. The MoES report cautioned that by the end of 2100, the “frequency of summer (April-June)
heat wavesover India is projected to be 3 to 4 times higher” and the “average duration of
heatwave events is also projected to approximately double.” According to the report, the Sea
 Surface Temperature (SST) of thetropical Indian Ocean has also risen by one degree Celsius,
on average, during 1951-2015.
5. The rise in temperature is playing havoc with India’s rainfall which is significant for India’s
agriculture sector. The report noted that the summer monsoon precipitation (June to
September) over India has declined by around six per cent from 1951 to 2015, with notable
decrease over the Indo-Gangetic Plains and the Western Ghats. It stressed that the overall
decrease of seasonal summer monsoon rainfall during the last 6-7 decades has led to an
increased propensity for droughts in India.
6. “In particular, areas over Central India, South-West coast, Southern peninsula and North-
Eastern India have experienced more than two droughts per decade. The area affected by
drought has also increased by 1.3 percent per decade over the same period. Climate model
projections indicate a high likelihoodof an increase in the frequency, intensity and area under
drought conditions in India by the end of the twenty-first century,” said the MoES report.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Complete the following analogy appropriately based on your understanding of the passage. 1
The rise in temperature will

ii. Fill the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on
understanding of
passage. 1
From Paragraph 5, we can infer that the (fall/rise) in temperature has wreaked havoc
on the
rainfall pattern. The overall (decrease/increase) of seasonal summer monsoon rainfall
during thelast 6-7 decades has led to an increased tendency of droughts.

iii. Infer 3 reasons for the following, based on information in Paragraph 1. Answer in about 40
words. 2India’s average temperature has already increased by around 0.7 degrees Celsius
during the 1901-2018period.

iv. Mention any two social and economic impacts of climate change. 1

v. On the basis of the given picture, which phenomena will cause widespread poverty? 1

vi. Select the chart that appropriately represents the drought trend with climate in India from the
year 1951
 to 2015, as per Paragraph 5. 1

(a) Option 1
(b) 2 and 3
(c) Option 3
(d) 1 and 4

vii. Justify the following in about 40 words. 2

The rise in temperature is playing havoc with India’s rainfall.

viii. Which of the following is an appropriate title for paragraph 2? 1

(a) Winds of change
(b) Climate change
(c) Loss of diversity
(d) Drough trends

Read the following text. 10

1. Despite plenty of naysayers, the textbook is dead. It just doesn’t know it yet and continues on
walking about as though alive. I even have one, A textbook of Physics, on my bookshelf
beside me that was printed in 1891. It has some line drawings and no colour. Today, textbooks
have lots of colourful imagesand engaging questions sprinkled about them. They also have
tons of advice for teachers on how to usethem effectively.
2. The word “textbook” originated in the 1720s, almost 300 years ago. It’s had a good run and
is readyto retire. Those who argue that you cannot learn well without a textbook ignore the
centuries prior to 1720 when lots of people learned and learned well with no textbooks
anywhere. You can learn without textbooks. That’s certain. But why should we bother to
change something that worked for 30 years? Many deliver the verdict in a single word:
technology. That’s way too simplistic.
3. We’ve seen film loops, overhead projectors, motion picture projectors, machine scoring of
tests anda myriad of other technological innovations in classrooms, but the textbook remains.
No, technology alone will not end the reign of the textbook. It takes something more and that
became available in the 1940s-the programmable electronic computer. But here we are 70
years later, with plenty of textbooks visible. The computer was not sufficient by itself.
4. The nest big change began with ARPANET in the 1960s. This foundation led to the internet
and its growth has been phenomenal. But a widespread communication medium alone is not
sufficient to dislocate textbooks either. Inexpensive computers, easy-to-use-interfaces (GUIs)
and ready access to the internet all contribute.
5. “Fine,” say many. “But the textbook publishers are putting their book online. They are
creating e-textbooks. So, textbooks live!”
6. This argument misses the essential difference between education technology in the earlier
times and education technology in the present, other than mere cost. Computer software can
be interactive. Previous education technology was, like textbooks, rather passive. Active
learning is far superior to passive learning, so much so that it’s not a step, not a leap but a
rocket propelled launch past old- fashioned learning.

7. It’s the mental engagement with something that determines whether you learn and how well.
The real big exchange will come when students can jump into online situations that are more
like real life, and are able to use a variety of devices to reach the web and become part of the
learning community. They will be guided by a combination of human mentors and machines.
8. Furthermore, diagnostic analysis of their work will tell mentors when students are ready for
certain learning and, more importantly, when they are not. Textbooks do not tap into our
brains to realise this learning potential. Hence, today, the textbook is a zombie. It’s just
waiting for that wooden stake or silver bullet to put it to well-deserved rest.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. The writer says that one can learn without textbooks. Which is the least effective argument
put forwardby him? 1
(a) Students are no more interested in passive learning.
(b) Textbooks have outlived their purpose.
(c) Students are interested only in active learning.
(d) People learned prior to 1720 when textbooks were first introduced.

ii. What is the best way according to the writer to strike a balance between passive learning
and activemental engagement? Refer paragraphs 6 and 7. Rationalise your response in about
40 words. 2

iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1

The author’s use of the term ‘diagnostic analysis’ refers to .

iv. The passage includes some words that are opposites to each other. From the sets (a)-(e)
below, identifytwo sets of antonyms. 1
(a) wooden stake or silver bullet
(b) learned and learned well
(c) human mentors and machines
(d) active and passive learning
(e) dead and alive

v. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1

The main premise or the central idea of this essay according to Harry Keller is .

vi. Based on the reading of the passage, examine, in about 40 words, how textbooks travelled
 from 18thcentury to the Age of Computers and what changes occurred on the way.
2

vii. Select the option that can weaken the author’s case for a complete shift to computer learning in
paragraph
4.

1
(a) The development of e-textbooks with activities that require active participation from
readers.
(b) A rising dependency on using technology as a medium of learning.
(c) Scholarly articles comparing the effectiveness of online learning with that of textbooks.
(d) Sharp increase in the creation of e-textbooks.

viii. What explains the long life of the ordinary textbook? 1

2. Read the passage given below. 10

1. Around 194 million birds and 29 million mammals are thought to be killed every year on
European roads, according to a new study that has ranked the most vulnerable species. The
research has found that the species killed most often were not necessarily the endangered
species. This means action to preservewildlife when new roads are built risks being targeted
at the wrong species based on current methods. Road densities in Europe are among the
world’s highest, with 50% of the continent within 15 km of a paved road or railway. Roads
are therefore, a significant threat to wildlife and evidence shows deaths onthem could even
cause some species to disappear completely.
2. Despite this, the long-term protection of species is not currently considered when assessing
the impact of new roads on wildlife, meaning we risk giving support to only the endangered
species, doing nothingto help those most at risk. A better understanding of which species are
most vulnerable to roads, is therefore, important if we are to take a more effective action of
protection.
3. A research team based in Lisbon calculated road-kill rates for 423 bird species and 212 mammal
species.They found that small animals with high population densities and which mature at an
early age were most likely to be killed on roads. Nocturnal mammals and birds with a diet of
plants and seeds were alsoshown to have higher death rates.
4. The study also used the road-kill surveys to rank the bird and mammal species whose long-term
survivalwas most threatened by road-kill. The hazel grouse and ground squirrel were found to
be the most at riskof local extinction. Both are common in Europe but are classified as species
of Least Concern Red Listof Threatened Species.
5. The most vulnerable animals classified as threatened by International Union for Conservation
of Nature(IUCN) were the red-knobbed Coot, Balcan mole and Podolian mole. The study
revealed that road-killhotspots were not the areas with the highest population of endangered
species. For example, house sparrows had a high road-kill rate (2.7 per km/year) but were
ranked 420th of 423 bird species for vulnerability. Conversely, the hazel grouse had a low
predicted road-kill rate (0.2 per km/year) but wasthe most vulnerable of all birds studied.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. Complete the following analogy appropriately, based on your understanding of the passage.

1
 We can say that high road densities have had a long-ranging impact on some of the animal
species being driven to extinction. This situation can be compared to the cutting down of
forests by humans forbuilding up modem infrastructure and its long-term effect on and .

ii. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your
understandingof paragraph 1.
The statement ‘Recent research has found that the species killed most often on European roads
were not necessarily the endangered species but roads can ironically cause some species to
disappear completely’is (a/an fact/opinion) because it is (a/an subjective judgement/objective
detail)

iii. The vulnerability of an animal dying in a road accident is often not an important factor to
determine itsbeing ‘threatened’ by IUCN. Justify the following, in about 40 words.
2

iv. Based on the results of the study, which two factors primarily contribute to threatening or
killing wildlife? 1

v. The long-term protection of species is not currently considered when assessing the impact of
new roadson wildlife, meaning we risk giving support to only the endangered species, doing
nothing to help thosemost at risk’
1
State any one inference that can be drawn from the above statement.

vi. Select the option that correctly displays what hotspot signifies. (Reference-Paragraph 2)
1

(a) Only (i) (b) Only (ii)

(c) (ii), (iii) and (v) (d) (ii) and (iv)

vii. Infer an astounding conclusion drawn by a number of road-kill surveys. Answer in about 40
words. 2

viii. Which of the following given points is the correct statement? 1

(a) The number of road kills depends upon the population density of small animals.
(b) Small animals generally keep away from roads.
(c) More mammals than birds are killed on the roads.
(d) Animals that come out only at night are saved.

Read the following text. 10

1. Parents are changing the plots of classic fairy tales when reading them aloud because of
violence and political in-correctness. Traditional fables such as ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, ‘The
Ginger Bread Man’ and ‘The Three Little Pigs’ were deemed the worst offenders, with parents
linking some of their endings to horror films.
2. The poll which was commissioned by Music Magpie included 2000 parents and revealed that
one in four took creative liberties when sharing fairytales with their children to suit their beliefs
and ideologies.Meanwhile, another 16% confessed to banning them altogether.
3. While these classic tales might seem playful and innocent on the surface, a closer look at the
plot, linesand characters reveals some problematic traits. For example, in ‘Little Red Riding
Hood’, ‘The child iseaten alive by a wolf, only to be saved by a hunter who cuts her out of the
animal’s stomach with an axe’.‘The Three Little Pigs’ also reaches a rather gory conclusion
with the pigs murdering a wolf and eatingit. Lest we forget ‘The Ginger Bread Man’, whose
protagonist is also eaten by a fox. It is an ending that’shard for parents to swallow, with one of
them labelling it as ‘too cruel’ in the survey.
4. However, a deeper analysis of some of the nation’s most popular tales unveiled even further
issues with regard to political correctness. One in four parents found it inappropriate that
‘Cindrella has to do all ofthe cleanings in her home while another 25% argued that ‘sleeping
beauty’ poses a consent issue, giventhat prince charming kisses the princess while she is asleep.
Meanwhile, 27% believe that ‘Pinocchio’ encourages children to tell lies while one in four
claims that ‘The Ugly Duckling’ in which an abused duckling is only accepted by society after
he has grown into a swan, advocates body shaming.
5. Some of these stories have been around for generations. ‘But times have changed and there are
elementsto these classics which for some don’t really fit into society as they once did. We all
agree that stories play a vital role in the growth and development of children. The books they
read and the characters theyget to know can become like friends. Reading stories also helps
children with their confidence levels, coping with emotions, and language learning.
6. So stories are a great way to learn in a natural way as there is no teaching involved in it. The
learners learn from simply reading the story. The choice of stories must be judicious.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Select the option that depicts what the writer projects, with reference to the following. 1
The choice of stories must be judicious (Paragraph 6)
(a) sadness (b) caution
(c) doubt (d) denial

ii. Supply one point to justify the following in about 40 words. 2

The choice of stories must be judicious.

iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1

According to the writer, in paragraph 4 he says ‘. ... ‘The Ugly Duckling’ in which an abused
duckling
is only accepted by society after he has grown into a swan..’ The vice that this story promotes
is_____

iv. The passage includes some words that are opposites of each other. From the sets (a)-(e)
below, identifytwo sets of synonyms: 1
(a) Innocent and worst
(b) Reveal and unveiled
(c) Commission and ban
(d) Encourages and advocates
(e) Emotions and traits
 v. Complete the following with a phrase from Paragraph 5. 1
Because of the change in ideologies, some ..........

vi. The writer mentions ‘. a closer look at the plot, lines, and characters reveals some
problematic traits.’
Mention any two examples to support the statement in about 40 words. 2

vii Which issues have been highlighted to be problematic in the Classic fairytales? 1
(a) Violence (b) Consent
(c) Body shaming (d) All of these

viii What kind of liberties are modern-day parents taking? 1

2. Read the following text. 10

1. The automobile industry in India is the world’s fourth-largest. India was the world’s fourth-
largest manufacturer of cars and the seventh-largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in
2019. The Indian automotive industry (including component manufacturing) is expected to
reach 216.16-18.18 trillion (US $ 251.4-282.8 billion) by 2026. The industry attracted Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI) worth US
$ 24.21 billion from April 2000 to March 2020 according to the data released by the
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
2. Two-wheelers and passenger vehicles dominate the domestic Indian auto market. Passenger car
sales aredominated by small and mid-sized cars. Two-wheelers and passenger cars accounted for
80.8 percent and
12.9 percent market share, respectively, accounting for a combined sale of over 21.55 million
vehicles inFY20. The CAGR during FYI 6-FY20 is 1.29 percent.

3. The government aims to develop India as global manufacturing and Research and
Development (R and D) hub. It has set up National Automotive Testing and R and D
Infrastructure Project (NATRIP) centres as well as National Automotive Board to act as a
facilitator between the government and the industry. Under (NATRIP), five testing and
research centres have been established in the country since 2015. NATRIPs proposal for
“Grant-In-Aid for test facility infrastructure for Electric Vehicle (EV) performanceCertification
from NATRIP Implementation Society” under FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of
(Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles in India) scheme was approved by Project Implementation and
Sanctioning Committee (PISC) on 3rd January, 2019.
4. The Indian Government has also set up an ambitious target of having only EVs sold in the
country.The Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India, has shortlisted 11 cities in the
country for the introduction of EVs in their public transport system under the FAME scheme.
The first phase of the scheme was extended to March 2019 while in February 2019, the
government approved the FAME-II scheme with a fund requirement of Rs 10,000 crore (US
$ 1.39 billion) for FY20-22. Under Union Budget 2019-20, government announced providing
an additional income tax deduction of Z1.5 lakh (US
$ 2146) on the interest paid on the loans taken to purchase EVs.
5. EV sales, excluding e-rickshaws, in India witnessed a growth of 20 percent and reached 1.56
lakh unitsin FY20 driven by two-wheelers. The Government of India expects the automobile
sector to attract US
 $ 8-10 billion in local and foreign investment by 2023.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
As per the passage, the Government of India wants to grow in .

ii. Fill the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your
understanding of
passage. 1
We can infer that the (Department/Institute) for promotion of Industry and Internal
Trade
highlights that India has received a considerable amount from (FDI/R & D).

iii. Based on your understanding of the passage, list the initiatives taken by the government to
promote theautomobile industry. Answer in about 40 words. 2

iv. Why has the government set up NATRIP and National Automative Board? 1

v. What was the NATRIP’s proposal? 1

vi. Which word can substitute the word ‘ambitious’ in the following sentence from Paragraph 4. 1
He is smart, intelligent and an ambitious medical student.
(a) Arrogant
(b) Ideal
(c) Dreamy
(d) Aspiring

vii. What does the Indian Government want to establish? 2

viii. Select the correct option to complete the following sentence. 1

Para 4 focuses on the ambitious target of having
(a) the overall growth of the automobile industry
(b) only the 2 wheeler’s sold in the country
(c) only the EVs being sold in the country
(d) foreign Direct Investment in the automobile industry
Read the following text. 10
1. Detachment is not physically renouncing our possessions, profession, home and family as
many ofus think. It is the ability to let go of all the desires, habits, emotions, thoughts, speech
and behaviour patterns that are negative or detrimental to our well-being in any way.
Detachment and discrimination are interdependent; they mutually strengthen each other and
empower us. The more we are able to discriminate, the more we are able to segregate our
harmful desires and discard them. The more mentaltrash we discard this way, the more we
empower our faculty of discrimination.
2. There is a simple technique we can all practise to strengthen our discrimination and
detachment and getrid of unnecessary desires. This will generate the awareness we need to
control our senses and mind and make them stop churning out desires every moment. To
practise this technique, we should select a quietplace when we have some leisure time.
3. Sit down with a few sheets of paper and pen or a computer and make two lists. In the first list,
understandand write down your most important goal or agenda in this life. Then meticulously
add all the other goalsthat you would like to achieve. While you make this list, you shouldn’t
think only about yourself. Includewhat you would like to contribute to the welfare of your
dependants, children and their forthcoming generations.
4. Once you complete this, set it aside and begin the second list. List all your desires here. They
may be big or small, important or insignificant, right or wrong, demonic or divine. Just remove
the lid on the Pandora’s Box and allow them all to spill out freely. Don’t try to censor or edit
the list of desires at thisstage. Complete the list first. After you have made an exhaustive list,
go over it to see which of these desires are truly necessary, conducive to your meditation,
helpful and favourable to you and beneficial to others.
5. If you have been serious and honest in doing this exercise, you will have long lists of goals
and desires and many of them may be selfish or detrimental to your goal of meditation,
visualisation, self-realisation,peace, happiness and bliss. This exercise will help you develop
frankness and honesty with yourself. You will touch your true feelings and bring many of
your hidden ambitions and desires into the open.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Why does the writer say that detachment is empowering? 1

(a) It makes us let go of our desires.
(b) It helps us physically renounce our possessions.
(c) It helps us get detached from family and relations.
(d) It strengthens our sense of discrimination.

ii. What are the popular misconceptions about detachment that are dispelled by the author?
Rationaliseyour response in about 40 words. 2

iii. Complete the sentence appropriately choosing appropriate words from the passage to
complete theauthor’s advice. 1
The author encourages the readers to ‘remove the lid on the Pandora’s Box and allow your
desires andwishes to spill out freely’ .

iv. The passage includes some word-pairs that are similar to each other. From the sets (a)-(e)
below, identifythe word-pair that is the odd one out. 1
(a) frankness and honesty
 (b) goal and agenda
(c) censor and edit
(d) detachment and discrimination
(e) detachment and renunciation

v. The writer correlates detachment and discrimination and says that we should make serious
efforts to strengthen them (Paragraph 2). 1
State the most important outcome of this process.

vi. Based on your reading of the text, list two reasons why the writer implies that the human
mind is full oftrash. Answer in about 40 words. 2

vii. Evaluate the outcomes given below after completing both the lists of our desires and goals in
life. Whichof these is not advised by the author and therefore, should not be on the list? 1
(a) They contain goals that are truly necessary.
(b) They may be censored or edited.
(c) They are beneficial to our family and their future generations.
(d) They are conducive to mental well-being.

viii. Supply one point to justify the following. 1

Awareness puts a lid on our mind which keeps churning out desires every moment
which can beconfusing.

2. Read the following text. 10

1. When we think of countries that are the major consumers of water resources we tend to think
of the water used in our homes, such as water used for bathing and lawn sprinklers. However,
studies have shown that home water use is only the tip of the iceberg and a large majority of
the water consumed is hidden from plain view. The chart showing the largest water consuming
countries of the world is thus an eye opener. As India is an agricultural country, the most

important crops of India are rice, wheat and sugarcane. Significantly these crops are the most
water-consuming crops. Rice, a major crop export, consumes about 3,500 litres of water for a
kilogram of grain produced. Punjab which is the 3rd largest producer of rice in India is
completely dependent on groundwater for the production of its rice and consumes two tothree
times more water than Bihar and West Bengal to produce a kilogram of rice.
2. Sugarcane is another water-guzzling crop in India, which is a very popular crop among
farmers in Maharashtra because they are assured of marketing by sugar mills. The primary
source of water for growing this crop is groundwater, whereas states like Bihar which is more
suitable for the production ofsugarcane produces only 4% of the country’s total sugar cane
output.
3. Thus, measures need to be taken to ensure that crop production patterns within the country,
across different states, are aligned to regional water availability.. Also, Agriculture policies
should be put in place to limit the export of water-intensive crops. Emphasis should also be
placed on the adoption of water- efficient technologies, management systems, farmer
education, and advisory services to improvewater consumption in agriculture.
4. Crops in India are irrigated by several methods. Some farmers take to flooding the whole
field. Others resort to channelling water between rows of plants while others resort to watering
using large sprinklers. But the better method is to let water drop into plants using drip
irrigation. Hence, India should consider investing in scaling up micro-irrigation to make
India’s agriculture more water-efficient. Drip irrigationis the most efficient and appropriate
irrigation system. Instead of wetting the whole field surface, water isapplied only to the plant
root zone. The P.T.O Government of India’s ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component under the
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana promotes the use of drip and sprinkler irrigation by
farmers.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. Complete the following sentence appropriately, based on your understanding of data
given in
passage. 1
On analysing the data given in the passage, we can say that China and America guzzle water
in excessfollowed by .

ii. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate options given in the brackets, based on your
understanding of Paragraph2. 1
The more the farmers appreciate and value the efficiency in using water-saving technology in
agriculture, the lesser the consumption and replenishment of groundwater, in the long run, is
(a fact/ an opinion) because it is (a/an subjective judgement/ objective detail).

iii. How would the alignment between the crop production patterns and the consumption
of water inagriculture affect India’s agriculture positively? Justify the following, in about
40 words. 2

iv. Based on the passage, how can the farmers be convinced to change the way they grow
crops? List atleast two changes that can be implemented at the ground level and at the
government level. 1

v. Study the statement ‘A large majority of the water consumption is hidden from plain view.’ 1
State any one inference that can be drawn from this.

vi. Select the option that correctly display what ‘drip irrigation’ signifies. (Reference-Paragraph 5)

1
(a) Only (i) (b) Only (iii)
(c) (ii), (iii) and (iv) (d) (i) and (iii)

vii. Infer one benefit and one drawback of growing rice, wheat and sugarcane by Indian farmers.
 Answer inabout 40 words. 2

viii. Select the correct option to complete the following sentence: 1

If India and its irrigation methods or systems at a micro-level, our agriculture
will becomemore water-efficient.
(a) invests, scales-up (b) organises, adopts
(c) channels, organises (d) aligns, channels

Read the following text. 10

1. The world is big but in a sense, it starts with me. Knowledge and awareness about myself
have to precede my knowledge of things other than me. If I want the external environment to
appreciate value. I need to do it by myself, first. In order to make the atmosphere around me
green, I have to be green myself, in belief and action.
2. From dusk to dawn and dawn to dusk, our every activity leaves its footprint on the
environment and ecology. It is a 24 x 7, eternal phenomenon. A laboured consciousness of
having to go green in all possibleareas is required in each one of us. It is, after all, our own
self-interest and that of our descendants. The conscious application of change is going to
become a habit and one’s culture in due course. Though we read and hear a lot of green
initiatives, we hardly tweak our routines to suit the larger picture.
3. Greenery in the surroundings prevents dust and noise pollution. The way we water and manure
plants also matters. Water is also a fast-depleting resource. Sprinklers are one example to use
and conserve it. Compost from biowaste can be used as manure for plants which is cost-
effective and eco-friendly. We can also contribute to the preservation of water bodies by not
dumping our garbage in them. The use ofpublic transport systems in the place of individual
modes can reduce carbon footprint.
4. ‘Reuse’, ‘Recycle, ‘Re-engineer’ and ‘Renew’ are the mantras. Let us appreciate, support and
contributeour might to the promotional efforts of the community in this direction. Remember,
my ecology is alsothe community, society and nation that I care for which in turn cares for
me. In other words, all these seemingly outward initiatives done for others are going to make
my life more comfortable ultimately.
5. I have to be, therefore, concerned about what sort of environment I am responsible for, for
my own sustenance, livelihood and progress. As long as my impact is positive, my presence
will be welcome. If it is otherwise, I am going to be shunned. It is either ‘Embrace’ or
‘Embarrass’.
6. Green initiatives are anti-scorch Earth. Air, water and soil need to be conserved for the
thriving of mankind in the future. The increasing onslaughts on the quality of air and soil need
to be reversed. Theindiscriminate exploitation of water-consumable water is only 0.3% of
freshwater-needs to be stopped.The Earth ought not to shrink further, continue to breathe easy.
Mother Earth looks for only love and cares from her children and nothing more in return for
all the wealth she has so generously showered onus.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Why does the author say that one should be concerned about the environment? 1
(a) For future generations
 (b) For the betterment of country
(c) For the betterment of culture
(d) For better sustenance
ii. The writer is all for measures to be taken to save the planet Earth when he says, ‘Air, water
and soil needto be conserved for the thriving of mankind in the future.” (Paragraph 6) 2
State any two solutions he offers in the extract in about 40 words.
iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
We need to conserve water because .
iv. The passage includes some words that are opposites of each other. From the sets (a)-(e)
given below,identify two sets of antonyms. 1
(a) Belief and action
(b) Knowledge and awareness
(c) Reduce and increasing
(d) Indiscriminate and change
(e) Dusk and dawn
v. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
The author says that the Earth ought not to shrink further and continue to breathe easy
because___
vi. Supply one point to justify the following in about 40 words. 2
I need to do it by myself, first. In order to make the atmosphere around me green, I have
to be greenmyself, in belief and action.
vii. Why does the writer says “The use of public transport systems in the place of individual
modes...”? 1
(a) to manage ecosystem
(b) to enhance air quality
(c) to reduce carbon footprint
(d) All of these
viii. Based on your reading of the text, list any 2 preventive measures for the author’s statement
“Water isalso a fast-depleting resource,” in Paragraph 3. 1

2. Read the following text. 10

1. India is home to an estimated 10% of the global Snow Leopard population spread across five
Himalayan states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and
Arunachal Pradesh which isonly 5% of the available global habitat for the animal.
2. Project Snow Leopard was introduced in India by the Project Snow Leopard Committee
instituted by theMinistry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, in the year 2009
to safeguard and conserveIndia’s unique natural heritage of high-altitude wildlife populations
and their habitats by promoting conservation through participatory policies and actions.

3. Project Tiger and Project Elephant are prevalent in India with the former introduced in 1973
garnering
worldwide attention.
4. The Snow Leopard usually occurs at an altitude of >2700m above sea level and is the apex
predatorin the Himalayan Region along with the Tibetan Wolf. The project is not only to
 protect the Snow Leopard but as with Project Tiger, it is considered an umbrella species and
with its protection, comes theprotection of other species and the habitat of which they are all
a part.
5. Top 3 National Parks in India where the Snow Leopard can likely be seen
i. Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary - Himachal Pradesh
ii. Ulley Valley - Ladakh
iii. Hemis National Park - Himachal Pradesh

6. The reasons for the introduction of Project Snow Leopard are as follows.
i. High altitudes of India > 3000m including the Himalayan and Trans-Himalayan
biogeographiczones support a unique wildlife assemblage of global conservation.
ii. There has been relatively less attention on the region from the viewpoint of wildlife
conservation.
iii. The region represents a vast rangeland system supporting important traditional pastoral
economiesand lifestyles.
iv. The region provides essential ecosystem services and harbours river systems vital for
the nation’sfood security.
v. India has ratified international agreements promoting the conservation of high-altitude
wildlife
species such as the snow leopard.
vi. The region is important for the country’s national security as well as international
relations.
vii. The high-altitude wildlife in India today faces a variety of threats.
viii. The existing high-altitude protected areas in India require considerable strengthening.
ix. Wildlife Management in the region needs to be made participatory.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. Complete the following sentence appropriately. 1
Project Snow Leopard was introduced in India to .
ii. Select the appropriate option to fill in the blanks from Paragraph 4. 1
The and the which usually occur at an altitude of >2700m, are the apex
predators in the
Himalayan Region.

iii. What do you understand by the word ‘ratified’ in point number (vi) in paragraph 6? Why do
you thinkIndia has ‘ratified’ the international agreements? (Answer in about 40 words) 2
iv. Infer the meaning of the phrase ‘snow leopard is considered an umbrella species’ from the
 passage. 1
v. In which states/UTs of India can the Snow Leopards be found? 1
vi. Select the correct option to complete the following sentence. 1
The reason for the introduction of Project Snow Leopard in high altitudes is that .
(a) the region provides essential ecosystem services and harbours river systems vital for
the nation’sfood security
(b) the region has a cold climate
(c) the region offers a very less chance of survival for other animals
(d) snow Leopard survive better in such climates
vii. List any two reasons for the introduction of Project Snow Leopard in high altitudes in
about 40 words. 2

viii. Which of the following is an appropriate title for paragraph 2? 1

(a) Project Snow Leopard
(b) Project Tiger
(c) Preserving India’s wild
(d) Man in the Wild

1. Read the following text. 10

1. The choices we make on a daily basis-wearing a seat belt, lifting heavy objects correctly or
purposely staying out of any dangerous situation-can either ensure our safety or bring about
potentially harmful circumstances.
2. You and I need to make a decision that we are going to get our lives in order. Exercising self-
control, self-discipline and establishing boundaries and borders in our lives are some of the
most important things we can do. A life without discipline is one that’s filled with
carelessness.
3. We can think it’s kind of exciting to live life on the edge. We like the image of “Yeah! That’s
me! Living on the edge! Woo-hoo!” It’s become a popular way to look at life. But if you see,
even highways have lines, which provide margins for our safety while we’re driving. If we go
over one side, we’ll go into the ditch. If we cross over the line in the middle, we could get
killed. And we like those lines because they help to keep us safe. Sometimes we don’t even
realize how lines help to keep us safe.
4. I’m not proud of this, but for the first 20 years of my life at work, I ignored my limits. I felt
horrible, physically, most of the time. I used to tell myself “I know I have limits and that I’ve
reached them, but I’m going to ignore them and see if or how long I can get by with it.” I ran
to doctors, trying to make myself feel better through pills, vitamins, natural stuff and anything
I could get my hands on. Some of the doctors would tell me, “It’s just stress.” That just made
me mad. I thought stress meant you don’t like what you do or can’t handle life, and I love
what I do. But I kept pushing myself, traveling, doing speaking engagements and so on-
simply exhausting myself.
5. Finally, I understood I was living an unsustainable life and needed to make some changes in
my outlook and lifestyle.
6. You and I don’t have to be like everyone else or keep up with anyone else. Each of us needs to
be exactly the way we are, and we don’t have to apologize for it. We’re not all alike and we
need to find a comfort zone in which we can enjoy our lives instead of making ourselves sick
 with an overload of stress and pressure.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Which of the characteristics are apt about the writer in the following context? 1
‘I know I have limits and that I’ve reached them, but I’m going to ignore them and see if or
how long I can get by with it.’
(a) negligent and reckless (b) reckless and purposeless
(c) indecisive and reckless (d) negligent and patient

ii. What does the writer advise us to do to avoid being careless in life? Rationalise your
response in about 40 words. 2
iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
The author has a simple take on either avoiding stress in our lives or distressing ourselves by
....
iv. The passage includes some words that are similar to each other. From the sets (a)-(e) below,
identify two sets of contextual synonyms. 1
(a) safety and harm
(b) everyone and anyone
(c) stress and pressure
(d) discipline and carelessness
(e) correctly and purposely
v. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
The author reiterates that living life on the edge has become popular because ....
vi. Based on the reading of the passage, examine, in about 40 words. How can this quote :
‘Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create’ is justified by the author? 2
vii. Complete the statement appropriately. 1
The phrase “potentially harmful circumstances” refers to circumstances that can .
(a) be possibly dangerous (b) certainly be dangerous
(c) seldom be dangerous (d) be fairly dangerous
viii. The stanza from a poem given below has a few words missing. Fill in the blank with
suitable word/words. 1
Sometimes life is overwhelming, And it seems like there’s no place to turn. There no one
(look) out for you, nd you can feel your stomach churn.

2. Read the following text. 10

1. The most characteristic feature of spiders is their ability to produce silken threads. Spiders
normally have six finger-like silk glands, called ‘spinnerets’ located beneath their abdomen.
To spin a web, the spider squeezes the silk out of its body through two small holes. The liquid
silk is thicker than water and dries into a fine thread as soon as it comes in contact with air.
Spider silk is much stronger than steel and resists breakage because of its elasticity. It can
stretch up to 140 per cent of its original length. The diameter of these silken threads is about
10,000 of an inch. Spiders use this silk to make webs to

trap their prey. The egg sacs of some spiders are also made of silk which pre-treats the unborn
progeny. Sometimes the spider can also use is silk as a safety feature. A certain species of
 spider ‘phidippus apacheanecs’ trails a safety line of fine silk as it jumps. It uses the silk line
to recover if it misses its target. The silk of ‘N aphils Spider’ is the strongest natural fiber
known.
2. The spinning of webs is a remarkable example of instinctive behaviour. A spider does not have
to learn how to make a web, although spinning itself can be adopted to unique circumstances.
For example, ‘orb’ webs are circular in shape and take an hour to build. Funnel spiders pin a
net-like entrance to their homes, which helps to trap food. Similarly, trap door spiders dig their
homes and spin a trap door out of their silk for trapping insects.

3. As integral components of our biosphere, spiders have an intrinsic existence value. They are
efficient predators that play an important role in controlling the pests of cotton. They are also
a source of food for other creatures such as birds and wasps. Thus, the presence of spiders is
an ecological indicator signalling the health of natural ecosystem.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. Complete the following blank appropriately, based on your understanding of paragraph 2. 1
We can say that Funnel spiders and Trap Door spiders building structures to trap insects for
food is comparable with a rattrap set for a mouse but with a big difference: .
ii. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your
understanding of paragraph 1. 1
Spider silk is much stronger than steel and resists breakage because of its elasticity. It can
stretch up to 140 per cent of its original length is (a/an fact opinion) because it is (a/an
subjective judgement/objective detail)
iii. Justify the following, in about 40 words. 2
Spiders are great indicators of a healthy ecosystem.
iv. Based on the passage name two species each of spiders found in our homes and outdoors. 1
v. What kind of behaviour does the author say the spiders exhibit when at work? State any one
inference that can be drawn from this. 1

vi. Select the option that correctly displays what ‘threads’ signifies. (Reference-Paragraph 1) 1
 (a) Only (i)
(b) (ii), (iii) and (v)
(c) Only (v)
(d) (i) and (iv)
vii. Infer one benefit and one drawback of having spiders whether at home or in the garden.
Answer in about 40 words. 2
viii. Which of the following is an incorrect fact about spiders from the study mentioned in the
passage? 1
(a) Woodhouse Hunting spiders live on leaves and wood.
(b) Naphils Spider weaves the silkiest web known.
(c) Spinning can be adopted to unique circumstances.
(d) The egg sacs of some spiders are also made of silk.

1. Read the following text. 10

1. The colour of animals is by no means a matter of chance; it depends on many considerations,
but in the majority of cases tends to protect the animal from danger by rendering it less
conspicuous. Perhaps it may be said that if colouring is mainly protective, there ought to be
but few brightly coloured animals. There are, however, not a few cases in which vivid colours
are themselves protective. The kingfisher itself, though so brightly coloured, is by no means
easy to see. The blue harmonises with the water, and the bird as it darts along the stream looks
almost like a flash of sunlight.
2. Desert animals are generally the colour of the desert. Thus, for instance, the lion, the antelope,
and the wild donkey are all sand-coloured. “Indeed,” says Canon Tristram, “in the desert,
where neither trees, brushwood, nor even undulation of the surface afford the slightest
protection to its foes, a modification of colour assimilated to that of the surrounding country is
absolutely necessary. Hence, without exception, the upper plumage of every bird, and also the
fur of all the smaller mammals and the skin of all the snakes and lizards, is of one uniform
sand colour.”
3. The next point is the colour of the mature caterpillars, some of which are brown. This probably
makes the caterpillar even more conspicuous among the green leaves than would otherwise
be the case. Let us see, then, whether the habits of the insect will throw any light upon the
riddle. What would you do if you were a big caterpillar? Why, like most other defenseless
creatures, you would feed by night, and lie concealed by day. So do these caterpillars. When
the morning light comes, they creep down the stem of the food plant, and lie concealed among
the thick herbage and dry sticks and leaves, near the ground, and it is obvious that under such
circumstances, the brown colour really becomes a protection. It might indeed be argued that
the caterpillars, having become brown, concealed themselves on the ground, and that we were
reversing the state of things. But this is not so, because, while we may say as a general rule
that large caterpillars feed by night and lie concealed by day, it is by no means always the case
that they are brown; some of them still retaining the green colour. We may then conclude that
 the habit of concealing themselves by day came first, and that the brown colour is a later
adaptation.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. What does the writer mean when he says that “The colour of animals is by no means a
matter of
chance”?
(a) It is an evolutionary advantage. (b) It is contradictory.
(c) It is predetermined.(d) It is a matter of chance.

ii. What makes the writer contradict his own statement that ‘the colour of animals helps protect
them from danger by making them less conspicuous to predators’? Answer in about 40
words. 2

iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1

The author’s contention that assimilation with the background is a necessity for all desert
animals for sheer survival can be substantiated with the fact that .

iv. The passage includes some words that are opposites of each other. From the sets (a)-(e)
below, identify a set of word pairs that does not belong to this category. 1
(a) concealed and conspicuous
(b) day and night
(c) bright and vivid
(d) sand-coloured and brightly-coloured
(e) retaining and reversing

v. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1

Although some big caterpillars are brown and therefore have the advantage of being
conspicuous among the green leaves, yet these defenceless creatures have to ............ .

vi. Why does the author conclude that the habit of caterpillars to conceal themselves by day came
first, and that the brown colour is a later adaptation? Based on the reading of the passage,
examine, in about 40 words. 2

vii. The writer says, “It might indeed be argued that the caterpillars, having become brown,
concealed themselves on the ground and that we were reversing the state of things.”
(Paragraph 3) 1
Select the underlying principle in natural evolution the scientist, Canon Tristram is referring
to.
(a) contradiction (b) regression
(c) experience (d) progression

viii. Where do the big, brown caterpillars hide themselves as soon as the day breaks? 1

2. Read the following text. 10

1. “India is a major tourist destination and is therefore a strategic ally to strengthen the recovery
of Travel & Tourism activity in the region. In 2019, India’s Travel & Tourism sector made
up 6.8 per cent of the country’s total GDP, and 8 per cent of total employment. The
government of India’s leadership is instrumental and essential for us to be able to work
 towards a single agenda and the reactivation of international travel to benefit the millions of
people in India who depend on the sector for their livelihoods,” said a spokesperson from
WTTC.

2. In India, travel and hospitality contributes 9.3 per cent to the overall Indian GDP and accounts
for over 8 per cent of India’s total employment. It is therefore imperative to come together
and focus on the revival of the sector across the globe with optimism, hope and unity in
solidarity of the industry. The recovery plan presented to the tourism ministers from the world
includes The, that focus on key measures to reactivate international tourism. The measures
include a globally recognised international testing programme; strengthening and
standardising protocols between countries to reduce risk and regain confidence from the
traveller; and international coordination for the reopening of the sector, with the highest
priority to health, safety and certainty for the traveller.
3. According to data, the travel and tourism sector generated 14.1 trillion (USD 208.9 billion)
in 2016, which is world’s 7th largest in terms of absolute size; the sum is equivalent to
9.6% of India’s GDP. Additionally, the sector created 40.3 million jobs in 2016, which
ranks India 2nd in the world in terms of total employment generated. The sector accounts
for 9.3% of the country’s total jobs. India’s Travel and Tourism sector was also the fastest
growing amongst the G20 countries, growing by 8.5% in 2016. 6.7% growth is forecast for
2017 in this sector.
4. The President and CEO, WTTC, David Scowsill says, “We encourage the Indian government
to continue to adopt policies that encourage travellers, such as the new visa regime, enable
investment in vital infrastructure, and allow companies to do business. India is a beautiful and
diverse tourism destination, with the right policies in place it will no doubt continue to grow
towards ranking even higher in terms of its tourism economy.”
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. Complete the following analogy appropriately, based on your understanding of paragraphs 1
and 2. 1 We can say that the success of the recovery plan put forward by the WTTC to
reactivate tourism in the world after the pandemic derives its strength from the robust and
especially in 2016.

ii. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your
understanding of paragraph 2. 1
According to the author, the revival of travel and hospitality has to be executed with optimism,
hope and unity among the countries of the world with a special focus on India because this
sector contributes 9.3 percent to the overall Indian GDP and accounts for over 8 percent of
India’s total employment is (a fact/an opinion) and (a/an subjective
judgement/objective detail).

iii. Justify the following, in about 40 words. 2

The plan proposed by the Indian government will help revive tourism on an international scale
and reactivate it with a key focus on the travellers.

iv. Based on the survey results, which two policies will greatly enhance travel and encourage
travellers according to David Scowsill? 1

v. Infer one reason for the following, based on information in paragraph 1. 1

The WTTC acknowledges the importance of the Indian tourism industry in reviving international
 travel.

vi. Select the option that correctly displays what ‘tourism infrastructure’ signifies. (Ref-Paragraph
2). 1

(a) Only (i) (b) Only (ii)

(c) (ii), (iii) and (iv) (d) (i) and (v)

vii. Infer one benefit and one drawback of the Indian Travel and Hospitality sector’s remarkable
growth in 2016 as compared to 2019. Answer in about 40 words. 2

viii. Which of the following is the main takeaway from the study mentioned in the passage? 1
(a) It is the fastest-growing sector among G20 countries.
(b) The travel and tourism sector generated jobs worth Rs. 14.1 trillion in 2016.
(c) Travel-friendly policies will help India create more employment in this sector.
(d) The reactivation of international travel needs a single coordinated agenda.

Read the following text. 10

1. They’ve also got huge educational success. It is a complicated cultural phenomenon. The
pursuit of educational excellence to the exclusion of other aspects of life, such as spending
time outside, can be detrimental to eye health believe eye specialists.
2. In low and middle-income countries, myopia rates still tend to be lower-Bangladesh and India
for example report rates of about 20-30% in adults-but this is changing. In Africa, for
example, myopia used to be comparatively uncommon, but over the past ten years, the
prevalence of childhood myopia has been rising fast. As literacy rates improve in those
countries-an otherwise welcome development- that problem could grow unless there is a big
effort to also provide eye tests and glasses, experts warn.
3. School time in itself is, however, not necessarily the root of the problem, as the Covid-19
pandemic lockdowns have shown. It is staying indoors that appears to be. During the
lockdowns, schools shut down all over the world-but children’s eye health became even
worse. Typically, they stayed inside during the lockdowns, and spent hours staring at screens,
either following classes or watching TV, as other forms of learning and entertainment
disappeared.
4. This complex problem-myopia as a bad side effect of an otherwise positive trend-also shows
up in another area: income levels. Like education, a higher income is generally associated
with greater well- being in children-but not when it comes to eye health. Instead, myopia is
associated with higher socio- economic status. The richer we get, the better we are at protecting
our children from ever going outdoors,because they’ve got more things to do. They’ve got to
learn music, play video games and watch TV, andso forth.
5. Is there a way out? In China, trials have been conducted in classrooms that mimic learning
outdoors. Children and teachers preferred the bright new classrooms that resemble a
glasshouse, as compared with a traditional classroom. However, in summer and on sunny
days, the light intensity was at the ‘practical upper limit for routine use’. The bright classroom
is also twice as expensive to build as a regular classroom, because of building materials and
 cooling mechanisms that are required.
6. The most effective, evidence-based prevention strategy is also surprisingly low-tech and
applies to all countries regardless of their wealth or resources: more time outdoors.
Researchers are still investigatingexactly why being outdoors, and being in natural light, helps
prevent myopia-but for now, their perhaps most important conclusion is that it does. The
challenge is to ensure that children make use of this natural boost.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Why does the writer say that myopia is ‘a complicated cultural phenomenon’ in South-East
Asia? Whichof these statements does not corroborate the given statement? 1
(a) The rate of spending time indoors is very low.
(b) The rate of educational success is very high.
(c) The rate of spending time outdoors is very low.
(d) The rate of myopia is here higher than other countries.
ii. Why does the writer deduce that spending too much time in classrooms is not necessarily the
root of theproblem of myopia? Rationalise your response in about 40 words. 2
iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
The author says that “Like education, a higher income is generally associated with greater
well-being inchildren-but not when it comes to eye health.” The analogy is interesting but
......
iv. The passage includes some word pairs from the passage that are opposites of each other.
From the sets(a)-(e) below, identify two sets of pairs that do not classify under antonyms. 1
(a) glasshouse classrooms and traditional classrooms
(b) outdoors and indoors
(c) low and middle-income countries
(d) learning and entertainment
(e) pandemic and lockdowns
v. The writer thinks that the glasshouse classrooms in China built with the objective of bringing
the outdoorsinside are not feasible in all kinds of weather. (Paragraph 5) 1
State one point that the author puts forward in defence of his argument.
vi. Based on your reading of the text, list two reasons, in about 40 words, why the writer says
that in lowand middle-income countries, the problem of myopia could grow manifold in the
coming years. 2
vii. The writer says, “The richer we get, ....the more things our children have to do.” (Paragraph 3)
1
Select two suitable reasons responsible for this social phenomenon.
1. We consider it a status symbol.
2. We want them to have varied learning experiences.
3. We consider it a family tradition.
4. We follow the herd mentality.
5. We think this was their talent increases.
6. We have the availability of resources.
(a) 1 and 3
(b) 4 and 5
 (c) 2 and 6
(d) 1 and 4
viii. Supply one point to justify the following : 1
Ironically, widespread and long lockdowns gave a real push to the number of children getting
myopia.

2. Read the following text. 10

1. People worldwide are living longer. Today most people can expect to live into their sixties
and beyond. Every country in the world is experiencing growth in both the size and the
proportion of older persons in the population. By 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged
60 years or over- the share of this group will increase from 1 billion in 2020 to 1.4 billion and
by 2050, the world’s population of people aged 60 years and older will be 2.1 billion. The
number of persons aged 80 years or older is expected totriple between 2020 and 2050 to reach
426 million.
2. While this shift in distribution of a country’s population towards older ages-known as
population ageing- started in high-income countries (for example in Japan 30% of the
population is already over 60 years old), it is now low- and middle-income countries that are
experiencing the greatest change. By 2050, two-thirds of the world’s population over 60 years
will live in low- and middle-income countries.
3. By income group, the sharpest growth in the numbers of older people will occur in countries
currently classified as middle income. This is unsurprising, as these countries make up 74 per
cent of the world’spopulation. What’s surprising is that these numbers are increasing at a much
faster rate than in either lowor high-income countries.
4. Population aging is sounding alarms worldwide. The older people will have to spend their
investmentsto support themselves pulling money from the economy. Another issue is fiscal
stress. Government treasuries will be strained by rising pension liabilities, the cost of health
and long-term care associated with the expected growth in the incidence of chronic diseases
such as diabetes, heart ailments, dementia,cancer, among others.
5. Various responses could cushion the economic burden of population aging. These include
policy reformsto promote the health and pension financing of the old. Raising the legal age of
retirement, which has been relatively stable in nearly all countries for the past several decades
would also ease the burden. Additional approaches include efforts to increase health systems’
emphasis on early detection and on prevention of disease through, for example, better awareness
of the benefits of physical activity and subsidization of such activity. Relaxing the institutional
and economic barriers to international immigration from regionswith relatively large working-
age populations could alleviate labour shortages.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. Complete the following analogy appropriately, based on your understanding of paragraphs 1
& 2. 1
From the passage, we can infer that the dynamics of greying population shifting from high-
income to low and middle-income countries, is comparable with the regular oscillation .....
ii. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your
understandingof paragraph 2. 1
The population researchers say that it is unsurprising that the middle-income countries will
see the sharpest growth in the numbers of older people because these countries currently make
up 74 percent of the world population is (a fact/an opinion) because it is (a subjective
 judgement/an objective detail)
iii. With vast numbers of greying population inundating the world, the effects on the economies
of the countries would be devastating. How could this situation be tackled? Answer in about
40 words. 2
iv. List any two examples of ‘cushioning economic burdens’ as referred to, in Paragraph 5. 1
v. The rate of growth of size and the proportion of older persons in the population has gone up
for every country in the world. State any one inference that can be drawn from this based on
information in paragraph 1. 1
vi. Select the option that correctly displays what ‘immigration’ signifies in the passage. (Reference
Paragraph
5)

(a) Only (i) (b) Only (ii)

(c) (ii), (iii) and (iv) (d) (i) and (v)
vii. The greying population numbers in the world are set to get concentrated in the low and middle
—incomecountries by 2050 that were hitherto higher in rich countries. Infer one benefit and
one drawback of thisgreat shift. Answer in about 40 words. 2
viii. Select the correct option to complete the following sentence. 1
The aging of global population is going to have far-reaching consequences for the world
economy also
because the old people will have to ..........
(a) borrow from relatives
(b) be dependent on their children
(c) liquidate their investments.
(d) take bank loans.

1. Read the following text. 10

1. The funding crisis at many zoos has reopened the debate over the value of zoos and whether
they should be allowed to exist at all. People who are in favour of zoos argue that they
perform an essential role in conserving rare animal species. Over the past 20 years zoos have
developed programmes designed to help preserve endangered species. This involves breeding
animals in captivity in ‘captive breeding programmes’-and then reintroducing them into their
natural habitats to replenish the number living in the wild.
2. Zoos cooperate with each other in order to ensure the success of their breeding programmes.
Animals are passed from one zoo to another in order to prevent inbreeding-breeding from
closely related animals. If animals that are closely related to one another mate there is a
danger that they will produce deformed offspring.
3. Supporters of zoos argue that they have an important role in educating children, millions of
who visit zoos every year. Television-viewing is no substitute for encountering real animals,
 they argue. Zoos also carry out important research, for example, on the best conditions for
rare species to reproduce. If zoos were forced to close, it would be disastrous for world
conservation, zoo supporters say. And most animals in captivity would have to be killed.
4. Opponents of zoos accept that some species have been saved from extinction by ‘captive
breeding programmes’, but they argue that this offers no solution to the worldwide conservation
crisis. The number of animals protected by zoos is tiny compared with the overall problem. It
cost millions to save the Arabian onyx from dying out; but could that amount be available for
every species that is endangered? The value of zoo-breeding programmes is also questioned as
some species, such as the African elephant, do not reproduce well in captivity.
5. Captive animals are often kept in poor and inhumane conditions, opponents say. In the worst
zoos, animals are still displayed for the entertainment of the public. Where animals are placed
in impoverished and unsuitable surroundings, they often behave in abnormal and neurotic
ways. It is common for polar bears constantly to pace up and down or twist their heads and
circle over and over again. This behaviour is now recognised by scientists as a sign of stress
and frustration. When children visit zoos where animals are acting in neurotic and abnormal
ways, they are not being educated. Instead, opponents say, they are being given inaccurate
information.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. What are the advantages of zoos? 1

(a) Children are educated about wildlife in zoos.
(b) Breeding of endangered species is done.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above

ii. How would closing of zoos be disastrous? Answer in about 40 words. 2

iii. Complete the following with a reason from paragraph two : 1

Inbreeding can lead to deformed animals because .

iv. The passage includes some words that are opposites of each other. From the sets (a)-(e)
below, identify a set of synonyms. 1
(a) Supporters and opponents
(b) Crisis and solution
(c) Rare and endangered
(d) Reproduce and breed
(e) Reintroduce and replenish

v. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1

Cooperation amongst zoos support Captive Breeding Programme by .

vi. Supply the disadvantages of zoo. Answer in about 40 words. 2

vii. Zoos provide a chance to encounter real animals, ....... 1

(a) which can irritate the animals in the zoo
(b) but visitors do not always see the natural behaviour of animals
(c) which gives visitors a chance to take pictures with animals
 (d) None of the above

viii. Do you think captive breeding programmes are 100% successful? Answer with reference to
the above passage. 1

2. Read the following text. 10

1. Access to primary education is a basic right of every child. An effective primary education can
build a solid foundation and open avenues for future success. With its profound implications
on both the individual and society, primary education plays a crucial role in reducing extreme
poverty and promoting social changes. The Sustainable Development Agenda acknowledges
the importance of primary education in Goal 4 which stipulates that by 2030, the world should
ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities
for all, including a target on universal access to primary education. Though there are varying
standards, primary education is typically designed for children 6 to 11 years of age.

2. Significant progress has been made toward achieving universal primary education. Globally,
the adjusted net attendance rate reached 87 percent in 2019 and about four out of five children
attending primary education completed it. Additionally, over the past two decades, the number
of out-of-school children was reduced by over 40 percent. However, there is still a long way to
go: 58 million children of primary school age remain out of school, with the majority of them
coming from marginalised groups. In addition, recent Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys
(MICS) results show that many children do not have foundational reading and numeracy skills,
highlighting the massive challenge to achieving inclusive and equitable quality education for
all.
3. Globally, a lower proportion of children from the poorest families attend primary education
compared with their wealthier peers. While almost all children from the top wealth quintile
attend primary education, only 75 percent of children from the bottom wealth quintile do.
4. Across different regions, household wealth impacts primary school completion rates differently.
West and Central Africa has the largest gap of 58 percentage points in primary school
completion rates between the richest and poorest quintiles. In contrast, in East Asia and the
Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean, children from the top and bottom wealth
quintiles complete primary school at more similar rates, with a gap of just 13 percentage
points.
5. In the past 20 years, the number of out-of-school children of primary education age fell by
more than 40 per cent, from 99 million in 2000 to 58 million in 2019. However, 54 per cent of
these out-of-school children were girls. Despite this tremendous progress, the world must
accelerate the pace at which the number of out-of-school children is reduced, as the total has
remained stagnant since 2007.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. Complete the following sentence appropriately. 1

have the highest rates of primary education completion in the rich quintile.

ii. Fill the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your
understanding of the passage : 1
There was a decline of (from 99 million in 2000 to 58 million in 2019/ from 99 million
in 2000 to 68 million in 2019) in the number of out-of-school children of primary education
age is seen in the past two decades.
iii. How is primary education critical to both an individual and a society? Answer in about 40
words. 2

iv. State one target related to primary education. 1

v. How much decline in the number of out-of-school children of primary education age is seen
in the past two decades? 1

vi. Which word can substitute the word ‘Foundational’ in the following, sentence from paragraph
2. 1
In addition, recent Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) results show that many children
do not have foundational reading and numeracy skills, highlighting the massive challenge to
achieving inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
(a) Required (b) Fundamental
(c) Primary (d) Essential

vii. How does the Sustainable Development Goals give importance to primary education?
(Answer 40 about 40 words) 2

viii. In 2019, about four out of five children attending primary education completed it suggests that

1
(a) more than 80% children completed primary education
(b) about 80% children completed the primary education
(c) almost 100% children completed primary education
(d) less than 80% children completed primary education