KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA EOI KATHMANDU

I PRE-BOARD EXAMINATION

CLASS XII -ENGLISH

TIME: 3 HRS M.M.80

General Instructions:

1. The paper is divided into two parts: A and B. All questions are compulsory.
2. Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions
very carefully and follow them.
3. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

Part A [40 Marks]

READING [20 marks]

1. Read the following passage and answer the questions by choosing the best option

1.In 1976, six-year-old Anil Uchil started cycling by renting a bicycle at 25 paise an hour. He got his
own road bike when he turned 13, and he cycled everywhere: to school, college and even to work in
1993. He still cycles to work. “It’s healthy, environment-friendly and economical. But the real reason I
cycle is because it’s sheer fun,” he says. Earlier this year PM Narendra Modi in a speech on
environmental crisis said, “Why don’t we make Sunday cycle day? I am saying that only one day a week
don’t use fuel- driven vehicles.” Internationally a lot has been done to encourage people to use the
bicycle as a primary means of transport. UK’s Cycle to Work scheme offers tax-free bicycles to
employees. 45% of people in Copenhagen cycle to work/college. In Brussels (Belgium), Geneva
(Switzerland) or San Francisco (USA), it is not uncommon to see top-rung corporate executive in three-
piece suits cycling their way to office

2. Cycling though has been a part of Indian culture for decades. Apart from people across strata in
smaller towns and villages, in cities, mill workers, newspaper delivery boys, milk vendors and bread
sellers have always use the bicycle. Today, the resurgent popularity of the bicycle isn’t so much as a
practical mode of commuting as it is a way towards fitter lifestyles and eco-friendliness. Around the
late 2000s, as the middle and affluent classes took to cycling, internet penetration also grow in India.
Many made use of social media to create awareness. Numerous groups on Facebook today help cyclists
connect to fellow riders. The shared passion for cycling brings together absolute strangers building
friendships and a sense of community.
3.Jose George, an avid cycling enthusiast and the owner of the cycling store, Haybren Adventures, says,
“Riding in a group is always more enjoyable and you end up riding a lot more.” Usually the right distances
range from 20 to 80 km, and are held mostly on weekends. Apart from the environmental benefits,
cycling is also an effective way to break away from a sedentary lifestyle. “It’s a low-impact exercise
where you don’t carry your body weight. The machine does. It’s great stress buster too, “ George says.
But while there are eager riders, the lack of infrastructure is a deterrent. Dedicated cycling lanes are
still a distant dream. And if the traffic and the questionable driving skills of many don’t discourage you,
the potholes and gaps between concrete segments might. Another sore point is the derisive attitude of
motorists and drivers. Banker and cycling enthusiast Ninad Waghule, 28 says, “Most drivers aren’t
considerate towards cyclists. However, it you are on an expensive cycle and wearing a helmet, you get
more respect compared to a regular person commuting to work. It’s a pity.”

4.The cycling culture has also given birth to adventure travel companies that organise cycling trips.
From short weekend trips to longer and more arduous ( but rewarding) journeys, cycling tours are
gaining popularity. American science educator Bill Nye famously said, “ There’s something wrong with a
society that drives a car to work out in a gym.” Thankfully, in spite of potholed roads and our despicable
habit of honking cyclists out of the way, things are changing.

On the basis of understanding of the passage, answer any ten questions from the eleven that follow
(1x10)

1. Cycling is becoming popular again due to:

a. Traffic jams
b. Request of the Prime Minister
c. Health benefits
d. Reviving Indian culture

2. Riding in groups is more beneficial because it helps to:

a. Restrict friendships
b. Inculcate sense of kinship
c. Follow the routine of everyday life
d. None of these

3. The deterrents to cycling include:

a. Co-operation of the motorists
b. Stress while cycling
c. Non-availability of allocated lanes for cyclists
d. Going to the gym regularly

4. What would happen if we make Sunday a cycle day?

 a. Lots of fuel would be saved
b. It would become a fun day
c. It would help to control environmental crisis.
d. All of the above

5. Accordingly to the passage, how should cycling be adopted?

a. As a primary means of transport
b. As a fast means of transport
c. As a secondary means of transport
d. As a popular means of transport

6. What made cycling so popular in advanced countries?

a. Tax benefits
b. Cycling to work places
c. The cycling enthusiasts
d. All of these

7. Pick the option showing the CORRECT use of the word AFFLUENT
a. Affluent and well-educated, the rich children were able to get admission in the Cambridge
university
b. I was treated with the utmost affluent by the family
c. Like every other person in the room, I too affluent killing
d. The decision was taken too affluent.

8. ‘But while there are eager riders, the lack of infrastructure is a deterrent.’ Pick the option in
which the meaning of ‘deterrent’ is NOT the same as it is in the passage.
a. Hope this punishment will act as a deterrent to the criminals
b. She acts as a deterrent to win the argument
c. The lack of basic facilities is a deterrent to buyers
d. Use insecticides as a deterrent to avoid further damage to the crops.

9. Pick the option that correctly states what DOES NOT happen while riding a bicycle.
a. It improves the environment
b. It is the most economical transport.
c. It makes one enthusiastic and fresh
d. It makes one lethargic and dull

10. “……….It is not uncommon to see top-rung corporate executives in three-piece suits cycling
their way to office.” NOT UNCOMMON MEANS:
a. Fairly common
b. Not rare
 c. More frequent
d. Less common

11. Another sore point is the derisive attitude of motorists and drivers. Derisive attitude
suggests:
a. The motorists mock cyclists and show contempt
b. They show them respect and love
c. They appreciate cyclists and cycling
d. They too show eagerness to cycle with cyclists

2. Read the following passage and answer the questions by choosing the best option

Nature’s Most Violent Wind

1. Tornados have been observed in every continent on the planet with the exception of Antarctica.
Hurricanes differ from tornadoes, in that the former develop in warm, tropical oceans whereas
tornados develop on land and are more aggressive and potentially destructive. The majority of tornados
are initiated by thunderstorms. Tornados are relatively common occurrences at differing magnitudes
throughout the world. The geographical features of the U.S.A. lend themselves to high incidence of
tornado activity. In that country the highest proportion of tornados occur in the southern states in
spring from March to May and in the northern states from late spring extending into summer. Generally
tornados travel from southwest to northeast, though neither time of year nor direction they will take is
completely predictable.

2. Several factors cause the U.S.A. to experience a high incidence of tornado formation. While the
continent reaches from arctic areas in the north to a tropical climate in the south there is no barrier
protection from significant mountain ranges in the east or west; however, the Rocky Mountains in the
middle latitudes of the country obstruct atmospheric flow and moisture. In addition, drier air from the
southwest deserts and low level moisture from the Gulf of Mexico meet in the area, many collisions of
warm and cool air occur and optimum conditions for tornado formation are created. Tornados in this
central part of the U.S.A. are so prolific that the area has been named Tornado Alley, the site of the
highest number of powerful tornados in the country and throughout the world. In the USA alone, in an
average year 1200 tornados occur causing 70 fatalities and 1500 injuries and in addition extensive
damage to property and natural vegetation.

3. Connected between a cloud base above (usually cumulonimbus) and the earth below, a tornado is a
rapidly rotating column of air; they can be as much as 20 kilometres in height. The majority are less
than 75 metres in diameter reaching wind speeds of less than 177kms per hour and travel less than 10
kilometres before dissipating; however, some of the larger and rarer of this type of weather
phenomenon may reach wind speeds of more than 480kms/hour traveling more than 100 kilometers
before cessation. The inside of a tornado is made up of descending air and this is surrounded by a
spiraling upward current which has the ability to carry with it and destroy even substantial obstacles
such as tress, cars and houses in its path. Scientific research and eyewitness accounts indicate that
most tornados also possess a calm centre in their core, surrounded by the layers of the downward and
upward currents of air; this core has been likened to the peaceful central ‘eye’ at the centre of a
tropical cyclone or hurricane.

4. A tornado itself is not necessarily visible; though the intense low pressure it causes often results in
condensation of water vapour which forms into a noticeable condensation funnel. Colours of tornados
are also dictated by the environment in which they form. The force of the swirling air causes them to
pick up dirt as they travel across the landscape; those with minimal debris remaining grey or white
turning darker blue the more they collect, while others in areas such the Great Plains in the USA turn
red in colour due to the red soil they collect and carry with them. Background lighting in which a
tornado presents itself also affects the naked eye’s ability to identify its form as it appears on the
horizon. When viewing a tornado with the sun behind it, it will appear to be dark in colour; however,
when viewed without the sun in the background, the same tornado appears to be grey or white. On the
rare occasions that tornados occur after dark, they pose an increased level of danger as darkness can
make them invisible and only radar warnings or possibly sound can warn those in their path that a
tornado is on its way.

5. Tornados are classified into three levels of intensity; these being weak, strong and violent. 88% of
tornados occurring in the USA are classified into the first category making them the most common;
they account for less than 5% of fatalities resulting from tornado activity, generally reach wind speeds
of less than 177kms/hour and have a duration of between 1 and 6 10 minutes before cessation. In
contrast, ‘violent’ tornados exceed 330 kilometres per hour, can continue for over an hour and while
they account for only 1% of incidence of tornados they result in approximately 70% of resultant
deaths.

6. Today in the USA, early warning systems, which cannot necessarily protect property in the path of a
tornado, can allow people time to leave the area and therefore significantly reduce death tolls. However
in countries such as Bangladesh, fatalities caused by tornado impact remain extremely high. The rural,
central region of the country also experiences a high frequency of strong tornados and the danger is
exacerbated due to its densely populated areas, lack of warning systems and vulnerability of building
structures. Between 1967 and 1996 the Bangladesh Observer and Pakistan Observer reported 5,373
tornado related deaths: an average of 179.1 per year. The Manikganj Tornado which occurred in 1989 is
thought to have caused as a many as 1300 deaths and is known as the deadliest tornado to have
occurred anywhere in the world. Many projects delivered by organizations such as the Asian Disaster
Reduction Centre (ADRC) have been established with the aim of minimising devastation and death rates
caused by tornados in such areas.

12. Hurricanes are described as

a. Less damaging than tornado and occurring in marine environments
b. More hostile than tornados and occurring in the sea
 c. Occurring on land and less harmful than tornados
d. Only occurring in certain oceans with a fiercer effect than a tornado

13. Tornados have not been observed in

a. America
b. Asia
c. Africa
d. Antarctica

14. Tornados in the USA

a. Occur only in spring and summer
b. Continually travel from southwest to northeast
c. Are experienced exclusively by the southern and northern states
d. Are less prevalent in winter

15. Tornados are common in the USA because

a. Because warm, humid air which builds up meets cooler air without interference
b. The Rocky mountains inhibit cold air from the north and warm air from the south making
contact
c. Of the high incidence of thunderstorms which are experienced in central USA
d. Warm air from the tropics allows optimum conditions to develop

16. Tornados may be very light in colour if

a. The observer stands with their back to the sun
b. They occur at night
c. They occur in the Great Plains of the USA
d. They pick up substantial dirt on their journey

17. Tornados in Bangladesh

a. Cause extensive damage due to sociological factors
b. Are of greater intensity than in USA
c. Can now be effectively predicted
d. Occur mainly in urban areas

Answer the questions 18-21 based on the diagram given below by choosing the best option
 18. Usually less than
1.__________ in
width
a. 75 m
b. 177 m
c. 100 km
d. 20 m

19. Water vapour forms

2.__________
a. Debris
b. Condensation
funnel
c. Roof like structure
d. Low pressure

20. Can be up to 3. _______________in height

a. 20 m
b. 20 km
c. 75km
d. 755 m

21. In the core there is a 4. _______________

a. High pressure
b. Disturbance
c. Low pressure
d. Calm centre

22. A word that means ' the fact or process of ending or being brought to an end;
a. Prolific
b. Substantiate
c. Cessation
d. Optimum

LITERATURE 20 MARKS

3 A. Read the extracts given below and attempt any two of the three given answering the

questions that follow. (4+4=8)

 From the beginning, however, I had an aversion to the water when I was in it. This started when I
was three or four years old and father took me to the beach in California.
He and I stood together in the surf. I hung on to him, yet the waves knocked me down and swept
over me. I was buried in water. My breath was gone. I was frightened.
Father laughed, but there was terror in my heart at the overpowering force of the waves.

23. The word aversion refers to:

a. passion b .dedication
c. hatred d. like

24. Identify the name of the writer of this lesson:

a.Asokamitran b. Anees Jung
c. William Douglas d. Louis Fischer

25. Which line suggests that he was about to die?

a.I had an aversion to water b. the waves knocked me down

c. my breath was gone d. there was terror in my heart

26. Father seems to be;

a.supportive b. ambitious
c. discouraging d. cruel
B.

They have lived here for more than thirty years without an identity,

without permits but with ration cards that get their names on voters’ lists

and enable them to buy grain. Food is more important for survival than an

identity. “If at the end of the day we can feed our families and go to bed

without an aching stomach, we would rather live here than in the fields that

gave us no grain,” say a group of women in tattered saris when I ask them

why they left their beautiful land of green fields and rivers.

27. The word they comes here for

a. Voters b. group of women
b.slum dwellers d. sahukars
28. Who is I here ?
a. A child of the area b. the writer

c. A woman d. one of the villagers

29. Clarify the line: Food is more important than identity

a. they are so greedy b. they are so egoist

c. they are very poor d. very introvert

30. find the word from passage meaning, old and torn

a.tattered b. aching

c. survival d. identity

C-You could lock yourself up in a room and never leave it. There was a man

who did that. He was afraid, you see. Of everything. Everything in this world.

A bus might run him over, or a man might breathe deadly germs onto him, or

a donkey might kick him to death, or lightning might strike him down, or he
might love a girl and the girl would leave him, and he might slip on a banana

skin and fall and people who saw him would laugh their heads off. So he went

into this room, and locked the door, and got into his bed, and stayed there.
 31. Choose the option that best demonstrates the relevant traits of the
speaker;

a. a pessimist and down to earth b.an optimist and reluctant

c. wicked and care taking d. patient and practical

32. why did the speaker tell the story to the listener?

a. to make him more fearful b. to make him ready to face the realities

c. to make him his follower d. to make him realize his shortcomings

33. which attitude of the man has been told here?

a. so outspoken b. not apprehensive

c. frightened of all the things d. chivalric

34. who is the writer of this lesson from which the extract is taken?

a. Jack Finney b. Pearl s. buck

c. John updike d. Susan hill

4- A. Read the extracts given

below and attempt Any One of the two given by answering the questions that

follow. (1x4=4)

It would be an exotic
moment without rush,
without engines; we
would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.

Fishermen in the cold

sea would not harm
whales and the man
gathering salt
would not look at his hurt hands.

35. What will be an exotic moment for all.

a. To journey together
b. To go to the sea and enjoy fishing
c. Gathering salt together
 d. Keeping still, no activities

36. What would everyone feel at that exotic moment?

A) happy
B)content
C)dancing
D) strange blissful oneness

37.What is the poet expecting from fishermen?

A) to find more fish

B)to go deeper into the sea
C)to think and stop harming the fish
D)none

38.While gathering salt, what will happen to the man if he keeps silent for a
moment?

A) he will stop dropping it

B)he will look at the ground
C)he will walk carefully
D) he will think of the harm the salt is doing to his hands

B. When Aunt is dead, her terrified

hands will lie Still ringed with ordeals
she was mastered by The tigers in
the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid

39. Ordeals refers to-

a. happy times b. hardships

c. joy and splendour d. party times

40. the tigers in the panel that she made, means

a. the tigers she sent to the zoo.

b. the tigers embroidered by Jennifer

c.the tigers that killed her husband

d. none of the above

41. ’ proud and unafraid’ these two adjectives have been used for

a.the uncle b. the males in the society

 c. the tigers on the panel d. aunt Jennifer

42. the attitude of the poet towards aunt Jennifer is that of

b.hatred b. love

c. sympathy d. casual
 Attempt Any Eight questions from the ten given below: (1x8= 8)

43. What made Franz forget M.Hamel's ruler and crankiness?

A) Police Patrolling
B)Strange Quietness
C)Bustle on the streets
D) The idea of his going away
44. Whom did the enchanted youth resolve to seek 'A thing of beauty'?

a.God

b. nature

c. mentor

d. Cynthia-the moon goddess

45.Interpret terrified hands in 'Aunt Jennifer's

a. physical condition of Aunt
b. mental state of Aunt
c. tensed ,troubled physical and mental state of aunt Jennifer
d. fears of Aunt

46. How did Gandhi behave with the officials outside the court?
(a) demonstrated his power
(b) was firm and resolute
(c) he said that he would disobey the order
(d) cooperated with them

47. The tramp manners will fall away from him with the tramp clothes. who
is the speaker and who is the listener

a. Edla to her father

b. The rattrap seller to Edla

c. Iron master to his daughter

d. the crofter to the seller

48. Why did Jo think that Roger Skunk was better with new smell ?

A) because she was able to bear him now

B)she was able to be with him now
C)because of pleasant smell now people were able to be friends with him
D) All these
49.Why did Charley visit Sam?
a. To consult the incident of Third level incident at Grand Central Station
b. To invite him
c. to invite him to accompany at Galesberg
d. to guide him in Galesberg

50. Why did the General not pass orders to arrest Dr. Sadao for giving a.
space to a whiteman?
b. because he trusted him
c. because he needed him
d. General was not in good health and needed his services
None
51. Attempt any one of the following (1x3)

Draft a matrimonial advertisement on behalf of the family of a girl belonging to

the Agarwal Community. The family has its business in Mumbai. Do not exceed
50 words.

OR

Your school is hosting the CBSE All India Basket Ball Tournament. Draft a
notice for your school notice board asking the students to attend the
tournament to cheer the participants. You are Amit/ Anita ,Sports secretary of
Atulya Public School, Jabalpur.(word limit- 50)

52.Attempt Any One of the following (1x3)

You are the Secretary of the Old Students’ Association, Mayo School, Ajmer.
The 20th Alumni Meet will be held on Monday, the 28th Dec.. 20XX at 8.00 p.m.
at Palace Hotel. Write invitation letters to all the old students of the school to
attend the meet.

OR
Draft a formal reply accepting an invitation to be present on the occasion of the
wedding of Ankush S/o Mr & Mrs Shankar of 24, Green Park Road, Kanpur. You
are Vikram Gaur of Raja Ki Mandi, Agra.

53. Attempt Any one of the following: (1x5)

Write a letter to the Editor of The Hindu on the fear that is spreading among
people due to their anxiety over the widespread terrorism in the world. Give
suggestions to curb such anti-social activities. You are Vikram/Varsha.

Or

You are Chetan Sharma, a commerce graduate from Delhi University. You are
seeking a suitable job. You came across an advertisement in The Times of India,
inviting young and dynamic fresh graduates as sales assistants in a reputed
company. Apply for the said job to Box No. 8365, C/o The Times of India, New
Delhi.

54..Attempt Any one of the following. (1X5)

India is a land of diversity. One way in which it makes us feel proud of it is the
number of festivals we enjoy. Write an article in 150-200 words on ‘Festivals of
India’. You are Karuna/Karan.

OR.

Cultural Society Sunshine Public School, Nellore organized an adult literacy

camp in its neighborhood. Write a report in 150-200 words on the camp for your
school newsletter. You are P.V. Sunitha, Secretary.

Use the following clues: no. of volunteers – hours spent in teaching – location of
the class – chairs, blackboards – no. of people attending the camp – benefit.

Literature:

55. Attempt any five of the six questions given below, in 30-40 words each.
(2x5=10)
a. What change did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?

b. Did the peddler respect the confidence Did the peddler respect the
confidence reposed in him by the crofter?

c. Gandhiji was involved in a 'conflict of duties'. What did he decide in the

end?

d. .What was the reaction of the two servants and Yumi when they were told
about the wounded American?

e. .What precautions and arrangements were made for the smooth

conduct of the examination and providing Evans with no means of escape?

f. What lies heavily on Aunt Jennifer’s hand? How is it associated with her
husband?

56 .Attempt any two out of the three questions given below in 30-40 words
each.(2x2)

a. Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley?

b. What help did Dr. Sadao seek from Hana while operating on the wounded
white man?

c. What evidence do you get from the text to show that Mr. Jackson and
Evans “had already become warm enemies” ?

57. ATTEMPT ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN 120-150

WORDS. (1X5=5)
A. Describe the efforts made by Douglas to overcome his fear of water.
Give some instances from the lesson showing his courage.

OR

B. The life of bangle-makers of Firozabad was full of obstacles which

forced them to lead a life of poverty and deprivation. Discuss with reference
to 'Lost Spring'

58. Attempt any one of the following questions in 120-150 words. (1X5=5)

A. Individuals who belong to enemy countries tend to hate each other even if
they do not know each other personally At times it is seen that some of them
rise above such prejudices. What makes a human being do so?

OR

B. A child’s standpoint invariably is different from that of an adult. Justify

the statement with reference to the story, Should Wizard Hit Mommy.