VELAMMAL VIDHYASHRAM

(Affiliated to CBSE, New Delhi)

Surapet, Chennai – 66. Marks :40

12
Time : 1 ½ hrs
PERIODIC TEST - 1 [2021-2022] Date :15.06.2021
ENGLISH
Instructions:
1. This 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.

PART A (OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS) - 14 MARKS

Reading Section: (10 Marks)
1. Read the passage given below:
(i) I was born a slave on a plantation in Franklin County, Virginia. I am not quite sure of the
exact place or exact date of my birth, but at any rate I suspect I must have been born
Somewhere and at some time. As nearly as I have been able to learn, I was born near a
Cross–roads post–office called Hale's Ford, and the year was 1858 or 1859. I do not now the
month or the day. The earliest impressions I can now recall are of the plantation and the slave
quarters—the latter being the part of the plantation where the slaves had their cabins.

(ii) My life had its beginning in the midst of the most miserable, desolate, and discouraging
surroundings. This was so, however, not because my owners were especially cruel, for they
were not, as compared with many others. I was born in a typical log cabin, about fourteen by
sixteen feet square. In this cabin I lived with my mother and a brother and sister till after the
Civil War, when we were all declared free.

(iii) Of my ancestry I know almost nothing. In the slave quarters, and even later, I heard
Whispered conversations among the colored people of the tortures which the slaves,
Including, no doubt, my ancestors on my mother's side, suffered in the middle passage of the
slave ship while being conveyed from Africa to America. I have been unsuccessful in
securing any information that would throw any accurate light upon the history of my family
beyond my mother. She, I remember, had a half–brother and a half–sister. In the days of
slavery not very much attention was given to family history and family records—that is,
black family records. My mother, I suppose, attracted the attention of a purchaser who was
afterward my owner and hers. Her addition to the slave family attracted about as much
attention as the purchase of a new horse or cow. Of my father I know even less than of my
mother. I do not even know his name. I have heard reports to the effect that he was a white
man who lived on one of the near–by plantations. Whoever he was, in ever heard of his
taking the least interest in me or providing in any way for my rearing. But I do not find
especial fault with him. He was simply another unfortunate victim of the institution which the
Nation unhappily had engrafted upon it at that time.
(iv)The early years of my life, which were spent in the little cabin, were not very different
from those of thousands of other slaves. My mother, of course, had little time in which to
give attention to the training of her children during the day. She snatched a few moments for
our care in the early morning before her work began, and at night after the day's work was
done. One of my earliest recollections is that of my mother cooking a chicken late at night,
and awakening her children for the purpose of feeding them. How or where she got it I do not
know. I presume; however, it was procured from our owner's farm. Some people may call
this theft. If such a thing were to happen now, I should condemn it as theft myself. But taking
place at the time it did, and for the reason that it did, no one could ever make me believe that
my mother was guilty of thieving. She was simply a victim of the system of slavery. I cannot
remember having slept in a bed until after our family was declared free by the Emancipation
Proclamation. Three children— John, my older brother, Amanda, my sister, and myself—had
a pallet on the dirt floor, or, to be more correct, we slept in and on a bundle of filthy rags laid
upon the dirt floor.
1.1 On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer ANY TEN
questions from the eleven given below. (1x10 = 10)
i. The narrator’s description of his time and place of birth brings out the fact ...
a. that little was done to keep records of slave children
b. that slaves could never know the place of their birth
c. that slaveholders cared a lot for the slaves and their families
d. that slaves had no intention to record the births of their children
ii. “but at any rate I suspect I must have been born somewhere and at some time.” Pick
the option in which the meaning of ‘suspect(ed)’ is the same as it is in the passage.
a. He resigned after being suspected of theft.
b. Five suspects have been detained for questioning.
c. Some of the evidence they produced was highly suspect.
d. I strongly suspect that this whole story is fictional.
iii. Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that conveys the tone
of the writer when he talks about his ancestry.
1. Objective
2. biased
3. humorous
4. retrospective
a. objective and retrospective
b. biased and humorous
c. humorous and retrospective
d. biased and retrospective

iv. The synonym for the word ‘recollections’ in the context of the extract is:
a. amnesia
b. repressions
c. forgetfulness
d. memories

v. How long did the narrator have to live in his miserable, discouraging and desolate
surroundings?
a. till he was old enough to work
b. until he found himself a new slaveholder
c. till after the Civil War
d. till he got a college education

vi. In the passage, the narrator talks about how his mother’s purchase ‘attracted about
as much attention as the purchase of a new horse or cow’. This shows that
(a) newly bought slaves got the attention just as newly bought animals
(b) slaves were given special treatment when they came into the fold
(c) slaves had to be branded for ownership identification
(d) slaves had to be shackled like animals
vii. Pick the option showing the CORRECT use of the word ‘conveyed’ as in the text.
(a) His letter conveyed his farewell wishes to the family.
(b) A carriage conveyed her home because of the inclement weather.
(c) He conveyed his best wishes to the family.
(d) I conveyed my displeasure at the decision taken by the school.

viii. In the line: “If such a thing were to happen now, I should condemn it as theft
myself. “The narrator is referring to the incident where his mother
(a) had stolen a chicken to feed them
(b) had to take away some food from the owner’s house to feed her children
(c) had taken money from the slaveholder’s house to buy bread for her hungry children
(d) was caught for stealing corn from the barn

ix. The narrator does not put too much blame on his father for not taking care of him
because
(a) his father was a poor man himself
(b) his father had to take care of his sick parents
(c) his father was himself a hapless victim of the system that existed in his time
(d) his father was ailing and could not afford to look after him

x. The word ‘pallet’ means

(a) rags used to mop the floor of the log cabin
(b) wooden board for sitting or reclining on
(c) a thin board for mixing colours on when painting
(d) a cloth bag filled with straw, used for sleeping on
xi. The narrator’s mother could hardly give much attention to training her children
because
(a) she went to work early morning and returned at night
(b) she was not supposed to spend her time training them
(c) she was never free even after work was over
(d) she was not interested in doing so
2. Read the extracts given below and attempt ANY ONE of the two given by answering
the questions that follow. (1x4=4)
I looked again at her, wan, pale
as a late winter’s moon and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was, see you soon, Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile......

1) What is the tone of the poem towards the end?

A) sad
B) helplessness
C) cheerful
D) resignation with acceptance

2) What is the distinctive feature of the poem?

A) use of metaphors
B) simile used
C) alliteration used
D) narrative style using a single sentence in a set of 14 lines

3) What is the familiar ache?

A) her childhood fear of losing her mother
B) her mother's weak health
C) her duties
D) her helplessness

4) Quote an example of a simile used in the poem.

A) familiar ache
B) like that of a corpse
C) wan and pale
D) the merry children.
PART B - 26 Marks
WRITING (11 Marks)
Attempt ANY ONE of the following. (3x2=6)

4.A) As Principal of Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, Lucknow, draft notice in not more

than 50 words informing students of the change in school timings with effect from the 1st of
October. State valid reasons for the change. (Delhi 2009)

(or)
B) You were invited by a friend of yours to spend some days at his farmhouse in Manali
during the summer vacation. Respond to his invitation.

Attempt ANY ONE of the following.

5.A) You are Anil/Anita, a social activist. Design a poster to observe 3Marks

‘Wildlife Protection Week’ in your city.

(or)
B) You want to sell off some office furniture such as table with chair, cupboards etc. as you
are moving out of Bengaluru. Draft an advertisement for local daily.
Attempt ANY ONE of the following. (5x1=5)
6.A) You are Rosena. You observe that the youth of today are more attracted towards western
culture. Write a letter to the editor of a national daily expressing your views and concern
about it.
(or)
B) You are Astitva/Ashrita. This year students of your school organized many campaigns to
create awareness in society towards some of the rampant social evils. The efforts of your
school were appreciated by the press and the public alike. Write an article on the ‘Role of
Students in Nation Building’ for publication in The Indian Express (word limit 150-200).
7. Attempt ANY FIVE of the six questions given below in 30-40 words each.
(2x5=10)
1. Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’ in the poem?
2. What was unusual about M. Hamel’s dress and behavior on the last day of his last
French
lesson?
3. Why did Charley suspect that Sam had gone to Galesburg?
4. How has the poet contrasted the scene inside the car with the activities going on
outside?
5. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in the school?
6. How did Charley often get lost on the Grand Central Station?

8. Answer ANY ONE of the following questions in120-150words. (1 x5=5)

1. ‘The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress.’ What are the
ways in which we attempt to overcome them?
(or)
2. Give the character sketch of M. Hamel and little Franz with reference to the chapter
‘The Last lesson’.

*****************