VIVEKANANDA VIDYA MANDIR

Sec. II, Dhurwa, Ranchi-4

HALF YEARLY EXAMINATION (2021-22)
Class: XI F.M: 80
Sub: English Time: 3 Hrs.

General Instructions:
• This paper is divided into two sections- PART A & PART B, consist of 40 marks each.
PART A – 40 MARKS (MCQ)
PART B – 40 MARKS (SUBJECTIVE)
• Attempt all questions of a particular section before going onto this next.
• Separate instructions are given with each part, wherever necessary. Read these instructions
very carefully and follow them faithfully.
• Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the question.

PART A – 40 MARKS
Reading Section (18 Marks)

1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
1. Have you ever failed at something so miserably that the thought of attempting to do it
again was the last thing on your mind?

2. If your answer is yes, then you should understand that you are not a robot. Unlike robots,
we human beings have feelings, emotions, and dreams. We are all meant to grow despite
our circumstances and limitations. Flourishing and trying to make our dreams come true
feels great when life goes our way. But what happens when it does not? What happens
when you fail despite all your hard work? Do you stay down and accept defeat or do you
get up again? If you tend to persevere and keep going, you have what experts call ‘grit’.

3. Falling down or failing is one of the most agonizing, embarrassing, and scary human
experiences. But it is also one of the most educational, empowering, and essential parts of
living a successful and fulfilling life. Did you know that perseverance (grit) is one of the
seven qualities that have been described as the key to personal success and betterment in
society? The other six are curiosity, gratitude, optimism, self-control, social intelligence,
and zest. Thomas Edison is an example of grit for trying more than 1,000 times to invent
the light bulb. If you are reading this with the lights on in your room, you will realise the
importance of his success. When asked why he kept going despite hundreds of failures, he
merely stated that they had not been failures; they were hundreds of attempts towards
creating the light bulb. This statement not only revealed his grit but also his optimism for
looking at the bright side.

4. Grit can be learnt to help you become more successful. One of the techniques that help is
mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice that makes an individual stay at the moment by
bringing awareness of his or her experience without judgement. This practice has been
used to quieten the noise of fears and doubts. Through this simple practice of mindfulness,
individuals have the ability to stop the self-sabotaging downward spiral of hopelessness,
despair, and frustration.
5. What did you do to overcome the negative and self-sabotaging feelings of failure? Reflect
on what you did, and try to use those same powerful resources to help you today.

Page 1 of 9
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer ANY TEN questions from the 1x10=
twelve that follow: 10

a. The reason why you are not a robot is that:

i. you fail miserably at tasks ii. failure and success can affect your emotions
iii. you work hard iv. You have limitations

b. In paragraph 3, the synonym of distressing is _____________.

i. Embarrassing Scariest ii. Agonizing iii. failing

c. What is the tone of the following context: “Falling down or failing is one of the most…
educational, empowering, and essential parts of living a successful and fulfilling life.”?
i. Humorous ii. Optimistic iii. Horrifying iv. Solemn

d. Which of the following is relevant for the title of the passage?

i. Dreams Always Come True ii. Failure and Grit Go Hand in Hand
iii. Humans vs Robots iv. Falling Down and Getting Up

e. ……………… was created after many attempts.

i. electricity ii. light bulb iii. current iv. tube light

f. Which of the following sentences makes the correct use of “grit”, as used in the
passage?
i. Get rid of that grit in your shoes. ii. She had a bit of grit in her eye.
iii. The road had been covered with grit. iv. Her grit never made her give up.

g. To develop perseverance, one must:

i. become more aware ii. work hard
iii. be in the moment and be aware without judgement iv. seek guidance

h. How does mindfulness help?

i. It creates awareness ii. It quietens the noise of fears and doubts
iii. It helps one become successful iv. It helps develop focus

i. What do you understand from this line, “Falling down or failing is one of the most
agonizing, embarrassing, and scary human experiences.”?
i. Falling down makes us angry. ii. Failure can deeply affect our emotions
iii. Stay positive and be optimistic iv. Self-control is empowering

j. Choose the option that correctly states the meaning of ‘social intelligence’ as implied in
the passage:
i. Knowing others ii. Knowing oneself and others
iii. Knowing oneself iv. Knowing one’s surroundings

k. The importance of perseverance and optimism for a successful and fulfilling life is
explained using the example of?
i. Thomas Edison ii. Flourishing iii. Grit iv. Limitations

l. What is the message conveyed in the last paragraph of the passage?

i. Always aim for the best
ii. Live life king size
iii. Through mindfulness we can overcome the negative impact of failure
Page 2 of 9
 iv. Social intelligence is crucial for a successful life

2. Read the following passage carefully:

1. Too many parents these days can’t say no. As a result, they find themselves raising
‘children’ who respond greedily to the advertisements aimed right at them. Even getting
what they want doesn’t satisfy some kids; they only want more. Now, a growing number of
psychologists, educators and parents think it’s time to stop the madness and start teaching
kids about what’s really important: values like hard work, contentment, honesty and
compassion. The struggle to set limits has never been tougher—and the stakes have never
been higher. One recent study of adults who were overindulged as children, paints a
discouraging picture of their future: when given too much too soon, they grow up to be
adults who have difficulty coping with life’s disappointments. They also have distorted
sense of entitlement that gets in the way of success in the work place and in relationships.

2. Psychologists say that parents, who overindulge their kids, set them up to be more
vulnerable to future anxiety and depression. Today’s parents themselves rose on values of
thrift and self-sacrifice, grew up in a culture where ‘no’ was a household word. Today’s
kids want much more, partly because there is so much more to want. The oldest members
of this generation were born in the late 1980s, just as PCs and video games were making
their assault’ on the family room. They think of MP3 players and flat screen TV as essential
utilities, and they have developed strategies to get them. One survey of teenagers found
that when they crave for something new, most expect to ask nine times before their
parents give in. By every measure, parents are shelling out record amounts. In the heat of
this buying blitz, even parents who desperately need to say no find themselves reaching
for their credit cards.

3. Today’s parents aren’t equipped to deal with the problem. Many of them, raised in the
1960s and 70s swore they’d act differently from their parents and have closer relationships
with their own children. Many even wear the same designer clothes as their kids and listen
to the same music. And they work more hours; at the end of a long week, it’s tempting to
buy peace with ‘yes’ and not mar precious family time with conflict. Anxiety about the
future is another factor. How do well intentioned parents say no to all the sports gear and
arts and language lessons they believe will help their kids thrive in an increasingly
competitive world? Experts agree: too much love won’t spoil a child. Too few limits will.

4. What parents need to find, is a balance between the advantages of an affluent society and
the critical life lessons that come from waiting, saving and working hard to achieve goals.
That search for balance has to start early. Children need limits on their behavior because
they feel better and more secure when they live within a secured structure.
Older children learn self-control by watching how others, especially parents act. Learning
how to overcome challenges is essential to becoming a successful adult. Few parents ask
kids to do chores. They think their kids are already overburdened by social and academic
pressures. Every individual can be of service to others, and life has meaning beyond one’s
own immediate happiness. That means parents eager to teach values have to take a long,
hard look at their own.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer ANY EIGHT questions from the TEN 1x8=8
that follow:
a. What do the psychologists, educators and parents want to teach the children?
i. To teach them about treachery.
ii. To teach them about indiscipline.
Page 3 of 9
 iii. To teach them about the values of life like hard work, contentment, honesty and
compassion.
iv. None of these

b. What is essential to become a successful adult?

i. Learn not to overcome challenges ii. Learn how to overcome challenges
iii. Nothing is essential. iv. None of these

c. Why do children need limits on their behaviour when they live within a secured
structure?
i. They feel more secure and better. ii. They feel insecure.
iii. They feel bored. iv. None of these.

d. What is the drawback of giving children too much too soon?

i. They fail to cope with life’s disappointments when they grow up.
ii. They do not study seriously.
iii. They become quarrelsome when they grow up.
iv. None of these.

e. What values do parents and teachers want children to learn?

i. Parents and teachers want to inculcate the values of life like honesty, hard work
and contentment among children.
ii. Today’s parents themselves rose on values of thrift and self-sacrifice, grew up in a
culture where ‘no’ was a household word.
iii. What parents need to find, is a balance between the advantages of an affluent
society and the critical life lessons that come from waiting, saving and working
hard to achieve goals.
iv. None of these.

f. Why do today’s children want more?

i. Even getting what they want doesn’t satisfy some kids; they only want more.
ii. Today’s children want much more partly because there is so much more to
want. They crave for something new. They consider even luxurious items as
essential commodities.
iii. Children need limits on their behavior because they feel better and more
secure when they live within a secured structure.
iv. None of these.

g. What is the balance which the parents need to have in today’s world?
i. Parents need to find a balance between the advantages of an affluent society
and the critical lessons of life that come from waiting, saving and working hard
to achieve goals in today’s world.
ii. Today’s parents aren’t equipped to deal with the problem.
iii. Psychologists say that parents, who overindulge their kids, set them up to be
more vulnerable to future anxiety and depression.
iv. None of these.

h. Find words in the passage similar in meaning as - A feeling of satisfaction (para 1)

i. Contentment ii. Conflict iii. Compassion iv. None of these.

i. Find words in the passage similar in meaning as - valuable (para 3)

i. tempting ii. Tempting iii. Anxiety iv. None of these
Page 4 of 9
 Grammar (8 Marks)

3. In the questions below, there are sentences with jumbled up parts. Rearrange these parts, 1x8=8
which are labelled a, b, c and d to produce the correct sentence. Choose the proper sequence.

A.
a. She saw her opportunity
b. to make amends
c. when he came to her home
d. to borrow some sugar.
i. bcda ii. bcad iii. adbc iv. abcd

B.
a. I wanted to tell her
b. not to talk to him
c. not listen to me.
d. but she would
i. abcd ii. abdc iii. adbc iv. bcad

C.
a. The CEO
b. of making the right decision
c. was not scared despite a
d. loss in profits
i. abcd ii. abdc iii. acbd iv. bcda

D.
a. She wondered if
b. work hard for a living
c. he would ever
d. because he was so rich.
i. abcd ii. abdc iii. acbd iv. bcda

(Fill in the blanks with given appropriate one.)

E. __________ of the two sisters is married.

i. Both ii. Every iii. Each iv. Any

F. _________ of you should attend the conference.

i. Both ii. Each iii. Every iv. Many

G. We should inform __________ of them.

i. . many ii. Every iii. Few iv. all

H. He __________ daily for a year now.

i. Exercises ii. was exercising
iii. has been exercising iv. have been exercising

I. They __________ into their cars and drove away.

i. has got ii. have got iii. gets iv. got

Page 5 of 9
 Literature Section

4. Read the extracts given below and attempt ANY ONE of the two by answering the questions 1x3=3
that follow.
I. All three stood still to smile through their hair
At the uncle with the camera. A sweet face,
My mother’s, that was before I was born.
And the sea, which appears to have changed less,
Washed their terribly transient feet

a. What does ‘Terribly Transient Feet’ mean in the poem?

i. her feet represent the mother, who changed with time while the sea remained the
same
ii. temporary situation
iii. age is temporary
iv. None of the above

b. What are the three of them doing in the photograph?

I. playing ii. standing beside house
iii. holding hands iv. holding hands and went for paddling

c. Who is the poet/poetess of the poem ‘A Photograph’?

i. Shirley Toulson ii. Rudyard Kipling
ii. Elizabeth Jennings iv. Markus Natten

OR
II. The Laburnum top is silent, quite still 1x3=3
In the afternoon yellow September sunlight,
A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen.

a. How was the tree standing in the month of September?

i. still and death-like ii. alive iii. green and happy iv. still and green
b. How did the poet describe the top of the Laburnum tree in the poem ‘The Laburnum
Top’?
i. Still and Silent ii. Moving and Angry like
iii. Silent and Motionless iv. None of the above

c. What happened to the leaves of the Laburnum tree?

i. they were green ii. turned yellow
iii. fallen down iv. new leaves growing

5. Read the extracts given below and attempt ANY TWO of the three by answering the questions
that follow.
I. She used to wake me up in the morning and get me ready for school. She said her morning 1x3=3
prayer in a monotonous sing-song while she bathed and dressed me in the hope that I would
listen and get to know it by heart: I listened because I loved her voice but never bothered to
learn it. Then she would fetch my wooden slate which she had already washed and plastered
with yellow chalk.

a. Who looked after the narrator?

i. His Grandmother ii. His Mother iii. His Father iv. Both 2 and 3

Page 6 of 9
 b. WHERE DID THEY BOTH LIVE?
i. In a village ii. In city iii. In a metropolitan city iv. None of these

c. Find out the antonym of ‘Monotonous’ from the following

i. Dull ii. Boring iii. Obsolete iv. Exciting

II. Every time she leaves here, she takes something home with her, ‘said my mother.’ She took 1x3=3
all the tables silver in one go. And then the antique plates that hung there. She had trouble
lugging those large vases, and I’m worried she got a crick in her back from the crockery.’ My
mother shook her head pityingly. ‘I would never have dared ask her. She suggested it to me
herself. She even insisted. She wanted to save all my nice things. If we have to leave here, we
shall lose everything, she says.

a. Why did Mrs., Dorling take all their belongings?

i. With a lame excuse of keeping them safe ii. With a lame excuse of destroying them
iii. With a lame excuse of recycling them iv. With a lame excuse of burning them

b. What does the narrator mean by ‘Silver’?

i. Silver Spoons ii. Silver Hanukkah iii. Silver Bed iv. All of these

c. What does the word ‘Lugging’ mean?

i. Carrying with ease ii. Carrying with difficulty
iii. Carrying with comfort iv. None of these

III. At dawn on January 2, the waves were gigantic. We were sailing with only a storm jib and 1x3=3
were still making eight knots. As the ship rose to the top of each wave, we could see endless
enormous seas rolling towards us, and the screaming of the wind and spray was painful to the
ears. To slow the boat down, we dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy mooring rope in a
loop across the stern. Then we doubled-lashed everything, went through our life-raft drill,
attached lifelines, donned oilskins and life jackets -----and waited.

a. A Pick the synonym of Gigantic’ from the following.

i. Huge ii. Large iii. Mammoth iv. All of
these

b. What was the name of the boat?

i. Side walker ii. Wave walker iii. Boar walker iv. None of these

c. Name the author of this chapter.

i. Gordon Cook and Alan East ii. A.S. Barton iii. William Saroyan iv. Nathan Ellis

6. Answer any FIVE questions from the six given below. 1x5=5
a. What is the writing style of the author of Ranga’s Marriage?
i. Persuasive ii. Rambling iii. Technical iv. None of the above

b. What does the narrator mention as a ‘priceless commodity’?

i. To his native language ii. To mangoes of his village
iii. To flowers of his village iv. To English language

c. “The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse” is a story of two _________ boys.
i. Armenian ii. Arabian iii. Assyrian iv. African

Page 7 of 9
 d. When did the death-like laburnum tree become alive?
i. in the month of March ii. by the arrival monsoon season
iii. by the arrival of the Goldfinch bird iv. by the arrival of sparrows

e. What was the first indication of disaster?

i. around 6 pm when winds dropped and sky grew darker
ii. next morning when the ship started creaking
iii. when it started raining
iv. when winds were strong

f. How did the grandfather in the portrait hung on the wall look like?
i. Old, long white beard, worn big turban ii. Old, skinny, wrinkly
iii. Young, Handsome, Well-Built iv. Old, Well-Built

PART B – 40 marks
Writing Section:

7. Your school is organizing a tour to Mumbai and Goa during the winter vacation. Write a notice 4
giving detailed information to the students. You are Madhav/Madhavi, School Pupil Leader,
St. Columbia’s Senior Secondary School, Ameenabad, Lucknow. (Word limit: 50)

8. A new sports complex ‘Sturdy & Slim’ has started functioning at 38, Mayur Vihar. Write a 1x8=8
letter to the Director asking for the rules and procedures of membership and the facilities
available to members. Also enquire about the fee/annual charges as well as concessions
offered to students. Sign as Chetan/Charu Mehta of 278-D, Vayu Vihar, Delhi.
Or
Write a letter to the Chairman, C.B.S.E. Preet Vihar, requesting him to reduce the number of
paragraphs for reading skills because an average student fails to complete the paper within
the prescribed time-limit.
Literature Section

9. Answer any FOUR of the following questions. 2x4=8

a. What does the phrase “her barred face identity mask” means?
b. Mention the odd way in which the author’s grandmother behaved just before she
died?
c. The poet’s mother laughed at the snapshot. What did this laugh indicate?
d. List the steps taken by the captain to check the flooding of the water in the ship.
e. Describe the changing relationship between the author and his grandmother. Did their
feelings for each other change?

10. Answer any ONE of the following out of TWO. 1x5=5

What kind of a person do you think the narrator of Ranga’s Marriage is?
Or
Did the boys return the horse because they were conscience-stricken or because they were
afraid?

11. Answer any ONE of the following out of TWO. 1x5=5

‘The Address’ is a story of human predicament that follows war. Comment?
Or
Indian society has moved a long way from the way the marriage is arranged in the story.
Page 8 of 9
 Discuss?

12. Answer any TWO questions out of THREE - 2x5=10

What difference did you notice between the reaction of the adults and the children when faced
with danger?
Or
Comment on the influence of English — the language and the way of life — on Indian life as
reflected in the story. What is the narrator’s attitude to English?
Or
Three reasons why the author’s grandmother was disturbed when he started going to the city
school.

******

Page 9 of 9