KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN, CHENNAI REGION CLASS XI! - SECOND COMMON PRE-BOARD EXAMINATION-2013 ENGLISH (CORE) Time allowed: 3 hours ‘Maximum Marks: 100 General Instructions: 1. This paper is divided into three Sections: 4, B and C. All sections are compulsory. 2. Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions very carefully and follow them faithfully. 3. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions SECTION A (READING) 20 1, Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: 1 ‘The Scandinavian countries are much admired «ll over the world for their enlightened social policies. Sweden has an excellent system for protecting the individual citizen from high- handed of incompetent public officers. The system has worked so well that it has been adopted in other countries like Denmark, Norway, Finland and New Zealand. Even countries with large Populations are now seriously considering imitating the Swedes 2. The Swedes were the first to recognize that public officials like civil servants, police officers, health inspectors or tax collectors can make mistakes or act over-zealously in the belief that they are serving the public. As long ago in 1809, the Swedish Parliament introduced a scheme to’safeguard the interest of the individual. A parliamentary committee representing all Political parties appoints a person who is suitably qualified to investigate private grievances against the State. The official title of the person is “Justite Ombudsman”, but Swedes commonly refer to him as the *J.0.* or ‘Ombudsmat3. The Ombucsmaniis not subject to’ political pressure He investigates complaints large and small that come to him from all levels of society. As com wst be made in writing, the Ombudsman receives an average of 1200 letters a year. He h jemyer assistants to help secretive about him, and he examines every single letter in’ detail Ombudsman’s work, for his correspondence is open to public in 's complaint is justified, the Ombudsman will act on his behalf. The 2c ding to the nature of the complaint. He may gently reprimand an offic law be altered. The following case is a typical example of the Ombudsman’ wack. 4. A foreigner living in a Swedish village wrote to the Ombudsman complaining that Be Be been ill treated by the police, simply because he was @ foreigner. The Ombudsman immediately wrote to the Chief of Police in the district asking him to send a record of the case.. There was nothing in the record to show that the foreigner’s complaint was justified and the Chief of Police stoutly denied the accusation. It was'impossible for the Ombudsman to take action on the complaint, but when he received a similar complaint from another foreigner in the same village, he immediately sent one of his lawyers to investigate. The lawyer ascertained that a policeman had indeed dealt roughly with foreigners on several occasions. The fact that the policeman was prejudiced against foreigners could not be recorded in the official files It was only possible for the Ombudsman to find this out by sending one of his representatives to check the facts on the spot. ‘The policeman in question was severely reprimanded and was informed that if any further complaints were received against him he would be prosecuted. The Ombudsman’s prompt action ne unnoticed. in the matter at once put an end to an unpleasant practice, which might have (a) (i Why did Sweden introduce the institution of Ombudsman? 1 (i) How is an Ombudsman chosen in Sweden? 2 ii) How does the Ombudsman dea! with the complaints? 2 (iv)What action does he take ifa complaint is justified? 2 (¥) How was it possible for the Ombudsman to take action against the policeman who ill treated foreigners? 2») Find words in the above passage which convey a similar meaning as the followin, 1x3-3 i, bossy (para 1) i, wamed (para 4) iii. biased (para 4) 2. Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow: How you can best improve your English depends on where you live and particularly on whether oF not you live in an English speaking environment .If you hear English spoken every day and imix freely with English speaking people, that is on the whole an advantage. On the other hand, it is often confusing to have the whole language poured over you at once. Ideally, a step-by-step ourse should accompany or lead up to this experience. It will also help a great deal if you can easily get the sort of English books in which you are intrested. To read alot isc you fhave chosen Hetag sed Kesming as many news words.as possible: choose what is likely to interest you atid be |. One must venture outside the examination ‘set books’ or the textbooks ute, Do not choose the most difficult books you find, with the idea of Site Mlstvatee thet itis not too hard. You should not have to be constantly looking. up new ‘Words in the dictionary, for that deadens interest and checks real lean and there, buta Look up a word here general policy try to push abcad. guessing what words mean from the context Itis extensive and not intensive reading that normally Ips you to get interested in extra reading and thereby improve your English. You should enjoy the feling which extensive reading gives some command of the Language, As you read you will become more and more familiar with words and sentence pattems you already know, understanding them better and better as you meet them in more and more contexs, some of which may differ only slightly from others, Some people say that we cannot leam to speak a language better with the help of a book, To believe this is to believe that the spoken language andthe wiiten language are quite diferent things. It is not so, There is a very great deal in common between the two. In learning thepattems and vocabulary ofthe written form, we'are leaming'o a considerable extent those of the spoken form too. We are, in fact, learning the language and not merely one form of the langusse (a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes in points only, using abbreviations wherever necessary. Supply a suitable title. 5 (b)Write a summary of the above passage in about 80 words. 3 SECTION B (ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS) 35 4, You are Reshma\Ravikiran, residing at No.44, Il stage, Rajaji Nagar, Bangalore. You have # foreign assignment, and hence you plan to sell your television and regregiraor. Draft suitable advertisement to be displayed in the classified columns ofa local newspaper (in about $0 words) OR 5 Scholastic India Ltd. has a weeklong book exhibition in various schools in Chennai city. The Literary Club of your school has asked you to des the importance of a poster high books and reading to bé displayed at different places in your School. Dr ster in about 50. words. 4. There was an Alumni Meet organised in-your Vidyalaya as part of its Golden Jubiles Celebrations recently. Many old students were present, and they interacted with the students and made the event a very memorable one.As the School Pupil Leader write a report of the meet for the School Newsletter in about 125 words, 10 oR You are Varun/Varsha, a reporter working for TOI, Chennai. You were asked to give covers8e to a Folk daice competion in which student &f various states of India participated. Write 2 report ofthe programme in about 125 words for your news paper. 5 You are Anite/Amogh, residing at 45, I Block, Akhil Apartments, M.G.Road, Bengalumt, You tought a washing machine from “Premier Gadgets’, Bangalore against a warranty of 2 years ‘After a few days you discover that there is a lot of noise coming out of the machine, and the dryer does not drain the water completely. Write a letter to the dealer complaining aboutoR 10 You are Sushma/Suraj of Flat No. 4/A, Sneha Apartments, Civil Lines, New Delhi. You saw the following advertisement in The Hindu on 10° Dec.2013, and wish to apply for the job. Write ‘your application giving your detailed bio-data IGHT SOLUTIONS LTD., BANGALORE | © Requires qualified Engineers with Electronics and Communications Degree! MCA | IMBA. Training for six months with pay 15,000¢ per month. 35,000 per month on placement. Apply to The Personnel Manager, HRD, Bright Solutions, New Delhi before 30 Dec | ans. l 6. The present day children are either glued to television or are seen playing video/ computer games most of their leisure time. This is a disturbing feature. Reflecting on this issue, write an article for a magazine suggesting better ways in which the children can spend their time. You are Prakash/Prathiba. Write the article in about 200 words. 10 OR You are Beena/ Binoy, selected as the School Prefect of National Public School, Trivandrum. You have been asked to give a spec 6m leadership qualities in the morning assembly, on the oecasion of the Investiture Ceremony. Write your speech in about 200 words. SECTION C (TEXT BOOKS) 45 7.(a) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: “Those who prepare green wars,‘wars with gas, wars with fire victory with no survivors, ‘would put on clean clothes and walk about with their brothers inthe shade, doing nothing. i. What does the poet mean by “green wars"? 1 sida an expression fon the fine given which bring ov the ony of war 1 ii, What will be the outcome when Man realizes the fusiity of war? 2 “The stunted, unlucky hefr Of twisted bones, reciting a father’s His lesson, from his desk. At back ofthe s One unnoted, sweet and young. His eyes live Of squirel’s game, in tree room, other than this. i. Whoare these children ii, Why is one of them describ iii, What is more attractive to th 8, Answer any two of the following i. Why are things of benity compare to an endless fo fal dink"? Aunt Jennifer's si. What does “The massive weight of Uncle's wedding . ie? iii, What do the images of "young tees’ and memy chiles Jize in “My Mother at Sinty Six? 6x2=12 9, Answer any six ofthe following questions in about 30-40 words each: Sophie's father’s character in Going Places"? But | was not finishe a) How would you di ¢, “The instructor was finist 6 b) Explain Douglas” state©) Why does the peddler in “The Rat trap’ sign himselfas Captain Von Stable ? ) How does Mr-M.Hamell glorify the French language in “The Last Lesson”? death? 1) What qualities of Mr. Lamb attracted Derry to him? ) What is ironical about the Tiger Ki g) ‘Now | was only one of many | animals driven by a herder!"? How does this statement bring out Zitkala Sa’s childhood trauma? 10. Answer the following in about 125-150 words: 5 “Scemapuri is the place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it, metaphorically.” Discuss this statement with reference to the ight ofthe rag pickers of Seemapuri OR Reflect ry “Evans tries an O level’ what do you feel about Evans having the last laugh at the prison authority and the other officials? 11, Answer the following in about 100 words What methods did Gandhiji adopt in getting justice to the sharecroppers of Charmparan ? How 4a you think his ideals still have their relevance in the present times when we see people like Ana Hazare and others ting for aright eaus: A 12, What is the connection between Sir Cha (100 words) death and the legend of Hugo Baskerville? 8 13, Give any two instances ftom The Hound of the Baskervilles® to prove that Mr. Sherlock Homes is a detective with amazing powers of observation and deduction. (100 words) 7