Subject: English
Class XI – Mid Term Practice Paper
Time Allowed: 3 hours
Max. Marks: 80
General Instructions:
1. The paper is divided into three sections Section-A: Reading Comprehension, Section-B: Writing Skills and Grammar and Section-C: Literature. All the sections are compulsory.
2. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
3. Please write down the serial number of the question in the answer script correctly before attempting it.
4. Separate instructions are given with each question, wherever necessary.
SECTION-A: READING
Q 1. Read the following passage carefully:
1. In a hot country like ours, there is always a danger that most vaccines may lose their effectiveness due to exposure to high temperature either during transit or due to poor storage facilities. It is not possible for a common man or even a doctor to know whether a vaccine or medicine has lost its effect due to exposure to high temperature. Some researchers have also started questioning whether the much-publicized polio vaccine is really effective in rural areas because it may not be stored or transported at the desired low temperature.
2. The scientists at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) in Hyderabad have developed new type of temperature sensitive warning labels for vaccine vials. These labels change their colour if the vaccine or medicine contained in the vial is exposed to temperature higher than the prescribed one. According to K V Raghavan, Director of IICT, the institute is ready to transfer the technology and is looking for industrialists to take up commercialization. Such labels are compulsory in developed countries.
3. One of the simplest and certainly most colourful of the procedures to indicate the temperature of surfaces is based on colour changes that certain materials undergo when they are heated. Coatings of these substances which can be applied to metal, glass, ceramic bricks or practically any other surface, change their shade completely at specific temperatures. The resulting hue in most cases does not change when the material cools, but remains as a permanent visual record.
4. Temperature indicating paints known as thermo-colours were developed before World War-II by German chemists in connection with its fuel research and aircraft engine efficiency studies. Mixtures of indicators may be used for colour changes at more than one temperature. The thermal indicators are easy to use. The ability of thermo-colours to indicate thermal conditions of entire surface – not merely a few isolated points – and the value of enduring record suggests industrial potential.
6. Their uses include supervising the heat of reactors, studying heat distribution and heat transfer in processing equipment, pointing, insulation failures or flaws in castings, and signaling thermal strains and overheating. The colour change is also influenced by the length of time the paint is exposed to high temperature.
7. Someday not too far away, it may be possible to have colour changing labels so sensitive as to indicate body temperature from 36 to 42 degrees Celsius when applied to the forehead of any patient to indicate whether he has fever or not. For children, they will be a boon because the danger of swallowing mercury by the accidental breaking of a thermometer under the tongue will be a thing of the past.
On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions:
(a) Some people doubt the effectiveness of the polio vaccine because they think:
(i) It has failed to check polio in some people
(ii) It cannot be established whether it is effective or not
(iii) It is not in any probability stored in an ideal temperature
(iv) It is not available in all parts of the country
(b) The changed colour of the label on a vial would mean:
(i) The outside temperature is unbearable
(ii) The medicine is much too heat sensitive
(iii) The temperature is just ideal for safe storage of medicine
(iv) The medicine has been stored in an unsuitable environment
(c) The surface temperature can be studied from:
(i) Specific temperatures found on different surfaces
(ii) Change in the shade of surface layer of paints
(iii) Change in the colour of the surface after cooling
(iv) Heating the surfaces at unusually high temperatures
(d) Which of the following is true in context of the passage?
(i) Colour changes may be faster or slower depending on the length and degree of exposure
(ii) The longer a paint is exposed to heat, the better the quality of paint is
(iii) A chart determines what colour should be used for different kinds of temperatures
(iv) All colour changes are influenced by the length of time the paint is exposed to high temperatures
e) What doubt has been raised about the pulse polio programme in the rural areas?
f) How can the temperature sensitive labels be useful for vaccine vials?
g) Who developed thermo-colours and how?
h) What makes thermo-colours especially useful for industry?
i) How can a thermo-colours clinical thermometer be a boon for children?
j) Find the word in the given passage which convey the meaning similar to
Q 2. Read the following passage
1. Colouring of hair signifies a major step in self-innovative science. Owing to increased demand, the market is poised for new scientific breakthroughs to produce quick and efficient hair colouring products. among both the genders and millions use it today. Colouring of hair is performed not only by professionals but is also a popular cosmetic procedure at home. Colouring agents remove natural colour or add new colour or accomplish dyes are a popular choice.
2. A study was conducted to assess the knowledge, practice, perception and adverse reactions among the hair dye users. A questionnaire pertaining to use of hair dyes an administered randomly among a total of 263 volunteers, of which 52.5% and 47.5% were females and males respectively in the age group 18
3. The results revealed that synthetic dyes were used by 91% and for 51%, the frequency 2-5 times annually. However, a majority (86%) of them used hair dye 3 their grey hairs. A very small percentage of students (4 %) used exotic colours to look fashionable. Instruction of the package was followed by 63. adverse reactions. Of these, 67% had suffered from reactions within 1 hour of using hair dye compared to 33% after 24 hours. Figure 1 represents adverse reactions of using hair dyes.
4. The overall study results suggest that most of the people who used hair dyes have insufficient knowledge of hair dye products and they should be encouraged to use natural products, which have fewer side-effects. The survey responses also revealed that irrespective of their economic and education status, volunteers dyed their hair which emphasizes the importance given to appearance. The researchers were unanimous in the opinion that while they understood the cosmetic appeal of hair colouring, the fact that it can lead to long-term problems should not be ignored.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions:
Find the word in the given passage which convey the meaning similar to –secluded
(i) What does the given study excerpt aim to do?
A. To explore the problems one faces after using hair dyes.
B. To examine the various types of hair dyes used by people.
C. To determine the reasons why people use hair dyes.
D. To showcase ignorance of people about the ill-effects of using hair dyes.
(ii) Does the following statement agree with the information given in paragraph 1?
“Innovative and scientific methods are being used by people for self-expressing”.
A. the statement agrees with the information B. the statement contradicts the information C. there is no information on this D. the statement is neither true nor false
(iii) State justifiably the most alarming revelation from Figure 1
(iv) Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE about hair dyes?
A. Hair dyes are used by both males and females.
B. Hair dye is a hair colouring product.
C. Natural dyes are popular these days.
D. Hair dyes can be used by professionals and at home too.
(v) What is the attitude of the hair dye users towards instructions on the package?
(vi) Sufficient knowledge of hair dying products will lead to _________
(vii) Find the synonym of the word implies from paragraph 1.
(viii) The tone of the writer in the last line of paragraph 4 is __________
A. threatening
B. pessimistic
C. worried
D. cynical
Q 3. Read the following passage:
Good story telling is a social skill that everyone benefits from – the teller and the listener. It is a great bonding experience that helps lift conversations from non-starters to unforgettable experiences; from the mundane to extraordinary. A good storyteller is popular and always welcome in any company. A good story told well projects the teller as a warm, likeable person. A recent study shows that women consider men who can tell stories more attractive as long-term partners; perhaps because this ability seems to suggest that a man is able to connect emotionally and is vulnerable.
So, how can you become a good storyteller? Stories in this context do not refer to fiction but to incidents and experiences from everyday life that we share with others. When there is a point or a context to the telling of that incident, it obviously becomes that much more interesting and valuable to the audience. For instance, if you share a story to prove a point you made, such as how technology is having an adverse impact on our memories, and give personal examples, this is something that affects everyone.
People who have a sharp sense of observation – not just for actual physical or the obvious aspects, but also for the nuances, quirks and body language that go beyond – always make better storytellers. A good delivery and tone of voice also help. Audiences should love their emotions to be aroused. Using your voice to express emotions and drama is sure to keep your audience mesmerized. You can use your voice to great dramatic effect to help build passion, tension and drama, or to arouse emotions.
Do not hog evenings or conversations with long-winded tales that go on and on. Learn to be brief and to the point. Be on the watch-out for signs that you are boring your audience. If so, either change technique or wind up your story to give another chance with theirs. And most important, do not repeat your stories so often that people get scared of meeting you. Keep enjoying new experiences, examining them, hone your observational and learning skills – and keep creating new stories. You will always be popular and cherished.
a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it, using recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. Supply a suitable title.
b) Write a summary of the above passage in about 50 words.
SECTION–B: WRITING SKILLS AND GRAMMAR
Q 4. You are looking for a second-hand car. Draft an advertisement for the classified column of a newspaper, specifying your requirements in 50 words. You are Sumit/Sunita of A-40, Vinod Vihar Delhi.
OR
You are Suyashi/Surya, living at M-48, Naharpur, Delhi. You want to sell off your mobile phone. Draft an advertisement for the classified columns of a national daily giving its details and the price expectedin 50 words.
Q 5. Bal Vidya Public School, Bhilai, urgently requires a post-graduate teacher to teach Political Science. Draft a suitable advertisement in not more than 50 words for the ‘Situations Vacant’ column of The Bhilai Express stating your requirements regarding age, qualification, experience etc on behalf of the Principal of the school.
OR
You are Shivam/Sheena of B-123, Vasundhara, Delhi. You are a young person of 35 with 5 years of experience as an executive. You seek an immediate change to some prestigious export house in Mumbai. Draft a suitable advertisement for the ‘Situation Wanted’ column of a National Dailyin 50 words.
Q 6. You are upset after reading a report in the newspaper which shows a shocking decline in the girl child population. Write a speech in 120-150 words which you will deliver during the school assembly highlighting the misconception still prevailing in our society where girls are considered a burden on the family. You are Rajesh/Rupali.
OR
The Science stream of study is no longer the only avenue for decent jobs. In fact, higher education is no longer necessary securing good jobs. Information Technology, hospitality, fashion and entertainment industries have opened the door to enterprising young men and women. Write a speech in 120-150 words which you will deliver in the school assemblyon the topic ‘Careers today’. You are Rahim/Rehana.
Q 7. You are concerned over the growing popularity of electronic gadgets over the reading of books. Write a speech in about 120-150 words on ‘Power of Reading’ to be delivered in the morning assembly of your school. You are Zoya/Zubin.
OR
You recently witnessed the Investiture Ceremony in your school. Imagine yourself as the newly appointed Head Boy/ Head Girl. Write a speech in about 120-150 words that you have to deliver while addressing the members of the School Management Commitee. You may talk about your roles, duties, responsibilities, importance of team spirit among students, etc.
Q 8. The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each of the indicated lines. Findout the incorrect word and write the correct in the answer sheet:
One day, the Nawab sent to his e.g. to — for
minister and asking him to (a) ________
measure the length into (b) ________
breadth of an entire earth (c) ________
from end to end but side to (d) ________
side. He also wish that the (e) ________
minister would count whole the (f) ________
star in the sky. The minister (g) ________
felt the Nawab was very unfair to her. (h) ________
Q 9. Do as directed in any three:
a) Change to negative sentence – They helped me in my difficult times.
b) Replace the underlined error with the correct word – Most of the books whom are in the library have become outdated.
c) Transform the sentence using too__to – He is so proud that he cannot beg.
d) Change to future continuous tense: We are working hard for the exams.
SECTION-C: LITERATURE
Q 10. Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow:
A. Extract
She launches away, towards the infinite
And the Laburnum subsides to empty
1. Who does “she” refer to?
2. Which poetic device is used in the second line?
3. The emptiness of the Laburnum is the result of:
(a) the inevitability of changes
(b) the change of seasons
(c) lack of permanence
(d) all of the above
OR
Some twenty thirty years later
She’d laugh at the snapshot.
“See Betty And Dolly,” she’d say, “and look how they
Dressed us for the beach.” The sea holiday
Was her past, mine is her laughter. Both wry
With the laboured ease of loss.
i)The poem can be said to have which of the following undercurrents of themes?
1. Inevitability of death
2. Need to cherish happy memories
3. Loss of loved ones
4. Need for love and belongingness
5. Art of photography
6. Power of nature
(A) All except 1 & 2
(B) All except 3 & 4
(C) All except 4 & 5
(D) All except 5 & 6
ii)The poetic device used in ‘the laboured ease’ is _______.
iii) State a quality of the poet’s mother which is reflected in the above extract.
B. Extract
We felt sorry for the birds and my mother fetched some bread for them. She broke it into little crumbs, the way my grandmother used to, and threw it to them. The sparrows took no notice of the bread. When we carried my grandmother’s corpse off, they flew away quietly. Next morning the sweeper swept the bread crumbs into the dustbin.
i) Why did the birds take no notice of the bread crumbs?
a) For they had eaten a lot
b) For they did not like bread crumbs
c) For they had realised that woman who fed them was no more
d) None of these
ii) How did the grandmother take care of the birds?
iii) Which literary device has been used in ‘Sweeper swept away’?
OR
He was just a teenager when he died. The last heir of a powerful family that had ruled Egypt and its empire for centuries, he was laid to rest laden with gold and eventually forgotten. Since the discovery of his tomb in 1922, the modern world has speculated about what happened to him, with murder being the most extreme possibility.
i. Who died in his teenage?
a) Amenhotep
b) Akhetaten
c) Tutankhamun
d) Smenkhkare
ii. What happened in 1922?
iii. Tutankhamun was a ____________
C. Extract
Every branch of the Garoghlanian family was living in the most amazing and comical poverty in the world. Nobody could understand where we ever got money enough to keep us with food in our bellies, not even the old men of the family.
1. Who is the speaker of the above lines?
(a) Aram
(b) William Saroyan
(c) Uncle Khosrove
(d) None of the above
2. Why has the poverty been mentioned as “most amazing and comical”?
(a) they never resorted to any unfair deeds to earn money or food
(b) they never placed their happiness before others
(c) they never prayed to get rid of their deprivation
(d) none of the above
3. What was the tribe famous for?
4. How did the boys follow the rules of the tribe?
OR
I looked up. The girl put cups ready on the tea-table. She had a broad back. Just like her mother. She poured tea from a white pot. All it had was a gold border on the lid, I remembered. She opened a box and took some spoons out. ‘That’s a nice box.’ I heard my own voice. It was a strange voice. As though each sound was different in this room.
1. Who is the girl?
a. the daughter of Mrs. S
b. the daughter of Mrs. Dorling
c. cousin of the narrator
d. Mrs. Dorling
2. What did the narrator remember?
a. that the tea pot was hers
b. that the things no longer belonged to her
c. what she had forgotten about the tea pot
d. all of the above
3. Why was each sound different?
a. because of the strange and different atmosphere
b. due to different languages
c. because of the mixed feelings
d. as the things no longer belonged to her
4. Why did the narrator find her own voice ‘strange’?
Q 11. Answer any two out of the following four questions in 30-40 words each:
a. It really pained the grandmother that the schools did not teach anything about God and the scriptures. Why?
b. How did Carter’s men remove the gold from the mummy?
c. Justify the title of Shirley Toulson’s poem ‘A Photograph’
d. What were the first indications of the ‘impending disaster ‘that ultimately struck the ship on January 2?
Q 12. Answer any one out of the following two questions in 30-40 words:
How did Aram conclude that Maurad had been riding the horse for quite a while?
OR
What was the opinion of the narrator’s mother about Mrs. Dorling?
13. Answer any one out of the following questions in 120-150 words:
Can you say that Jonathan and Sue were brave children of a brave father? How? What was the impact of their reaction on their father?
OR
King Tut was the last ruler of a powerful family that ruled Egypt for centuries. What is known about King Tut and his family lineage? How did his death impact Egypt?
14. Answer any one out of the following questions in 120-150 words:
Maurad seems to have a way with animals, birds and farmers. What other qualities does he have and what different values weave the fabric of his character?
OR
What kind of a welcome did the narrator expect from Mrs. Dorling? What behaviour did the narrator get from Mrs. Dorling? Why do you think it was/was not justified?