Bhagya

Teachers recommend solving Kerala Syllabus Plus Two English Previous Year Question Papers and Answers Pdf Board Model Paper 2022 to improve time management during exams.

Kerala Plus Two English Board Model Paper 2022 with Answers.

Time : 2 1/2 Hours
Maximum : 80 scores

Part – I

A. Answer any four questions from 1 to 6. Each carries 1 Score. (4 × 1 = 4)

Read the following passage and answer the questions given below:
In 2006, an Indian TV show called Business Bazigar launched an entrepreneur hunt and solicited ideas for new businesses. I entered this contest with a business proposal. My idea was to organize the rickshaw sector and make it a profitable venture. According to my proposal, rickshaws were to be redesigned so that the spaces on the vehicles could be sold for the pufposes of advertising and brand promotion. Also, I indicated that additional revenues could be made by selling products like water, juice, biscuits, mobile-cards and newspapers, to the passengers. I won the show and was offered the seed money of Rupees 150 lakhs.

Question 1.
Which Indian T.V. show in 2006 launched an entrepreneur hunt?
Answer:
The Indian TV Show called Business Baazigar launched an entrepreneur hunt.

Question 2.
What was Irfan’s business proposal?
Answer:
Irfan’s business proposal was to redesign rickshaws so that the space on the vehicles could be sold for advertisements and brand promotion.

Question 3.
According to Irfan, how could rickshaw pullers make additional revenues?
Answer:
According to Irfan, rickshaw pullers could make additional revenues by selling products like water, juice, biscuit, mobile cards and newspapers to passengers.

Question 4.
Why did he want to redesign the rickshaws?
Answer:
He wanted to redesign rickshaws so that the space on the vehicles could be sold for advertisements and brand promotion.

Question 5.
Which word in the passage means ‘to ask for information’?
Answer:
The word is “solicited”.

Question 6.
Why didn’t he accept the Seed money?
Answer:
He did not accept the seed money because he was not willing to accept the conditions laid down by the Organizers of the TV Show.

B. Answer all questions from 7 to 10. Each carries I score. (4 × 1 = 4)

Imagine that you are a colleague of the teacher in the story ‘Crime and Punishment’. The teacher has been continuously threatened by the boy. He shares his worries and requests for your advice. Write four pieces of advice using the following expressions.

Question 7.
You’d better _____
Answer:
You’d better tell the boy’s parents about his misbehaviour.

Question 8.
Why don’t you _____
Answer:
Why don’t you ask him some other question?

Question 9.
If I were you, _____
Answer:
If I were you, I would stop teaching such a boy.

Question 10.
I would advise you ____
Answer:
I would advise you to treat the boy with more compassion.

Part – II

A. Answer any three questions from 11 to 15. Each carries 2 scores. (4 × 1 = 4)

My father says, With obvious Pride:
‘Son, we’ve stopped working on all the rice.
It was quite inconvenient. The farmer gained nothing
only fools turn to rice farming for gain;
This is better money. What good times I
The government gives rice to those who don’t have paddy fields.

Question 11.
Why did father stop working on ail the rice?
Answer:
Father stopped working on all the rice because it was quite inconvenient and the farmer gained nothing.

Question 12.
What is the better money mentioned in the Stanza?
Answer:
The better money is the money that comes from the rubber. Instead of cultivating rice, the father has planted rubber in his paddy field.

Question 13.
Write two suggestions to promote rice farming.
Answer:
i) Indian agriculture is called “a gamble on monsoon”. Governments must ensure that the rice farmers do not suffer any loss because of crop failure.

ii) Governments must give the rice farmers all kinds of assistance so that they can make rice farming a profitable profession.

Question 14.
Pick out an instance of satire in the poem.
Answer:
“What good times! The government gives rice to those who don’t have paddy fields.”

Question 15.
“Only fools turn to rice-farming for gain.” Elaborate the idea contained in this lin.
Answer:
The father is of the opinion that only fools turn to rice farming for gain. Rice farming involves a lot of hard work. The farmers run a lot of risk because of the unpredictability of the weather.

B. Answer any two questions from 16 to 18. Each carries 2 scores. (2 × 2 = 4)

Question 16.
Read the following passage and fill In the blanks choosing appropriate phrasal verbs from those given in brackets.
Nomita and Ajit have _____ (go out with/split up) their relationship. She said that she could not ____ (put up with/put up) Ajit anymore.
Answer:
split up, put up with

Question 17.
An extract from the conversation between Mrs. Smith and Mr. Brown in ‘Post Early for Christmas’ is given below. Report the conversation.
Mrs. Smith : Could you really manage a turkey for Christmas, Mr. Brown?
Mr. Brown : Yes, I think I can spare one.
Answer:
Mrs Smith asked Mr. Brown if he could really manage ‘ a turkey for Christmas. Mr Brown thought he could spare one.

Question 18.
Rewrite the following as directed:
a) We started the Green Belt Movement in 1977. (Begin the sentence with ‘The Green Belt Movement)
b) Two major incidents of forest fire were reported by the firemen.(Begin with’The fire men)
Answer:
a) The Green Belt Movement was started in 1977.
b) The fire men reported two major incidents of forest fire.

Part – III

B. Answer any three questions from 19 to 23. Each, carries 4 scores. (3 × 4 = 12)

Question 19.
The English club of your school has decided to stage the play ‘The Hour of Truth’. As the director of the play, prepare a script of an introductory announcement.
Answer:
Respected Principal, teachers, parents and my dear students, We are going to present before you the famous play “The Hour of Truth” by Percival Wilde. It tells the story of Robert Baldwin, his wife Martha, his son John and his daughter Evie. John Gresham owns a bank. Baldwin is the governor of the bank. John Gresham misappropriates a huge sum from the bank and is arrested and is in jail. If Baldwin can say “I don’t remember” in the court, Gresham will be acquitted. To say those three words, Gresham offers Baldwin $100,000. Baldwin’s family members need money for different reasons. Will Baldwin say those three words? Watch and see!

Question 20.
A debate is conducted by the NSS unit of your school on the topic ‘Women Empowerment is the only weapon to abolish dowry system,. Imagine that you are one of the debaters favouring the topic. Write your arguments in a paragraph. There should be at least four points.
Answer:
I strongly say that women empowerment is the only weapon to abolish dowry system. If women are empowered the greedy husband or his parents and relatives will not dare to demand dowry. Women empowerment gives women the power to manage their things without depending on their husbands. Women empowerment will increase their sense of self-reliance. Women empowerment will teach them the mantra of “T rust Thyself. Physically man may be stronger, but mentally women are not inferior to men. We have women like Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi, and Kalpana Chawla who were in no way inferior to men.

Question 21.
“I wish there were more Horegallus in this world.’ – Sudha Murty. Prepare a paragraph on the relevance of Horegallus in this world.
Answer:
A hbregallu.is a stone bench on which tired people can rest and regain their energy. Such stones are usually undpr shady trees. Tired travellers unburden themselves, sit, and talk to some sympathetic listener. Life is & journey and we all are travellers. Each one of us carries burdens of various sorts. If there is some patient and sympathetic listener, we can unburden ourselves and feel relieved. The horegallu will not solve your problem but it gives you a temporary relief. The author expects each of us to be a horegallu.

Question 22.
‘I have got only a few years to live, but I’ll live those as I’ve lived the rest of my life. I’ll go to my grave clean!’ Robert Baldwin never comprised with the corruption and the corrupted. Prepare a character sketch of Robert Baldwin.
Answer:
Robert Baldwin is the protagonist of this play. He lives in a trim little cottage with his wife Martha and his son John and daughter Evie. He is working as the governor of a bank owned by John Gresham. His salary is very low, 60 dollars a week. His son John earns only 30 dollars a week. With this limited income they live reasonably happily.

Suddenly there is a problem in their lives. John Gresham has misappropriated bank money and he is in jail. The bank is closed and Baldwin will have no job. Only Baldwin is the witness for the misappropriation. If he gives his true testimony, John ;1^pE8sham will definitely go to jail for a long period. Baldwin is honest and he has taught his family the importance of honesty.

When Baldwin returns home after the arrest of John Gresham, his wife and children rush to him to know the latest news. Initially his wife and the children tell him that he should say the truth during the trial even if it means jail term for Gresham. But when they come to know that Gresham has offered him a bribe of 100,000 dollars just to say‘I don’t remember1 when some incriminating questions are asked in the court, they change their stance. They try to find out all kinds of loopholes to make Baldwin accept the bribe. Martha, John and Evie do their best to make Baldwin change his mind. But he asserts that he wants to go to his grave clean.

He does love Gresham. He even named his son after him. Even now he remembers how he worked with him for so long. They were boys together. They worked side by side. All this is true, but he is not willing to tell a lie to save his friend and employer even when he is offered a cofossal sum of 100,000 dollars.

Baldwin’s honesty is repaid abundantly. Even Gresham is proud of him and he recommends him to Mr Marshall, the President of the Third International. At the end of the play we see Marshall coming to the house of Baldwin and offering him a job at the Third International. We see Baldwin crying in the end. He must have been crying for two reasons – his friend Gresham has confessed his guilt and he will surely be punished. Secondly he is shedding tears of joy in gratitude to God who has amply repaid his honesty. Honesty, Baldwin proves, beyond an iota of doubt, is the best policy.

Question 23.
Adolescents are falling victims to substance abuse and drug abuse cases are growing in larger proportions. Draft an email to the Editor of a National Daily highlighting the abuse of drugs among adolescents and children.
Answer:
editorindianexpress@hotmail.com
These days more and more adolescents and yovng children are falling victims to substance and drug abuse. I am writing this letter to inform people about the possible risks they run because of drug abuse. Drug abuse has both mental and physical impacts. The drug addict experiences sensory deprivation. He has a general feeling of physical discomfort and there are personality changes in him. The addict feels depressed. He fails to respond either to his environment or to other people. His mental disturbance can be like paranoia.

The addict knows he has a problem. But he does not know the source of his problem and he looks for its cause in everything but himself. He looks upon external objects with suspicion. Anything outside scares him and he draws further and farther into himself. There are also drug related physical disorders. Dirty needles and solutions used for injecting drugs can cause abscesses in the arms and veins. They can cause liver disease, venereal disease and infection of the kidney and brain. Sniffing cocaine and amphetamines can damage the tissue of the nose.

Marijuana and tobacco smoking can cause lung diseases. Babies of women addicted to opiates are likely to be born addicted and to suffer from withdrawal symptoms. Cocaine and amphetamines cause hair fall. Marijuana can damage cells. A drug addict can easily get pneumonia, tuberculosis, mal-nutrition and weight loss. An overdose of any sensual drug can cause respiratory or cardiac failure and death.
Mehboob Saithu, Irinjalakuda

B. Answer any one question from 24 to 25. Carries 4 scores. (1 × 4 = 4)

Question 24.
Edit the passage given below:
It was 1983, we live in Jakarta, in a lovely, white colonial home bn a street that was quiet. It was a pleasant, almost perfect life, until the day I was taken to visit a orphanage in the city. I do not remember the orphanage how looked, but I vividly remember the children.
Answer:
In was 1983. We were then living in Jakarta in a lovely, white, colonial home on a street that was quiet. It was a pleasant, almost perfect life, until the day I was taken to visit an orphanage in the city. I do not remember the orphanage or how it looked, but I vividly remember the children.

Question 25.
Prepare a profile of Shaheen Mistri using the hints given below:

SHAHEEN MISTRI

Birth : 16 March, 1971, Mumbai, India.
Education : BA, M.A. St. Xaviers College (University Mumbai) University Manchester
Occupation : CEO, Teach For India
Books : Redrawing India, The Teach For India Story, Muglie Goes to Mumbai
Known for : Social Activist, The founder of Akanksha Foundation
Answer:
Shaheen Mistri was born on 16 March’1971, in Mumbai India. She did her B.A. from St. Xavier’s College, affiliated to University of Mumbai. She did her M.A. from the University of Manchester. She is the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of “Teach for India”. She has written a number of books including “Redrawing India”, “The Teach for India Story”, and “Miss Muglie Goes to Mumbai”. She is a very famous social activist and is the founder of “Akanksha Foundation”.

Part – IV

A. Answer any three questions from 26 to 29. Each carries 6 scores. (3 × 6 = 18)

Question 26.
Inspired by Christine Legarde’s Speeqh on The 3Ls of Empowerment, Sowhrida club of your school has decidecf to conduct a Seminaf on International o atsWomen’s Day (March 8). Prepare a report of the
Answer:

SOWHRIDA CLUB
G.S.S.S. IRINJALAKUDA

REPORT ON THE SEMINAR CONDUCTED ON
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY ON 8 MARCH 2022

The Seminar began at 10.00 a.rri; in the School auditorium. It was presided over by Miss Liz Kumari, the Chairperson of the Local Women Empowerment Wing. In her inaugural address she said the Seminar was inspired by the speech of Christine Legarde on the 3 Ls of Empowerment. Three speakers presented each of the 3 Ls, Learning, Labour and Leadership. The first speaker was the local MLA Mrs. Kunjumol Beeran. She said that education is the foundation on which any change is built. She said there is a proverb in Africa which says that “If you educate a boy, you train a man. But if you educate a woman, you train a village.”

The second speaker was Geeta Nandakumar, Principal of PG Centre, where only women are admitted for the various regular courses it offers. She said the 2nd L, Labour, helps a woman to achieve her true potential. She also insisted that society must . follow the principle of “equal pay for equal work”. The 3rd speaker Biwi Suleiman said that the 3rd L, Leadership, enables women to rise and fulfil their inborn abilities and talents. Then they become ready to “dare the difference”.

The listeners had some doubts to ask and the speakers clarified their doubts. The principal Ammini Rajan thanked everyone for their cooperation. The seminar came to a close by 1.00 p.m.
Lilly Joseph
Secretary
9.3.22

Question 27.
In connection with the inauguration of the Entrepreneurship club, Irfan Alam, the founder of Sammaan Foundation visits your school. Imagine that you get an opportunity to interview him. Write the likely interview questions and the possible answers.
Answer:
I: IrfanAlam, Please say a few words about yourself. Irfan Alam: I am a simple human being but a big dreamer. I come from a village. I love ideas and innovation.

I: Irfan, When and how did yougetthis idea of the 3-wheeled revolution?

Irfan: I was 17 then. I was travelling in a rickshaw and I was thirsty. I asked the” Hfckshaw puller if he had any water. He did not have any. The next day I gave 8 bottles of water to 5 rickshaw pullers. For a bottle the profit would be 2 rupees. We shared the profit 50-50.

I: How did you get this idea of redesigning the rickshaws?

Irfan: In 2008, an Indian TV Show called Business Bazigar wanted ideas for new. businesses. I suggested that rickshaws should be designed in such a way that the spaces on the vehicle could be sold for advertising and brand promotion.

I: Why did you refuse the seed money offered by the Organizers of the TV Show?

Irfan: I refused the seed money offered by the Organizers of the TV Show because I was not willing to accept the conditions laid down by the Organizers. I: Can you describe the operation model of SammaaN?

Irfan: When a rickshaw puller approaches SammaaN he is given training on basic etiquette and traffic rule. Then we help him to get a bank loan for a new rickshaw. We stand as guarantors.

I: What are the benefits of SammaaN?

Irfan: Rickshaw pullers feel empowered. Their wives and children attend free evening classes, it is profitable. Last year it made a profit of 8 lakhs.

Question 28.
The neighbour justified the need for wall by stating ‘Good fences make good neighbours’. Comment on the statement and prepare a write up.
Answer:
Good fences make good neighbours means it is good to have some limits between neighbours so that their relations will remain healthy at all times. If there is unlimited freedom between neighbours, trouble will soon start. Suppose you grow goats in your house. Your neighbour has a vegetable garden. If there is no fence your goats will go and eat up the vegetables of your neighbour. Will he like it? Suppose your neighbour’s children come and open your fridge and eat up all the good food you have kept there. Will you like it? So there must be some boundaries between neighbours and only then there will be good relations.

Question 29.
Prepare a blurb of “Oru Sankeerthanam Pole’ making use of the hints given below:
• Perumbadavam Sreedaran has written several novels and short stories.
• The novel revolves around the life of Dostoyevsky from the time of his meeting with Anna till their union.
• It won numerous awards, the most prestigious one being the 1996 Vayalar Award.
• The novel depicts the string of failed relationships, poverty and diseases haunt the gambler.
• The masterpiece was published by Samkeerthanam plications in 1993.
• Notable works by Perumbadavam – Narayanam, Asthapadi.
Answer:
Perumpadavam Sreedharan is a great writer from Karala and he has written several novels and short stories. Some of his most important works are “Narayanam”, Asthapadi” and his masterpiece “Oru Sankeerthanam Pole”. It won a number of Awards, the most prestigious being the 1996 Vayalar Award. It was published in 1993 by Sankeerthanam Publications. The novel revolves round the life of Dostoevsky from the time of his meeting with Anna till their union.

Dostoyevsky had promised his editor Stellovsky that he would complete the novel “The Gambler” within a few months, but he had not yet written a single page. On the advice of a friend, he recruits a stenographer, Anna, to speed up the completion. Anna had great respect for the novelist. But he was nothing like she imagined. On the surface, Dostoyevsky was an alcoholic, gambler and epileptic who could evoke revulsion in anyone. But Anna slowly discovers the deeper characteristics in his personality, which slowly progresses into the emotion of Love.

B. Answer any two questions from 30 to 32. Each carries 6 scores. (2 × 6 = 12)

Question 30.
Read the following headlines:
Effect of this lockdown on a student – Times of India:
Impact of Lockdown on the mental health of students – India Today:
Lockdown has worsely affected the mental health and happiness of our students. You have decided to arouse public opinion on this matter via a blog entry. How could it be?.
Answer:
The effect’lockdown is worst for the mental health ansHwippiness of a student. The student is unable to meet his/her friends and enjoy what they used to do in the pre-COVID days. The enormous potential that they used in their daily life is now blocked. The on-line classes are not a proper substitute for live classes where there is interaction between teachers and students.

Sitting in a room looking at your TV or your mobile phone and listening to the teacher is a really boring experience. It takes the fun out of learning. The students don’t have the chance of talking together, playing together and mingling with one another for any kind of social activities. This seclusion makes them mentally weak. When you go to school or college you are not learning just from the lectures you hear from your teachers or the notes you take down.

When you travel to college and when you return hgme after classes you see so many things, you meet so many people and you imbibe so many ideas. In the college you have so many different activities – games, sports, debates, discussions and so on. All this helps in making you into a knowledgeable and wise person. Education is not just some facts, figures and formulae, but it is training for life. This training we can’t get when we are locked down within the 4 walls of our room.

Question 31.
Imagine that you are a lady assistant in the play ‘Post Early For Christmas’. You decide to write a letter of apology to the Post Master General stating your innocence and requesting him to reinstate you on duty. Write the likely letter.
Answer:
From
Catherine Barkley
Postal Assistant master
Kansas.

To
The Post Master General
Central Post office
Washington DC.

29 December 2021
Sub: Confusion over the Ticking Parcel

First of all I want to apologize for what happened during the previous week of Last Christmas. I was too busy with work and different people were coming to the post office with strange requests. Somebody wanted a pint of beer. A man who was partially deaf was going on irritating me as he could not understand my questions and was giving me wrong answers. And then came this foreign tourist with a packet. I weighed the packet and told him the amount he should pay. He gave me the amount and went away. When I put the parcel away, there was some ticking noise coming from it. The people around thought it , was a time bomb. Somebody wanted me to bring a bucket of water.

The police was called in. The police also thought it was a time bomb. So the policeman put the parcel into the bucket of water. The foreign tourists returned because he had forgotten his gloves at the post office counter. He was upset to see his parcel in the bucket of water. It was actually an expensive clock which he bought from Switzerland and now it is spoiled and he is very angry.

I am sorry that I was the cause for all this trouble. I should have been more discreet in my actions. In my confusion I just did things as I was told by the worried people around. My sincere apologies.
Yours sincerely,
Sd/-
(Catherine Barkley)

Question 32.
Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmental and political activist always nurture^ >a( sensitive and reverential love of nature. She won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2004 for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace. Prepare an article about her to be published in your school magazine.
Answer:

WANGARI MAATHAI

Wangari Maathai is a Kenyan. She is an environmental and political activist. She was born on 1 April 1940. From her very childhood she developed a love for Nature and the Environment. Alarmed at the way deforestation was taking place in Kenya and the world at large, she founded the Green Belt Movement. She wanted people to plant trees and protect them and not to destroy them. She thought that trees are the umbrellas that shaded the earth from the scorching heat of the sun.

She advocated environmental conservation and she fought for women’s rights. She propagated sustainable development. She won many Awards. In 1986 she was given the Right to Livelihood Award. In 2004 she received the Nobel Prize. She was the first African woman go get a Nobel Prize. She did a lot for environmental protection. She breathed her last on 25 Septem ber 2011.

Part – V

A. Answer any two questions from 33 to 35. Each carries 8 scores. (2 × 8 = 16)

Question 33.
Read the following advertisement:

MAXWEALTH AND COMPANY 133 MARINE STREET MUMBAI REQUIRE OFFICE ASSISTANTS We, the leading Logistics Company invites application from eligible candidates for Eligibility : Graduation in any subject Computer Skill. Excellent Communication Skill Age : Below 30 yrs. Telephone : 0141 – 4222709 Fax : 01678 – 467346 Email : hrmaxwealth.co,in A renowned Logistics company has invited application for the post of Office Assistants. Imagine that you are a graduate and would like to apply for the post. Prepare a job application letter and resume.

Answer:
From
Maggie Hayden
39 Milton Drive
Aluva, Kerala

To
Maxwealth and Company
133 Marine Street
Mumbai.
24 April 2022

APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF AN OFFICE ASSISTANT

Dear Sirs.
This has reference to your advertisement dated 20 April 2022 in “London Times” calling applications for the posts of Office Assistants. I have a Master’s Degree in Commerce and I have a Diploma in Computer Programming. I have worked as an Asstt. Manager in a Software Development Company for 3 years.

I bring along with me the willingness to work hard and do my best for the company that employs me.
I assure you full satisfaction if I am given a chance to work in your prestigious company. Copieš of all my documents and my detailed Resume are enclosed, Hoping to hear from you soon, Yours faithfully,
(Maggie Hayden)
Encl:5

RESUME OF MAGGIE HAYDEN

Name and Address: Maggie Hayden 39 Federal Avenue Aluva 683101 Kerala. Mobile NO.: 8647028828807 e-mail : maggiehayden@hotmail.com Date of birth : 11 January 1996 Nationality :  Indian Marital Status : Single Qualifications : M.Com with 76% marks, Calicut University, 2018. B.Com with 82% marks, Calicut University 2016. +2 with all A”s from Don Bosco HSS Irinjalakuda. Technical Quals : Diploma in Computer Programming with Specialization in Java, SQL, and C++ Experience : WorKeda an Asstt. Manager in GJ Infotech, Palarivattom, Kochi, for 3 years from April 2018 to February 2021. Special Abilities : Excellent Communications Skills with IELTS. Hobbies : Travel and Reading Languages Known : Malayalam, English, Hindi References : Prof Naveen Vithayahtil, Khanna Nagar, Koratty 70252002001 Mr. Tom Nettikkadan, M.L.A., Chalafcudy 70121010891 I hereby certify that all the information given above is true to the best of my knowledge and belief. Sd/ (Maggie Hayden)

Question 34.
On Anti Drug Day, you are to deliver a speech on “Drug Abuse : A Social Menace.” Draft the script of the speech.
Answer:
Respected Principal, teacher and my dbar students, Today is theAriti-Drug Dayof this year. I am asked
to speak about the subject “Drug Abuse: A Social Menace”. Every day we, hear youngsters getting caught for crimes connected with drug abuse. Drug abuse haS;both mental and physical impacts.

The drug addict experiences sensory deprivation. He has a general feeling of physical discomfort and there are personality changes in him. The addict feels depressed. He fails to respond either to his environment or to other people. His mental disturbance can be like paranoia. The addict knows he has a problem. But he does not know the source of his problem and he looks for its cause in everything but himself. He looks upon external objects with suspicion.

Anything outside scares him and he draws further and further into himself. There are also drug- related physical disorders. Dirty needles and solutions used for injecting drugs can cause abscesses in the arms and veins. They can cause liver disease, venereal disease and infection of the kidney and brain. Sniffing cocaine and amphetamines can damage the tissue of the nose. Marijuana and tobacco smoking can cause lung diseases. Babies of women addicted to opiates are likely to be born addicted and to suffer from withdrawal symptoms. Cocaine and amphtetamines cause hair fall. Marijuana can damage cfeflsf. A drug addict can easily get pneumonia, tubeifdulosis, mal-nutrition and weight loss. An overdose of any sensual drug can cause respiratory or cardiac failure and death.

Question 35.
Read the poem given below. Compare the poem with ‘Any woman’, written by Katheriene Tynan.

Mother O’mine, O mother O’mine
Rudyard Kipling

If I were hanged on the highest hill,
Mother O’ mine, O mother O, mine!

I know whose love would follow me still,
Mother O’mine, O mother O’mine!

If I were drowned in the deepest sea,
Mother O’ mine, O mother O, mine!

I know whose tears would come down to me,
Mother O’mine, O mother O’mine!

If I were damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother O’ mine, O mother O’ mirae!

Answer:
In the poem “Mother O’Mine, O Mother O’mine” by Rudyard Kipling shows the close relationship of a mother and her daughter. The love that the mother has for her daughter is very deep. The daughter feels that even if she were hanged on the highest hill, her mother’s love would follow her. If she were drowned in the deepest sea, she knows whose tears would follow her th§re. If her body and soul were damned, she knows whose prayers would make her whole again, The aughter has such faith in her mother. The poem is short and sweet. It is in rhyme and there is a lot of repetition.

“Any Woman” by Katharine Tynan is about “Mother’s Love”. There is a saying that since God could not be everywhere at the same time, he created mothers. It shows the importance of mothers. Mother is a synonym for love. Their love is unconditional. The expect nothing in return for the love they give you. That is the most important thing about a mother’s love.

Right from a child is formed in the womb, the mother starts loving her baby. Once the baby is born, its entire care is done by the mother. Feeding it, cleaning it, nursing it, making it sleep, making it comfortable all this is done by the mother. When her child is sick, the mother keeps awake the whole her child. She knows without her the child will not live and grow comfortably. That is why we see her praying, “God don’t take my life away until my children grow up!” Mother’s love is unique and there is nothing that can be compared to it. What we are today is the result of our mothers’ love.

The poem is in simple language. The entire poem is an exquisite metaphor. It is in rhyme. Except the first stanza, the rhyming scheme is abab. Between the two poems, I prefer the poem “Any Woman” by Katharine Tynan.

Teachers recommend solving Kerala Syllabus Plus Two English Previous Year Question Papers and Answers Pdf Board Model Paper 2023 to improve time management during exams.

Kerala Plus Two English Board Model Paper 2023 with Answers

Time : 2 1/2 Hours
Maximum : 80 scores

Questions 1-8. Answer all questions. Each carries 1 score. (8 × 1 = 8)

Throughout Africa, women are the primary caretakers, holding significant responsibility for tilling the land and feeding their families. As a result, they are often the first to become aware of environmental damage as resources become scarce and they are incapable of sustaining their families. The women we worked with recounted that, unlike in the past, they were unable to meet their basic needs. This was due to the degradation of their immediate environment as well as the introduction of commercial farming, which replaced the growing of household food traps.

Question 1.
Who is the speaker?
Answer:
Wangari Maathai is the speaker
Question 2.
Who are the primary caretakers of Africa, according to the passage?
Answer:
The primary caretakers of Africa, according to the passage, are women. They hold significant responsibility for tolling the land and feeding their families.

Question 3.
Why did the African women fail to meet their basic needs?
Answer:
The African women failed to meet their basic needs because of the degradation of their immediate environment and the introduction of commercial farming, which replaced the growing of household food crops.

Question 4.
Which word in the passage indicates the meaning ‘to describe how something happened’ or ‘to recall remember something’?
Read the following lines of the poem ‘Any woman’ and answer the questions:
I am their wall against all danger,
Their door against the wind and snow,
Thou whom a woman laid in a manger,
Take me not till the children grow!
Answer:
Recounted

Question 5.
What does the poet mean when she says, “Thou whom a woman laid in a manger, Take me not till the children grow!”
Answer:
She is praying to Jesus not to let her die till her children grow up. “Whom a woman laid in a manger” refers to Jesus as Mary gave him birth in a manger in Bethlehem.

Question 6.
What is the symbolic significance of the phrase ‘wind and snow?
Answer:
“Wind and snow” are symbolic of the difficulties, problems and crises of life.

Question 7.
Identify the figure of speech in the line ‘I am their wail against all danger?’
Answer:
Metaphor.

Question 8.
What do you mean by the word ‘manger’?
Answer:
Manger is a long trough in a stable, from which cattle feed.

Questions 9-12. Answer any three questions. Each carries 2 scores. (3 × 2 = 6)

Question 9.
What’s ‘Horegallu’ and what is it meant for?
Answer:
A horegallu is a stone bench. It helps tired persons to sit down and rest for sometime so that they can regain their energy.

Question 10.
“I always compare women to matchboxes.” Why does Ashapurna Debi say so?
Answer:
Ashapurnma Debi says so because like matchboxes women too have enough gunpowder to make a hundred Lankas burn. But they sit around meek and innocent in the kitchen, in the pantry, in the bed room, in fact in any place.

Question 11.
What is the humour and sarcasm in the story “Crime and Punishment”? Explain.
Answer:
There is humour and sarcasm in the story. When we hear the word crime, we think of a big robbery, rape or murder. But here the crime is the simple antics of a prankster. There is humour and sarcasm when the parents talk of the boy as a wingless angel, with dimples, smiles and sweetness. The most humorous part is when the teacher is acting like a stationmaster and when he is running after the boy in the garden to catch him.

Question 12.
You are participating in a debate on the topic “Environmental conservation is more important than economic growth.” Write two arguments in favour of the topic.
Answer:

1. Environment conservation is certainly moreimportant than economic growth. Only if the environment is clean and healthy we will be able to live in it.
2. Life comes first. Economic growth is secondary. The primary thing is that we should be alive and well and then only we can think of economic growth. So the priority should go to environment conservation.

Questions 13 -19. Answer any five questions. Each carries 4 scores. (5 × 4 = 20)

Question 13.
There is people who is daring enough to go for any extent to pursue there dreams.
Answer:
There are people who dare to go to any extent to pursue their dreams.

Question 14.
Comment on the aptness of the title of the poem ‘This is going to Hurt Just a Little Bit.”
Answer:
The title of the poem is very apt. The title is: “This is Going to Hurt Just a Little Bit”. But the fact is it is going to hurt a lot! The title itself is an exaggeration as the poet makes the pain of going to a dentist much less than it actually is. I would also say the title is a bit too long.

Question 15.
The Postal Assistant in the play “Post Early for Christmas” quits her job commenting “I am going down the road to work at the animal dispensary. Animals don’t do such silly things.” Do you think it was an approproate remark on the part of a responsible official like the Postal Assistant? Express your opinion in a paragraph.
Answer:
The Postal Assistant quits her job commenting “I am going down the road to work at the animal dispensary. Animals don’t do such silly things. Mt is true that her patience was tested by many rude customers. One man comes and ask^her where he can buy stamps. Another person wants a pint of beer. Mrs. Jones talks rudely to her. The old deaf man can’t hear properly and he too gets angry. An old lady comes there thinking that it is a vet’s clinic. And then comes the tourist with his ticking parcel. All these people annoy her. But I think as a responsible official she must be able to overcome such annoyances. She should know that people are different and they behave differently. Not everyone in this world is polite and good mannered.

Question 16.
Elaborate the idea in the line “Good fences make good neighbours” from the poem “Mending Wall”?
Answer:
Good fences make good neighbours means it is good to have some limits between neighbours so that their relations will remain healthy at all times. If there is unlimited freedom between neighbours, trouble will soon start. Suppose you grow goats in your house. Your neighbour has a vegetable garden. If there is no fence your goats will go and eat up the vegetables of your neighbour. Will he like it? Suppose your neighbour’s children come and open your fridge and eat up all the good food you have kept there. Will you like it? So there must be some boundaries between neighbours and only then there will be good relations.

Question 17.
You are doing a project on “Social Entrepreneurship”. If you are given the opportunity to interview the social activist Shaheen Mistri, what would you ask her?
Answer:
a) Madam, I understand that you grew up in 5 different countries as your father was a senior banker with Citigroup. Why did you decide to enrol at the University of Mumbai?

b) You founded the first Akanksha which means “aspiration” centre in 1989 with just 15 children. How did the project grow so big? Who funded your project?

c) You are the CEO of “Veach for India”. Please tell us how it works and what are its goals?

d) Do the State and the Central Government help you in your endeavours? Do you get the full support of the communities around?

e) What are your future plans?

Question 18.
Use the appropriate phrasal verbs to fill in the blanks: (break out, run out, called off, keep up)
a) A friend of mine has her wedding.
b) Your website has helped me a lot to the good work.
c) Don’t smoke in the forest. Fires easily at this time of the year.
d) I am afraid; we have of apple juice. Will an orange juice do?
Answer:
(a) Called off
(b) keep up
(c) break out
(d) run out

Question 19.
“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say” – Byrant H.McGill. Attempt a character sketch of the narrator’s grandfather in the light of the above statement with special emphasis on “Horegallu” by Sudha Murty.
Answer:
The statement by Bryant H. McGill “One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say” is very true. The narrator’s grandfather in the story “Horegallu” by Sudha Murty amply proves this assertion. A horegallu is a stone bench. It helps tired persons to sit down and rest for sometime so that they can regain their energy. Sudha’s grandfather was a retired school teacher.

He would spend hours sitting underthe banyan tree, on the horegallu there, talking to those resting there. Most of them told him their troubles and pains. He could hardly have done anything to solve their problems. But by patiently listening to them he was relieving them to a great extent. He was a horegallu on which the tired people unburdened their burdens.

Questions 20-25. Answer any five. Each carries 6 scores.

Question 20.
Prepare a profile of ‘Droupadi Murmu’ using the following hints:

Droupadi Murmu  15th President First person belonging to the tribal community to hold the office Yougest person to occupy the post of the President Born : 20 June, 1958 Birth place : Baidaposi village ofMayurbanj district Profession : Teacher Education : Ramadevi Women’s University Prevkus offices : Indian Politician, Governor of Jharkhand (2015-21), held various posts in the cabinet of Government of Odisha (2000-2004)

Answer:
Droupadi Murrnu is the 15th President of the Republic of India. She is the first person belonging to a tribal community to hold the office of the President. She is also the youngest person to occupy that elevated post. She was born on 20 June 1958, at Baidaposi village of Mayurbanj district of Odisha State in eastern India. She obtained her B.A. degree from Rama Devi Women’s University. She worked as a teacher. She was an Indian politician, and a social worker. She served as the Governor of Jharkhand during the period 2015-2021. During the years between 2000 and 2004 she held various posts in the Cabinet of Odisha.

Question 21.
Prepare a Blurb, using the following hints:
(Blurb is the description of a book on its back cover. It is a brief summary of the book designed for marketing).

THE GOD OF SMALL THINGS Novel by Arundhati Roy Published-1997 Language – English Awards – Booker Prize Genre-Novel Arundhati Roy’s debut novel Story about her childhood experiences The novel explores how small, seemingly insignificant things shape people’s behaviour and their lives. Tells the story of a family of Aymanam in Kerala.

Answer:
The world famous English language novel “The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy was first published in 1997. Although it was it was Arundhati Roy’s debut novel, it brought her the Booker prize. The novel is semi autobiographical, as it talks about the narrator’s childhood experiences. It tells the story of a family of Aymanam in the State of Kerala. The novel explores how small, seemingly insignificant things shape pepple’s behaviour and their lives. The novel has been translated into many languages.

Question 22.
“The Sun is shining, the flowers are in bloom, I know these are signs of a good day, ………… but I don’t feel it here” said a rehabilitated drug addict pressing his chest. Write a blog expressing your,thoughts on the above lines.
Answer:
“The sun is shining, the flowers are in bloom. I know these are signs of a good, day… .but I don’t feel it in here!” This is the lament of^dnug addict. Drug addiction is a big problem today. The pity is that many youths are the victims of this menaced The most common signs and symptoms of drug addiction are – obsession with certain substances or psychedelic drugs, loss of control over their use, abandoning the activities which one used to enjoy, and even refusing to love the family members.

Drug addiction may have long term impact on life and one may develop severe symptoms such as fatigue, trembling, depression, anxiety, headache, insomnia, chills and sweating, paranoia, behaviour changes, dilated pupils, poor, coordination problems, nausea, and so on. Even after rehabilitation, some ofr these problems continue to be with the addict for some more time.

A lot of people do not realize the damage caused by drug addiction because the short term effects are not apparent at first. The long lasting effects of drug addiction may not be known to the addict. If treatment is not sought in time, the physical and emotional health of that person will deteriorate. The best we can say is “Prevention is better than cure.”

Question 23.
You have dreams of setting up a business of your owrysoon after studies. You are greatjy inspired by Irfan Alam’s views and ideas. Draft a letter of enquiry to SammaaN Foundation seeking clarifications
regarding financial investment of the organization, mode of operation, security of the members etc.
Answer:
201, Azad Road
Iririjalakuda North P.O.
PIN 680 125
District Thrissur Kerala
14 April 2023

Mr. Irfan Alam
Chairman
SammaaN Foundation
Kalina
Mumbai – 28.

Subject: Enquiry regarding Membership to SammaaN Foundation
Dear Sir,
I am a student, currently doing my +2 in Government Higher Secondary School, Irinjalakuda. I do not have plans to go for higher studies as my parents can’t afford to send me to any college. So l think of setting up a business of my own after I finish my +2 Exams this year, 2023.

I read about you and about the activities of SammaaN Foundation. I was much impressed by the story of your success. Emulating you, I want to set up a small workshop for repairing autos in my town. For this I need funds. I understand that you help members of the SammaaN Foundation for start-ups. If I want to become a mem ber of the Foundation, what is the investment I have to make? How do you assure the financial security of the members? Can I get a loan from you? Up to what amount can I expect such a loan?

Please do let me have your reply at your earliest convenience. You can contact me on my mobile No. 8547033333 or at my e-mail abdukutty@hotmail.com.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
M.C. Abdukutty

Question 24.
“Bring out the elements of satire in the poem “Rice”, highlighting the changes in the attitude of people with the changing times.
Answer:
Chemmanam Chacko is a master satirist. In his poem “Rice”, he highlights the changes in the attitude of people with the changing times. The narrator went to North India and made research for four years and, then he got a PhD for his work on making toys with husk. When he left for his research, there was a lot of husk in his own house and also in the places around as his own father and others cultivated rice. But when he returns with his doctorate, he finds there is no husk as all the rice farmers started cultivating rubber and other commercial products for the market.

We hear his father saying that he has stopped cultivating rice. Only fools will try rice farming for any gain. Rubber money is better. The government gives rice to those who have no paddy fields. The narrator wants to eat athikira rice but the younger brother brings the ration for the household and the ration consists of only wheat. The Chief Minister is flying like an arrow to the Centre to clamour for more grains. The narrator asks, “Can we get some husk from the Centre to make toys with it?” This is really bitter as we know he has a doctorate in toy-making with husk.

Question 25.
Mr. Gresham, the owner of the bank has been arrested for misappropriating the funds of the depositors. The media reported this news. Prepare a newspaper report of the incident.

VACANCY Senior Assistant Research and Development Wing SammaaN Foundation, Chanakyapuri, Kisan Marg, New Delhi -11. Qualification : Post graduation in any discipline Age : Between 22 and 32 The incumbent should have: good communication skill should be well groomed, friendly and energetic previous experience will be an added advantage. Interested candidates should submit theii application and resume.

Answer:
JOHN GRESHAM ARRESTED
John Gresham, the owner of the bank, misappropriated a huge sum of bank money and it has made the bank collapse. The depositors are worried as they do not know what will happen to their deposits in the bank. Some had deposited the . entire earnings of their lives hoping to live a comfortable retired life. But their dreams are shattered. Currently John Gresham is in jail. Agitated depositors are crowding around the closed bank not knowing what to do.

Mr. Robert Baldwin is the governor of the bank. As far as we know he is an upright man who will do nothing against his conscience. The people know that the sole culprit is John Gresham. Banking is an industry built on faith and John Gresham has done great damage to that faith. Many employees of the bank have lost their jobs overnight and their families are in trouble. The money misappropriated by John Gresham should be recovered from him by using all possible means, even by confiscating his house, landed properties and all other assets. He should be severely punished so that it will be a deterrent to the future culprits who want to cheat people because of their greed.

Question 26-28. Answer any two. Each carries 8 scores. (2 × 8 = 16)

Question 26.
Read the above advertisement given by Research and Development Wing, SammaaN Foundation, for the post of Senior Assistant. Draft a letter of application with a unique resume/bio-data for the same.
Answer:
From
Simi Ibrahim
Manavatur House
PO Irinjalakuda
PIN 680-121
Dt. Thrissur,
Kerala
24 April 2023
To
The Office In-charge
Research and Development Wing
SammaN Foundation, Chanakyapuri
Kisan marg, Newdelhi-11
Dear Sir,

Application for the post of Research Assistant
This has reference to your advertisement appearing in the “Indian Express” dated 20 April 2023, calling  for applications for the posts of Research Assistants. I would like to apply for the post. I have a Master’s Degree in English from Calicut University. I have worked as an English teacher for 4 years. Now I would like a change in my profession

I shall be happy if you give due consideration to my application, I have good communication skills. I am well groomed, friendly and energetic. Although I am ready to come to any place and on any date for an interview, I shall be very happy if the interview takes place somewhere in Thrissur district between now and mid-July.

I feel I can utilise my talents better in your prestigious organization. My resume and other documents are enclosed.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
(Simi lbrahim)

RESUME OF SIMI IBRAHIM

Objective : To work in an Organization which will help me to make use of my talents for the welfare of all. Name, e-mail Phone No. : Simi Ibrahim simi@hotmail.com 94965756734 Age & Date of birth : 24 years, 17 July 1992 Nationality : Indian Marital Status :  Single Educational Qualifications : M.A. (English), Passed in 2012 with I Class with 72% marks from Vimala B.A. (English Main) 2010 – 1 Class with 71% marks from Vimala College, Trichur +2 with A Grade in all subjects from St. Marys HSS, Irinjalakuda. SSLC with A+ in all subjects from St. Marys HSS Irinjalakuda. Experience: Workedasan English teacher in Don Bosco HSS, Irinjalakuda for 4 years from May 2012 to April2016. Activities :  I am a member of the Rotary Club of Irinjalakuda. I have helped in orgarnzing in many social activities. Skills : I am well-versed in Computer, Word. I used to play in the Volleyball team while at college. Languages : Malayalam, English and Hindi Hobbies :  Reading, travel and Classical Music I certify that the information given above is correct. (Simi lbrahim)

Question 27.
Damanage to the brain, however, is the most subtle, most often unorganized and least understood consequence of drug abuse.” Prepare an essay on the topic “The Hazards of drug abuse.
Answer:
The Hazards of Drug Abuse:
The problem of drug abuse has become a serious menace threatening the future and even the life of the youth, especially the school and college-going youth. This age group is more vulnerable to drug abuse because most of them are teenagers. Teenage is the time of stress and strain. To overcome their stress and strain, many youngsters abuse drugs. These drugs give them temporary pleasure, relieving them of,their tensions for some time.

There are many reasons for drug abuse among the youth. They get a lot of money from their parents. Since most families have only one child or two, the parents pamper them. Many parents do not find time to spend with their children. Another reason for drug abuse is peer influence. A third reason is the blind imitation of the so-called glamour boys and girls in films and sports who use drugs. A 4th reason is the easy availability of the drugs. Another reason is the moral laxity of the times. The law-enforcing agencies do not do their work sincerely. There is corruption everywhere and one can do anything if one has money.

Sensual drugs play havoc with the body and mind of their users. The drug addict experiences sensory deprivation. He has a general feeling of physical discomfort and there are personality changes in him. The addict feels depressed. His mental disturbance can be like paranoia. The addict knows he has a problem. But he does not know its source. He looks at external objects with suspicion. Anything outside scares him and he withdraws further and further into himself.

Drugs also affect the body adversely. Dirty needles and solutions can cause liver diseases, venereal diseases and infection of the kidney and brain. Sniffing cocaine and amphetamines can damage the tissue of the nose. Marijuana and tobacco smoking can cause lung diseases. Babies of women who are
addicted to drugs are likely to be born with a lot of problems. A drug addict can easily get pneumonia, tuberculosis and have problems of malnutrition and weight loss. An overdose of any drug can cause respiratory or cardiac failure and death.

The drug problems can be solved only through the concerted efforts of the parents, teachers, community leaders and the law-enforcing agencies. Awareness programmes should be conducted about the dangerous effects of drug abuse. The community leaders should help the youth to channel their energies in the right directions. The police must ensure that sensual drugs are not easily available. Drug abuse is a demon that should be exterminated from our midst with all the might we can muster.

Question 28.
Read the poem given below. Attempt a comparison with “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost focusing on the stylistic features and content of the poem.

As I Grew older

It was a long time ago
I have almost forgotten my dream,
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun,
My dream
And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream
Rose slowly, slowly
Dimming
Hiding
The light of my dream
Rose until it touched the sky,
The Wall
Shadow
I am black.
I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me,
Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
My hands!
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into thousand whirling dreams
Of sun!
Answer:
The poem “As I grew Older” reflects on a dream the poet had many years ago and has nearly forgotten by now. At first, hisjdream seemed as radiant as the sun itself, and he thought it was easy to realise it. But gradually, a barrier separated him and his dream The barrier grew higher, dimming his hopes until it blocked’the dream completetyTike a wall blocking out sunlight.

It cast a shadow over his life, leaving him with the realization that society has defined him as Black. The shadow drains his energy. He can’t see his dream anymore, because of the huge racial barrier and the shadow it casts. He then urges his black hands,to find the strength to smash the barrier and attain his dream. He hopes the radiance of the original dream will cohe back and he will have brighter dreams.

The poem by Langston Hughes is a fine one giving a very good message of hope and optimism. We see a fine simile when he compares his dream to be “bright like a sun”. There is hyperbole when he speaks of “break this shadow into a thousand lights of sun, into a thousand whirling dreams of sun”. The poem has many themes: racism, alienation, dream and its shattering, optimism, strength, and the cruelty of the society.

Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” examines the nature of interpersonal interactions.. There are two different types Of people: those who favour barriers and those whb do not.
The poet, a New England farmer, is seen in the poem walking alongside his neighbour to mend the stone wall that divides their two fields in the spring. Nature does not like walls. It tried to destroy them. But the neighbour feels “Good fences make good neighbours.”

“Mending Wall” discusses a universal theme. “As I Grew Older” discusses the problems of the Blacks, who feel discriminated. Between the two poems I prefer “As I Grew Older” as it speaks for the marginalised people and ends with high hope and optimism.

Teachers recommend solving Kerala Syllabus Plus Two English Previous Year Question Papers and Answers Pdf March 2020 to improve time management during exams.

Kerala Plus Two English Previous Year Question Paper March 2020

Time : 2 1/2 Hours
Maximum : 80 scores

Questions 1-4: Read the excerpt from ‘Crime and Punishment’ and answer the questions that follow. 1 Score each.

“You must never set up any sort of contrainess or repression in the child’s mind” declared the parents. “You will damage him for life. It no doubt requires a lot of discipline on our part, but it is worth it,” they declared primly. “We shall be bringing up a healthy citizen.”

Question 1.
Find out the word in the passage which means ‘supressing a thought or desire’.
Answer:
Repression

Question 2.
Who according to the parents, need to be disci-plined?
Answer:
The teacher

Question 3.
Do you support the parents’ view? Give one reason to substantiate your view.
Answer:
No, I don’t support the parents’ view. Children do not know the importance of education and therefore sometimes they have to be forced to learn.

Question 4.
Why did the parents say, ‘its is worth it’?
Answer:
The parent’s said “It is worth it” to mean two things. One meaning is they will pay the teacher well for educating their boy and the second meaning is that by being disciplined the parents and the teacher together can make their son a healthy citizen.

Questions 5-6: Review as directed. 1 Score each. (2 × 1 = 2)

Question 5.
Farmer: ‘Stop that man, constable. He brought the parcel.
The farmer wanted ____ (Complete the sentence meaningfully)
Answer:
The farmer wanted the constable to stop the man who brought the parcel.

Question 6.
‘Wangari Maathai mobilized the citizens to chal-lenge widespread abuse of power.
The citizens ____ (Complete the sentence suitably).
Answer:
The citizens were mobilized by Wangari Maathai to challenge the widespread abuse of power.

Questions 7-10: Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: 1 score each. (4 × 1 = 4)

Soil erosion in America’s farmland by wind and water has been a problem since settlers first put the prairies and grasslands under the plow in the 19th century. By the 1930’s, more than 282 million acres of farmland were damaged by erosion. In spite of years of conservation efforts, soil erosion has accelerated due to new demands placed on the land by heavy crop production.

Question 7.
In America, soil erosion is caused by ____ and ____
Answer:
wind and water.

Question 8.
Damages caused by erosion by 1930 were ____
Answer:
More than 282 million acres of farmland.

Question 9.
Find out the expression which describes ‘farming’.
Answer:
Crop production

Question 10.
What has accelerated soil erosion after long years of conservation efforts?
Answer:
New demands on the land by heavy crop production.

Questions 11-13: Answer all questions. Each carries 2 scores. (3 × 2 = 6)

Question 11.
In the poem ‘Rice’. Chemmanam Chacko pictures how rubber trees have taken the place of paddy. How is this change reflected in teh attitude of the farmer in the poem.
Answer:
Rubber trees have taken the place of paddy. This shows a change in the attitude of the people. Rice cultivation involves a lot of hard work, but rubber doesn’t require such hard work. People have become more luxury minded.

Question 12.
Read the passage given below and pick out two describing words.
The boregallu in our village holds special memories for me as it is inextricabiy inked with my grandfather
Answer:
special, inextricably

Question 13.
Irfan Alam visited your scbobfand invited suggestions from you to modify cycle rickshaws. Draft two suggestions which you think would improve cycle rickshaws.
Answer:
a) They should be made more compact,
b) Their roofs should be retractable.

Questions 14-17: Answer all questions in two or three words or sentences as needed. Each carries 3 scores. (4 × 3 = 12)

Question 14.
Complete the passage given below with suitable words selected from those given n the box.
for, across, by, with, along
Anybody who has known me ….(a)…. thirty five years doesn’t expect me to haggle ….(b)…. my
conscience, if it had been anybody else, I would have struck him ….(c)…. the face.
Answer:
a) for
b) with
c) across

Question 15.
Frederic Ogden Nash humorously narrates his experiences with a dentist. Exaggerate and narrate humorously as experience you had in your personal life, with a doctor or in a clinic.
Answer:
Once I felt a severe pain just below my navel. I thought it was some urinary problem as I found it hard to urinate. So I went see the urologist in the hospital nearby. After waiting for some time, I was called in and the urologist asked me for the symptoms. I explained to him. He asked me to go into the examining room and lie on the bed.

He came in with a young beautiful nurse. He asked to remove my trousers. I felt very embarrassed to lie naked in the presence of the beautiful nurse. The doctor then said, “Hey boy, we have seen hundreds like you. So don’t worry. Remove your trousers and let me examine.” I cursed myself for coming to this doctor.

Question 16.
The following passage from the interview with Irfan? ‘Alam has a few errors. Identify them and edit ap-propriately. When a rickshaw puller approach SammaN, we first go into a verification process. The operator is then giving training on basic etiquette and traffic rules.
Answer:
When a rickshaw puller approaches SammaN. we first go through a verification process. The operator is then given training on the basic etiquette and traffic rules.

Question 17.
Bring out the idea conveyed in the following lines from the poem mending wall before i built a wall
I’d ask to know what I was walling in or walling out.
Answer:
‘Mending Wall’ is a beautiful poem by the famous American poet Robert Frost. In it he gives a fine philosophy “Good fences make good neighbours”. “Before I built wall, I’d ask to know what I am walling in or walling out.” These lines also give a fine thought. The poet says that before he builds a wall he asks himself what he was trying to keep in and what he was trying to keep out. Naturally when we build a wall we are trying1 to protect something against intruders.

Questions 18-22: Answer any three questions in about 80 words. Each carries 4 scores. (3 × 4 = 12)

Question 18.
‘A silent listener can become a soothing friend.’ Explain this statement in the light of the anecdote ‘Horegallu’ by Sudha Murthy.
Answer:
A silent listener can become a soothing friend. This refers to the story titled “Fjoregallu” by Sudha Murty. A horegallu is a stone bench.,it helps tired persons to sit down and rest for sometime so that they can regain their energy before going forward. When people sit and rest, they start telling their problems’ and the horegallu, who is a person in the story, silently listens. Even by listening to people you help them to relieve their minds of the worries, tensions and anxieties that are in their minds.

By listening to their sorrowful tales, you help them to get some relief from their pain. Life is a journey and we all are travellers. Each person carries burdens of various sorts. If there is a listener one can unburden himself and feel relieved. The listener may not be able to help anybody to solve his problems, but he« can listen and thus help him to relieve his burden.

Question 19.
Bring out the suitability of the title ‘Crime and Punishment. (Hints: Over protection leads to indiscipline – over punishment leads to indifference)
Answer:
Crime and Punishment” is the humorous story by R.K. Rarayan. It speaks about a troublesome boy and his helpless teacher. The boy is overprotected and over-pampered by his rich parents. The boy is a mischievous one, but his parents think he is a wingless angel with dimples, smiles and sweetness. The parents had told the teacher that he should not set up any sort of contrariness or repression in the , child’s mind as they wanted to bring up their son as a healthy citizen.

One day the teacher slaps the boy for deliberating giving a wrong answer to a very simple question. The boy cries and threatens the teacher saying he would report the slapping incident to his parents. The boy then makes the teacher dance to his tune. He wants the teacher to stop teaching him but act as a station master when he plays with his toy train. The title is actually taken from a famous novel by the world-renowned Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

Question 20.
What changes does the narrator in the poem ‘Rice’ notice, in his native village, on his return?
(Hints: Changes in place – attitude)
Answer:
The narrator goes to North India to do his research on making toys with husk. He returns with a doctoral degree after 4 years. He was bored with eating chapathi every day and he wanted to eat a meal of athikira rice. It was planting time when he returned. He was expecting his father in the field in his dhothi covered with yellow mud as he would be ploughing the field. He thought his little brother would be carrying the tender saplings to be planted.

As the author came near his home, he found everything had changed. There were only rubber plants and no rice fields. There were also arecanut palms in the fields. He reaches the house and sees workers fixing up the machine fof making rubber sheets. His father says that he stopped cultivating rice. Only fools cultivate rice now. The rubber money is better. He sees his younger brother bringing ration which is mainly wheat. The narrator is worried as to how he would get husk for making toys.

Question 21.
Imagine that your school is conducting an Interschool Football Match. You are the announcer of the match. Prepare the script for the announce¬ment you would make for the event.
Answer:
We wish to welcome all of you for this Interschool Football Match. We chose Christ College Football Ground for the event as it has greater facilities than many other school grounds. Today’s match is between the SN High School, Irinjalakuda and Govt. High School., Mala. Both have powerful teams. You are going to see the local “Messies, Neymars and Ronaldos” showing their abilities.

The SN High School Irinjalakuda had won Last Year’s Interschool Football Govt High School Mala was the winner of the Trophy in 2018. Thus we are going to see a real-fight of champions today. We can now see the teams coming to the ground. Give them a big round of applause! You can be sure that you are going to see a great match!

Question 22.
You get an opportunity to interview Shaheen Mistri. In the light of your reading of ‘Didi’, prepare four relevant question?to interview her.
Answer:

a) Didi, What was the reaction of your parents when they came to know that you are starting “Akanksha” to educate the needy children in Mumbai?

b) Before you are given a room in the Holy Name High School in Colaba, you approached many people and organizations to give you a room to conduct classes for the needy children, but they refused to give you. What kept you going without getting disappointed?

c) Did you get any financial help from the Government of Maharashtra or the Central Government for “Akanksha”?

d) Were you able to carry out your academic studies successfully in spite of your involvement with “Akanksha”?

Questions 23-28: Answer any 4 questions in about 120 words. Each carries 6 scores. (4 x 6 = 24)

Question 23.
The last minute rush in the post office for sending Christmas gifts and greetins may seem a fantasy to the new generation. Create a blog pointing out the difference between the past and present mode of exchange of greetings and gifts. (Hints: Past: post cards, parctels – Present: social media, onlineigifts)
Answer:
In the one-act play “Post Early for Christmas” by R.H. Wood we see the last minute rush in the post office for sending Christmas gifts and greetings. This play was written in 1942, nearly 8 decades ago. At that time there were no social media or online gifts. People had to buy things, wrap them properly, write the address of the receiver, go to the post office and hand it over there after paying the necessary payments for stamps. Similarly cards were bought and messages were written on the cards. Then they were put in stamped envelopes and addressed to the receivers. During Christmas there used to be special card and gift shops where people went and selected the cards and gifts of their choice.

All this might seem a fantasy to the new generation who use the social media and online gifts for sending their greetings and gifts to the loved ones. I have heard my parents talking about buying cards and gifts from shops well before Christmas and spending time to write special messages to their loved ones. They say the ways of sending cards and gifts in the old fashion was more enjoyable as it had a very personal touch for the sender as well as the receiver. That personal warmth is lost by the use of the social media and online gifts by the new generation.

Question 24.
Robert Balow was invited for a Discussion by a leading Television channel. How would he explain his innocer^iin the fund misappropriation issue at the bank? (Hints: came to know late – did my best – kept moral uprightness – no compromise with corruption)
Answer:
Asianet Channel: Mr. Baldwin, How would you explain your innocence in the fund misappropriation issue at the bank?

Baldwin: I am he governor of the bank, but the owner is Mr. John Gresham. In fact I work there for a small salary, but I have no complaints about it. John offered me this job when I most needed it. Therefore I am only grateful to him for his kind gesture. I should say that John was my role model. He was so successful in the banking business that I thought he was a superhero.

I admired him so much that I named my son after him. I have been working with John for more than 2 decades but I never found that he did anything wrong. Donovan who is the assistant cashier at our bank also thought John Gresham to be incapable of doing any malpractice. So when he withdrew huge sums of money from the bank,we both thought that he was using the amounts for making profitable investments. We could never imagine even for a while that he was capable of misappropriating funds and cheating his depositors.

John has admitted his guilt and he has told the police that none of the bank employees assisted him in any misappropriation scheme. I keep my moral uprightness and I will tell the court what I know of the case. I am not ready for any compromise with corruption. If John is guilty he should be punished. I feel sorry for John because I had admired him so much. I could never imagine he could fall to such low levels!

Question 25.
Explain how drugs affect human brain.
(Hints: brain governs sensations – easily upset – pleasure reflexes get weaker – failure in response – numbness)
Answer:
The human brain is the most complex organ in the body. We need it to drive a car, to enjoy a meal, to breathe, to create something new and to enjoy everyday activities. The brain regulates our body’s basic functions, enables us to interpret and respond to everything we experience, and shapes our behaviour. In short, our brain is us—everything we think and feel, and who we are.

The brain is often likened to an incredibly complex and intricate computer. It is made up of many parts with interconnected circuits that all work together as a team. Drugs spoil the smooth working of the brain. Sometimes they give you a feeling of pleasure for a brief period. But then you become upset, disoriented and depressed. Your reflexes become weaker and that is why you can’t walk or drive properly when you have taken an overdose of drugs.

Your behaviour changes and you can do very bad things because you are not aware of their consequences. Your immunity becomes less and you are likely to get all sorts of diseases. Drugs adversely affect the heart rate, breathing, and sleeping. An overdose can even kill a person. Drugs are worse than poison because poison kills one fast, but drugs kill him inch by inch.

Question 26.
Compare and contrast the friendships as presented in the story ‘Amigo Brothers’ and the play The Hour of Truth. (Hints: value friendship more – value principles more)
Answer:
Antonio Cruz and Felix Vargas were both 17. They were so together in friendship that they felt like brothers. They had known each other from childhood. They both had a dream – to become a light-weight champion of the world. After a series of elimination bouts, they were told they were to meet each other in the division finals. The winner would represent the Boys’ Club in the Golden Gloves Championship Tournament. In the divisions finals they both wanted to do their best. Their motto was “Let the best man win”. They trained hard. The day came for the division finals. They fought well. The sounds of their blows were loud. The crowd applauded them.

Now it was the last round. They fought fiercely. The crowd became silent because of the fierce fight. The referee was stunned by the savagery of the fight. Even when the final bell •sounded, they continued fighting. Finally they had to be separated. Then they looked around and rushed to each other. Without waiting to hear the result, Antonio and Felix left the ring arm in arm. They proved that true friendship is above competitions and hatred. There is only winning in friendship.

Question 27.
Nomitha wished to send her mother some money secretly. But she failed to do that as she was uneducated and unemployed. Prepare an article for your school magazine about the ‘Role of Education and Employment in Women Empowerment.
Answer:
ROLE OF EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT IN WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
Women Empowerment is a very hot topic these days. In many parts of the world, especially the 3rd world, women are still considered second class citizens. India is one of the countries where women suffer most because of so many discriminations against them. We still have the dowry system. Female foeticide is still very common although it is prohibited by law. Widow-remarriage is still looked upon as something bad. Single women are looked at with suspicion and even some kind of contempt. All these have to change.

The current Indian population is estimated to be 1.38 Billion or 138crores. Of these 48.04% are females while the remaining 51.96% are males. 48.04% means quite close to half the total population. How can India become a developed nation if nearly half of its population is not given proper education and employment? So women education and employment is a must for India’s progress.

The life of an Indian woman, generally speaking, is a series of slavery. Until she is married, she is a slave of her father. When she is married she becomes a slave of her husband. When the husband dies she becomes he slave of the son with whom she chooses to stay. In India generally husbands die first because they are in the majority of cases older than their wives. This situation has to change. This slavery is caused because the women have no economic freedom. All women should try to find some job which gives them son%: income so that they don’t have depend on their fathers, husbands or sons to do the things they like. Education and employment empower women.

Education and employment will help them to come out of their comfort zones within the four walls of their homes and contribute their share to the national development. Education and employment will give them new dignity, new meaning, new purposq and new enthusiasm for life. Life is to be lived well and u. enjoyed. Women also have equal right to live well n- i and enjoy their life just like the men in the society.

Question 28.
Most often people keep silent sensitive social is¬sues. This silence can be interpreted as some kind of stammer. Do you agree with this agreement? Express your views in the form of a write-up. (Hints: fear of social seclusion – public reaction – self-ceneredness)
Answer:
The literal meaning of stammer is speaking with sudden involuntary pauses and a tendency to repeat the initial letters of words. But figuratively and symbolically ‘stammer’ shows our reluctance to open our minds on issues that are controversial. There are so many issues about which we have our own opinions. But we prefer to ‘stammer’ or keep quiet because we are afraid of social seclusion. The other reason for our stammer or silence on issues is our fear of public reaction. We fear public opinion and thus we become cowards.

Another reason for our stammer is our self-centered ness. We are so self- centred that we don’t worry about things that do not directly concern us. This is very bad because we are social beings and we should have our opinions about the things happenings in the society. But we prefer to stammer on these issues because we are afraid.

Some current issues that the society faces are the issues of homosexuals, lesbians and the transgender, same-sex marriage, inter-religious marriage, superstitions and black magic and many questionable rituals that are practised by various religions. We simply pretend that we have no opinions on them becausA we are afraid to speak out. We stammer on them because we have no guts. The evil practices will continue troubling our society until aH of us.decide to overcome our stammer and speak out – loud and clear without stammering!

Questions 29-32: Answer any 2 questions in about 180 words. Each carries 8 scores. (2 × 8 = 16)

Question 29.
Christine Hagarde says, “It’s time to create a world where all women can meet their potential without impediment or prejudice and the world will reap the benefits.” Prepare an essay on the topic ‘Women Empowerment and Development are Intertwined.” (Hints: represent half the world’s population – per capita income affected – sensitive to needs – peace loving – good at decision making – concensus bulding.)
Answer:
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT ARE INTERTWINED
“Development” is a word that we hear every day a number of times. Development is possible only when all the people – both men and women – do their best. Women represent nearly half of tfie world’s population’arid therefore no development is possible without their active participation in the developmental efforts. Wpmen empowerment and development are intertwined

By not allowing women to work like men, the per capita income and the GNP (Gross National Product) will be adversely affected. So women should be given the same opportunities for education and employment if we are to develop to our full potential. In her famous speech, Christine Lagarde says, “It’s time to create a world where all women can meet their potential without impediment or prejudice and the world will reap the benefits.” She speaks of the 3 Ls for women empowerment.

They are Learning, Labour and Leadership. In one sense women are more Suitable for leadership because they are more sensitive to the needs of the people. We can see this right in our homes. Our mothers are more sensitive to our needs. They are also more ‘ peace loving. They are good at decision making and consensus building. We see that the worst leaders of the world were”Slf men. Examples are dictators like Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin, who caused the death of millions of people just to satisfy their selfishness and pride.

Women are also more cautious when they take decisions. They don’t act rashly and that is why there are fewer accidents by women drivers on the road. The 3 Ls will help women to come out of-their comfort zones within the four walls of their homes and contribute their share to the development of the society. Learning, labour and leadership will give them new dignity, new meaning, new purpose and new enthusiasm for life. Life is to be lived well and . enjoyed. Women also have equal right to live well and enjoy their life just like the men in the society, contributing to the overall prosperity of the world.

Question 30.
“Today we are faced with a challenge that calls for a shift in our thinking, so that humanity stops threatening its life support system,” says Wangari Maathai. The floods in 2018 and this years’ landslides give us the same message. Draft a speech about Environmental Disruption and the need to have a shift in human approach.
Answer:
Respected Principal, teachers and fellow students, Today I am going to talk about Environmental Destruction and how to stop it. We in Kerala are facing tragedies one other another. A deluge ravaged our State in August 2018, in which over 470 people died and properties worth 40,000 crore were destroyed. We were still trying to overcome the problems caused by that deluge, when on 8 August 2019, due to heavy rainfall in the Monsoon season, severe flood affected Kerala causing landslides.

As a security measure, the Government of Kerala issued Red alert in the 9 districts in Northern and Central Kerala, orange alert in 3 districts of Central Kerala, and yellow alert in the 2 districts of southern Kerala. Thousands of people were evacuated to safer places and relief camps. A total of 101 people have died due to rain-related incidents since 14August2019. These camps had morethan 2 lakh people from various parts of the state.

Why these floods and landslides? They are actually caused by man! Biodiversity is destroyed. Resources are mismanaged. The areas which would hold the water are filled up and townships are constructed in the name of urbanization. The outlets to the sea are partially blocked and the rivers can’t easily drain into the seas. Wangari Maathai was correct when she said, “Today we are faced with a challenge that calls for a shift in our thinking so that humanity stops threatening its life support systems.” But we don’t care.

We continue with our deforestation, sand-mining and overexploiting our minerals. We continue polluting our environment with vehicles and factories and spraying poisons over our fields, If: we destroy the environment, it will definitely destroy us through floods, droughts and pandemics like, Covid-19 which we are still fighting with. Disrupt the environment and it will disrupt you in more than oqp way.

Question 31.
Given below is an advertisement that came in a leading newspaper. Imagine that you are qualified for the post. Draft a letter of application and resume.

WINTAGE SOLUTIONS PVT. LTD. Sector – 36: A – Block Noida, UP – 64 WWW.Wintagesins.co.in Wanted creative and enthusiastic candidates for the post of ‘Database Programmer’. Essential Qualification : B.Tech, Computer Desirable skills : Java Script, SQL, HTML Experience : 2 years Apply to the Director within 7 days.

Answer:
From: Rahul Binoy
Thekkudan House
Changampuzha Nagar
Edappally, Kerala
PIN-682024

29 July 2020
To: The Director
Vintage Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
Sector – 36, A-Block
Noida – UP – 64
Dear Sir,
Application for employment as a Database Programmer:
This has reference to your advertisement in the Malayala Manorama Daily of 25 July 2020. I wish to apply for the post of a Database Programmer in your prestigious Company as I possess the necessary qualifications and experience specified in your advertisement.

I am a B.Tech (Computer) Graduate with skills in Java Script, SQL and HTML. I also have 2 years experience as a Database Programmer. My detailed resume is enclosed. I am ready to come for any interview that you might want to conduct. You may fix the time and place. If possible, let the interview be in the month of August or September.

I assure you of full satisfaction if I am given a chance to work for you. Thanking you and hoping to hear from you soon,
Yours faithfully,
(Rahul Binoy)
Enel: 1

RESUME OF RAHUL BINOY

Name : Rahul Binoy Address :  Thekkudan House,  Changampuzha Nagar, Edappally, Kerala, PIN – 682024 e-mail address: binovrahukgmaiLcom Mobile Number :  8547099999 Nationality : Indian Sex : MaIe Marital status :  SingLe Qualifications :  B.Tech (Computer) from Rajagiri Engg. College, Kakkanad (2013-2017) Experience : Worked as a Database Programmer in the Start-up Company named J & J Techcraft, Info Park, Kochi from 2018to2019. Skills :    Java Script, SQL, HTML Hobbies :  Reading, Solving Puzzles Special Abilities :  Editor of the College Magazine,2016 Memberof the College Football team, 2015. References : Prof. PV. Cheriyan MET’s School Engineering, Mala, Phone No. 8547026666 Dr. Thomas Varghese; Professor, Rajagiri Engg. College, Kakkanad, Phone No. 8547088888

Question 32.
Read the poem given below and make a comparative appreciation with “Any Woman”.

My Mother’s Garden

My mother kept a garden,
A garden of the heart,
She planted all the good things,
That gave my life its start

She turned me to the sunshine
And encouraged me to dream, .
Fostering and nurturing
The seeds of self-esteem

Her constant good example
Always taught me right from wrong
Markers for my path way
That will last a lifetime long

I am my mother’s garden
I am her legacy
And I hope today she feels the love
Reflected back from me.
(foster = encourage; nurture = care for; legacy = property left by will)
Answer:
“My Mother’s Garden” is an amazing poem by Kelly Z. In it the poet speaks so highlySPher mother. The mother kept a garden in her heart planted all the good things the daughter needed for a good life. The mother made her a happy girl and encouraged her to dream. She fostered and nurtured the self-esteem in her daughter. The mother’s good example taught the daughter to distinguish between right and wrong. The daughter was therefore able to walk on the right paths at all times. The poet says that she is her mother’s garden and this is the gift she has given her as her legacy. She hopes she can give back her mother at least some of the love she had given her all her life.

It is a simple poem with a profound meaning. It shows the high esteem of a daughter for her dutiful mother who brought her up to have a successful life. It has fine alliterations like “last a lifetime long”. The imagery is syperb. Here a person is imagined to be a garden which is carefully fostered and nurtured by a loving mother. It is a real tribute to a mother by a dutiful daughter.

The poem “Any Woman” by Katharine Tynan speaks of the importance of a woman in the family. She is the pillars of the house. She is the keystone of the arch. She is the roof and walls. Without her the home would be colder than a stone. The children come to her for love and affection. She is the one who holds the family together. She protects the children from all dangers. In the end the woman prays to Jesus to spare her life till her children are properly grown up.

The poem is in simple language. Katharine Tynan has painted a fine picture of a devoted mother with words. The entire poem is an exquisite metaphor. The imagery is great and it touches our heart. The poem is in rhyme. Except the first stanza, the rhyming scheme is abab. Between the two, I prefer the poem “My Mother’s Garden” by Kelly Z.

Teachers recommend solving Kerala Syllabus Plus Two English Previous Year Question Papers and Answers Pdf March 2021 to improve time management during exams.

Kerala Plus Two English Previous Year Question Paper March 2021

Time : 2 1/2 Hours
Maximum : 80 scores

Answer the following questions from 1 to 38 up to a maximum score of 80.

Read the lines from ‘Any Woman’ and answer the questions that follow:
I am the fire upon the hearth,
I am the light of the good sun,
I am the heat that warms the earth,
Which else were colder than a stone.

Question 1.
Who is the speaker of these lines?
Answer:
The narrator of the poem/Any woman

Question 2.
Identify the figure of speech used in the first line of the stanza.
Answer:
Metaphor

Question 3.
Find the image/phrase that conveys the idea of lifelessness and inactivity.
Answer:
Colder than a stone

Question 4.
Elaborate on the main ideas conveyed in these lines.
Answer:
The woman says she is the fire upon the hearth, the light of the sun and the heat that warms the earth. It means she is the one bringing life and laughter into the home. She keeps it lively and joyful.

Question 5.
Read the following passage. Fill in the blanks choosing appropriate phrasal verbs from those given in the brackets and complete the passage.
I rfan Alam won the ‘Business Bazigar’ show in 2006, but he ……… (turn on/turn down/turn off) their offer of Rupees 150 lakhs. Instead, he …..(set off/set aside/set up) the busienss himself.
Answer:
Turned down, set up

Question 6.
The following passage has a few errors. Identify them and edit appropriately.
My inspiration com from my childhood experiences and observations of nature on rural Kenya. As I was growing up, I witnessed forests been cleared and replaced by commercial plantations who destroyed local bio-diversity and the capacity of the forests to conserve water.
Answer:
My inspiration came from my childhood experiences and observations of nature ih rCiral Kenya. As I was growing up, I witnessed fofest’s tiad been cleared and replaced by commerefat plantations which destroyed local bio-diversity‘arid the capacity of the forests to conserve eater.

Question 7.
An extract from the conversation between Sudha Murty and Ratna in ‘Horegallu’ is given below. Report the conversation. (2)
Sudha Murty: Ratna, Don’t you everted others the secrets you hear?
Ratna: I consider that to be the worst kind of cheating.
Answer:
Sudha Murty asked Ratna if she ever told others the secrets she heard. Ratna replied saying that she considered that to be the worst kind of cheating.

Question 8.
Ajit did not give Nomita an easy time, he belittled and insultd her, using harsh words. You are a Ajit’s friend. Write four pieces of advice you would give Ajit. (4)
You may use expressions like :
Ajit, I think you should …. Why don’t you ….. If I were you…. Why can’t you….
Answer:
a) Ajit, I think you should speak more politely to Nomita.
b) Why don’t you think that she is your wife and she should be respected?
c) If I were you I would not speak so harshly to her.
d) Why can’t you change your was of taking to your wife?

Question 9.
In the first stanza of the poem “Any Woman”, the woman is considered as the fire, the light and the heat. In the absence of the woman, a house will be as cold as a stone. Do you agree with this statement? Write your opinion in a paragraph. (4)
Answer:
I certainly agree with the statement that in the absence of the woman, a house will be as cold as a stone. There is a saying that since God could not be everywhere at the same time, he created mothers. Here the ‘narrator’, any woman, represents a mother. Mother is the synonym for love. Mothers’ love is unconditional. They expect nothing in return forthe love they give to the family members. Without a woman, a family is simply unimaginable. Women take care of the children, cook, wash and do all other household chores. She is the pillars, walls and doors of the house. It is the woman who makes home a sweet place. She is indeed the fire of the hearth, the light of the sun and heat that warms the earth.

Question 10.
Your class is conducting a debate on the topic ‘Environmental conservation is more important than Economic growth’. Write four arguments in favour of or against the topic. (4)
Answer:
a) If environment is not conserved, life itself will become impoesble.
b) Environment is the greatest supporter of our life; what is the point of economic growth if life itself is in jeopardy?
c) The environment is for all creatures; exploiting it . only for the benefit of man is injustice.
d) If environment is not conserved, we all will become unhealthy and sick.

Question 11.
In the anecdote ‘Horegallu’cSiiadb.a Murty asks Ratna how she could solve the troubles of so many people by just listening to them. Doypu think mere listening can solve problems? Write, your opinion in a paragraph.(4)
Answer:
Mere listening may not solve problems. But by sympathetically listening to the problems of others we can certainly help them to look for solutions. A mind with a lot of problems is like a pressure cooker on a hot stove. The steam is building up in the cooker and unless some of it is released at regular intervals, the cooker will explode. When people tell their problems to a sympathetic listener, they feel relieved of the built-up pressure in their minds. It will also give them time to think about probable solutions to the problems. Listening to the people with problems wjth a sympathetic ear Ml certainly help them.

Question 12.
A discussion was held in your class on the topic ‘Domestic Violence’. One of your friends remarked, ‘If we are to fight discrimination and injustice against women, we must start from the home, fpr if a woman cannot be safe in her own house then she cannot be expected to feel safe anywhete.
Write four points supporting this opinion. (4)
Answer:
a) If a woman cannot feel safe at home, she will lose her will to,fight for her rights.
b) At home women give their love and consideration to the other members of the family, and if those for whom she lives can’t make her feel safe, how she can feel safe in other places?
c) Home is the safest haven for women; it is there they are the most safe; if the home can’t give them the feeling of safety and protection they will certainly feel that they are not safe anywhere else.
d) Home is the training gropnd of all virtuous things. If a woman feels threatened in her own home,
elsewhere

Question 13.
In the story ‘Matchbox’, Nomita’s mother keeps on writing letters to her, complaining about her hardships and misfortunes. What is your view of the character of Nomita’s mother?
Answer:
I strongly feel that Nomita’s mother is not doing the right thing by constantly complaining about her hardships and misfortunes, She is telling about her hardships and misfortunes just to get money from Nomita. Ajit, Nomita’s husband, says that when the letter comes from Nomita’s mother, even without opening it, he knows it is for asking money.

Nomita’s mother used to send postcards which would be read by all the members in the family of Ajit. This was a disgrace to Nomita. So she told her mother not to write on postcards. But she writes ietters all the same. Nomita is angry at her mother. She decides to write a letter to her mother telling her she won’t help her any more.

Question 14.
‘I used to lift a hot pot of water off the stove – and that did it.” Here, Nomita in ‘Matchbox’ tries to hide her problems from the other members of the family. Do you justify her action? Why/why not? (4)
Answer:
I justify her action. That is what a normal wife would do in the circumstances Nomita was in. She lives in a joint family which, has 26 members. She comes from a poor family. Her mother frequently writes to her telling her of her difficulties and problems and asking her to send money. Ajit, the husband of Nomita, is unhappy because he has to often send money to his mother-in-law. He asks Nomita how could her mother go on begging for money and still think they are high class people. He insults Nomita by calling her a dung-picker’s daughter.

When she asks him to shut up he says he will speak the way he wants. In an angry mood she picks up a matchbox and lights a match and touches it to her sari. The sari flares up. Asking if she has gone mad, Ajit puts out the fire by using his hands. Nomita can’t say all these things to the other members of the family. So she hides her problems and tells them that her sari got burnt as she was trying to lift a hot pot of water off the stove, using the sari.

Question 15.
According to the father in the poem ‘Rice’, ‘only fools turn to rice-farming for gain’. However, the poet comes home eager to eat a full meal of athikkira rice. Compare the attitude of the poet and his father, in a . short paragraph.
Answer:
The father in the poem “Rice” says that only fools turn to rice-farming for gain. But his son has an altogether different viewpoint. The son had gone to North India to do research on making toys with husk. As his father and many of the neighbours cultivated paddy there was a lot of husk available in his place. He comes back home with a doctoral degree after completing his research. When returning home, he was hoping to eat a full meal of athikkira rice.

He was tired of eating chapattis when he was in North India. But then what does he find? He finds that all the paddy fields are planted with rubber. His dreams of making toys with husk are shattered. In fact the Chief Minister is flying to Delhi to get rice for the people in his State as all the paddy fields are converted into rubber plantations.

Question 16.
Nomita, in the story ‘Matchbox’ faces many insults . from her husband Ajit. At last, one day, she tells her sister-in-law the whole story. Prepare the likely conversation between the two women, in at least four exchanges. (4)
Answer:
Sister-in-law : Nomita, you look sad. What is the matter with you?
Nomita : I am sad because Ajit does not give me any respect.

Sister-in-law : Ajit does not give you any respect? Why?

Nomita : He does not even give me the letters addressed to me by my mother. The other day I found a crumbled letter in ‘ his pocket. It was from my mother and it was addressed to me. She wanted some money as she had some problems.

Sister-in-law : It was certainly bad on his part. He was never like that. How can he keep a letter addressed to you without letting you know about it?

Nomita : He even called me a dung-picker’s daughter.

Sister-in-law : Did he? That was rude on his part. How can he insult you like that?

Nomita : When I asked him to speak softly, he said he would talk the way he wants and he would do things the way he likes. He asked me what I ‘ could do to stop him from doing what he likes. This made me very angry. Sister-in-law : And then?

Nomita : I lit a matchstick and put it to the sari I was wearing. As the sari flared, he came rushing and put the fire out. I had told you the sari got burnt when . I was trying to remove a hot pot from the burning stove. But that was a lie. I did not want everybody in the family to kfiow that I had tried to burn myself.

Sister-in-law : I am sorry Nomita that Ajit is ill- treating you. I will talk to him about it.

Nomita : No need to talk to him. We will manage. Anyway, thanks for your concern.

Question 17.
‘She grabs Ajit’s matchbox on the table, lights a matchstick and touches it to her sari.’ This is how Nomita in ‘Matchbox’ responds to the humiliation of her husband. What is your opinion of Nomita’s impulsive reaction? Write your answer in a paragraph. (4)
Answer:
I think Nomita was foolish to do what she did. If the sari had caught fire faster than it had, she would have ended up with severe burns or even death. It is quite true that Ajit should not have called her a dung- picker’s daughter. She is his wife.

He married her knowing full well that she was not from a wealthy family. If Nomita’s mother wanted some financial, help, he could have helped her or refused to help her. But he should not have called Nomita, his wife, a dung- picker’s daughter. At the same time Nomita’s impulsive reaction was bad. In life problems will come. But one can’t escape from them by committing suicide. It shows she is a coward and she does not know how to cope with difficult situations.

Question 18.
‘I know that if I take this money [from john Gresham], I do a dishonourable thing.’ These words clearly show that Robert Baldwin will never be influenced by any financial offers. Prepare a brief character sketch of Baldwin. (5)
Answer:
Robert Baldwin is the protagonist of this play. He lives in a trim little cottage with his wife Martha and his son John and daughter Evie. He is working as the governor of a bank owned by John Gresham. His salary is very low, 60 dollars a week. His son John earns only 30 dollars a week. With this limited income they live reasonably happily.

Suddenly there is a problem in their lives. John Gresham has misappropriated bank money and he
is in jail. The bank is closed and Baldwin will have no job. Only Baldwin is the witness for the misappropriation. If he gives his true testimony, John Gresham will definitely go to jail for a long period. Baldwin is honest and he has taught his family the importance of honesty.

When Baldwin returns home after the arrest of John Gresham, his wife and children rush to him to know the latest news. Initially his wife and the children tell him that he should say the truth during the trial even if it means jail term for Gresham. But when they come to know that Gresham has offered him a bribe of 100,000 dollars just to say ‘I don’t remember1 when some incriminating questions are asked in the court, they change their stance. They try to find out all kinds of loophbles to make Baldwin accept the bribe. Martha, John and Evie do their best to make Baldwin change his mind. But he asserts that he wants to go to his grave clean.

He does love Gresham. He even named his son after him. Even now he’remembershow he worked with him for so long. They were boys together. They worked side by side. All this is true, but he is not willing to tell a lie to save his friend and employer even when he is offered a colossal sum of 100,000 dollars.

Baldwin’s honesty is repaid abundantly. Even Gresham is proud of him and he recommends him to Mr Marshall, the President of the Third International. At the end of the play we see Marshall coming to the house of Baldwin and offering him a job at the Third International. We see Baldwin Crying in the end. He must have been crying for two reasons – his friend Gresham has confessed his guilt and he will surely be punished. Secondly he is shedding tears of joy in gratitude to God who has amply repaid his honesty. Honesty, Baldwin proves,*beyond an iota of doubt, is the best policy.

Question 19.
In the story ‘Amigo Brothers’ the announcer turned to the winner and found himself alone in the boxing ring. Arun in arm, the champions had already left the ring. Imagine that you are the announcer. What would you announcement. (5)
Answer:
Ladies and Gentlemen, You have witnessed an extraordinary fight. In the third round both Antonio Cruz and Felix Vargas wanted to win. They punched each other very hard. Nobody fell to the canvas. The final bell rang, but the fight continued. The bell rang again and again. But there was no stopping to the fighting. You were getting worried. It looked as if Antonio Cruz and Felix ‘ Vargas were involved in a do or die situation and not in a contest.

The referee and the trainers separate the contestants. Now they embrace. They have forgotten they were fighting like bulls up to a moment ago. I want to announce the winner. But where are the fighters? They have left the ring like good friends, arm in arm, declaring their strong bond of friendship. They have proved themselves to be real amigo brothers. Who is the winner in the contest? Both are winners!

Question 20.
“God has given me two ears to listen to others. I hear them out with sympathy and without judgement. These are the words of Ratna in ‘Horegailu’. What do you think are the qualities of a good listener? (5)
Answer:
Ratna in “Horegallu” says: “God has given me two ears to listen to others. I hear them out with sympathy and without judgement.” The primary quality of a good listener is listening to the problems of people with sympathy. A horegallu is a stone bench on which tired people can rest and regain their energy. Such stones are usually under shady trees. Tired travellers unburden themselves, sit and talk to some sympathetic listener. Life is a journey and we all are travellers.

Each one of us carries burdens of various sorts. If there is some patient and sympathetic listener, we can unburden ourselves and feel relieved. The listeners may not solve our problems but if we hav^ a sympathetic listener, it gives us some temporary relief. Patience, sympathy and understanding are the essential qualities of a good listener] A good listener does not pass judgments.

Question 21.
Those who whine day and night and hold out their palms to theirj son-in-law, they’re the high class people! A dung-picker’s daughter becomes a queen,’ This is how Ajit responds to Nomita, when she called him ‘a vulgar man’. What do you think of the character of Ajit? Write a brief sketch of his character. You may use the hints given below. (ego and prejudice- insults his wife-but fears the inner fire of Nomita-keeps the image of a gentleman) (5)
Answer:
Ajit is a bad husband and a very bad son-in-law. He has no respect for women. He is a male chauvinist. Nomita was right in suspecting that he does not give her all the letters addressed to her. Her suspicion is proved right when she finds a crumpled letter in the pocket of Ajit. When she says that reading the letters addressed to others is an ugly habit, Ajit says he is checking to see if the letter is from a boyfriend of hers. That mdans he is suspicious of his wife’s fidelity. He then gets angry and calls her a dung piokeds daughter.

In anger she puts fire to her sari.sJFertunately, he is able to put out the fire quickly. He has only contempt for his mother-in-law. He says whenever letters come from her, there is no need to read them, butjust go to the post office and fill in the money order form. This shows he has no love for the mother-in-law. At least he should remember that her daughter is his wife. In the final analysis we see that Ajit is a very bad husband who has no love and sympathy for his wife and her mother. However, he fears the inner fire of Nomita. He wants to maintain an image of a gentleman although he is egoistic, prejudiced and chauvinistic in his behaviour.

Question 22.
According to recent studies, in our country, every four minutes, one woman faces domestic violence. In ‘Matchbox’, we get a glimpse of this reality. After reading the Story “Matchbox”, you decide to write about hardships of Nomita, in your personal blog (an online diary). Prepare the blogpost. You may use the following hints. (Struggles, challenges, lack of identify, humiliation) (6)
Answer:
Nomita is the wife of Ajit. They live in a joint family. Altogether there are 26 members in that family. Nomita comes from a very poor family. But she is very beautiful and that is how she gets married into a rich family. Her mother, who is a widow, was the one who managed to find a rich boy for her daughter. Nomita has no brothers or sisters. She is referred to as ‘queen’ by her mother. Nomita had to struggle in her husband’s home.

Her mother frequently Writes to Nomita requesting her for money. She writes on postcards which could be read by anyone. Nomita is ashamed that her mother is always begging for money. To prevent others from reading, Nomita asks her mother to write letters in an envelope. The requests are so frequent that Ajit says that there is no need for reading the letter, but send some money to her. Nomita also secretly helps her mother.It seems her mother is very demanding and shameless as she goes on begging.

One day while collecting the soiled clothes for giving them to the washer-man, Nomita sees a letter in the pocket of Ajit. It is torn and crumpled. It is addressed to her and from the postmark it is obvious that Ajit got it some 3 days earlier. But he had not told her anything about it. Nomita is unhappy because Ajit reads the letters addressed to her. She had told him many times not to do it. He says he is checking to see if any love letter is sent to her by somebody.

At this point, Nomita gets angry and tells him that he is a common, vulgar man. This enrages Ajit and he says that she is a dung-picker’s daughter. He will do what he wants to do and she can do nothing about it. This infuriates her and she burns a matchstick and puts is to her sari. The sari catches fire and soon it flares. Ajit puts out the fire. Thus we see she is humiliated by her husband. In her case there is a lack of identity. She is a nobody in the eyes of her husband.

Question 23.
Write a short profile of Sachy, the famous Malayalam film director using the hints given below. (6)
Name: K.R. Sachidanadan
Popularly known as : Sachy
Born: 25 December 1972, Kodungallur, Thrissur
Profession : Screenwriter, Director, Producer,
Advocate
First movie directed: Anarkali, 2015
Hit movie: Ayyappanum Koshiyum, 2020
Died: 18 June 2020.
Answer:
K.R. Sachidanandan is a famous Malayalam film* director. He is popularly known as Sachy. He was born on the 25 December 1972 in Koduggallur, Thrissur. He is a multifaceted individual, having worked as a screenwriter, a director, a producer and an advocate. Anarkali, released in 2015, was the first movie he directed. His most famous movie is Ayyappanum Koshiyum which was released in 2020. He passed away on 18 June 2020 at the young age of 48, due to cardiac arrest, following complications arising out of a hip replacement surgery.

Question 24.
Imagine you are studying in a residential school. The woman in the poem ‘Any’Woman’ evokes in your memories of your mother with whom you have quarreled for silly things. This bothers you a lot. Write an email to your mother telling tier how much you miss her.
Answer:
Lily@hotmail.com
Dearest Mama,
How are you doing? I hope Papa and John are fine. Everything is alright here. Recently I read the poem “Any Woman” by Katharine Tynan. The poem brought to my mind all the wonderful things you have done for me.

I miss your freshly baked cookies and your delicious lemon pie. I miss painting with you and all the squabbles we had over the right shades for the sky. I really miss you, Mama.

The other day I made a silly quarrel with you about the chicken biriyani you made. I did not eat it saying that it was too hot for me as you had put too much pepper in it. You felt so sad as you had specially made it for me. l am sorry, Mama! I should not have behaved so rudely.

The poem also made me reflect upon the fact that I have never thanked you for all the wonderful things you have done for me. So this email is a way for me to do just that. So thank you, Mama, for your infinite patience and unconditional love. I hope to see you soon. Give my love to Papa and John.
Yours lovingly
Anna

Question 25.
“We lost all our money and our dreams’, a poor farmer responded to the news of the collapse of the bank in The Hour of Truth’. You are from ‘Daily News’, and you wish to highlight the plight of such depositors. Write your report in around eighty words. (6)
Answer:
The collapse of the “Everyman’s Bank” has shocked many depositors who do not know how it happened. They had their dreams when they deposited the money in the bank. But all their dreams are shattered. A poor farmer deposited all his money in the bank in the hope that he will get some interest which will help him to run his family in a better way. He has lost all his money and all his dreams. One of the employees in the bank got married very recently because of his job in the bank. Now suddenly he does not know what to do even to find food for his bride.

The proprietor of the “Everyman’s Bank”, John Gresham, is in jail for having swindled depositors’ hard-earned money. One man had deposited all his money in the bank in the hope of taking it back with the interest just before the marriage of his daughter. All things are arranged for the marriage. The invitations have been sent out to guests and hotel rooms and the banquet hall is booked for the reception. He does not know what to do now. He is raving like a mad man, not knowing what to do. Gresham is sure to be punished. But that is no consolation for the poor depositors who have lost their money and their dreams.

Question 26.
Wangari Maathai is the first African woman to receive the Nobel Prize for Peace. Prepare a profile using the hints given below. (6)
Born : I April; 1940, Kenya .
Founder: Green Belt Movement
Environmental activist, Kenyan politician, writer
Awards: Right Livelihood Award (1984)
Nobel Peace Prize (2004).
Contributed to sustainable development, democracy and peace.
Answer:
Wangari Maathai is the first African woman to receive the Nobel Prize in 2004. She was born in Kenya on 1 April 1940- She was a hard working woman, who tried her best for women empowerment. She was not willing to stay home all the time. She found much pleasure and satisfaction in working for the community. She founded the Green Belt Movement. She is an environmental activist, a politian and also a writer. Thus she is a versatile genius. She received many awards including “Right Livelihood Award” in 1984. The Nobel Prize was another feather to her already bedecked cap. Her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace is acclaimed ail over the world.

Question 27.
In the ‘Rice’, we see the poet return to his village after four years of research in North India, hoping at last to eat athikkira rice at home. However, this did not happen. His father had stopped rice farming and had become a rubber planter. Unhappy, the poet writes an email to his friend about his disappointment. Write the email. (6)
Answer:
Pravin@hotmail.com
Dear Pravin! How are you man? I am sure you are enjoying some rest at home after our hectic work for our doctoral degrees. I am sure you are enjoying home food and the other comforts of home after such a long time away from home, parents and siblings.

lam very much disappointed with the situation here at home. When I was with you in North India, eating the horrible chapattis every day, I used to tell you how nice our athikkira rice is which we harvest from our own fields. I had taken my doctorate degree in making toys with husk because there was so much of paddy around. I could use the husk for making toys and thus I could even offer employment to a few of my villagers. I really had great dreams.

But do you know what has happened? My village people, including my father, have stopped cultivating rice and they have planted rubber in the paddy fields. No more athikkira rice and no more husk here. My degree Is . a waste! I can’t even get the rice I like. There is a shortage of rice in Kerala, and the Chief Minister is now in Delhi trying to get some rioelbr his people. I feel so sad and disappointed attbetlirn of events here.

Anyway, there is nothing I can do about it. I have to simply accept the situation. Say Hi to your parents!
Bye for now!
Sincerely,
Job

Question 28.
Several households in our country are still miserable,lacking good food and other basic needs. It is high time that we did what we can to help them. As a responsible citizen, you write a letter to the editor of’ a prominent daily voicing your concern. Preparethe letter. (6)

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:
Nehha Bhatnagar is a Bharathanatyam dancer Whose Delphi based ‘Sarvam Foundation’ has brought the joy of dance to the lives of many underprivileged children. The initiative was founded in 2012 with the purpose of bringing the classical arts to all, from the girl child in the slum to the corporate executive in her glass tower. “I was socially conscious and sensitive to the disparity around us. This led me to start teaching underprivileged girls the rudiments of Bharathanatyam’. The future looks bright for the ‘Sarvam’ girls. As for hJehha, taking small but assured steps,’ she hopes to be able to support 100 marginalized girls through the foundation.
Answer:
The Editor
The Indian Express
Kochi
1 July 2021,
Dear Sir,

When our forefathers fought for our freedom Under for an India where there would be enough food, clothes and shelter for all the Indians. On 15 August 2021, we are going to celebrate the 74th Anniversary of our independence from Britain. But even now we find millions of people who are so poor that they don’t have proper food, clothing or shelter. We still have the biggest slum in the world. We should be ashamed of slums like Dharavi in Mumbai. In those slums people live their lives worse than animals.

Gandhi had made a great observation. He said, “The world has enough to satisfy the needs of all the people in the world. But it does not have enough to satisfy the greed of even one individual.” How right he was! We have people likeAmbani and Adani who have millions and millions but there are millions that have no money to buy food and medicines. Where is our sense of social justice?

The rich people should,come forward to help the needy. The rich people should not forget that they too came to this.world empty handed and they will go away from this world empty handed.
RosyJoe
Edappally

Question 29.
Find out the word in the passage which means
Answer:
Disparity

Question 30.
Who is the founder of ‘Sarvam’ ?
Answer:
Nehha Bhatnagar

Question 31.
What prompted the dancer to start such an initiative?(1)
Answer:
She wanted to bring the classical arts to all from the girl child in the slum to the corporate executive in her glass tower. She wanted to bring the joy of dance to the underprivileged who could not afford to pay high fees for their training.

Question 32.
Do we need more such initiatives in our country? (1)
Answer:
Yes we do Many underprivileged are excluded from many areas as they lack money.

Question 33.
When did the foundation begin its activities? (1)
Answer:
In 2012

Question 34.
A webinar is conducted by the English club of your school on the topic ‘21st century Indian women and the challenges they face in society’. As a member of the club, you are asked to make a speech on the topic. Prepare the script of your speech. (8)
Answer:
Ladies and Gentlemen, The topic for today’s webinar is “21st century Indian women and the challenges they face in society”’ We got our independence 74 years ago. But even today the condition of women in India is pathetic as there is no equality between man and woman in this country.

The law may say that man and woman are equal. But in actual practice, women are not given their proper place in the society. How many women MPs do we have in the Parliament? How many women Ministers do we have in the Central Cabinet? How many women MLAs do we have in the State Assembly? How many women ministers do we have in the State Cabinet? Just 3 out of 21! That is a mere 14.3%.

Even in the labour market women are discriminated against. For the same job, a man gets Rs. 1000 as his daily wage. But a woman is given just half of it, although the woman may have done more work than the man. To get married, a woman has to give dowry. Most women are destined to be bound to their homes. Their work is limited to delivering children, rearing them and doing the household chores of cooking, washing and cleaning. This is injustice. Women are even afraid to go out in the nights because there is the danger bf getting raped by sex maniacs.

Many parents refuse to send their girls for higher education even if they are brighter than their boys. The argument is: The girl will go away to another home after her marriage and so there is no point in spending money for her higher education. I strongly feel the society has to change. We have to work for such a change where the woman gets her rightful place in the society. “Empowering women” should be our slogan.
Jai Hind!

Question 35.
Irfan Alam, the founder and chairman of SammaaN foundation came out with an innovative idea and transformed it into a business model. You come to know about a vacancy for the post of an accountant in ‘SammaaN’. Prepare an application for the post and attach a resume with the necessary details. (8)
Answer:
From
Simi Ibrahim
Manavatur House
Irinijalakuda North P.O.
District: Trichur
Kerala

To
The Director
SammaN
Opposite Mumbai University
C.S.T. Road
Kalina, Mumbai – 22

30 June 2021
Dear Sir,

Application for the post of an Accountant

This has reference to your advertisement appearing in the “Indian Express” dated 25 June 2021.
I possess the necessary qualifications and experience which you have specified in your advertisement, l am a young woman of 24 years, willing to work hard. I assure you of the best satisfaction if ! am given a chance to work in your prestigious organization. I am enclosing herewith my detailed resume and also photocopies of my certificates. I shall be glad to appear for any interview you might conduct in Mumbai or any other place and date of your choice.
Thanking you and hoping to hear from you,
Yours faithfully,
(Simi Ibrahim)
Enel: 3

RESUME OF SIMI IBRAHIM

Name, E-mail & Mob. No. : Simi Ibrahim simithotmail.corn 9496567887 Age & Date of Birth : 24 years, 17 July 1997 Nationality : Indian Marital Status :  Single Educational : M.Com -2019- with 72% B.Com – 2017 – with 74% marks, Vimala College, Kochi. +2 with A Grade in all subjects. St. Mary’s HSS Irinjalakuda. SSLC with all A+, St, Mary’s HSS Irinjalakuda Experience :  Worked for 2 years as an Accountant in KSEB, Irinjalakuda. Activities :  I am a Member of thé Rotary Club, Irinjalakuda. I have helped in organizing many functions while at College. Skills : lamwell-versedinMicrosoftWord and C++. I was a member of the College Handball Team that won the State Championship in 2018. Languages : Malayalam, English, Hindi. Hobbies : Reading, Travel, Classical Music. References : Prof. M.A. Kurian, Vimala College, Kochi, Mob. 9496567886. Mr. Mehboob Saithu, Member,irinjalakuda Municipality, Mobile No. 9496236542. I certify that the information give above is correct. Simi Ibrahim

Question 36.
Antonio and Felix, in the story ‘Amigo Brothers’, share a single dream – to become the light weight champion. However, at the end of the boxing championship, they left the ring before the announcement of the winner. Prepare a write -up on the spirit of friendship portrayed in the story. (8)
Answer:
Antonio and Felix in the story “Matchbox” by Piri Thomas share a single dream – to become the light weight champion. They both practised hard. They fought well, but they left the ring before the announcement of the winner.

Felix Vargas weighed 144 pounds and his rival Antonio 133 pounds. The winner was to represent the Boy’s Club in the tournament of champions, The Golden Gloves. There would be no draw in the fight. The referee gave instructions telling them that it should be a clean fight. In the first round, both the contestants did their best to outwit the other. Both were equally strong, in the second round also the same thing happened. Punches flew back and forth. But none was floored. Each punch was applauded thunderously by the crowd.

The third round came, each wanted to win. They punched each other very hard. Nobody fell to the canvas. The final bell rang but the fight continued. The bell rang again and agisftW. Buy there was no stop to the fighting. People got worried. It looked as if they were witnessing a do or die fight and not a contest. Then the referee and the trainers separated the contestants. Now the contestants embrace. They were fighting like bulls a moment ago. Now both were winners. Let their tribes increase!

Question 37.
Nomita, in the story ‘Matchbox,’ is often insulted and humiliated by her husband, Ajit. Sometimes, he hurts her feelings very much. Imagine that Nomita meets Ratna (the character mentioned in ‘Horegallu’), and she narrates the incidents of her life with Ajit to Ratna. Prepare the likely narrative. (8)
Answer:
Nomita: My husband is Ajit. We live in a joint family of 26 members. I come from a very poor family. But somehow my mother got me married into this rich’ family. I have no siblings. My mother often calls me ‘queen’. I have to struggle hard in my new home.

My mother frequently writes to me requesting me for money. She writes on postcards^which could be read by anyone, l am really ashamed that my mother is always begging for money. To prevent olhers from reading her letters, I asked my mother to write letters in an envelope. The requests are so frequent that Ajit says that there is no need for reading the letter, but send some money to her.

I secretly help my mother. My mother is very demanding and I should say she is shameless in going on asking for help. One day while collecting the soiled clothes forgiving them to the washer-man, I saw a letter in the pocket of Ajit. It was torn and crumpled. It was addressed to me and from the postmark it was obvious that Ajit got it some 3 days earlier. But he had not told me anything about it. I am unhappy because Ajit reads the letters addressed to me. I had told him many times not to do it. He says he is checking to see if any love letter is sent to me by somebody.

At this point, I got angry and called him a common, vulgar man. This enraged Ajit and he said that I was a dung- picker’s daughter. I asked him to speak softly as others would hear whatever he was saying. He said he would do whatever he wanted to do and I could do nothing about it. This challenge infuriated me. I burned a matchstick and puts is to my sari. The sari caught fire and soon it flared. Ajit, however, put out the fire. I know I did something foolish. Ajit goes on humiliating me and that is why I did it.

The poem has simple language. The entire poem is an exquisite metaphor. The imagery is great. The poem is in rhyme. Except in the first stanza, the rhyme scheme is abab.
Between the two poems, I prefer “Any Woman” by . Katharine Tynan.

Question 38.
Read the poem given below. Compare the poem with ‘Any Woman’ written by Katharine Tynan.

Clear as sunshine,
Sweet as nectar;
One who gets mother’ love
Is the true victor.

‘Tis mystic yet unmisted
Pristine and pure;
None can deny this,
I resolutely assure.

Her tears flow
For my slightest pain;
Her smiles and joy
For my smallest triumph.

She starves for me
And feeds me well;
Gives me heaven
And accepts hell.

The showers of her love
Bring joy in my way.
This unselfishness
I can never repay,

I can never repay,
This I assure;
For her love is godly,
pristine and pure.
Debasish Mishra (nectar = honey, pristine=pure, resolutely = firmly).
Answer:
This poem by Debashish Mishra is in praise of his mother. He says that his mother’s love is clear like , sunshine and sweet like nectar. One who gets is really a true victor. Her love is inexplicable. It is pure. Nobody can deny it. Her tears flow when her son is in slightest pain. She cries so much when she sees me suffering that people may think she is a fool or is mad. She starves for me and feeds me well. She gives me all kinds of joy even as she is suffering much pain. Even if I sacrifice myself, I will not be able to repay theTove my mother has shown me. Her showers of love bring joy to me because she is so unselfish. Her love is divine and I can never repay her love.

The poem is in simple language. It has fine rhythm. The rhyming scheme is ABCB, although it is not kept in some stanzas. There are different figures of speech in the poem. There is simile (clear as sunshine, sweet as nectar). There are metaphors like showers of love. Repetition can be seen as “pristine and pure” is used more than once. There is alliteratiort jneflfistine and pure”.

The poem ‘Any Woman’ by Katharine Tynan speaks of the importance of the woman in the family. She is the pillars of the house. She is the keystone of the arch. She is the roof and walls. She is the fire upon the hearth. Without her, the home would be colder than a stone. The children come to her for love and affection. She is the light of their love. The children could hardly thrive without her support. She is the one who holds the family together.

No child wants to get away from the close-knit family group. She is all over the house, from the floor to the roof. Nothing happens without her knowledge. She decorates the house and makes the children’s bed cosy and warm. She also protects the children from all dangers. She is the door that guards against all kinds of troubles and tribulations that come to pester the inmates. At the end of the poem, the wonhan prays to Jesus to spare her life till her children aiseproperly grown up.

The poem has simple language. The entirë poem is an exquisite metaphor. The imagery is great. The poem is in rhyme. Except in the first stanza, the rhyme scheme is abab. Between the two poems, I prefer “Any Woman” by Katharine Tynan.

Teachers recommend solving Kerala Syllabus Plus Two English Previous Year Question Papers and Answers Pdf March 2022 to improve time management during exams.

Kerala Plus Two English Previous Year Question Paper March 2022

Time : 2 1/2 Hours
Maximum : 80 scores

Part – I

A. Answer any four questions from 1 to 6. Each carries 1 Score. (4 × 1 = 4)

Questions 1 – 3 Read the excerpt and answer the questions that follow:
“Have you gone mad?” he says, and jumps tb her side and grabs the burning patch and slaps it between his hands and puts out the fire.

Question 1.
Who is referred to as you in the passage?
Answer:
Nomita is referred to as ‘you’ in the passage.

Question 2.
Which phrasal verb in the passage means ‘extinguish’?
Answer:
put out

Question 3.
Why does he say that “Wave you gone mad?”
(Questions 4-5) Read the lines and answer the questions that follow:
I am the twist that holds together
The children in its sacred ring,
Their knot of love, from whose close tether
No lost child goes a-wandering.
Answer:
He says that because Nomita, in her mad anger, picks up a matchbox lying near and lights a
matchstick and touches it to her sari and the sari flares up.

Question 4.
Who is referred to as T in the passage?
Answer:
“I” in the passage is the mother

Question 5.
Which word in the lines means’rope’?
Answer:
Tether

Question 6.
“Not even in my dreams. I consider that to be the worst kind of betrayal. I don’t think there is a greater sin than betraying someone’s confidence.” What is the worst kind of betrayal mentioned by Ratna in this passage?
Answer:
The worst kind of betrayal is betraying someone’s confidence. Someone tells you certain things believing that you will not say those things to others. If you divulge them to others you are betraying the confidence someone placed in you.

B. Answer all questions from 7 to 10. Each carries I score. (4 × 1 = 4)

Complete the passage given below with suitable words from those given in the box.
Now, after a series …… (7) ……. elimination bouts, they had been informed that they were ……(8)…..
meet each other in the division finals were scheduled …… (9)…… the seventh of August, two weeks away
the winner to represent the Boy’s Club ……(10)…… the Golden Gloves Championship Tournament.
Answer:
Now, after a series of elimination bouts, they had been informed that they were to meet each other in the division finals were scheduled for the seventh of August, two weeks away the winner to represent the Boy’s Club in the Golden Gloves Championship Tournament.

Part – II

A. Answer any three questions from 11 to 15. Each parries 2 scores. (4 × 1 = 4)

Question 11.
Read the lines and answer the questions that follow:
“I see him there,
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.”
(a) Who is mentioned here as ‘an old-stone savage armed”?
(b) Identify the figure of speech used in the last line.
Answer:
It is the neighbour of the narrator in the poem “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost. The neighbour is bringing stones for mending the wall and then he looks like an old, armed, stone-age savage.

Question 12.
Bring out the satire in the lines given below: “Can we get some husk from the Centre, too, to make toys with it? I don’t know.”
Answer:
The figure of speech is simile. The neighbour carrying stones is compared to an old stone-age savage, armed with stones.

Question 13.
Recent research (a) (has/have) indicated that marijuana can damage cells. A drug user’s way of life (b) (make/ makes) him more susceptible to pneumonia, tuberculosis, malnutrition and weight loss.
Answer:
a. has
b. makes

Question 14.
Irfan Alam has come to your school to inaugurate an entrepreneurship programme titled ‘New Venture.’ As the school leader, make an announcement of the event before the student. Prepare the announcement.
Answer:
Today we are lucky to have Mr. Irfan Alam to inaugurate our entrepreneurship programme titled “Newventure”. As you know Irfan Alam is an entrepreneurship and Innovation enthusiast. He won a famous Indian TV reality show, Business Baazigar on ZEE TV. The show aimed to find people with innovative business ideas and this is where his flagship organization Sammaan first came into existence. Irfan, at present, serves as the Founder and Chairman of Sammaan Foundation, a non-profit Indian company, which organizes the rickshaw-pulling sector. He was the one who suggested to redesign rickshaws so that the extra space could be sold for advertisements and brand promotion. He also made the rickshaws carry items like water, juice, biscuit, mobile cards and newspapers to be sold to a the passengers.

Question 15.
After reading the play The Hour of Truth, you realise that there are so many reasons for corruption. How can we discourage corruption? Write your opinion- in two sentences.
Answer:
We can discourage corruption by strictly following the dictates, of our conscience. Honesty is the best policy; be honest in all your dealings. If one is honest one can easily overcome the temptations for corruption just like Robert Baldwin did, in spite of the temptations given by his wife, son and daughter.

B. Answer any two questions from 16 to 18. Each carries 2 scores. (2 × 2 = 4)

Question 16.
Change the given sentences into indirect speech.
Mrs. Higgins : I want a book pf stamps and a money order for two pounds eleven shillings and five pence.
Assistant : Here is a book of stamps, madam and would you please fill in this form for the money order.
Answer:
Mrs. Higgins asked the postal assistant to give her a book of stamps and send a money order for two pounds eleven shillings and five pence. The assistant gave Mrs. Higgins the book of stamps and asked her to fill in the form for the money order.

Question 17.
Imagine that you are the dental doctor in the poem This is Going to Hurt Just a Little Bit. Someone comes to you seeking treatment. Write two pieces of advice you would make after the treatment. You can use the following expressions:
(a) You should _______.
(b) You’d better _______.
Answer:
a) You should not eat or drink anything too hot or too cold.
b) You’d better wash your mouth frequently with slightly warm water.

Question 18.
Justify thesfsuitability of the title Grime and Punishment for the story.
Answer:
The title reminded me of the novel of the same name by the famous Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The story “Crime and Punishment” by R.K. Narayan is about the simple antics of a prankster who wanted to punish his teacher for beating him. The title is short and sweet. I think the word ‘crime’ is a bit too harsh. After all, the small boy is doing only some small mischievous acts natural to kids of his age.

Part – III

A. Answer any three questions from 19 to 23. Each carries 4 scores. (3 × 4 = 12)

Question 19.
Imagine that you have become a popular writer. After finishing her anecdote Horegallu and some other stories, Sudha Murty wishes to publish them as a book. She requests you to write a blurb for it. Prepare the blurb.
Answer:
I was greatly impressed by the book “Horegallu and Some Other Stories” by Sudha Murty. Although this is her first book, she writes with the ease and natural flow of an experienced writer. She uses the language effectively to rouse our feelings. Horegallu is a stone bench. It helps tired persons to sit down and rest for sometime so that they can regain their energy.

In “Horegallu” Sudha Murty is talking about her grandfather who sits on the horegallu and talks with the villagers who work in the nearby fields and the travellers who pass by. The grandfather refreshed the workers and travellers just by listening to them. When the villagers talk about their problems to her grandfather they foel refreshed and their minds get unburdened. The writer wants us to be horegallus. The other stories are also about village life and they are very interesting as well as educative. I wish Sudha Murty all success!

Question 20.
You class is organizing a debate on the topic “Education Empowers a Society.” Write four points supporting the statement.
Answer:
a) Education empowers a society because it helps the members to understand the pros and cons of things.

b) If people are uneducated they easily fall into superstitions and they can be manipulated by clever people who are selfish and greedy.

c) Education develops your logical thinking. It helps you to separate the chaff from the grain.

d) Education develpps independent thinking. It makes you self-reliant. An educated man does not blindly follow the dictates of others.

Question 21.
In the poem Mending Wall, the poet’s view contradicts that of his neighbour’s on building walls. Do yo think that walls are necessary to create a good relationship among human beings? Write a paragraph on the significance of man-made walls.
Answer:
In the poem “Mending Wall”, the poet’s view certainly contradicts that of his neighbour’s on building wall. I think walls are necessary to create a good relationship among human beings. Good fences make good neighbours means it is good to have some limits between neighbours so that their relations will remain healthy at all times. If there is unlimited freedom between neighbours, trouble will soon start. Suppose you grow goats in your house.

Your neighbour has a vegetable garden. If there is no fence your goats will go and eat up the vegetables of your neighbour. Will he like it? Suppose your neighbour’s children come and open your fridge and eat up all the good food you have kept there. Will you like it? So there must be some boundaries between neighbours and only then there will be good relations.

Question 22.
Prepare a character sketch of Nomita in the story Matchbox.
Answer:
Nomita is the wife of Ajit. They live in a joint family. Altogether there are 26 members in that family. Nomita comes from a very poor family. But she is very beautiful and that is how she gets married into a rich family. Her mother, who is a widow, was the one who managed to find a rich boy for her daughter. Nomita has no brothers or sisters. She is referred to as ‘queen’ by her mother.

Her mother frequently writes to Nomita requesting her for money. She used to write in postcards which could be read by anyone. Nomita is ashamed that her mother is always begging for money. To prevent others from reading, Nomita asks her mother to write letter&in an envelope. The requests are so frequent that Ajit says that there is no need for reading the letter, but send some money to her. Nomita also secretly helps her mother. It seems her mother is very demanding and shameless as she goes on begging.

One day while collecting the soiled clothes for giving to the washer-man, Nomita sees a letter in the pocket of Ajit. It is torn and crumpled. It is addressed to her and from the postmark it is obvious that Ajit got it some 3 days earlier. But he had not told anything about it. Nomita is unhappy because Ajit reads the letters addressed to her. She had told him many times not to do it. He says he is checking to see if any love letter is sent to her by somebody. At this point Nomita gets angry and tells him that he is a common, vulgar man. This enrages Ajit and he says she is a dung-picker’s daughter. He will do what he wants to do and what can she about it?

Nomita, flaming with anger, picks a matchbox and lights a stick’and puts it on her sari which instantly catches fire. Ajit rushes and with his bare hands he puts out the fire telling her that she loses her common sense when she is angry. Nomita can be very sarcastic and can make faces effectively. She can easily tell lies as she calmly says her sati got burned as she was taking down a hot pot from the stove.

Nomita is good at making retorts. When her sister- in-law accuses her of rushing to Ajit at every small opportunity, she asks her to come and peek into her room to see what is happening there. Nomita can forget things fast. Soon after the burning of the sari, she is ready to peel potatoes. Even while peeling potatoes she is thinking how she can help her mother, by sending her some money.

Nomita seems Jo be a.snob. She has forgotten that‘s she came from a poorfamily. She calls Ajit a ‘common’ and vulgar man, forgetting that she is a common girl gifted with some beauty. People who forget their past are not good people. She seems to have forgotten her roots.

Question 23.
Elaborate the idea In the following lines: “Rubber plants, twice my height, now stand in rows around me on the ridge where modan and vellaran used to be sown, and confuse my path as I walk home.”
Answer:
These lines are taken from the famous poem “Rice” by Chemmanam Chacko. A rice farmer’s son had gone to North India to get a doctoral degree on . making toys with husk. There used to be plenty of husk in his house as his father cultivated different kinds of paddy. The young man got his doctorate and he is returning home after 4 years. In the meantime things had changed at home. His father stopped cultivating paddy and in its place he is now cultivating rubber.

No husk to make toys and his degree will be a waste. He is op the way home and he sees rubber plants which are twice his height. They are planted in a row. In this place, when he was at home, his father cultivated different paddy varieties known as “modan” and “vellaran”. Now he is even confused about the path that will lead him home. It shows the dilemma of the young man who is returning home after 4 years of study in North India.

B. Answer any one question from 24 to 2s. carries 4 scores. (1 × 4 = 4)

Question 24.
You are one of the students of Shaheen Mistri. You could not attend her class for two weeks as you were COVID positive. Prepare an email to your teacher explaining, your condition and inability to attend the class.
Answer:
shaheenmistri@hotmail.dbm
Madam, I have not been able to attend your classes for the last two weeks because I was diagnosed Covid positive. I am taking treatment and I am slowly recovering. But the doctor told me that I should rest for another two weeks and should not travel around. I am physically very weak and I have lost much weight as I could not eat food for lack of proper taste in my mouth. Even when I see food that I used to like before, I feel like vomiting. Things are improving and hope I will be able to come to the class after two weeks. I should say I badly miss your lessons which are so inspifing and educative.
Thank you, teacher for all the good work you are doing to help us.
Rosy Punnackal

Question 25.
Imagine that you were one among the audience who witnessed the boxing contest between the amigo brothers. You were deeply impressed by the figh,tj and their friendship. You wish to write a blog about it. Prepare the blog.
Answer:
The fight between Antonio Cruz & Felix Vargas was scheduled to take place in Tompkins Square Park. The time was afternoon. Even before the scheduled fight, the Park begins to fill up because the fighters were much liked by the people around. There was expectation in all the faces to see a very good fight. The fighters enter and the crowd explodes with a roar. Antonio & Felix bow gracefully and raise their arms in acknowledgement to welcome they received from the crowd.

The announcer makes the announcement telling that the contest is between Antonio Cruz and Felix Vargas, two fine Puerto Ricans. Felix Vargas weighs 134 pounds and his rival Antonio Cruz weighs 133 founds. The winner will represent the Boy’s Club in the tournament of champions, the Golden Gloves, verb sphere will be no draw. The Referee now gives instructions telling them it should be a clean fight. In the first round both the contestants do their best to outwit the other. But both are equally strong. In the second round also the same things happen. Punches fly back and forth, but none is floored. Each punch is applauded thunderously by the crowd.

Now comes the third round. Each contestant wants to win. They punch each other very hard. Nobody falls to the canvas. The final bell rings. But the fight continues. The bell rings again and again. But there is no stopping to the fighting. People started getting worried. It looked as if they are witnessing a do or die fight and not a contest There is utter silence. Then the referee and the trainers separate the contestants.

Now the contestants embrace. They have forgotten they were fighting like bulls up to a moment ago. The announcer makes an announcement. He is trying to name the winner and he looks around. But both Felix and Antonio had left like good old friends, arm in arm, declaring their strong bond of friendship. They proved themselves to be real amigo brothers! May their tribes increase!

Part – IV

A. Answer any three questions from 26 to 29. Each carries 6 scores. (3 × 6 = 18)

Question 26.
Nomita is infuriated by the behaviour of Ajit. She feels pity for her mother and herself. She writes a letter to her mother revealing the real nature of Ajit. Prepare the letter.
Answer:
Jehangirabad
Bhopal
4 May 2021

Dear Mother,

I got your letter asking me to send you Rs. 2000 immediately to pay for the gas and electricity. I understand your difficulty. I know you have nobody else to ask as I am the only daughter you have. But I too have problems here.

Ajit is not such a good man as you thought him to – be. In the beginning he was alright. But of late he finds much pleasure in insulting me. The letters you send me are received by him. Sometimes he is so rude that he does not even tell me about them. Your ’ last letter I happened to read just by chance. I was giving his soiled clothes to the dhobi and when I checked his trousers’ pockets I found your letter in a crumpled state. He had received it some 3 days ago, but he never told me about it. We had a big fight over it. Once he even told me that there is no need to read your letters because all of them were for asking money. He even insulted me by calling me a dung picker’s daughter.

Ajit and I are still not in talking terms. I hope things will clear up soon and then I will send you the money. Don’t write letters asking formoney, I will find a way to send you some money every month.
Say “hi” to our neighbour Meenakshi. Has her son passed his SSLC?
Your ever loving daughter,
Nomita

Question 27.
Your school has conducted a seminar on the topic “The Role of Schools in Women Empowerment’. Prepare areport of the seminar to be published in the school magazine. You can use the given hints: (Hints: venue date and time – welcome speech – inaugural address – paper presentation – open forum – vote of thanks)
Answer:
REPORT ON THE SEMINAR CONDUCTED ON THE ROLE OF SCHOOLS IN WOMEN EMPOWERMENT:
The Seminar began at 10.00 a.m. in the School auditorium. It was presided over by Miss Liz Kumari, the Chairperson of the Local Women Empowerment Wing. In her inaugural address she said the Seminar was inspired by the speech of Christine Legarde on the 3 Ls of Empowerment and the schools have a big role in Women Empowerment. The inaugural address was followed by the welcome speech by the Head of the English Department.

Three speakers presented each of the 3 Ls, Learning, Labour and Leadership. The first speaker was the local MLA Mrs. Kunjumol Beeran. She said that education is the foundation on which any change is built. She said there is a proverb in Africa which says that “If you educate a boy, you train a man. But if you educate a woman, you train a village.

The second speaker was Geeta Nandakumar, Principal of PG 6entre, where only women are admitted for the various regular courses it offers. She said the 2nd L, Labour, helps a woman to aChieve her true potential. She also insisted that spciety must follow the principle of “equal pay for equal work”. The 3rd speaker Biwi Suleiman said that the 3rd L, Leadership, enables women to rise and fulfil their inborn abilities and talents. Then they become ready to “dare the difference”.

The Paper Presentations were followed by an Open Forum. Some members of the audience had some doubts to ask and the speakers clarified their doubts. The principal Ammini Rajan thanked everyone for their cooperation. The seminar came to a close by 1.00 p.m.
Lilly Joseph
Secretary
9.3.22

Question 28.
After reading the anecdote Horegallu, you realse that you were also a horegallu in some way. Narrate the incident in which you have become the horegallu of another person.
Answer:
A horegallu is a stone bench. People who are tired sit on the horegallus they find on their way. Horegallus are usually placed under shady trees. Tired travellers can sit on the horegallu. Usually there will be a sympathetic listener sitting there. Sometime the tired traveller is also offered some cool water and other drinks like buttermilk by some good Samaritans. These horegllus thus provide both physical and mental relaxation to the tired travellers. The shade helps them to regain their physical strength. By telling the willing listeners about their problems, they also feel mentally relaxed.

As we all know joy increases when shared .but sorrow decreases when it is shared. In today’s hectic world there are not ffiany sympathetic listeners. But if somebody is willing to listen to you you feel highly relieved Don’t we hear old people always talking about their bodily pains? We won’t be able to help them in reducing their physical pain, but by patiently listening to their complaints we can help them in relieving their mental pain. We should try to be horegallus in our lives.

Once I became the horegallu of my classmate Simi. Simi comes from a poor family. Her father has no job and he is also sick. Her mother goes to work in a neighbour’s hoube and that is how they find their livelihood. Once I saw Simi sitting under a tree and crying. I went to her and asked what made her cry. She then opened her heart to me. I listened to her sympathetically. Later I shared my lunch with her. My good words filled her with optimism and she thanked me for being a horegallu.

Question 29.
After giving evidence in the court, Robert Baldwin and Gresham meet at the courtyard. Prepare a likely conversation that would take place between them. (Write at least 6 exchanges).
Answer:
Robert Baldwin: John, I’m sorry that I could not help you.

John Gresham: It’s okay Robert. You did the right thing.

RB: Somehow I could not tell the court ^don’t remember”. That would be cheating own conscience.

JG: I was wrong in offering you the $100,000 bribe. I should have known you better. In fact I am proud of you. You are an honest man and no bribe can change your kind.

RB: John, you know I love and respect you. In fact I named my son John because of my love and respect for you. I don’t know what prompted you to misappropriate the banks’money. „

JG: It was foolish on my part to do that. In a weak moment I thought I could get away with it. I thought I would not be caught. But Fate was different.

RB: I feel so bad to see you going to jail. But then I could rjot imprison my conscience. It would always prick me and I wouldn’t be able to live with it.

JG: I toid you not to worry. I have sinned and I should get the punishment. I have recommended you to Marshall to give you a good position in his bank. He will soon meet you with the offer.

RB: You are so good John. I thought you would be angry with me for not helping you. But here you are recommending me for another better job.

JG: Goodness must be rewarded. You have been so honest. Any other person in your place would have accepted my offer of $100,000 and would have told the court anything I wanted him to say. But no? you!

RB: Thank you, John. I will wait for your please when we can start things anew.

JG: Say “Hi” to Martha, John and Evie. I’m sure they will be happy with your new appointment.

B. Answer any two questions from 30 to 32. Each carries 6 scores. (2 × 6 = 12)

Question 30.
Imagine that you become a topper in Civil Service Examination, and you realise the vaule of education in the modern world. Your classmates and juniors arrange a function to honour your success. Prepare a script of the speech you would deliver on the occasion.
Answer:
Respected principal, teachers and my dear students, I am really overwhelmed at this function you have organised to honour me for topping in the Civil Service Examination. First of all let me say a big “Thank you!” to all of you.

The journey to the top was not easy. But I had firm determination to become an IAS Officer even when I was at school. I was then told a Collector of a district had great powers to do good to the people of his district. I wanted to work for the welfare of my countrymen wherever I would be. The best way to serve people is to educate oneself and use all our powers and energies to do good to others.

Education has much value. It teaches you the importance of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. It teaches you tolerance. An educated man cannot be intolerant because he knows people have different faiths and different customs and rituals. We should be able to respect the feelings of others. It is a foolish man who thinks only his religion, his idea, is right aqd all others who differ from him are wrong. Education expands one’s mental horizons and he is able to understand that one man’s religion is another man’s madness and one man’s food is another man’s poison.

Education helps us to be free from superstitions. Even during the Covid pandemic we saw silly people rushing to sorcerers and black magicians seeking remedies. An educated man won’t do that. Education makes man more empathetic. He will see the pain of others and he will do whatever he can to alleviate the pain of others. Thus education has many positive values and I exhort all of you who are still students to do your best and educate yourself to the highest level possible.
Thank you all once again!

Question 31.
You are appointed as a reporter of a channel. Your first assignment is to interview the famous Malayalam poet Sri. Satchidanandan wharves nearby your locality. Prepare six relevant questions and the possible responses to them.
Answer:
Reporter: Sir, please speak a few words about yourself and your education for the benefit of our viewers.

Satchidanandan: Myfull nameis Koyamparambath Satchidanandan. I was born in 1946 in Pulloot, a village in Kodungallur. After my early education in – the village school, I studied biology at Christ College, Irinjalakuda, and had my Masters in English from Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam. I obtained my PhD in post-structuralist poetics from the University of Calicut.

Reporter: Please say something about your career.

S: I joined as a lecturer in English at K.K.T.M, Govt. College, Pulloot in 1968, and then I moved to Christ College, Irinjalakuda, in 1970.1 voluntarily retired from in 1992 to take up the editorship of Indian Literature, the English journal of the Indian National Academy in Delhi. In 1996 I was nominated Secretary, the chief executive, of the Academy, a post from which I retired in 2006.

Reporter: Please tell us something about your career as a writer.

S: My literary career began with the publication of ‘Kurukshetram’, a collection of essays on poetry (1970) and ’Anchusooryan’, a collection of poems (1971). Since then I have published several books of poetry, criticism, plays, travelogues and translations of poetry and plays and edited several magazines like ’Jwala’, ‘Uttaram’ and ‘Pachakkutira’ besides many anthologies of poetry and essays in Malayalam, English, Hindi and Slovenian.

Reporter: Can I ask something about your family?

S: Why not? I am married and I have two daughters.

Reporter: We understand that you have received manyAwards.

S: I have received so manyAwards that I have even forgotten some of their names! I have received six Kerala Sahitya Academi Awards and one Sahitya Academic Award for my book “Marannu Vecha Vasthukkai”.

Reporter: Thank you, Sir! Thank you very much.

Question 32.
After reading the chapter When a Sapling is Planted, your school decid,es to conduct a panel discussion on the topic “The Role of Women in Environmental Conservation.” Three eminent personalities come to your school as panellists. You are to introduce the panellists. Prepare the script of the speech welcoming the panellists and introducing them to the audience.
Answer:
In the panel discussion today, we have three prominent environmentalists as panellists. My duty is to introduce them. Let me begin with Mr. C.R. Neelakandan. Mr. Neelakandan was born in 1957 at Karuvannoor in Thrissur . District. He completed his education from Christ College, Irinjalakuda and Government Engineering College, Thrissur.

He actively participates in environmental issues such as public protest against waste dumping at various places across the state such as Lalur, Vilappilashala, Panamkuttichira, Brahmapuram, Pettippalam etc. Struggles like Silent Valley, National Highway Protection Samithy, Chengara, Plachimada, GAIUL Pipe Line, High Speed Rail Corridor, Many mining projects like Mineral sand mining on Arattupuzha Coast, Moolampilly displacement, Malabar Gold pollution, Periyar River Protection, Endosulfan in Kazaragod, Aranmula Airport, Athirappilly and Pooyamkutty HEPs and many others.

Our next Panellist is Vandana Shiva. She was born in 1952. She is an Indian scholar,.environmental activist,, ecofeminist and’anti-globalisation author. She has Written more than 20 books, She is often referred to as “Gandhi of grain” for her activism associated with the anti-GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) movement.

Shiva is one of the leaders and board members of the International Forum on Globalization and a figure of the anti-globalisation movement. She has argued in favour of many traditional practices, as in her interview in the book Vedic Ecology. She received the Right Livelihood Award in 1993, an award established by Swedish-German philanthropist Jakob von Uexkull, and regarded as an “Alternative Nobel Prize”.

Our third panellist is Medha Patkar. She was born in 1954. She is a social activist and former Politician working on various crucial political and economic issues raised by tribals, dalits, farmers, labourers and women facing injustice in India. Patkar is the founder member of the 32 years old people’s movement called Narmada BachaoAndolan (NBA) in three states: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

NBA has been engaged in a struggle for justice for the people affected by the dam projects related to the SardarSarovardam project, especially those whose homes will be submerged but have not yet been rehabilitated. She was the national coordinator and then convenor of National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) for many years and now continues to be an advisor to NAPM. Under the banner of NAPM, she has participated in and supported various mass struggles across India against inequity, non-sustainability, displacement, and injustice in the name of development.

Part – V

A. Answer any two questions from 33 to 35. Each carries 8 scores. (2 × 8 = 16)

Question 33.
Dangers of Drug Abuse by Hardin Blair Jones focuses on the effects of drugs on the brain and body. But you recognize its effects on society too. Write any essay on drug abuse and its impact on society.
Answer:
Dangers of Drug abuse by Hardini Blair Jones focuses on “the effects of psychedelic drugs on the brain and body. But drugs also adversely affect the society too. The worst affected are the youth, who are supposed to be the leaders of tomorrow. If the youth is waylaid, the future of the society is in jeopardy.

The negative consequences of drug abuse affect not only individuals who abuse drugs but also their families and friends, various businesses,! and government resources. Although many of these effects cannot be quantified, ONDCP (Office of National Drug Control Policy) recently reported that in 2002, the economic cost of drug abuse to the United States was $180.9 billion.

The most obvious effects of drug abuse which are manifested in the individuals who abuse drugs – include ill health, sickness and, ultimately, death. Particularly devastating to an abuser’s health is the contraction of needle borne if lnesses including hepatitis and HIV/AIDS through injection drug use. Centres fdr Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 123,235 adults living with AIDS in the United States in 2003 contracted the disease from injection drug use, and the survival rate for those persons is less than that for persons who contract AIDS from any other mode of transmission. CDC further reports that more than 25,000 people died in 2003 from drug-induced effects.

Children of individuals who abuse drugs often are abused or neglected as a result of the individuals’ preoccupation with drugs. National-level studies have shown that parents who abuse drugs often put their need to obtain and abuse drugs before the health and welfare of their children. Children whose parents and other family members abuse drugs often are physically or emotionally abused and often lack proper immunizations, medical care, dental care, and necessities such as.food, water, and shelter.

The risk to children is even greater when their parents or guardians manufacture illicit drugs such as methamphetamine. Methamphetamine abusers often produce the drug in their own homes and apartments, using hazardous chemicals such as hydriodic acid, iodine, and anhydrous ammonia. Children who inhabit such homes often inhale dangerous chemical fumes and gases or ingest toxic chemicals or illicit drugs. These children cdifimonly test positive for methamphetamine and suffer from both short- and long-term health consequences.

Drug abuse on businesses can be significant. While many drug abusers are unable to attain or hold full time employment, those who do work put others at risk, particularly when employed in positions where even a minor degree of impairment could be catastrophic; airline pilots, air traffic controllers, train operators, and bus drivers are just a few examples. Economically, businesses often are affected becstuse employees who abuse drugs sometimes steal cash or supplies, equipment, and products that can be sold to get money to buy drugs. Moreover, absenteeism, lost productivity, and increased use of medical and insurance benefits by employees who abuse drugs affect a business financially.

Question 34.
Irfan Alam has started a new firm to organise the street vendors of Kerala. He has given the following advertisement in a popular daily seeking applications from eligible candidates to carryout the programme in each district. Imagine that you have all the qualifications for othe post. Prepare an application letter and a resume for the post.

WANTED DISTRICT CO-ORDINATORS

Wanted District Co-ordinators for ABC Foundation with Kerala to handle commercial and administrative functions independently.
Educational Qualification – Graduation/ Post Graduation in Social Work
Desirable -proficiency in English, computer skills, leadership ability
Experience – 2 years and above in social work Age – less than 40 years

Attractive remuneration package Please send a detailed resume with contact number and mailing address to:
Irfan Alam
CEO, ABC Foundation
SRA34, Raj Street, Kerala – 9.
Answer:
From

20 April 2022

Simi Lbrahim
Manavatur House
P.O. lrinjalakuda
PIN 680 121

To
lrfan Alam
CEO, ABC Foundation
SRA 34, Raj Street, Kerala – 9

Dear sir
APPICATION FOR THE POST OF A DISTRICT
This has reference to your advertisement in the “Malayala Manorama” dated 15 April 2022 inviting applications from candidates for the posts of District Coordinators for ABC Foundations in Kerala. I have a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Calicut University. I have served as a social worker for 3 years under the Government of Kerala. I am 26 years old.

I shall be happy if you give due consideration to my application. Although I am willing to come for an interview at any place and any time, I shall feel very happy if it can be done somewhere in Thrissur District between now and mid-June.

I am a passionate social worker and I look forward to use my talents in this regard. I want to serve my motherland in the best possible manner.

My detailed resume and other documents are enclosed.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
(Simi Ibrahim)
Enel: 4

RESUME OF SIMI IBRAHIM

Objective:  To work in an Organization which will help me to utilise my talents for the welfare of my countrymen. Name, e-mail and Phone No. : Simi Ibrahim simi@hotmail.com 94962756734 Age and Date of Birth :  26 years, 1 may 1996 Nationality :  India Marital status :  Singls Educational Qualifications: M.A. Social Work. Passed in 2018 with 72% marks from Vimala College Thrissur. BA. Social Work 2016 with 71 % marks from Vimala College, Thrissur. +2 with A Grade in all subjects from St. Marys HSS lnnjalakuda. SSLC with A+ in all subjects from, St. Mary’s HSS Irinjalakuda. Exprience : Worked as a Social Worker in a temporary post under the Government of Kerala for 3 years from July2018to June 2021. Activities : I have helped in organising different social activities for the Senior Citizens of Irinjalakuda. Skills : Well versed in Computer Word Was a Member of College Badminton Team Have passed IELTS.  Possess leadership qualities Languages : Malayalam, English and Hindi Hobbies : Reading, Travel and Classical Music

Question 35.
Read the lines from the poem Silent, Strong Dad written’by Karen K. Boyer.
Silent, Strong Dad
(Karep K. Boyer)

He never looks for praises
He’s never one to boast.
He just goes on quietly working
For those he loves the most.
His dreams are seldom spoken.
His wants are very few,
And most of the time his worries
Will go unspoken, too.
He’s there …… a firm foundation
Through alj bur storms of life,
A sturdy hand to hold onto’
In times of stress and strife.
A true friend we can turn to
When times are good or bad.:
One of our greatest blessings,
The man that we call Dad.
Answer:
In her famous poem “Silent, Strong Dad”, Karen K. Boyer speaks about her dad. She says that her father never looks for praises. He’s never one to boast. He just goes on quietly working For those he loves the most. His dreams are seldom spoken. His wants are very few. Most of the time, his worries will go unspoken too. He’s a firm foundation. Through all our storms of life his is a sturdy hand to hold to In times of stress and strife. He is a true friend we can turn to. When times are good or bad, he is one of our greatest blessings. The poem is in rhyme and the rhyming scheme is abcb.

“Any Woman” by Katharine Tynan is about “Mother’s Love”. There is a saying that since God could hot be everywhere at the same time, he created mothers. It shows the importance of mothers. Mother is a synonym for love. Their love is unconditional. They expect nothing in return for the love they give you. That is the most important thing about a mother’s love.

Right from the time a child is formed in the womb, the mother starts loving her baby. Once the baby is born, its entire care is done by the mother. Feeding it, cleaning it, nursing it, making it sleep, making it comfortable – all this is done by the mother. When her child is sick, the mother keeps awake the whole night nursing her child. She knows without her the child will not live and grow comfortably. That is why we see her praying, “God don’t take my life away until my children grow up!” Mother’s love is unique and there is nothing that can be compared to it. What we are today is the result of our mothers’ love.

The poem is in simple language. The entire poem is an exquisite metaphor. It is in rhyme. Except the first stanza, the rhyming scheme is abab. Between the two poems, I prefer the poem “Any Woman” by Katharine Tynan.

Teachers recommend solving Kerala Syllabus Plus Two English Previous Year Question Papers and Answers Pdf March 2023 to improve time management during exams.

Kerala Plus Two English Previous Year Question Paper March 2023

Time : 2 1/2 Hours
Maximum : 80 scores

Questions 1 – 8 Answer all questions. Each carries 1 score. (8 × 1 = 8)

Read the passages and answer the questions that follow:
I come home at the end of four years of research in North India, having earned a doctoral degree and generous praise for my work on making toys with husk; bored with eating chapaties day after day, I’m eager to eat a meal of athikira rice.

Question 1.
Identify the poet.
Answer:
Chemmanam Chacko

Question 2.
Who has gone to North India?
Answer:
The elder son of the rice farmer. The farmer used to cultivate rice, but he has stopped cultivating rice and has moved to rubber.

Question 3.
What is the purpose of his journey?
Answer:
The purpose of his journey was to make researches and get a doctorate in “Making Toys with Husk”

Question 4.
What is he eager about to eat from home? She went about her repetitive, mundane work with an ‘infectious cheerfulness.
Answer:
He is eager to eat “athikira” rice from home.

Question 5.
Who is ‘she’ referred to in the passage?
Answer:
Ratna, the colleague of the narrator of “Horegallu”, by Sudha Murty.

Question 6.
Identify the speaker.
Answer:
The speaker is the narrator in the story “Horegallu” by Sudha Murty.

Question 7.
What is the figure of speech used here?
Answer:
Oxymoron (“infectious” and “cheerfulness” don’t go together).

Question 8.
Choose the phrase from the passage which means ability to spread happiness.
Answer:
Infectious

Questions 9-12. Answer any three questions. Each carries 2 scores. (3 × 2 = 6)

Question 9.
Why does the poet dislike sitting on a dentist’s chair ‘with his mouth wide open?’
Answer:
The poet dislikes sitting on a dentist’s chair with his mouth wide open because some tortures are physical and some tortures are mental but the dental torture is both.

Question 10.
(a) Neither the shoes nor the bag (match)the dress.
Answer:
matches

(b) These trousers (need) to be ironed.
Answer:
need

Question 11.
Ashapurna Debi compares women to match boxes. Do you agree? Give reason.
Answer:
don’t agree. Women are loving, tolerant and slow to anger. Mothers cannot be matchboxes.

Question 12.
‘Women deserve equality and not reservation.’ Write 2 points either to support or counter the statement.
Answer:
a) Women are not as aggressive as men and so they need reservation if we want to give them the recognition they deserve.

b) If there are no reservations for women, there will be no woman in our municipalities, corporations, Assemblies and the Parliament. Although there are more women in Kerala than men, there are only 3 women ministers here against the 18 men.

Questions 13-19. Answer any five questions. Each carries 4 scores. (5 × 4 = 20)

Question 13.
If you have the two options of becoming a government servant or an entrepreneur, which one would you prefer? Express your thoughts in a paragraph.
Answer:
I would prefer to be an entrepreneur. If I am an entrepreneur I can manage the things the way I want.  By being an entrepreneur. I can use my various talents to their full potential. By being an entrepreneur I will be able to provide job opportunities ‘ to many other people. By being an entrepreneur, I can do the things I like, the way I like. I don’t like to work sitting at a particular place doing the same kind of job from 9 to 5 from Monday to Friday and ’ nothing to do on the weekends. I will be proud to know that I am the decision maker and I ara not following orders from anyone else. I enjoy taking risks and make use of my leadership qualities.

Question 14.
“Women sometimes lack confidence to match their competence.” Comment on the statement.
Answer:
Women are intelligent and competent in nature. We have seen very powerful women in history including our Indira Gandhi. But sometimes women, generally speaking, lack confidence and they are reluctant to do many things. The conviction that we can do things ’ is very important in life. For that you have to have belief in yourself. But very often many women lack this self-belief. They start doubting if they can do certain things and they are not willing to take the risk. In India we have very powerful women even now.

We have people like Mamata Banerjee who are very strong and they are not afraid of anybody or anything. But such ladies are rare. I think our society is responsible for making our women lack confidence. From the beginning of their lives, the women are told that they are to live as daughters, wives and mothers and they should learn to submit to the father first, and then to the husband. Unfortunately women are even branded the “weaker sex” which is an injustice to women.

Question 15.
Justify the aptness of the title of the story “Crime and Punishment.”
Answer:
I think the title “Crime and Punishment” by R.K. Narayan is an apt one for the story. There is crime and then there is punishment. The boy does the crime of repeating the same mistake wilfully and he gets slapped as punishment. Slapping is the crime by the teacher and he gets punishment from the boy. That is why he has to act as a station mater and tell him so many stories ad run after him, all against his will. In fact there is a world famous novel by the same name by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Narayan must have copied the title. But in Dostoyevsky’s novel, the crime is murder and not the small mishiefs in R.K. Narayan’s story.

Question 16.
“Stammer” symbolizes the ability to protest, respond and react to the evils of the society. Do you agree? Comment.
Answer:
I quite agree with the statement that stammer symbolizes the ability to protest, respond and react to the evils of the society. In his famous poem “Stammer”, the poet, K. Satchidanandan, stresses how stammer becomes equivalent to one’s mother tongue. It also specifies how these flaws which are specified here as stammer add additional power to the one who stammers. The poet says that stammer can be labelled as a mode of speech wherein silence alsd becomes something meaningful. The poet further stresses that there is a need for the reader to fill in the gaps themselves to derive their own meaning from stammering. The beauty of Stammer is how it basks in its own ambiguity. It is further shown how stammering is not just an item in the complex world of imperfections. The poet feels that God himself had stammered when he created man.

Question 17.
“Good fences make good neighbours”. Elaborate the idea in a paragraph.
Answer:
Good fences make good neighbours means it is good to have some limits between neighbours so that their relations will remain healthy at all times. If there is unlimited freedom between neighbours, trouble will soon start. Suppose you grow goats in your house. Your neighbour has a vegetable garden. If there is no fence your goats will go and eat up the vegetables of your  neighbour. Will he like it? Suppose your neighbour’s children come and open your fridge and eat up all the good food you have kept there. Will you like it? So there ‘must be some boundaries between neighbours and only then there will be good relations.

Question 18.
Edit the following: Today, over fifty years later, the stream have dried up, women walks long distances to water which is not always clean, and children will never know what they has lost.
Answer:
Today, over fifty years later, the stream has dried up, women walk long distances to get water which is not always clean, and children will never know what they have lost.

Question 19.
Assistant : “No parcel for me to weigh?”
Mrs. Smith : Good gracious, no! I’ve sent all my presents and cards. I believe in posting early for Christmas.
Assistant : “I wish more people would do that.”
Answer:
The Assistant asked Mrs. Smith if she hadn’t any parcel for her to weigh. Mrs. Smith exclaimed and said she had sent all her presents and cards. She believed in posting early for Christmas. The Assistant wished more people did that.

Questions 20 – 25. Answer any five. Each carries 6 scores.

Question 20.
As the reporter of the BBC News you are present at the court during the time of Gresham’s trial. Give a live TV report regarding the trial.
Answer:
John Gresham was brought to the court for trial. He was looking sad and distressed. The charge against him was that he had misappropriated a huge sum of money from the bank which he owned. Robert Baldwin was the governor of the bank. Many people, including the children of Baldwin, think that he knew about the misappropriation. But the fact is that Baldwin is an honest man and he would not support such a crime.

The judge asked John Gresham if he was really guilty of the charge against him. Everybody expected John Gresham to deny the charge. But surprising everybody including the judge, Gresham said he was guilty. He added that Robert Baldwin who was the governor of the bank had no knowledge about the misappropriation, which he did all by himself. He is sorry for what he has done, and he is ready to accept whatever punishment the court gives him.

Question 21.
Explain the significance of the title ‘Horegallu’.
Answer:
“Horegallu” means a stone that can bear weight. In the story “Horegallu” by Sudha Murty, the horegallu is ‘a large flat stone placed horizontally over two vertical ones. Thus it acts as a stone bench where travellers can sit, talk with one another and share their burdens or troubles of life. “Horegallu” symbolically means an active listener who listens to the problems and worries of others with sympathy, patience and without any judgement. This active listener should be a positive person Who must have a positive outlook on life. Then only he/she can listen to the burdens of others and give them some kind of psychological relief. The listener may not be able to do anything to help the person who tells him of the problems. But these human horegallus give a chance for others to lighten their burdens. This is the significance of the title.

Question 22.
Imagine you are selected as the announcer of the match between Argentina and Portugal at the Fifa World Cup 2022. Write the script of the announcement to be made before the match.
Answer:
Ladies and Gentlemen, Qatar has become the focus of attention in,the world. The match between two of the world’s finest teams trying to grab the FIFA World Cup 2022 will soon start. It is Argentina Vs Portugal. The captain of the Argentina team is Lionel Messi. It hasn’t been all plain sailing for Argentina at this World Cup, losing their opening game 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in one of the biggest shocks in the tournament’s history. But Argentina came back into the game in their next two group games to beat both Mexico and Poland 2-0. The Portugal team is captained by Christiano Ronaldo. It is a match between Messi and Ronaldo. Who will win? Will Argentina take the World Cup home? Or will Ronaldo’s Portugal beat Argentina? We shall soon see.

Question 23.
Akanksha Foundation is doing a significant job by transforming the lives of underprivileged children. Draft an e-mail to your friend on your impression about Akanksha Foundation.
Answer:
mehboobsaithu@hotmail.com
Dear Mehboob,
I am sending you this mail to let you know my impressions about Akanksha Foundation. The Akanksha Foundation was founded by Shaheen Mistri. It is a non-profit organization in India, which works with children from low-income communities. The foundation works primarily in the field of education, through its School Project model. Akanksha runs schools in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur in partnership with the municipalities. Akanksha was founded by Shaheen Mistri in 1991.

She saw that many underprivileged children had no chance of getting any kind of education. She felt sorry for them and she wanted to help. It was not easy for her to start this organization. She approached 20 schools to give her a room for 3 hours in the morning. But all of them refused giving various pretexts. She was about to give up when the principal of Holy Name High School in Colaba agreed to give her one room. This was the first Akanksha Centre. From then the organization has grown and flourished.

I was impressed with the work of Shaheen Mistri. I want to start something like Akanksha for our poor illiterate women in our towh and its outskirts. Let me have your ideas on my proposed project.
Manohar

Question 24.
Bring out the elements of satire in the poem “Rice” highlighting the changes in the attitude of people with the changing times.
Answer:
In his poem “Rice”, Chemmanam Chacko has vehemently satirised the socio-cultural changes especially among the farmers. The poem is laced with scorn and sarcasm. The son of a farmer goes to North India to do a research on making toys with rice husk. He works hard for four years, eating chapati day after day. Finally at the end of four years he succeeds in getting a doctorate. He must have thought of doing research on the possibilities of husk because as the son of a rice farmer, he had plenty of husk at home and also in the homes nearby. By using husk for toy making, a lot of people could find employment in a State notorious for unemployment.

But then there is an anticlimax. When the son returns home with his hard-earned doctorate on making toys with hifsk, there is no husk at all in his house or in the houses around. The farmers there had shifted to
cash crops like rubber as they found rice cultivation inconvenient and non-profitable. Moreover a lot of incentives were given by the promoters to cultivate cash crops. The son finds his father watching people setting up a machine for making rubber sheets.

All the paddy fields are gone and in their places what he sees are the rubber trees and deal-wood trees. There is biting sarcasm in the description of the Chief Minister flying to the Centre to request for more food grains to feed the people here. The son comes home to eat rice after getting fed up with chapatis made of wheat flour. But his wish can’t be fulfilled because here also he has to eat things made of wheat flour as there is no rice. His doctoral degree is now useless as there is no husk to make toys.

Question 25.
Irfan Alam says “It is important to take risks to achieve your dreams.” Comment on this statement.
Answer:
When Irfan Alam says “It is important to take risks to achieve your dreams” he is just repeating what the proverb says, “No pain, no gain”. To achieve one’s dreams one has to take risks. Once Irfan was travelling in a rickshaw and in the middle of the journey he was very thirsty. He asked the rickshaw puller if he had any water. He said he did not have any water because it was expensive to get bottles of water and stack them. Immediately Irfan realised that there was a market for selling water bottles in the rickshaws.

This incident made Irfan think of a project for selling water bottles in the rickshaws. He had the problem-solving skill. We know a child will never learn to walk if he is afraid to take the first step. The Wright brothers would have never flown if they had been afraid. If you have dreams you should be prepared to take risks. Could men go to the moon if they refused to take the risk?

When Pilan found that selling bottles of water in the rickshaws was profitable, he added more items like fruit juice, pre-paid cards, mobile phones etc. Rickshaws were designed to enable them to display advertisements. Then he started SammaaN Foundation which helped the rickshaw pulfers and their families in different ways. SammaaN is profitable, as in one year it made a profit of 8 lakhs.

Question 26-28. Answer any two. Each carries 8 scores.

Question 26.
Saving the youth from drug and alcohol addiction has become the need of the hour. As a volunteer of the anti-narcotic club, prepare a speech to be presented at the school assembly on the topic “Drug Abuse among Teenagers: Causes and Effects.”
Answer:
Drug Abuse among Teenagers: Causes and Effects:
The problem of drug abuse has become a serious menace threatening the future and even the life of the youth, especially the school and college-going youth. This age group is more vulnerable to drug abuse because most of them are teenagers. Teenage is the time of stress and strain. To overcome their stress and strain, many youngsters abuse drugs. These drugs give them temporary pleasure, relieving them of their tensions for some time.

There are many reasons for drug abuse among the youth. They get a lot of money from their parents. Since most families have only one child or two, the parents pamper them. Many parents do not find time to spend with their children. Another reason for drug abuse is peer influence. A third reason is the blind imitation of the so-called glamour boys and girls in films and sports who use drugs. A 4th reason is the easy availability of the drugs. Another reason is the moral laxity of the times. The law-enforcing agencies do not do their work sincerely. There is corruption everywhere and one can do anything if one has money.

Sensual drugs play havoc with the body and mind of their users. The drug addict experiences sensory deprivation. He has a general feeling of physical discomfort and there are personality changes in him. The addict feels depressed. His mental disturbance can be like parano. The addict knows he has a problem. But he does not know its source. He looks at external objects with suspicion. Anything outside scares him and he withdraws further and further into himself.

Drugs also affect the body adversely. Dirty needles and solutions can cause liver diseases, venereal diseases and infection of the kidney and brain. Sniffing cocaine and amphetamines can damage the tissue of the nose. Marijuana and tobacco smoking can cause lung diseases. Babies of women who are addicted to drugs are likely to be born with a lot of problems. A drug addict can easily get pneumonia, tuberculosis and have problems of malnutrition and weight loss. An overdose of any drug can cause resoiratorv or cardiac failure and death.

The drug problems can be solved only through the concerted efforts of the parents, teachers, community leaders and the law-enforcing agencies. Awareness programmes should be conducted about the dangerous effects of drug abuse. The community leaders should help the youth to channel their energies in the right directions. The police must ensure that sensual drugs are not easily available. Drug abuse is a demon that should be exterminated from our midst with all the might we can muster.

Question 27.
“Emancipation and empowerment of women is of prime importance in every society.” In the light of your understanding of the ideas expressed by Christine Legarde, prepare an editorial on the role played by women in the progress of the nation.
Answer:
The Role Played by Women in the Progress of a Nation India’s population today is something like 143 crores, of which 51.6% are male and 48.4 and female. That means nearly half of the population is female. So if we want to progress, we should ensure that both males and females can work with a sense of equality. But unfortunately ours is a patriarchal society which prefers to keep its women at home for doing the household chores, looking after the children and serving their husbands. This has to change. For that women have to be empowered.

If women are to get empowered and get equality with men in various walks of life, first of all they have to change their mindset. It is essential that women be ready to dare the difference. The problem with women is that most of them’ are satisfied with the status quo. They are happy to be ‘housewives’ and they willingly change their names to be Mrs. somebody after their marriage! It is this mindset that needs to change. Women should feel that they have their individualities; their personalities and their existence. They are not mere appendage to men.

Many women of today have multiple needs. Gone are the days when they would be happy at home doing the household chores and looking after the children. Today they need good education. They want to get knowledge and thereby increase their wisdom. They want to know what is happening around the world and they want to read great books about which they have been hearing so many things from others.

Today’s women also want equality with men in job opportunities. If we look at the various professions, we find that most of the employees are men. The people on top also will be men. It is rare to find women executives at the top. Except in professions like teaching and nursing women are not given opportunities like men. Women resent it and they believe that what a man can do a woman can do better. Today women want to be leaders also. Women are often kept out of leadership positions and this is more so in African countries. There they believe that women are incapable of good leadership. But today’s women want to change that attitude. In their opinion, women tend to make decisions based on consensus building, inclusion, compassion and sustainability.

They should be ready to take risk and step outside their comfort zones. The life outside the four walls of home is not all that smooth and comfy. Challenges will be there. Risks will be there. Obstacles will there. But then they have to overcome and show the world they are equal to the task. For that they need the 3 Ls of Empowerment – Learning, Labour and Leadership.

Question 28.
Read the following poem given belw and compare it with “Mending Wall”.

As I Grew Older

Langston Hughes

It was long time ago
I have almost forgotten my dream
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun
My dream
And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream.
Rose until it touched the sky
The wall.
Shadow.
I am black.
I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me,
Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
My hands! ,
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into thousand whirling dreams
Of sun!
Answer:
The poem “As I grew Older” reflects on a dream the poet had many years ago and has nearly forgotten . by now. At first, his dream seemed as radiant as the sun itself, and he thought it was easy to realise it. But gradually, a barrier separated him and his dream The barrier grew higher, dimming his hopes until it blocked the dream completely like a wall blocking out sunlight.

It cast a shadow over his life, leaving him with the realization that society has defined him as Black. The shadow drains his energy. He can’t see his dream anymore, because of the huge racial barrier and the shadow it casts. He then urges his black hands to find the strength to smash the barrier and attain his dream. He hopes the radiance of the original dream will come back and he will have brighter dreams.

The poem by Langston Hughes is a fine one giving a very good message of hope and optimism. We see a fine simile when he compares his dream to be “bright like a sun”. There is hyperbole when he speaks of “break this shadow into a thousand lights of sun, into a thousand whirjing dreams of sun”. The poem has many themes: racism, alienation, dream and its shattering, optimism, strength, and the cruelty of the society.

Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” examines the nature of interpersonal interactions. There are two different types of people: those who favour barriers and those who do not.

The poet, a New England farmer, is seen in the poem walking alongside his neighbour to mend the stone wall that divides their two fields in the spring. Nature does not like walls. It tried to destroy them. But the neighbour feels “Good fences make good neighbours.”

“Mending Wall” discusses a universal theme. “As I Grew Older” discusses the problems of the Blacks, who feel discriminated. Between the two poems I prefer “As I Grew Older” as it speaks for the marginalised people and ends with high hope and optimism.