Mid-term exam 2023-24

Subject- English Marks- 50marks

Std- 11th Time- 2 hours

Instructions:
 Figures placed at the right indicate full marks.
 The time slot is of 2 hours that means 120 minutes.
 Do not use colour pencils or sketch pens for drawing mind map, blog writing.
 All the questions are compulsory.

Q1. Read the extract and complete the activities given below: 12 marks

Punctually at midday he opened his bag and out his professional equipment, which consisted of dozen
cowrie shells, a square piece of cloth with obscure mystic charts on it, a notebook, and a bundle of
palmyra writing. His forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion, and his eyes sparkled with
a sharp abnormal gleam which was really an outcome of a continual searching look for customers, but
which his simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt comforted. The power of his eyes was
considerably enhanced by their position- placed as they were between the painted forehead and the
dark whiskers which streamed down his cheeks: even half-wit's eyes would sparkle in such a setting. To
crown the effect he wound a saffron-coloured turban around his head. This colour scheme never failed.
People were attracted to him as bees are attracted to cosmos or dahlia stalks. He sat under the boughs
of a spreading tamarind tree which flanked a path running through the Town Hall Park. It was a
remarkable place in many ways. A surging crowd was always moving up and down this narrow road from
morning till night. A variety of trades and occupations was represented all along its way: medicine
sellers, sellers of stolen hardware and junk, magicians, and above all, an auctioneer of cheap cloth, who
created enough din all day to attract the whole town. Next to him in vociferousness came a vendor of
fried groundnut, who gave his ware a fancy name each day, calling it "Bombay Ice Cream" one day and
on the next "Delhi Almond," and on the third "Raja's Delicacy," and so on and so forth, and people
flocked to him. A considerable portion of this crowd dallied before the astrologer too.

A1. Global Understanding:

The Town Hall Park was a remarkable place in many ways for an astrologer to build his business. Choose
from the list and write the exceptional qualities of the place. The exceptional qualities of the place:

(i) Auctioneers of cheap cloth (ii) a vociferous vendor of fried almonds. (iii) magicians (iv) bright
lights (v) plenty of traffic (vi) a large crowd (vii) a line of astrologers (viii) sellers of medicine.
 A2. Complex Factual :

List any four points that describe the appearance of the astrologer.

A3. Inference/Interpretation/Analysis:

‘The groundnut vendor was beneficial to the astrologer." Explain why.

A4. Personal Response:

A5. Language Study (Do as directed) :

(1) The power of his eyes was considerably enhanced by their position. (Rewrite beginning 'The
position...... ') ----> Positioned strategically, his eyes wielded considerably enhanced power.

(2) He sat under the boughs of a spreading tamarind tree which flanked a path. (Rewrite using
the 'ing' form of the underlined word.)
-----> Sitting under the boughs of a spreading tamarind tree, he was flanking a path.
A6. Vocabulary:
Give one word from the extract for the following:
(1) difficult to understand. (2) something that relates to supernatural powers and is not easily
understood. (3) bright, shining and impressive. (4) moving suddenly and powerfully forward.

B1. Do as directed/Transformation of sentences: 4marks

1. Start a waste segregation system in your building, school or neighbourhood. (Rewrite using a modal
auxiliary denoting compulsion.)

(2) Using insecticides really ends up poisoning the family.

(Rewrite beginning ....’If… ’)

To me, a world without poverty means that every person would have the ability to take care of his or her
own basic life needs. In such a world, nobody would die of hunger or suffer from malnutrition.
Everybody in every part of the globe would have access to education and health-care services, because
he or she would be able to afford them. Unlike today, the state would not be required to provide free or
subsidized health-care or schooling All state organizations created to provide free or subsidized services
for the poor would no longer be required and could be done away with. Thus, no need for welfare, or
local welfare agencies, or the national welfare department.State-run safety-net programmes would have

no rationale for existence because no one would live on charity any more. State-run social security
programmes, Income-support programmes would be unnecessary.

Nobody would be at the mercy of anyone else, and that is what would make all the difference between a
world without poverty and one riddled with it.Finally, a poverty-free world would be economically much
stronger and far more stable than the world today.One-fifth of the world's Inhabitants who today live a
life of extreme poverty would become income earners and income spenders. They would generate extra
demand in the market to make the world. economy grow. They would bring their creativity and
innovations into the market-place to increase the world's productive capacity.Since nobody would ever
become poor, except on a temporary and limited basis, the economy would probably not go through
extreme swings. We would avoid boom-and-bust cycles and be able to surmount man-made disasters
with greater ease.

A1. Global Understanding: Correct the following statements with the help of the facts 2 from the
extract:

(1) Everybody in every part of the globe would have access to administration and social care services,
because he or she would not be able to afford them.

(2) We would avoid boom and bust cycles and be able to surmount natural disaster with great case.

A2. Complex Factual :

Complete the following statement:

The situation in the world without poverty, would be different, because –

(1) the state need not..........

(2) nobody.........
A3. Inference/Interpretation/Analysis:

Find and write in the blank boxes: One fifth of the world's inhabitants today live a life of extreme
poverty. How would they economically stand in a poverty-free world?

They would be income earners …………….. …………….

and income spenders

A4. Personal Response :

Suggest at least four solutions to overcome the problems of increasing poverty.

A5. Language Study (Do as directed):

Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:

(1) Nobody would die of hunger or suffer from malnutrition.

(Convert the sentence to positive without changing its meaning.)

2. Everybody in every part of the globe would have accessed education and health-care services. (Rewrite
the sentence beginning with 'Education".)

A6. Vocabulary :

Find out the words from the extract that mean the following:

1.calamity. 2.overcome

3.bringing new ideas 4.financially

B. Do as directed/Transformation of sentences: 4marks

(1) I have great reverence for India's heritage. (Rewrite using the verb form of the underlined word.)

(2) My aim was to acquaint Indian children with their heritage.(Rewrite beginning 'It. .... )

C.Mind -Mapping. ( 3 marks)

Complete the given blank spaces with your ideas in the figure that describes your basic preparation for
the HSC

1. Preparing for the HSC Board examination.

Weavers, weaving at break of day,

Why do you weave a garment so gay? ..... Blue as the wing of a halcyon wild, We weave the robes of a
new-born child.

Weavers, weaving at fall of night, Why do you weave a garment so bright? ........ Like the plumes of a
peacock, purple and We weave the marriage-veils of a queen. green,

Weavers, weaving solemn and still, What do you weave in the moonlight chill ...... White as a feather
and
white as a cloud, We weave a dead man's funeral shroud.

Q.1Describe in your own words the steps or measures that can be taken to solve the problems of the Indian
weavers. (1 marks)

2. Pick out and explain two examples of 'Simile' from the poem. (1marks)

3. Compose four lines on 'Importance of clothes'.(1 marks)

4. Pick out and explain two examples of 'Simile' from the poem. (1marks)

5. Compose four lines on 'Importance of clothes'.(1 marks)

2. Write Appreciation for the following poem . 4 marks

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road, Healthy, free, the world before me, The long brown
path before me leading wherever I choose. Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-
fortune, Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing, Done with indoor
complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms, Strong and content I travel the open road. The earth, that is
sufficient, I do not want the constellations any nearer, I know they are very well where they are, I
know they suffice for those who belong to them. (Still here I carry my old delicious burdens, I carry
them, men and women, I carry them with me wherever I go, I swear it is impossible for me to get rid
of them, I am fill’d with them, and I will fill them in return.)
Section C. (Wtiting-Skills) (Any 1 ) 4 marks

1) Read the given conversation between Rakesh and Mrs Sarkar.

Rakesh: Hello, may I speak to Dr Sarkar?

Mrs. Sarkar: He has gone to the hospital to attend the OPD.May I know who is speaking?

Rakesh: Yes, I am Rakesh Sood. My wife has been having a severe headache since yesterday. Since this
morning she has also developed high temperature. I would be very grateful if the doctor could come
over to our place to examine her

Mrs. Sarkar: Of course. Please let me note down your address.

Rakesh: It is B-49, New Colony.

Mrs. Sarkar : I will give him your message as soon as he returns.

Rakesh: Thank you.

Mrs. Sarkar had to leave for the school where she teache So she wrote a message for her husband.
Draft the messa in not more than 50 words.

OR

Q.2 Write a blog in the proper format on the following topics with the help of the given points :

(1) Social Dynamics - (behaviour of groups, importance of leader, change in Ideas)

Section D: Novel. 4 marks

Pick out the odd element from the group:

(1) Arun Joshi, Vikram Seth, Graham Greene, Kiran Nagar

(2) Place, Period, Theme, Climate, Lifestyle

(3) Theme, Plot, Character, Novella

(4) Arvind Adiga, Arundhati Roy, R.K. Narayan, Kiran Desa