CBSE - PRE BOARD EXAMINATION

ENGLISH (301)
TERM II
Max Marks: 40 Time: 2 Hrs
Geeneral instructions :
1. The Question Paper contains THREE sections - READING, WRITING and LITERATURE
2. Attempt questions based on specfic instructions for each part.
SECTION - A
READING (14 marks)

1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

(i) Our ancient sages and forefathers had taught us the importance of three qualities as essential
requisitesto preserve our culture eternally. They relate to our intellectual, emotional and physical aspects
involving moment to moment transactions. They are fearlessness, non-attachment and non-violence.
(ii) The most important among the three is fearlessness. Whenever our culture or our values are threatened,
we should have the courage to stand against the inimical forces. The conflict between truth and untruth
or right and wrong is a phenomenon that has baffled people right from the beginning of creation. Many
times we feel that wickedness is over-running righteousness. But we should realise that this is temporary.
Ultimately truth alone will win. This is the law of nature. The main weapon in the battle for the victory
of dharma (righteousness) is fearlessness. This is essentially a state of mind.
(ii) To develop fearlessness, we have to shed our ego that often clouds our mind and intellect. First of all we
must develop a firm conviction in the principles and beliefs we value. We should then remain ready to
sacrifice everything that we hold dear to us. Some people merely sacrifice their possessions, that too
mainly for the sake of name and fame. That is not true sacrifice. Giving up one's ego with a spirit of
surrender or submission to the unseen power of the Almighty to attain fearlessness is true sacrifice.
We understand submission as mere obedience to our superiors or others in authority, forgetting our
basic responsibility that we should resist any attempt from any quarter to impose wrong practices and
unrighteous acts.
(iv) Fearlessness can be attained only if another equally important quality like non-attachment can be
cultivated. This calls for discrimination (viveka). The ability to distinguish between the permanent and
the temporary is called viveka. There is no attachment to any person or thing, be it family or property.
But this value comes only when we seek higher levels of knowledge to attain wisdom, which is different
from skills or techniques or literary proficiency.
(v) Supplementing both these qualities of fearlessness and non-attachment is the ability to remain non-
violent under all circumstances. Non-violence is not limited to the physical body. One should practice
non-violence in speech and thought too.
It calls for immense will power. Jains as a community led by their monks have shown clearly the path
of non-violence in day-to-day life. When we combine fearlessness and non-attachment with non-violence,
we unleash forces which can bring down even powerful armies and mighty empires. Take the case of
the United States of America, which had a fearless leader like Abraham Lincoln, who galvanised the
urges of the people against slavery for freedom. Mahatma Gandhi inspired us for freedom from foreign
rule by inspiring us through fearlessness, non-attachment and non-violence.
(iv) However, epics teach us that it is impossible to correct men like Duryodhana. In such cases, use of force
is not only necessary, but it also becomes mandatory. The physical punishments parents mete out to
their children for a positive purpose also cannot be considered as violence as long as no love is lost in
the relationship.
Questions
On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer ANY EIGHT from the NINE given below.
[8]
(i) What is the first step to develop fearlessness?
(ii) What results when we combine fearlessness and non-attachment with non-violence?
(iii) When does force become mandatory to preserve our culture?
(iv) How can non-attachment be cultivated?
(v) Why is fearlessness an important weapon?
(vi) What are the essential requisites to preserve our culture eternally?
Find the words in the passage which mean the same as
(vii) harmful (Para 2)
(viii) massive (Para 5)
(ix) What is the main weapon for the victory of righteosness

2. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

(i) India's Asiatic lions have a new home. There are over 400 Asiadc lions in India and Gujarat's Gir Wildlife
Sanctuary is their only home in the country. The Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, with a
total area of 1412 sq km, is located 65 km to the South-East of Junagadh in Gujarat. The national park
and wildlife sanctuary is considered to be one of the most important protected areas in Asia. In 1994, the
population of lions in the sanctuary was limited to 284. It was due to the efforts of the state wildlife
authorities and conservationists that the 2010 census showed the population of the lions to be 411.
(ii) While the survival of the Asiatic lion seems to be momentarily secure, it is important to ensure that the
survival of the species is certain. As protected a sanctuary as Gir may be, a single epidemic or natural
calamity could affect the entite population of the Asiatic lions in Gir, wiping out die species and causing
their extinction. As a result, the Wildlife Institute of India thought it necessary to transport and shift a
pride of lions or more to the close by Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. This move will not
only ensure the survival of the Asiatic lion, but also increase the prey density or availability of ptey in Gir
for the remaining lions
(iii) It was in 1994 that the Wildlife Institute of India, located in Dehradun, carried out a survey (Asiatic Lion
Re-introduction Ptoject) on the re-introduction of Asiatic lions and recommended Kuno Sanctuary as an
alternative home for the Asiatic lion. At one point, the big cats used to roam the vast expanses of Madhya
Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh before human settlements encroached their natutal territories.
(iv) However, the project recently met with a serious roadblock. The Government of Gujarat refused to part
with the Asiatic lions. Calling them the 'pride' of Gujarat, the local government was adamant on restricting
the population of the Asiatic lion only to Gir, giving conservationists great cause for concern. The
Gujarat Government maintained that the wildlife authorities in Madhya Pradesh would be unable to
protect die lions, as diey had failed to protect their own tiger population in the recent past. However, the
Supreme Court of India, die country's highest judicial audiority, ruled in favour of translocating the lions
to Kuno so as to ensure their survival.
(v) The translocation of the Asiatic lion to Kuno has involved several important steps to ensure that the new
additions would have space to toam as well as large numbers of prey. Twenty-four villages were relocated
at Kuno to make room for the big cats. This step will ensure that the animal-human conflict is kept to a
minimum.
(vi) Nevertheless, die translocation of the Asiatic lion co Kuno will be a test case for conservation. Efforts
will also have to be taken to ensure that the endangered species does not fall prey to poaching, and locals
will need to be educated and involved in the conservation process. To meet with success, the project will
need male lions to be moved from Gir to Kuno every three to five years for the next 30 years.
Questions
On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer ANY SIX question from the SEVEN given
below. [6]
(i) The project to translocate the lions faced initial hindrances because
(a) the Government of Gujarat was reluctant
(b) the Government of Madhya Pradesh considered it a blot on its pride
(c) the wildlife experts were against it
(d) it is a long term project
(ii) The relocation of the lions is a
(a) short term project (b) mid term project
(c) long term project (d) None of these
(iii) The 2010 census showed an increase in the population of the lions in the Gir Forest National Park and
Wildlife Sanctuary. How did it become possible?
(iv) What led to the encroachment of the natural habitat of the lions in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh?
(v) What was the stand of the Supreme Court on the translocation of the lions to Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary?
(vi) What preparations were made by Madhya Pradesh for the translocation of lions to Kuno?
(vii) Which agency first of all recommended the translocation of lions to Kuno?
 SECTION - B
WRITING SKILLS (8 marks)

3. You have recived an invitation to attend the prize giving ceremony on the occasion of Resional Social
Science Exihibition. Write a letter to the secretary of "The World View" (The organizer of the exhibition)
informing him about your inability to attend. [3]
4. You are Anand/Arati of 14, Model Town, Delhi. You have seen an advertisement in "The Hindu" for the
post of Area Manager in Airtel. Apply for the job with complete bio-data. [5]

SECTION - C
LITERATURE (18 marks)

5. Attempt ANY FIVE of the six questions given below, within 40 word each :- [2 × 5]
(i) How does the poet describe Aunt Jennifer's Tigers ?
(ii) Why do you think Gandhi took of the cause of the sharecroppers ?
(iii) How is a thing of beauty a joy for ever ?
(iv) Why did Mr. Lamb help Derry ?
(v) For Aunt Jennifer's why do the Tigers symbolize ?
(vi) Did the exam go as schedule ?
6. Attempt ANY TWO of the following in about 120 - 150 words :- [2 × 4]
(i) The story "The Rattrap" is boths entertaining and philosophical. Do you agree with this statement ?
Why/Why not .
(ii) Why did Jo disapprove of Jacks ending of the story of Rojer skunk ?How did she want to end ?
(iii) The Champaran episode was a turing point in Gandhi's life Ellucidate.

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