MOTHER DIVINE PUBLIC SCHOOL

Term – I Examination (2021-2022)

Class XI - English Core (301)

Time: 90 min. M.M. 40

General Instructions :
1. The Question Paper contains THREE sections.
2. Section – A – Reading has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per specific instructions for
each question.
3. Section – B – Writing and Grammar has 14 questions. Attempt a total of 12 questions, as per specific
instructions for each question.
4. Section – C – Literature has 28 questions. Attempt 24 questions, as per specific instructions for each
question.
5. All questions carry equal marks.
6. There is no negative marking.

SECTION – A READING
I. Read the passage given below.
1. Through human history, weather has altered the march of events and caused some mighty
cataclysms. Since Columbus did not know where he was going or where he had arrived when he got
there, the winds truly deserve nearly as much credit as he for the discovery of America. Ugly
westerlies helped turn the 1588 Spanish Armada away from England in a limping panic. Napoleon
was done in twice by weather: once by the snow and cold that forced his fearful retreat from
Moscow, later by the rain that bedevilledhimatWaterlooandcausedVictorHugo to write: ―A few drops
of water … an unseasonable cloud crossing the sky, sufficed for the overthrow of a world.‖ In 1944
the Allied invasion of Normandy was made possible by a narrow interval of reasonably good
weather between the bad. It was so narrow, in fact, that Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisen
how later expressed gratitude to‖the gods of war‖. Paganism dies hard.
2. Every year brings fresh reminders of the weather‘s power over human life and events in the form of
horrifying tornadoes, hurricanes and floods. These leave behind forgettable statistics and
unforgettable images of devastated towns and battered humanity that can only humble people in the
face of such wrath. Farmers often suffer the most, from the drought and plagues of biblical times to
the hailstorms or quick freezes that even today can wipe out whole crops in minutes. Icy assaults
serve as reminders of the inescapable vulnerability of life and social well-being to the whims of the
weather. And history is packed with reminders of far worse. The weather, for example, provoked a
major social dislocation in the United States in the 1930‘s when it turned much of the South-west
into the Dust Bowl.
3. No wonder, then, that man‘s great dream has been some day to control the weather. The first step
toward control, of course, is knowledge, and scientists have been hard at work for years trying to
keep track of the weather. The United States and other nations have created an international
apparatus that maintains some 100000 stations to check the weather round the clock in every sector
of the globe and, with satellites, in a good deal of the more than 16 billion cubic kilometres of the
atmosphere. With computers on tap and electronic eyes in the sky, modern man has thus come far in
dealing with the weather, alternately his nemesis and benefactor. Yet man‘s predicament today is not
too far removed from that of his remote ancestors. For all the advances of scientific forecasting, in
spite of the thousands of daily bulletins and advisories that get flashed about, the weather is still
ultimately capricious and unpredictable. Man‘s dream of controlling it is still just that – a dream.

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 Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions by
choosing the correct option
1. The writer is of the opinion that Columbus
A. did not discover America.
B. stole the credit for the discovery of America from someone else.
C. does not deserve to be known as the man who discovered America.
D. was not aware he had discovered America.
2. According to the passage, what helped the Allies to carry out a successful invasion of
Normandy in1944?
A. It was a spell of bad weather.
B. It was a short period of fairly good weather.
C. It was good weather followed by bad weather.
D. It was the excellent weather conditions.
3. What is the main topic of the first paragraph?
A. It is the development of history up to modern times.
B. It is the part weather played in the progress of events in
C. It is the way fate influenced the outcome of events in
D. It is the idea that success in all past undertakings depended on the weather.
4. In the second paragraph weather is seen as
A. a capricious and an unpredictable force.
B. man‘s benefactor.
C. man‘s chief enemy.
D. a powerful destroyer of human life and property.
5. How did the weather cause great upheaval in America a few decades ago?
A. It devastated towns in the form of tornadoes, hurricanes and floods.
B. It destroyed crops in the form of hailstorms and quick freezes.
C. It turned cold so suddenly that it caught millions of
D. It created a large area of arid land from which people had to move
6. How can man stop being a victim of the whims of the weather?
A. He must find ways to
B. He must learn all he can about it.
C. He must learn to live
D. He must protect himself against it.
7. In order to be able to control the weather man must first
A. fight
B. know how to escape from it.
C. be able to manipulate it.
D. None of the above
8. Today,man
A. has the weather under control.
B. is still far from being able to control the weather.
C. has made no advance whatsoever towards the control of weather.
D. can forecast the weather with great accuracy.
9. What does ‘predicament’ mean? (Para3)
A. Quandary
B. Fear
C. Both A &B.
D. None of the above

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10. Choose the word/ words which is/ are nearest in meaning to – cataclysm (Para1)
A. Calamity
B. Catastrophe
C. Debacle
D. All the above

II. Read the passage given below.

I. Over the last five years, more companies have been actively looking for intern profiles, according to
a 2018-19 survey by an online internship and training platform. This survey reveals that India had
80% more internship applications — with 2.2
million applications received in 2018 compared to
1.27 million in the year before. The trend was
partly due to more industries looking to have fresh
minds and ideas on existing projects for better
productivity. What was originally seen as a
western concept, getting an internship before
plunging into the job market, is fast gaining
momentum at Indian workplaces.
II. According to the survey data, India‘s National
Capital Region has been the top provider of
internships, with a total of 35% internship
opportunities, followed by Mumbai and Bengaluru
at 20% and 15%, respectively. This includes
opportunities in startups, MNCs and even
government entities. The survey also revealed popular fields to find internships in (Fig 1). There has
been growing awareness among the students about the intern profiles sought by hiring companies
that often look for people with real-time experience in management than B- school masters.
III. The stipend has been an important factor influencing the choice of internships. The survey data
reveals that the average stipend offered to interns was recorded as ₹7000 while the maximum
stipend went up to ₹85,000. According to statistics, a greater number of people considered virtual
internships than in-office internships. Virtual internships got three times more applications than in-
office, since a large chunk of students were the ones already enrolled in various courses, or preferred
working from home.
IV. Internship portals have sprung up in the last three to four years and many of them 5 alreadyreport
healthy traffic per month. Reports suggest that on an average, an internship portalcompany has
around 200,000-plus students and some 8,000 companies registered on it. It gets around two lakh
visits online every month. The Managing Director of a leading executive search firm says that
though these web platforms are working as an effective bridge between the industry and students,
most established companies are still reluctant to take too many interns on board for obvious reasons.
(355 words)
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions by
choosing the correct option.
11. Select the correct inference with reference to the following:
Over the last five years, more companies have been actively looking for intern profiles…
A. The past five years have seen active applications by interns to several companies.
B. The activity for intern profiling by the companies has reached a gradual downslide over the past five
years.
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C. There were lesser companies searching for intern profiles earlier, as compared to those in the recent
five years.
D. Several companies have initiated intern profiling five times a year in the recent past.
12. Select the central idea of the paragraph likely to precede paragraph I.
A. Process of registering for internships
B. Knowing more about internships
C. Dos and Don‘ts for an internship interview
D. Startups and internships
13. Select the option that displays the true statement with reference to Fig 1.
A. Internships for Engineering and Management are the top two favourites.
B. Design & Architecture internships are significantly more popular than Others.
C. Internships for Media and Others have nearly equal popularity percentage.
D. Management internships‘ popularity is more than twice that for Media.
14. Based on your reading of paragraphs II-III, select the appropriate counter- argument to the given
argument.
Argument: I don‘t think you‘ll be considered for an internship just because you‘ve been the student
editor and Head of Student Council.
A. I think I have a fair chance because I‘m applying for a virtual position than an inoffice one.
B. I have real-time experience in managing a team and many companies consider it more meritorious
than a degree in Management.
C. I know that my stipend might be on the lower side but I think that it‘s a good ‗earn while you learn‘
opportunity.
D. Lot of metro-cities have a good percentage of positions open and I think I should definitely take a
chance
15. Select the option that displays the correct cause-effect relationship.
A. cause effect Several students had academic courses to complete Students applied for online
internship
B. cause effect A large chunk of students preferred in-office internships Applications were three times
more than for virtual internships
C. cause effect A greater number of students Several students had wanted to work courses to from home
complete
D. cause effect Students applied for online internship An equal number of students applied for work-
from-home
16. The survey statistics mention the average stipend, indicating that
A. 50% interns were offered ₹85,000.
B. ₹7,000 was the lowest and ₹85,000 was the highest.
C. most interns were offered around ₹7,000.
D. No intern was offered more than ₹7,000.
17. The phrase ‗healthy traffic‘ refers to the
A. updates from portals about health and road safety.
B. statistics about adherence to traffic rules by the portals.
C. sizeable number of visitors to the portal per month.
D. monthly data about the health of internship applicants
18. Read the two statements given below and select the option that suitably explains them.
(1) Established companies are reluctant to take too many interns on board.
(2) Probability of interns leaving the company for a variety of reasons, is high.
A. (1) is the problem and (2) is the solution for (1).
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B. (1) is false but (2) correctly explains (1).
C. (1) summarises (2).
D. (1) is true and (2) is the reason for (1)

SECTION – B - WRITING & GRAMMAR

III. Answer ANY THREE of the four questions given, with reference to the context below :
Manav Sharma, Head Boy, of S. D. Public School, Faridabad has to put up a Notice on School‘s
Notice Board informing the students about the Sports Camp that the school is organizing in the
coming vacations.
19. Choose the options that can be considered accurate beginning for this Notice :
1. Hello everyone, a good news for…………..
2. All the students are hereby informed………………
3. I wish to give an important information………………….
4. This is to inform all the students………………….
5. Dear friends, you will be delighted to know…………………
6. Sports lovers are invited to……………….
A. 1 and 6 B. 3 and 5
C. 2 and 4 D. 3 and 4

20. Select an appropriate title for the Notice :

A. Get training in sports camp B. Sports camp in coming vacations
C. Significance of sports camp D. Sports and students.

21. Select the option with the information points to be included in the content of the Notice :
1. History of Sports Camp
2. Date and duration of Sports Camp
3. Motivating factors for Sports Camp
4. Timings of the Sports Camp
5. Inauguration of the Sports Camp
6. Sports available in the Camp
A. 2, 4 and 6 B. 1, 3 and 5
C. 2 3, and 6 D. 4, 5 and 6

22. Is it necessary to write the name of the School in the format?

A. No, because it is understood in a school
B. No. Sports Camps are only organized in schools.
C. Yes, because it is the official authority.
D. yes, it gives clarity to the students.

IV. Read the following speech carefully. Some words/phrases/clauses have been omitted from it.
Choose the correct option to complete it.
Gandhi Jayanti
Respected Principal, teachers and fellow students.
On the occasion of Gandhiji‘s birth anniversary, I feel privileged to speak to you on an issue which
(23)__________the world______Is Gandhi‘s non-violence valid today? The great prophet of non-
violence (24)__________. I would only like to bring before you the imperative need of being non-
violent in our speech, thought and action.
The protagonists of violence (25)__________. Gandhiji‘s response to this was that it would leave the
world blind. How right he was!

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 Non-violence is the only balm to the cruelty and violence men inflict on one another, Hatred,
revenge and anger only inflict wounds. If you counter anger with more anger, (26)___________. The
result will be only ashes and (27)____________. Non-violence brings with it kindness, tolerance,
patience and love.
Will there ever be a time when humanity will not need love? Non-violence issues out of great love
and compassion. It is a jewel in human character and inevitable for peaceful existence.
23. (a) is disengaging the attention of the people across.
(b) is engaging the attention of the people across
(c) had engaged the attention of the people across
(d) is engaging the attention of the people over

24.(a) did not need a humble champion like me

(b) does not need a humble patriot like me
(c) does not heed a humble champion like me
(d) does not need a humble champion like me

25.(a) believe in taking an eye for an eye

(b) belief in taking an eye for an eye
(c) believe in taking an eye with an eye
(d) belief in taking an eye in place of an eye

26.(a) you would set the world against

(b) you would set the world free
(c) you would set the world ablaze
(d) you would set the world razed

27.(a) smouldering ambers which can again start the blaze

(b) smouldering embers which can again restart the blaze
(c) smouldering embers which can again start the ablaze
(d) smouldering embers which can again start the blaze

V. Choose the correct options to fill in the blanks to complete the sentences. (Any two out of three)
The modern student understands the importance of physical exercise. He (28)____________one to
two hours in open air where he (29)___________part in different sports. However, care should
(30)___________not to overstrain the body.
28. (a) spent (b) spends (c) spending (d) is spent

29. (a) taking (b) takes (c) was taking (d) taken

30. (a) take (b) took (c) takes (d) be taken

VI. Re-arrange the following jumbled-up words and phrases to make meaningful sentences.
31. Our words / given us / freedom / God / has / to choose
(a) God has given us freedom to choose our words.
(b) Freedom God has given us to choose our words.
(c) Our words God has given us freedom to choose.
(d) Has God given us freedom to choose our words.

32. Also / our hearts / reveal / our words / the state of

(a) The state of our words also reveal our heart.
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 (b) Our words also reveal the state of our heart.
(c) Also our words reveal the state of our heart.
(d) Our heart Our words also reveal the state of.

SECTION – C - LITERATURE
VII. Read the extracts given below and answer ANY FOUR questions by choosing the most
appropriate option.
I was in a room I knew and did not know. I found myself in the midst of things I did want to see
again but which oppressed me in the strange atmosphere. Our because of the tasteless way
everything was arranged, because of the ugly furniture or the muggy smell that hung there, I don‘t
know; but I scarcely dared to look around me.
33. I was in a room I knew and did not know. What does author mean by this?
(a) She saw unfamiliar things in familiar surroundings.
(b) She did not recognize the things she saw.
(c) She did not want to remember anything.
(d) She saw her family possessions in unfamiliar surroundings.

34. The author feels ‗oppressed‘ in the strange atmosphere. Why?

(a) It was ugly and muggy in stark contrast with how her mother used to have it.
(b) The room was a tasteless mess and the girl was unpleasant.
(c) The Dorling family didn‘t care for the valuable things.
(d) The room was poorly ventilated and badly lit.
35. ―I scarcely dared to look around me‖ means____________.
(a) she didn‘t want to see Mrs. Dorling.
(b) she feared an attack by Miss Dorling
(c) she was already horrified and shocked enough
(d) she regretted her decision
36. The author says that she was ‗also rather afraid of it.‘ What was she afraid of?
(a) She was afraid of confronting Mrs. Dorling.
(b) She feared the involvement of the police.
(c) She was scared of the anguish caused by her profound loss.
(d) She did not want to get involved in a court case.

37. What does Mrs. Dorling mean by this when she says – ―I thought that no one had come back‖?
(a) She thought that everyone in Mrs. S‘s family was dead.
(b) She thought that Mrs. S had left her homeland for good.
(c) She thought that Mrs. S‘s family had abandoned all hopes to retrieve their things.
(d) She was happy to see Mrs. S‘s daughter.

VIII. Read the extracts given below and answer ANY FOUR questions by choosing the most
appropriate option.
One day I announced that we were being given music lessons. She was very disturbed. To her music
had lewd associations. It was the monopoly of harlots and beggars and not meant for gentlefolk. She
said nothing but her silence meant disapproval. She rarely talked to me after that.
38. The statement ―To her music had lewd associations‖ does NOT mean _________.
(a) music was considered a lustful art
(b) music was considered a lowly passion
(c) music was considered not worthy of learning
(d) music was for unrefined people
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39. The grandmother was described like the winter landscape in the mountains. It refers to
(a) her dissatisfaction and being at peace with her life.
(b) her white attire and silver locks
(c) her inner beauty and serenity radiated on her face.
(d) her keeping aloof from the family.
40. The expression ―her silence meant disapproval‖ is the same as_________
(a) she had not understood the situation
(b) she felt uncomfortable
(c) it was unacceptable for her
(d) she used her silence to pressure them

41. What did narrator‘s grandmother dislike most about his education in the city school?
(a) She could not go to leave him to school because he want in a motorbus.
(b) He studied English and science with which she could not help.
(c) He was taught music which was not to be studied by children of good families.
(d) Both (a) and (c)

42. The best example of the grandmother‘s love for the narrator would be that__________.
(a) she took him to school, stayed these while he studied and walked back with him after school.
(b) she shared her room with Khushwant Singh and a deep bond of love formed between them.
(c) on his return from abroad after five years though old and frail, she received him at the station. At
home she sang songs of the homecoming of warriors till she was exhausted.
(d) None of these

IX. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions by choosing the most appropriate
option.
And the sea, which appears to have changed less,
Washed their terribly transient feet.
43. The poetic device used in ―washed their terribly transient feet‘ is________
(a) metaphor
(b) simile
(c) alliteration
(d) imagery

44. The universal truth that the poet wishes to highlight in these lines about Time is_________
(a) the sea does not change much
(b) humans change with time
(c) the sea is permanent but human life is transient
(d) the sea does not change at all

45. The meaning of ‗transient‘ is the opposite of__________.

(a) permanent
(b) temporary
(c) universal
(d) short-lived

46. The sea holiday is important for the mother because_________

(a) it represents her family
(b) it represents her happy past
(c) it represents the passage of time
(d) it represents the changing sea
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X. Answer any SIX questions by choosing the most appropriate option.
47. How does the poet compare the movement of the goldfinch?
(a) He uses a simile and compares the movement of the goldfinch with a lizard.
(b) He uses movement words.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) He draws an effective comparison between the two on agility.
48. How does a Chinese artist expect us to view the horizontal scroll?
(a) By looking at it one section at a time.
(b) By adding a dimension of space.
(c) By only appreciating the horizontal part.
(d) By opening or unfolding all the sections.
49. What ordeal was faced by people on board the ‗Wavewalker‘?
(a) They lost their way in the ocean and were trying to find their way to the Amsterdam.
(b) Their engines broke down in the middle of the sea. The sails too broke and could not be repaired.
(c) A huge wave hit their boat and filled it with water. The equipment on board was damaged.
(d) None of these.
50. Why were fabulously expensive artifacts of gold and precious gems buried with King Tut in his
grave?
(a) It was a funeral befitting a great monarch.
(b) The Egyptians wanted to hide the treasures underground.
(c) The Egyptians believed that the King would take the treasures with him.
(d) These belong to the king.
51. How would you state the basic concept of Shanshui?
(a) Shanshui is a Daoist concept.
(b) Shanshui includes the elements of ‗yang‘ and yin. Yang‘ stands for the mountain and ‗Yin‘
stands for water.
(c) It is like the yogic practice of ‗pranayama‘.
(d) Both (a) and (b)
52. How can we say that Khushwant Singh‘s grandmother was a woman with a loving heart?
(a) She loved her grandson dearly.
(b) She fed the village dogs and later sparrows in the city.
(c) She did not interfere in matters of Khushwant Singh‘s education.
(d) She was honest and hardworking.
53. The title of, ‗We‘re Not Afraid to Die‘ shows______in the people on board Wave walker?
(a) courage and family bonding
(b) optimism and love
(c) hope and inspiration
(d) Love and honesty

XI. Answer any SIX questions by choosing the most appropriate option.
54. Aram refused to believe that Mourad had stolen the horse in spite of seeing it with his own eyes.
What does this tell us about him?
(a) He was still naïve because he was nine.
(b) He was a foolish young boy.
(c) He was blind to the faults of Mourad because he loved him.
(d) He was so crazy about riding a horse that he chose to ignore the naked truth.

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55. What does the statement ―None of us would take advantage of anybody in the world, let alone steal‖
show about the Garoghlanian tribe?
(a) they were too honest and good to cheat or steal.
(b) they could take advantage of someone but not steal.
(c) they could cheat as well as steal.
(d) they could steal but not cheat.

56. ―I resolved to forget the address,‖ says the author. Why?

(a) This shows her indifference towards Mrs. Dorling.
(b) For her it was futile to remain attached to her mother‘s possessions.
(c) She decided to erase this memory because it was traumatic.
(d) Both (b) and (c)

57. In what context does Shyama say, ―Before you take another bite, the fruit slips out of your
hand…..‖?
(a) He was referring to enjoying mangoes in season.
(b) The disappointment one feels when the fruit falls on the ground.
(c) Giving mangoes to Shastri for reading Ranga‘s horoscope.
(d) Describing Ranga‘s disappointment when Ratna stopped singing.

58. Why was the author suddenly ‗curious‘ about her family‘s belongings one fine day?
(a) Because the war had ended
(b) Because life was returning to normal.
(c) Because she wanted to rebuild her life the way it was before the war.
(d) Because she wanted to see if she could get them back.

59. What was the significance of Ranga wearing the janewara according to the old woman?
(a) Ranga, a Brahmin had to wear the sacred thread.
(b) Despite learning English and being in Bangalore, Ranga had not forgotten social customs.
(c) All Brahmins had to wear the janewara.
(d) Wearing the sacred thread had religious significance.

60. Why is Mourad considered the actual descendent of Uncle Khosrove and not his father Zorab?
(a) Both had a booming voice
(b) Both were eccentric and crazy.
(c) They had terrible temper.
(d) They were impatient personalities.

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