ENGLISH LANGUAGE

(QI) Read the following passage carefully and answer the following:

Two families in the Carpathian Mountains were at loggerheads, over a disputed forest land.
Ulrich von Gradwitz, the local nobleman was the head of Gradwitz family whereas Georg
Znaeym represented the Znaeym clan.

The bone of contention between the two families was the woodland. Each family held the view
that the other claimed the woodland illegally. Though it began as a legal battle, it continued
for generations as a hate filled conflict between the two representatives of the families in the
dispute.

One night, both Ulrich and Georg, accompanied by their retainers and huntsmen, came out
onto the land. Though each came to defend the claim over the land, the ulterior, motive was
to destroy his enemy by shooting him down. Each had a rifle in his hand, hate in heart and
murder in his mind.

Leaving his retainers, Ulrich unexpectedly came suddenly face-to-face with Georg. Each one of
them had a rifle in his hand and intended to use it because no interlopers would interfere.
Before either of them could speak, a sharp blast of wind tore from the ground the giant beech
tree under which they stood, pinning them underneath.

The impact of the shock left them speechless. However, both were glad that they were still
alive. But instead of continuing their conflict with gunshots they had to continue their conflict
in words. Each contender threatened his opponent with the possibility that his retainers
would arrive first, and it would be easy to show it as an ‘accident’ in which the tree crushed
the hapless victim and leave the survivor free of the charge of the murder.

A little later, Ulrich freed an arm and reached into his pocket for the wine flask that he had
carried, greatly relishing the drink. As he looked across at his enemy, some change came over
him. He offered Georg a drink from the flask, which the other was barely able to reach. Under
the combined effects of the situation, the shock, and the wine, Ulrich saw the similarity
between him and his fellow sufferer and this brought a change in heart in him. He told Georg
that, if Ulrich’s men arrived first, they would be told to free Georg; Georg then noticed the
change of attitude in him and made a similar promise to Ulrich.

When the storm subsided, Ulrich suggested that they should shout together for help. After no
response they called again, and Ulrich thought that he heard an answering cry. A few minutes
passed before Ulrich cried out that he could see figures coming down the hill, and the two
shouted again to attract the attention of the hunters. Georg anxious to know whose hunters
would arrive first, asked Ulrich if they were his men. However, the figures moving were not
men but wolves.

(Q1) Give the meaning of the following words as used in the passage:

a) Loggerheads
b) Ulterior
c) Interlopers

(Q2) Answer the following briefly in your words:

 a) Name the two clans who conflicted with one another. What was the cause of the feud
between the two families?
b) What was Ulrich and Georg’s ulterior move in going to the woods at night?
c) What happened to Ulrich and Georg when a strong wing blew? How did they react to it?
d) How did they threaten each other after they were trapped underneath the tree?
e) What caused the change of heart in Ulrich when he was trapped together with Georg
underneath the tree?

(Q3) In not more than 50 words, state the surprise ending of the story.

(QII) Fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets.
Do not copy the passage but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to
the blank space.

(a) Example: (0) were

Lil and Else ........0........ (be) the daughters of a washerwoman and a jailbird. Why Mrs Kelvey,
their mother, made them so conspicuous was hard ....1.... (understand). The truth w they
........2.......... (dress) in 'bits' .......3........ (give) to her by the people for whom she worked. Lil was
a stout, plain child, with big freckles. And her little sister, Else was a tiny wishbone of a child,
with .... 4 ... (crop) hair and enormous solemn eyes - a little white owl. Nobody ...5... (see) her
smile; she scarcely ever spoke. She went through life .......6......... (hold) on Lil, with a piece of
Lil's skirt screwed up in her hand. Where Lil went, Else ....7... (follow). In the playground, on
the road going to and from school, there was Lil .... 8 .... (march) in front and Else holding on
behind.
(QIII) Fill in the blanks using appropriate words:
1. The police were unable to hold _______________ the crowd.
2. The Prime Minister is popular _________________ the ministers.
3. I congratulate you __________________ your victory.
4. A committee has been set __________________ to investigate the matter.
5. It has been a long time _______________ I met him.
6. The administration has been taken _______________ by the governor.
7. Small businesses are losing ________________ large chains.
8. Our new neighbors moved _______________ yesterday.
9. The son and the daughter are sitting _________________ each other.
10.I haven’t been to the countryside ________ December.
11.She broke _______ tears when she heard that she had failed.
12.Rahul backed _____________ his commitment.
13.These seals are set _____________ for the differently abled children.
14.His part time job brings ________________ a small amount of money.
15.Do not brood _________________ failure.