St.

Paul’s School
Periodic Test I Class XI (2023-24)
English Core (Code 301)

Time Allowed: 1 hr. M.M.: 30

General instructions:
i)This paper contains three sections – READING, WRITING and LITERATURE.
ii) Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.

Section A – Reading skills

I. Read the passage given below.
1. The Municipal corporation of Delhi (MCD) plans to undertake a citywide survey to
assess the number of community dogs on the streets of the Capital, senior officials
confirmed recently.
2. The civic body is completely in the dark about the city’s canine population – the last
survey of community dogs by the unified MCD was carried out in 2009 when their
number was found to be 560,000. Experts believe that in the 14 years since then their
population is likely to have increased greatly.
3. A senior official from the MCD’S veterinary department said, “We are preparing the
initial bid documents to invite requests for proposals to undertake a dog census in the
city. By the end of this year we plan to have a better view of the population distribution
across the city’s 12 wards”.
4. Community dogs are territorial, serve as guard dogs and keep the rodent population
down. But some turn violent (often because some residents abuse them) and can bite
passersby and young children. These dogs can’t be exterminated or simply shipped out;
there are legal restrictions against both.
5. Meanwhile Gauri Maulekhi, an animal welfare expert said that rather than counting
dogs, the MCD should conduct an audit of their 16 ABC (Animal Birth Control) centres
and evaluate their performance. “We have recently submitted a report to the
commissioner about rampant corruption and cruelty in most of these centres, which is
counter-productive for result-oriented dog population management. An absence of
tagging leading to relocation of the dogs is a problem. In the past few years, the MCD
may have released payment for sterilization surgeries which may be more than the
population of Delhi. The conflict of interest is leading to inaction and continued corrupt
and inefficient practices” she said.
Courtesy: HT

a. Make notes on the passage provided in a suitable format using headings, sub-headings
and abbreviations appropriately. Provide a suitable title for the passage. 5
b. Based on the notes, write a summary of the passage within 80 words. 3
Section B – Grammar
II. One word is missing in each line. Find the missing word and fill in the following blanks
with the missing words as shown in the example. 1x5=5
Before and after Missing Word
Americans grappling on 07 May 2023 Americans-----grappling were
a. with another mass shooting -----
b. after heavily-armed man stormed -----

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c. a shopping mall Texas, murdering ------
d. eight people wounding several others ------
e. before was killed by the police. ------

Section C – Literature
III. Read the extract and answer the questions given below.

“Some twenty — thirty — years later

She’d laugh at the snapshot. “See Betty
And Dolly,” she’d say, “and look how they
Dressed us for the beach.” The sea holiday
Was her past, mine is her laughter. Both wry
With the laboured ease of loss.”
A Photograph

i. What is the poet’s mother’s emotional state while looking at the photograph? 1
a. Confused and disoriented.
b. Nostalgic and longing.
c. Empathetic and understanding.
d. Fearful and apprehensive.
ii. State whether the given statement is True or False. 1
The figure of speech used in the phrase, “Laboured ease of loss” is the same as the
one used in the phrase, “her sudden profits are an open secret”.
iii. Which is the rhyme scheme used in the extract? 1
iv. Cite any two devices used by the poet to evoke pathos amongst its readers. 2
v. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
The poet’s mother’s laughter is a part of the poet’s past suggests that ___________.

IV. Read the extract and answer the questions given below.

“The farmer went away and I ran over to my cousin Mourad’s house.
He was sitting under a peach tree, trying to repair the hurt wing of a young robin which could
not fly. He was talking to the bird.
What is it? he said.
The farmer, John Byro, I said. He visited our house. He wants his horse. You’ve had it a month.
I want you to promise not to take it back until I learn to ride.
It will take you a year to learn to ride, my cousin Mourad said.
We could keep the horse a year, I said.
My cousin Mourad leaped to his feet.
What? he roared. Are you inviting a member of the Garoghlanian family to steal? The horse
must go back to its true owner.
When? I said.
In six months at the latest, he said.”
The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse

i. Aram informed Mourad about John Byro’s visit to their house because 1
a. Aram wants the horse to be returned to its owner.
b. Aram wants to strike a bargain with Mourad about the duration for which they
can keep the horse.

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 c. Aram wants Mourad to know that John Byro was looking for those who stole
his horse.
d. Aram wants to invite Mourad to enjoy delicacies brought by John Byro during
his visit.
ii. Provide any one reason cited by Mourad due to which they must return the horse to
John Byro. 1
iii. Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
Mourad attempting to repair the hurt wings of a robin suggests that _____________.
iv. From the extract, provide any two examples of humour. 2

V. Cite any three examples of the imagery used by Khushwant Singh to describe the way nature
paid homage to his grandmother at her death. 6

Marking Scheme - English Core (301)

Section A – Reading comprehension
Easy – 13 m – 43%
Moderate – 16 m – 53%
Difficult – 1 m – 3%

I. Note making:
a. [Moderate]
– Suitable title – 1m
- Suitable notes: underlined sub-headings, formatted numbering – 3m
- Abbreviations: no SMS language - 1m
b. Summary: C – 2 based only on the notes; F – 1 single para, 80 words. [Easy]

Section B – Grammar
II. Omission 1x5=5
[Easy]
Before after Missing word
a. With another yet
b. After a heavily
c. Mall Texas in
d. People wounding and
e. Before was he

Section C – Literature
III.
i. b. Nostalgic and longing 1
[Moderate; no partial credit]
ii. True 1
[Easy; no partial credit]
iii. Free-verse 1
[Easy; no partial credit]

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 iv. Emotive language/ use of free verse/ word choice/ including personal experience.
(Any other relevant answer.) 2
[Moderate; Full credit – 2, when two correct responses are stated; Partial credit –
1, when 1 correct response is stated; No credit ½.]
v. her mother has passed away. (Any other relevant answer.) [Moderate; no partial
credit] 1
IV.
i. b. Aram wants to strike a bargain with Mourad about the duration for which they
can keep the horse. 1
[Easy; no partial credit]
ii. He is concerned about the honour of the Garoghlanian tribe/he is conscience
stricken. 1
[Difficult; no partial credit]
iii. He is concerned about the welfare of the robin/ He loves birds/ he has knowledge
about how to heal a hurt bird. (Any other relevant answer.) 1
[Moderate; no partial credit]
iv. Any two relevant answers to be accepted. 2
[Easy; Full credit – 2, when two correct responses are stated; Partial credit – 1,
when 1 correct response is stated; No credit ½.]
V. 6
Level - Moderate
Content -3
→ Full credit for sustained, clear, well-developed personal response to the task that
appropriately justifies any arguments.
→ Partial credit of 2, 1 and ½ as per the response clarity and relevance.
Expression – 2
→ Full credit for effective organisation -structure, relevant vocabulary and effective relay of
ideas
→ Partial credit of 1 ½, 1 and ½ as per the level of coherence and cohesion.
Accuracy-1
→ Full credit for none to minimal errors
→ Partial credit of ½ for spellings and/or grammatical, largely accurate
→ No credit for error density causing impediment in understanding
“The sun was setting and had lit her room and verandah with a blaze of golden light.”
“Thousands of sparrows sat scattered on the floor. There was no chirruping.”
The sparrows took no notice of the bread crumbs given to them.
Sparrows flew away quietly after a while.

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