KHEMO DEVI PUBLIC SCHOOL

Half Yearly Examination

SESSION-2023-24

Name: -______________________ Date: -

Class: -XI Time: -
Subject – ENGLISH M.M: - 60

Section – A (Reading)
Q.1 Read the Given passage and then answer the questions that follow. (8marks)

The rain was drumming on the car roof as George and Marie Winston drove
through the empty country roads towards the house of their friends, the Harrisons, where
they were going to attend a party to celebrate the engagement of the Harrisons daughter
Lisa.
They were about five miles from their destination when the music on the radio was
interrupted by news announcement. The Cheshire police have issued a serious warning
after a man escaped from Calford Mental Hospital early this Evening. The man John
Downey, is a murderer who killed six people before the was captured two years ago. The
people in the Cheshire area ware warned to keep their doors and windows locked, and to
call the police immediately if they see anyone acting strangely.
Marie shivered. ‘A crazy killer. And he is out their somewhere. That’s scary.’
Don’t worry about it said her husband. ‘We were nearly there now. Anyway , we have
more important things to worry about. This car is losing power for some reason-it must
be that old problem with the carburetor.
As he spoke, the car began to slow down. George pressed the accelerator, but the
engine only coughed. Finally they rolled to a halt, as the engine died completely., just
they stopped, George pulled the car off the road, and it came to rest under a large tree.
You’ll have to hide int the back of the car. Lock all the doors and lie on the floor in the
back, under this blanket. When I come back from nearest house after calling, ‘I’ll knock
three times on the door. Then you can get up and open it. Don’t open it unless your hear
three times knocks, George open the door and quickly disappeared into the blackness.
Marie quickly lock the doors and settled down under the blanket in the back of for
a long wait. She had not been waiting long, however when she heard a strange scratching
noise, it seemed to be coming form the other,. Also on the roof of the car. Was it her
husband? Should she open the door? Then she heard the another knock and another.
This was not her husband. It was somebody-or something-else. She was shaking
with fear, but forced herself to lie still. The knocking continued- bump, bump, bump,
bump.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of three or four vehicles, racing, quickly down the
road. The three vehicles were all police cars. Several policemen leaped out. One of them
rushed towards the car as Marie open the door. He took her by the hand.
“Get out of the car and the walk with me to the police vehicle, Miss. You’re safe now.
Look straight ahead. Keep looking at the police car. Don’t look back. Something in the
way he spoke filled Marie with cold horror. About ten yards form, the police car, she
stopped, turned and looked back at the empty vehicle. George was hanging from the tree
above the car, a rope tied around his neck. As the wind blew his body back and forth, his
feet where bumping gently on the roof of the car bump, bump, bump, bump.

On the basis of your reading the above passage, answer the following questions:-
i. Where were the Winston going when the above mentioned incident happened?
ii. What was the reason for the news announcement on the radio?
a. Six people, including John Downey, had been murdered.
b. A dangerous prisoner had escaped.
c. The police issued warning of accident happening on the roads due to bad
weather.
d. Some people had been seen acting strangely in the Cheshire area.
iii. What did George think causing the trouble to the car?
a. The carburetor c. The accelerator
b. The rain drumming on the roof d. He had no idea
iv. Why did he pull the car of the road?
v. Marie stayed in the car when George left . Give reason.
vi. Where did George set off to walk ?
a. The mental hospital c. The nearest house
b. The Harrison’s house d. The police station
vii. Marie says, “There a Crazy Killer out there!”. Which of the following can
replace the underlined phrase?
a. Terrible storm c. Busy road
b. Homicidal manic d. Courageous policeman
viii. “Several policemen leapt out.” Here “leapt” means:
a. Threw b. Jumped c. Shouted d. Drove

Q.2 Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: (8 marks)
Of the various thread ceremonies Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan is the most popular. It
falls on the full moon day of the month of Shravan ( July – August) and is observed
almost throughout the country, Rakhi has many other known as festival which
strengthens the bond of love between brothers and sisters, Rakhi has many other aspects
to it. There are historian instances to show that the practice was not confined to brother-
sister relationship but took on wider dimensions as and when required by the exigencies
of time. For example, Kunti, mother of the five Pandavas, tied a Rakhi to her Grandson,
Abhimanyu, and Draupadi tied it to Lord Krishna, who was not even distantly related to
her.
There has been considerable speculation about the origin of this festival. Some
believe that it was instituted to remind the Kshatriyas about their drama towards the
priestly class. According to the Bhavishya Purana, the practice of tying Rakhi began
when Maharani Shachi, Lord Indra’s wife, who possessed occult powers, tied a protective
knot containing rice and sarson on the right wrist of her husband to help him in the
crusade against the demons. Lord Indra succeeded in crushing his foes. Still another
account says that Rakhi is celebrated to commemorate the event of Bali’s great sacrifice
in surrendering his celestial Kingdom to Vamana.
The word Rakhi is derived from the Sanskrit word Rakshika. Literally Rakha
Bandhan means the bond of protection. In ancient times, Rakhi was more or less a
talisman which symbolised the good wishes of a person for the well being of the object of
his or her affection. However, in medieval times, its manner and style changed as it got
confined to sister - brother relationship. With the onslaught of foreign invader, the
practice of tying a Rakhi extended beyond the bounds of family and sometimes became
an intra – family of even an inter racial affair. For example, Rani Karmavati of Chittor
sent a Rakhi to Humayun, soliciting his help against Bahadurshah, the ruler of Gujrat.
Rakhi was national festival during the reign of Akbar. In the day of the festival, the
courtiers and others adorned the Emperor’s wrist with beautiful strings of silk, bejeweled
with rubies, pearls and gems of great value. Jahangir described the festival as ‘’
Nighadash’’ and celebrated it like his father. Even Aurangzeb addressed the queen
mother of Usaypur as ‘’ dear and virtuous sister’’ in one of his letters. The ; Rakhi’’
system of misldars is said to have laid foundations of Sikh political authority in Punjab
and it paved the way for the establishment of a national monarchy under Maharaja Ranjit
Singh.
The Bengali nationalists regarded Rakhi as symbol of harmony and strength. They
revived the festival along with the Ganpati Festival, imparting to it a religion – mystical
outlook. Prominent nationalists like B.G. tilak, S. N. Benerji, Aurobindo Ghosh,
Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and others received innumerable Rakhi’s from the
people as token of their love. To this they reciprocated by way of sweet words, gestures
or promises. The tradition of tying Rakhi continues. But the ideals of love and unity
which it has symbolized through the ages seem to have been consumed if not fully
obscured by the smoke of greed and conceit.
On the basis of your reading the passage make notes on it, in points only using
heading and sub heading and abbreviation. Also write summary in 80 words.

Q3. Read the given passage and answer the following questions:- (2)
Air pollution is a major threat to human health. The United Nations Environment
Programme has estimated that, globally, 1.1 billion people breathe in unhealthy air. The
World Health Organization(WHO) has estimated that urban air pollution is responsible
for approximately 8,00,000 deaths and 4.6 million people lose their lives every year
around the globe.
Traffic and transportation problem, inadequate drainage facilities, lack of open
spaces, carbon m=emission, and the accumulation of waste aggravate the problem. Air
pollution is associated with increased risk of acute respiratory infections (ARI), the
principal cause of infant and child mortality in developing countries.
Urban air quality in most mega cities has been found to be critical and Kolkata is
no exception to this. An analysis of ambient air quality in Kolkata has done by applying
the Exceedance Factors (EF) method, where the presence of listed pollutants (RPM,SPM,
 and SO2) annual average concentration are classified into four different categories
namely: critical, high, moderate and low pollution. Out of total of 17 ambient air quality
monitoring stations operating in Kolkata, five all under the critical category, and the
remaining 12 locations fall under the high category of NO2 concentration, while for
RPM, four record critical, and 13 come under the high pollution category. The causes of
high concentration of pollutants in the form of NO2 and RPM have been identified in
earlier studies as vehicles emission (51.4%), followed by industrial sources(24.5%) and
just particles(21.1%).
Later, a health assessment was undertaken with a structural questionnaire at some
nearby dispensaries which fall under areas with different ambient air pollution levels.
Three dispensaries have been surveyed with 100 participants. It shows the respondents
with respiratory disease (85.1%) have outnumbered waterborne disease (14.9%) and
include acute respiratory infections(ARI) (60%) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD) 7.8%, upper track respiratory infection (UTRI) (1.2%) influenza (12.7%) and
acid fast bacillus(AFB) (3.4%).
To live a healthy life and have better well being, practicing pollution activities in
one’s day-to-day activities is needed. There pollution averting practices can only be
possible when awareness among the masses is generated that the air, they breathe
outdoor, is not found to be safe.
On the basis of your understanding the passage, answer the following questions:-
i. Sele the option that displays the correct cause and effect relationship.

(a) Cause: Traffic and transportation problem Effect: 4.6 million deaths
(b) Cause: Lack of open spaces Effect: Mega cities
(c) Cause: Air pollution Effect: Respiratory diseases
(d) Cause: Air quality monitoring station Effect: Emission of NO2

ii. Read the following statements:

1. Air pollution kills 4.6 million every year in India
2. Air pollution is causing health hazards to more people than water pollution
(a) (1) is true and (2) is false
(b) (1) is false and (2) is true
(c) (2) is true and is responsible for (1)
(d) Both (1) and (2) are true
iii. Select the opinion that displays the true statement as per figure.
a. Dust and power plants are the causes for maximum pollution.
b. Pollution caused by transport is much more than the pollution cause by industries.
c. The use of diesel generators is responsible for more than 50% of air pollution.
d. Dust stands fourth in the list that causes air pollution.
iv. Read the following statements:-
1. Air quality in Kolkata is less than critical .
2. 12 locations were selected for measuring ambient air quality.
 3. Most of the mega cities are suffering from the problem of poor air quality.
a. (1) is true and (2) and (3) are false.
b. (1) and (2) are true and (3) is false.
c. (1) and (3) are true and (2) if false.
d. (1) and (2) are false and (3 ) is true
SECTION – B (WRITING)
Q.4 You want to dispose your spacious independent house in Gurgaon at a reasonable
cost for a residence-cum-clinic. Draft a suitable advertisement to be published in
‘Hindustan times’, New Delhi. (5)
OR
You have planned to sell your car. Draft a suitable advertisement to be published in the
classified columns of a local daily giving all necessary details.
Q.5 The increasing amount of time spent playing indoor games has been a major cause of
decreasing the outdoor appearance of children. With this concern , write a speck to be
delivered on the morning assembly in 120-150 words. You are Parag/Pragati. (5)
OR
You are Ankit/Ankita. You have to deliver a speech on the topic ‘Education gives us
Power’. You have noted down the following notes:-
Education Gives power-improve self-be independent-important or women-
remove super stations -gives freedom from social evil.

SECTION –C (GRAMMAR)
Q.6 Fill in the blanks with suitable determiners: (1/2X8=4)
I _____ (halt) on the road. As soon as I saw the elephant, I _________ (know) with
perfect certainly that I ought not _________ (shoot) him. But that moment I ________
(glance) round at the crowd that __________ (follow) me and was eager for the fun and
meat. The crowd ________ (block) the road for a long distance on eighter side. Now I
_______ (be) in a tricky situation which _________ (try) limits of my patience.
Q.7.Rearrange the following words and phrases into meaningful sentences:
(1/2X4=2)
a) reeling under/a tsunami/at present/the blow/is/of/Japan
b) the second world war/is/as great as/it/a catastrophe
c) and/encouragement/seem/deep inspiration/gone/to have/of the temple/into/the
construction
d) Japanese/bush/that/in/gardens/and/yards/is grown/Japonica/is/a
Q.8 In the following passage, one word has been omitted in each line. Write the
missing word along with the word that comes before and after in the space provided
against the correct blank number. Ensure that the word that forms your answer is
underlined. (2)
Before Word After
Speech is a great blessing but it be a ______ _______ ________
Great curse to for while help us ______ _______ ________
To make intensions and desires known ______ _______ ________
To our friends it also, if we use ______ _______ ________
It carelessly, make attitude completely misunderstood.
SECTION – D (LITERATURE)
Q.9 Reference to the Context:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (1x4=4)
The Laburnum top is silent, quite still
In the afternoon yellow September sunlight,
A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen.
a) What does ‘Laburnum top’ mean here?
i. It means the tope part of any tree
ii. It means the top part of the Laburnum tree
iii. It means the top part of the fictional tree
iv. It does not mean anything.
b) What has happened to the tree?
i. The tree is being worshipped
ii. The tree has been cut down
iii. The leaves of the tree have turned purple and are falling down.
iv. The leaves of the tree have turned yellow and its seeds falling down.
c) Find a word from the extract is the antonym of ‘noisy’.
i. Quiet ii. Quite iii. Hush iv. Silent
d) Name the poem of the extract.
OR
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’’.
1. Why did “she” laugh?
a. Because of the funny dresses that they were wearing at the sea holiday.
b. Because of the funny dresses they were wearing at the party.
c. Because of the funny man they saw at the sea holiday
d. Because some of them cracked a joke.
2. Who are Betty and Dolly?
a. They are poet’s cousins c. The are poet’s friends
b. The are poet’s mother’s friends d. They are poet’s mother’s cousins
3. ________ in the extract is the synonym of ‘photograph’.
a. Snapshot b. Picture c. Mine d. Labored
4. Name the poem of the extract.
Q.10 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:- (1x4=4)
The world’s most famous mummy glided head first into a CT scanner brought here to
prove the lingering medical mysteries of this little understood young ruler who died more
than 3300 years ago. All afternoon the usual line of tourists from the world had
descended into the cramped, rock-cut tomb some 26 feet underground to pay their
respects.

1. Which part of the mummy was first put into the CT scanner?
a. Hand b. Head c. Legs d. None of these
2. Which word as used in the extract means ‘investigate’?
a. Lingering b. Descended c. Probe d. Understood
3. The tomb was constructed in
a. Earth b. Wood c. Gold d. Rock
4. To whom is ‘younger ruler’ being referred to in the above extract?
a. A king b. Tut c. A new scale d. The operator
OR
And one day I noticed that I was still curious about all the possessions that must still be at
the address. I wanted to see them, touch, remember. After my first visit in vain to Mrs.
Dorling’s house I decided to try a second time. Now a girl of about fifteen open the door
to me . I asked if her mother was at home. ‘No’ she said, ‘my mother’s doing an errand’.
No matter, I said, I’ll wait for her.
1. Which address the author is talking about?
a. Address of her town c. Address of her mother
b. Address of Mrs. Dorling d. None of the above
2. What are the possessions the author is referred to ?
a. Things at the house of her mother c. Things owned by herself
b. Things taken away by Mrs. Dorling d. Things stolen from her
3. For whom did the author want to wait?
a. For Mrs. Dorling b. For her mother
b. For Mrs. Dorling’s daughter d. Both a and b
4. What is the noun form of ‘curious’?
a. Curiously b. Curiosity c. Cure d. None of these
Q.11 Answer the following questions in about 40 – 60 words: (any 4) (2x4=8)
a. What generated the interest of the world in king Tut?
b. What was the narrator’s first reaction to the horse?
c. The Grandmother has been portrayed as a very religious lady. What details in the
story create this impression?
d. What was Mrs. Fitzgerld’s opinion of Mrs. Pearson’s attitude?
e. What injuries did Sue sustain? What does it reveal about her?
Q.12 Answer the following questions in about 120 – 150 words: (4)
Describe the changing attitudes of the archeologists over a span of time.
OR
Write a brief note on the Garoghlanian family perceived by the narrator.
Q13. Answer the following question about 120-150 words: (4)
Discuss the main idea of the play “Mother’s day”.
 OR
What was the troubles they faces on the morning of 2nd January? How did they counter
nature’s wrath?