COIMBATORE SAHODAYA

A
SCHOOLS COMPLEX
________________________________________________________
PRE – BOARD EXAMINATION (DEC-2023)
GRADE: XII ANSWER KEY MARKS:80
SUBJECT: ENGLISH TIME :3 HRS

______________________________________________________________________________
___
General Instructions:
1. 15-minute prior reading time allotted for Q-paper reading.
2. The Question Paper contains THREE sections-READING, WRITING and
LITERATURE.
3. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part. Write the
correct question number in your answer sheet to indicate the option/s being attempted.

SECTION A READING 22M

1 Read the passage and answer the questions given below: 12
i d) Why the Bermuda Triangle claims so many lives 1
ii Bermuda, is a hotspot of legend and mystery for navigators and writers alike. Countless 1
airplane and ship disappearances have been credited to the ominous forces of the
Bermuda Triangle. One rather explosive theory points to the geochemical action of
methane gas on the seafloor.
iii (d) such a plane would provide a horrifying experience for the passengers in the 1
plane
iv Some blame the Bermuda Triangle’s turbulent history on the perilous Sargasso Sea that 1
lies within the Triangle’s boundaries
v (b) The windless waters within the surrounding currents contain dense mats of floating 1
seaweed.

vi The Triangle is prone to storms and hurricanes that can confuse navigators and cause 2
equipment to malfunction and lead to accidents, instead of anything linked to the sea in
and around the Bermuda triangle.
vii (a) the presence of sharp edged coral and the remains of shipwrecks. 1
viii Whatever the true cause of the Bermuda Triangle tragedies, this area will indisputably be 2
a source of lore and intrigue for years to come.
ix (c) by this Caribbean mystery when he wrote the famous play ‘The tempest’. 1
x Today with new avenues opening up such as space travel and discoveries in the field of 1
medicine and computer science, the lore of the Bermuda triangle is no longer of interest,
since sea voyage was a thing of the past ,since supersonic travel and environmental
control have gripped the imagination.

1
2 Read the passage and answer the questions given below 10
i (d) 1885-1913 BCE 1
ii (c) Malpighian 1
iii (b) Nehemiah Grew 1
iv (a) all fingerprints are different 1
v (c) Both 3 and 4 1
vi It’s in use for a very long time. 1
vii when people agreed to a business contract, they pressed their fingerprints into the clay in 1
which the contract was written.
viii Marcello Malpighi, wrote about the ridges and loops in fingerprints. 1
ix Sir William James Herschel realized that fingerprints were unique to each person. 1
x Charles Darwin 1
SECTION B CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS
i Note : All names and addresses of places and organisations used, are fictitious.
3 NOTICE : Format – 1 Content -2 Accuracy of spelling and grammar -1 4

→ Correct format ( as listed)

→ Drawing attention— All the students → Mentioning the event
→ Giving details -D,T,V and topic
→ Inviting applications
→ Line with reference to the undersigned
4 INVITATION & REPLY : Format – 1 Content -2 Accuracy of spelling and 4
grammar -1
A Formal invite letter type
B Card type-formal invite
→ a single sentence presentation in third person / end line punctuations skipped
→ Use the simple present tense
→ answers the questions who, whom, when, where, what time and for what
→ includes name and address of the organizer /host and name/s of special invitees
(if any)
→ No signatures
Layout usually pertains to the following—
→ Name of host /hosts
→ Formal standard expression-cordial
→ Purpose of invitation

2
 → Date /time of event
→ Venue (address)
→ Name of special guest (if any)
→ RSVP
→ Contact detail/ number
5 FORMAL LETTER : 5
Format – 1 Content -2 Organisation -1 Accuracy of spelling and grammar -1
Format
Sender’s address, Date, Receiver’s address, Subject and Salutation/ Salutation and
Subject, Letter,
Complimentary close (largely accepted –Yours truly for letter to editor & in business
circuits –
(Yours sincerely)
Content
→ Covering Letter
→ Reference to the advertisement
→ Conveying suitability for the position
→ Submission of application
Bio data as separate enclosure
→ Profile of self
→ Educational Qualifications (include advertised requirements)
→ Work experience/s (if relevant)- only internship / part-time relevant here
→ References
Any other relevant information
B Content
→ modernized libraries, internet surfing facilities for students, gain knowledge,well
informed.
Schools no control over net surfing, students wasting time ,poor performance, blocking
the netsurfing programmes , use net productively

6 ARTICLE WRITING / REPORT WRITING : 5

Format – 1 Content -2 Organisation -1 Accuracy of spelling and grammar -1
A Report Writing
Format
• Headline & By line
• Reporting place and date
• Paragraphing organisation (Introductory paragraph + one or two Body paragraphs
including
event details + Concluding paragraph inclusive of witness accounts)
Organisation & Content:

Train accident , 200 killed ,400 injured

Venue,early hours ,morning,sudden explosion,shock waves,passengers stranded,,

3
 damaged coaches, derailed goods train , two coaches turned turtle,, bodies of ill fated
passengers mauled and distorted,heart rending crisis,grant of immediate relief, several
forces arrived for extricating.
B

Economic development of a country , second largest foreign exchange,promotes national

integration,international brotherhood
India- secularism, culture
Historical monuments, places of religious interest, beaches and hill resorts, .
Handicrafts, folk dances, music ,fairs etc enchanting backwaters,hill stations, exotic
boundaries
Promotes international and domestic tourism,
Tourism advisory board- pollution

SECTION C- LITERATURE 40
Read the given extracts to attempt the questions with reference to context.
7 Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given 6
A
i (a) Only l 1
ii Let’s not speak in any language 1

iii (d) Let’s, we and our 1

iv Pun, arms 1
v (c) 2 is the result of 1. 1
vi 12 hours and 12 minutes 1
B
i Vitality of youth 1
ii a) unbreak the thought process in the middle 1
iii Loosing her mother 1
iv (a) Trees sprinting : personification 1

v (b) Sorrowful 1
vi (c) 2 is the reason for 1 1
8A Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given 4

4
i Flicker 1
ii (b) Beats his wife at home 1
iii (c) 1, 2 and 4 1
iv prisoner 1
B
i He died and passers away 1
ii (d) the conceit of those in power 1
iii (b) The reason of death of Tiger King 1

iv Final abode 1
9A Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given 6
i (a) Procastination is the thief of time, Collar him ‘ 1
ii Ruler/ M Hamel cranky person 1
iii (b) Irony : Situational irony 1

iv Bird watcher/ loves bird watching 1

v (a) Not learning the French Language 1
vi (d) The Fox and The Crow
B
i (a) Sophie : day dreamer, Jansie : pragmatist 1
ii (d) ‘_____ looked doubtful... 1
iii melancholy 1
iv Sophie would not fantasize 1
v (c) About the future plan 1
vi Sophie wouldn’t say these things 1
10 Answer ANY FIVE of the following in about 40-50 words each. 10
i The order from Berlin was called a thunderclap by Franz because it was a shock for
him to know that the study of the French language had been prohibited in the schools
of Alsace and Lorraine. They would henceforth start teaching German. This also meant
that it would be his last French lesson with M. Hamel.
ii The glass bangles industry is a hazardous industry. The workers often end up blind if
they are exposed to the work for many years. The furnaces are set in extremely
elevated temperatures and lack proper ventilation. Since most of the workers are poor,
they work without protective eye gear and leaves them blind.
iii William Douglas leaves a very favourable impression on us. He appears quite truthful
and courageous. He gives a detailed account of his fears and emotions as he struggles
against deep water to save himself from being drowned. He possessed a good sense of
premonition. They made measures ahead of time to protect the ship and its passengers
from harsh storms at sea. In the face of adversity, he never lost hope, calm, or courage.
He knew what was most important to him.
iv The tigers in the poem symbolise bravery and freedom. They also reflect Aunt
Jennifer's innermost desire to be fearless and break free from her husband's oppression.
The trembling fingers symbolise Aunt Jennifer's plight under the tyranny of her
husband.These tigers symbolise Aunt Jennifer's silent yearning for a life of freedom
and power.
v If the present scenario of conflict continues, there will be a victory but no 'survivors'.
Pablo Neruda suggests that we must all keep still and introspect so that there is peace

5
 and world unity. it will lead to total destruction of humanity. We all will perish
vi According to Keats, man has a strong relationship with nature. Man is bound to the
earth despite the gloom and misery that abounds his existence. Beauty relieves man of
gloom and misery. Keats feels that beauty makes life worth living despite the
unhappiness and misery that one goes through on earth. He feels that one en
counters ...
11 Answer ANY TWO of the following in about 40-50 words each. 4
i One can examine the letter from two different angles. It demonstrates that Sam arrived
in Galesburg in 1984 on some level. On a deeper level, though, we can deduce that the
letter is just another example of his delusions or fantasies of escape.
ii The ending of the story, 'On the Face of it' is very sad as Mr Lamb is probably dead.
Such a beautiful story should not have such a tragic ending. In the end, Derry should
have returned just in time to save Mr Lamb from falling by holding the ladder or,
perhaps, the old man regained consciousness with Derry's efforts.
iii The Dewan had brought a tiger from the People's Park in Madras and kept it hidden in
his house. When the Maharaja threatened him with dire consequences he understood
that the only way to save himself was to 'plant' a tiger for the kill. So he and his aged
wife dragged the tiger to the forest where the king was hunting.
12 Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 120-150 words. 5
i The peddler considered the whole world as a big rattrap, its sole purpose being to set
baits for people. The joys and riches of this world are nothing but tempting baits and
anyone who is tempted by them was captured by the rattrap which completely closed
in on him.
After robbing the crofter the peddler felt quite pleased with his smartness. He
immediately realised that he could not dare to continue with his journey on the public
highway so he turned off the road, into the woods. During the first few hours his
decision caused him no difficulty but later it became worse for he had gotten into a big
and confusing forest. He continued to walk and when he came to the end of the forest
he realized that he had been walking around in the same part of the forest. Then he
recalled his thoughts about the world and the rattrap and knew his own turn had come.
He had let himself be fooled by a bait of thirty kronors and had been caught. His
reaction reveals his gloom and despair as he realized the forest had closed in open upon
him like an impenetrable prison from which he thought he could never escape. It also
reveals that he was basically a good person at heart and was repentant of his folly.

OR
It is true the order from Berlin aroused zeal and patriotism in the hearts of the residents
of Alsace and Lorraine. Most of the villagers came to attend the school after the order;
they wanted to say good-bye to their beloved teacher M. Hamel. The order made them
serious.
The air that day was mixed with pride and sorrow. Students, as well as elderly
members of the village, came to attend the class. The ambience was quite sombre as
the children were serious and some of the elders, sitting at the back benches, were
crying. M. Hamel, who was dressed in his best attire, appeared to be in a pensive
mood. His students and the village elders too paid great attention to everything that
was being taught in the class. They hoped to learn as much as possible. Even Franz
seemed to love his books. M. Hamel told those present in the class to hold on to French

6
 as it was the most beautiful language in the world. He said that their mother tongue
was the key to their freedom.

13 Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 120-150 words. 5

i Derry suffers from a tremendous sense of inferiority complex. He is always conscious
that his face is ‘bad’, ‘terrible’ and ‘the ugliest thing’. People are ‘afraid’ of him. He
tries to escape people. He allows himself to be alienated from the world. He is
withdrawn and defiant. He thinks that no one will ever love and kiss him except his
own mother. Derry’s main problem is his burnt face. One side of his face had been
burnt by acid. He suffers from a tremendous sense of inferiority complex. He is always
conscious of the fact that his face is “bad”, “terrible” and “the ugliest thing”. People
are “afraid” of him. He tries to escape from people. He allows himself to be alienated
from the world.

On the other hand, Lamb accepts life as it comes. He has a positive attitude towards
life, things and people. He doesn’t find solace in escapism. Children tease him by
calling him ‘Lamey-Lamb’ but he doesn’t mind it. One of his legs was blown off in the
war. But he is full of life and enjoys it. He enjoys sitting in the sun, reading books and
growing weeds and flowers. Yet Lamb despite his brave front does feel lonely at times.
While Derry openly talks about his alienation, Lamb has schooled himself to remain
positive. Derry is withdrawn and defiant. He doesn’t trust people. He thinks that no one
will ever love and kiss him except his own mother. He can’t stand people staring at
him or passing uncharitable remarks. He is touchy and hyper sensitive. Mr. Lamb is
open-minded and open-hearted. All are welcome. He loves everybody and everything.
He teaches Derry how to handle people and things.

OR

ii There is no denying the fact that untouchability is not only a crime but it is also
inhuman. Bama, who belonged to a marginalised community was a victim of the caste
system. As a little girl, studying in the third class, she had seen, felt and been
humiliated by its effect. So the spark of hostility towards this social evil had been
ignited in her heart from a very early age. Upset over the inhuman attitude of the
people of the so-called higher caste towards the lower caste, she decided to fight
against this evil in her own way. Bama’s brother advised her to study and make
progress to throw away indignities. She took the advice of her elder brother seriously,
studied diligently and stood first in her class thereby compelling people to respect and
befriend her.