ENGLISH Compulsory

UNSEEN PASSAGE

In Super TET exam English Language will consists of 1 prose passage and 1 poem extract.

About the Section

This section consists of comprehension based on Prose and poem. A comprehension exercise consists of
an unseen passage, upon which questions are set to test the candidate. This section is use to test the
candidate’s ability to understand the given text and to deduce information and meanings from it.

Types of Questions Asked

The unseen passage is basically of two types that students can expect. They are:

1. Factual Passage

The factual passage consists of descriptive, instructive, and reporting passages with about 300 to 350
words. The questions asked during the exam are basically short-form with one mark each.

2. Discursive Passage

The discursive passage consists of argumentative, persuasive, or interpretive tests that are opinion-
based.

Tips of Solving Comprehension

The best way to complete comprehension

 Before looking at the questions, read the entire passage once. It will give a basic idea of comprehension.
You may come across some new or unknown words during the reading process.
 Next, try to understand the passage. Make sure you underline the words that you do not understand.
 Always follow the given order in the passage solving. Read the questions in order along with the relevant
portions.
 It would be best to read the passage at least two times before you start solving.
 To understand the questions thoroughly, try to re-read them.

Step-by-step Approach for Comprehension Questions

These passages contain different types of questions that require a different approach. Let us look at the
steps to answer these various questions.
 1. WHY Questions

In these questions, you should give reasons, explanations, and evidence for the answer. Look out for the
cause words, effect words, and purpose words in the passage that will help you to arrive at the answer.

i. Cause words are the cause or reason for events or actions. These include because, due to, as, since,
resulting from, for that reason, etc.
ii. Effect words are those words that are a result of an event or an action. These include consequently, as a
result, therefore, so, etc.
iii. Purpose words are those words that indicate reasons for an event or an action. These include so that, so
as to, in order to, for, in order to, etc.

2. Inference Questions

The inference questions are not straightforward questions. You need to make or draw a conclusion of
these based on the information given in the passage. You need to read the entire passage and
understand the hidden meanings and clues to the answer to draw the inference. You must understand
specific keywords and phrases for the conclusions.

3. Rephrasing Questions

As the name says, you need to explain a word or phrase in your own words without altering the passage’s
meaning. You may even require to substitute a word or phrase for solving these questions. So, make sure
you understand the word or phrase as per the context.

4. Vocabulary

When you go through the passage, you might come across unfamiliar words. You need to guess the
meaning of the new word. You can do it by reading the passage and understanding its whole meaning.
You can also look for the clues within the passage to solve these questions

Practicing these unseen passages beforehand offers a host of benefits to the students.

 Increase the reading speed of students.

 Give students a clear idea of how the questions are framed and attempt to answer those questions.
 Improve the vocabulary of students.
 Improve their understanding of language.
 It helps them understand the different tones of authors and how each tone works.

SOLVED EXAMPLES DIRECTIONS (Passages Nos. 1-3)

Read the following passages carefully and answer the questions that follow.

Passage 1

Directions:

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow by selecting the correct/most
appropriate options.
Learning a language under any circumstances requires hard work and concentration. However, the
circumstances can make a difference in both quality and quantity. Most foreign language students learn
in a classroom, from a text-book. In a classroom, language learning can be controlled so that all the
necessary structures are taught. Highly motivated students can thus learn the language efficiently and
quickly. Learning on the streets and in the markets from experience and need can be effective although
the student learns only what he happens to need, in a haphazard way. Some language students find this
real-life situation more meaningful because the students success in fulfilling their needs depends on
their language ability. However, shop-keepers are more likely to be tolerant of incorrect grammar than
classroom teachers, so mispronunciations and errors will not matter much. Nevertheless, the rewards
are different for the type of language learning situations. They are immediate (goods, bought in a store)
in the real-life but delayed until a quiz or oral recital for the classroom learner. The kind of language
learnt in each, setting differs too. In the classroom, the student is more likely to learn the grammatical
language of educated people. The language learnt out of necessity often lacks the fine details of the
classroom variety and might include informal expressions such as slang. The people learning on the
street must be easily understood. Therefore, they might actually sound more like native speakers -
although not necessarily educated people. So a combination of classroom instruction and the
experience of using language in the street will result in the best language learning of all.

Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option:

1. Language needs of real-life situations are fulfilled by

(1) studying text-books carefully (2) learning the language structures

(3) learning on the streets (4) learning proper pronunciation

2. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

(1) Shopkeepers are intolerant of incorrect pronunciation

(2) Real-life situations are more meaningful for language learning

(3) Classroom learning can be tested in an oral recital

(4) Foreign students learn language mostly from text-books

3. Study the following statements

(a) At school one learns the language of educated people.

(b) Language learnt on the street includes the use of slang.

(1) (a) is right and (b) is wrong. (2) (a) is wrong and (b) is right.
(3) Both (a) and (b) are right. (4) Both (a) and (b) are wrong

4. Which part of speech is the underlined word in the following sentence?

The kind of language learnt in each setting differs too.

(1) Pronoun (2) Determiner (3) Conjunction (4) Preposition

5. Study the following phrase.

Which part of speech is the underlined word? ‘but delayed until a quiz …’

(1) Pronoun (2) Determiner (3) Conjunction (4) Preposition

6. What does the word ‘motivated’ mean in the following phrase?

‘Highly motivated students can thus ……’

(1) intelligent (2) resourceful (3) muddled (4) interested

7. ‘……… in a haphazard way.’

The word ‘haphazard’ means

(1) dangerous (2) unorganised (3) safe (4) proper

8. The best place to correctly and quickly learn a foreign language is

(1) Only the classroom (2) only the market place

(3) Both the classroom and the market place (4) home

9. A text-book:

(1) Controls language learning (2) motivates the students

(3) Teaches what a student needs (4) is an inexpensive tool of learning

Answer:

1. (3) from the given passage, language needs of real life situations are fulfilled by learning on the
streets.

2. (1) from the given passage, shopkeepers are more likely to be tolerant of incorrect grammar and
mispronunciation along with errors. Hence, option (1) is not true.

3. (3) in the given passage, it is asserted that in a classroom, the student learns the grammatical
language of educated while the language learnt on streets includes informal expressions such as slang.
Hence option (b) is correct.

4. (2) in the given sentence ‘each’ is used to refer to every setting individually or an event. Hence, it is a
determiner.
5. (3) in the given phrase, ‘until’ is used as a conjunction to refer to a point, in time or future. Hence,
option (3) is correct.

6. (4) ‘Motivated’ means ‘driven’. From the given options, only interested comes closer to the intended
meaning to the given word.

7. (2) Haphazard means ‘unsystematic or unorganized’.

8. (1) According to the passage, most foreign languages are learned by students in classroom from a
textbook. In a classroom, language learning can be controlled so that all the necessary structures are
taught.

9. (1) in the given passage, it is asserted that in a classroom, one learns through textbooks such that
language learning is controlled and the necessary structures are effectively taught.

Passage 2

The choices we make on a daily basis—wearing a seatbelt, lifting heavy objects correctly or purposely
staying out of any dangerous situation—can either ensure our safety or bring about potentially harmful
circumstances.

You and I need to make a decision that we are going to get our lives in order. Exercising self-control, self-
discipline and establishing boundaries and borders in our lives are some of the most important things we
can do. A life without discipline is one that’s filled with carelessness.

We can think it’s kind of exciting to live life on the edge. We like the image of “Yeah! That’s me! Living on
the edge! Woo-hoo!” It’s become a popular way to look at life. But if you see, even highways have lines,
which provide margins for our safety while we’re driving. If we go over one side, we’ll go into the ditch. If
we cross over the line in the middle, we could get killed. And we like those lines because they help to
keep us safe. Sometimes we don’t even realize how lines help to keep us safe.

I’m not proud of this, but for the first 20 years of my life at work, I ignored my limits. I felt horrible,
physically, most of the time. I used to tell myself “I know I have limits and that I’ve reached them, but I’m
going to ignore them and see if or how long I can get by with it.” I ran to doctors, trying to make myself
feel better through pills, vitamins, natural stuff and anything I could get my hands on. Some of the doctors
would tell me, “It’s just stress.” That just made me mad. I thought stress meant you don’t like what you do
or can’t handle life, and I love what I do. But I kept pushing myself, traveling, doing speaking
engagements and so on— simply exhausting myself.

Finally, I understood I was living an unsustainable life and needed to make some changes in my outlook
and lifestyle.

You and I don’t have to be like everyone else or keep up with anyone else. Each of us needs to be
exactly the way we are, and we don’t have to apologize for it. We’re not all alike and we need to find a
comfort zone in which we can enjoy our lives instead of making ourselves sick with an overload of stress
and pressure.

On the basis of understanding of the passage, answer following questions

Q1) Which of the characteristics are apt about the writer in the following context: “I know I have limits and
that I’ve reached them, but I’m going to ignore them and see if or how long I can get by with it.” ?

1. negligent 2. Indecisive 3. Spontaneous 4. Reckless 5. Purposeless 6. patient

a) 2 and 5 b) 3 and 6 c) 1 and 4 d) 2 and 3

Q2) The reason why living on the edge has become popular, is because of the

a) constant need for something different. b) population being much younger.

c) exhausting effort to make changes. d) strong tendency to stay within our limits.

Q3) The phrase “potentially harmful circumstances” refers to circumstances that can

(a) certainly be dangerous. (b) be fairly dangerous.

(c) be possibly dangerous. (d) seldom be dangerous.

Q4). Choose the option that correctly states the two meanings of ‘outlook’, as used in the passage.

1. A person’s evaluation of life 2. A person’s experiences in life

3. A person’s point of view towards life 4. A person’s regrets in life 5. A person’s general attitude to life

a) (1) and (4) b) (2) and (3) c) (3) and (5) d) (4) and (5)

Q5) Choose the option that best captures the central idea of the passage from the given quotes.

1. It’s all about quality of life and finding a happy balance between work and friends.

2. To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.

3. Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.

4. Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create.

a) Option (1) b) Option (2) c) Option (3) d) Option (4)

Q6) The author explains the importance of discipline and boundaries in our lives using the example of

a) road accidents. b) traffic rules. c) lines on the highway. d) safe driving.

Q7) The author attempts to __________________ the readers through this write-up.

a) rebuke b) question c) offer aid to d) offer advice to

Q8) What is the message conveyed in the last paragraph of the passage?

a) Love what you do. b) Love yourself to love others. c) Be the best version of yourself. d) Be yourself

Q9) Which of the following will be the most appropriate title for the passage?

a) Much too soon b) Enough is enough c) How much is too much? d) Have enough to do?

Q10) The author uses colloquial words such as “yeah” and “Woo-hoo!”. Which of the following is NOT a
colloquial word?

a) hooked b) guy c) stuff d) stress

Q11) Select the option that makes the correct use of “unsustainable”, as used in the passage, to fill in the
blank space.

a) In the long run, the ______ officials followed emergency procedures.

b) Emergency procedures were _______ by the officials.

c) Officials reported an ________ set of events during the emergency.

d) Officials admit that the emergency system is _______ in the longer run.

Q12) What does the author mean when he says, “to get our lives in order”?

a) To resume our lives. b) To organize our lives. c) To rebuild our lives. d) To control our lives.

Answers:

Ans 1) (c) 1 and 4 Ans 2) (a) constant need for something different.

Ans 3) (c) be possibly dangerous Ans 4) (c) (3) and (5)

Ans 5) (d) Option (4) Ans 6) (c) lines on the highway.

Ans 7) (d) offer advice to Ans 8) (c) Be yourself

Ans 9) (c) How much is too much? Ans 10) (d) stress

Ans 11) (d) Officials admit that the emergency system is __________ in the longer run.

Ans 12) (b) To organize our lives.

Passage 3.

In these tough times, when buying ordinary food can burn a hole in our pockets, here comes the
news that can really help us save some money the next time we go shopping. According to a study
from Stanford University, the first of its kind in the world, there is no evidence to suggest that there
are more nutritional benefits of expensive organic foods than those grown using conventional
methods.

The researchers add that there is no difference in protein and fat content between organic and
conventional milk and that the vitamin count is similar in both types. The only benefit is that organic
foods are not contaminated with pesticides, but before you munch on that bowl of organic okra with
roti made from organic wheat, they are also not 100% pesticide free.

In India, organic food has been growing by 20-22% and the export market is valued at Rs 1 billion.
Obviously, the study is not good news for that sector and for people who are big on organic food.

In India, eating organic food is more of a style statement than a health concern because it is
expensive. But the people who can, indulge not only in organic vegetables, but also in organic eggs
laid by the “happy hens”, which are allowed to roam free, while the “unhappy hens” are kept in
chicken coops.

Then some companies have installed music channels in their barns and the milk from those barns is
sold at a higher price as it has more nutritional value because the animals are happy thanks to the
melodious music 24/7 of the week. We haven’t yet heard of any farmers using music to improve the
quality of their crops, but you never know: plants have been known to respond to music.

Why so picky about food? These days, the plethora of television shows and articles we watch and
read about food provide bread and butter for specialists. But instead of figuring out food, its sources,
and what it took to grow it, isn’t it much better to enjoy what’s on your plate?

Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option:

1) According to a Stanford University study, organic food in relation to

conventional food is___________________.
a. less nutritious b. more nutritious c. very conventional d. as nutritious

2) The study will not be welcomed by __.

a. farmers of conventional food b. makers of pesticides c. all sectors d. exporters of organic food

3) We can save some hard cash by _.

a. buying organic food b. not buying organic food

c. going to the shop d. not buying food with pesticides

4) Music channels are installed in the cowsheds because the _.

a. cows give more milk b. milk is sold at a higher price
c. milk becomes purer d. workers become happy

5) In the second paragraph, the author‘s attitude to the people who

eat food sourced from ‘happy’ animals is that he _.
a. is happy with them b. is unhappy with them

c. is laughing at them d. wants crops to be grown similarly

6) One benefit of organic food is that ___.

a. it is fashionable to eat b. only rich people can afford it

c. it is less contaminated with pesticides d. even poor people can afford it

7) The word ‘contaminated‘ means __.

a. adulterated b. for adults c. containing d. not healthy

Answers:

1. as nutritious 2. exporters of organic food 3. not buying organic food

4. milk becomes purer 4. is laughing at them 6. it is less contaminated with pesticides

7. Containing

Passage 4

Living with foods

Floods are not new to Bihar, but in recent years the problem has received much greater attention
perhaps largely because it has led to much greater damage than in the past. Even though information
on the impending occurrence of floods is now more accurate and certainly more timely, often there is
very little time or support infrastructure in place by which damage can be minimized. This is
particularly true in the case of flash floods resulting from sudden and excessively heavy rain.

In the case of India flooding is very much a function of the seasonal nature of our rainfall. The
monsoons are spread over a short period during the year and often bring a concentrated volume of
rain, which cannot be absorbed by the earth and finds outlet only in the form of streams that join up
with our major river systems. But, flooding is not confined only to the main rivers of the country, often
smaller tributaries and streams can cause heavy damage as well. Once these streams spill over their
banks they could cause excessive harm, mainly because those living near the banks of these
streams particularly in mountain areas do not have easy recourse to moving away quickly.
 One major factor that could lead to a higher severity of flooding in the future is the danger of climate
change. While the evidence of the nature of impacts resulting from climate change on precipitation
and flooding at the regional level is not entirely clear, it could happen that the Indian subcontinent
witnesses and suffers the effects of a significantly changed pattern of monsoons. One set of scientists
has estimated that the monsoons could be shorter in duration, but far more intensive. In other words,
much greater precipitation would take place in a much shorter period of time, thereby increasing the
danger of floods. Climate change is the result of human actions through the increased concentration
of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, of which carbon dioxide is the most prominent.

At the local level also human actions have heightened the danger of flood through the cutting of trees
in the mountains as well as in the plains. In the case of India, the ecological damage through
deforestation of the Himalayas has led to large-scale erosion of the mountain slopes and high levels
of siltation. This leads to deposition of silt on the riverbeds in the plains and hence spill over of water
whenever the volume in the river reaches a certain level. With siltation on the river beds, flooding
occurs even at very shallow water levels. The vulnerability of the population has increased
substantially because of population pressures, symbolized, for instance, by the stubborn and perhaps
helpless settling of slum dwellers on the banks of the river Yamuna in Delhi, which is merely a trickle
most of the year, but bursting its banks during the monsoons as has been the case this year.

Flood forecasting is critical to minimizing the damage from floods. It is for this reason that the Central
Water Commission has set up a network of forecasting stations, which cover the most important flood
prone inter state rivers in the country. These stations produce forecasts that are used to alert the
public and to mobilize various official agencies so that they take both preventive as well as relief
measures whenever required. However, even in cases where forecasts have been timely and
generally accurate, people have often been reluctant to move away, because in most cases they lack
the means and physical options for moving away from a danger zone to one that is relatively safe. In
the case of flash floods, forecasts are difficult to make, and often the time available for relief is very
short.

Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option:

1. The problem of floods has been considered important recently because…………………..

(a) there are flash floods (b) floods are unpredictable
(c) the rivers change their courses (d) these cause much greater damage
2. The danger of floods is not minimised as…………………..
(a) flood forecasting is inaccurate (b) there is little time available for safety measures
(c) people are scared and act in panic (d) support infrastructure is poor
3. India suffers from floods during monsoons because…………………..
(a) it rains very heavily and continually (b) the embankments of the rivers are weak
(c) the streams and rivers spill over (d) the streams are full of silt
4. Climate change is the direct result of…………………..
(a) increased concentration of green house gases (b) explosion of nuclear devices
(c) fire in oil wells in the gulf region (d) significantly changed pattern of monsoons
5. The worst hit people are slum dwellers because…………………..
(a) they are stubborn and helpless (b) they do not have means to move away quickly
(c) they have concentrated in large numbers (d) they have settled on the banks of the rivers
6. The word ‘precipitation’ in para 3 means…………………..
(a) forming a precipitate (b) separation of solid material from liquid
(c) falling of rain in an area (d) the quality of being exact or accurate
Answers

1. (d) these cause much greater damage

2. (b) there is little time available for safety measures
3. (c) the streams and rivers spill over
4. (a) increased concentration of green house gases
5. (d) they have settled on the banks of the rivers
6. (c) falling of rain in an area

Passage 5

The Little Girl

To the little girl he was a figure to be feared and avoided. Every morning before going to work he
came into her room and gave her a casual kiss to which she responded with “Goodbye, Father.” And
oh, there was a glad sense of relief when she heard the noise of carriage growing fainter and fainter
down the long road!

“Well, Kezia, have you been a good girl today?”

“I d-d-don’t know, Father.”
“You d-d-don’t know? If you stutter like that Mother will have to take you to the doctor?”

She never strutted with other people—had quite given it up—but only with Father, because then she
was trying so hard to say the words properly. “What’s the matter? What are you looking so wretched
about? Mother, I wish you taught this child not to appear on the brink of suicide…Here, Kezia, carry
my teacup back to the table carefully.”
He was so big—his hands and his neck, especially his mouth when he yawned. Thinking about him
alone was like thinking about a giant.

On Sunday afternoons grandmother sent her down to the drawing-room to have a “nice talk with
father and mother”. But the little girl always found mother reading and father stretched out on the
sofa, his handkerchief on his face, his feet on one of the best cushions, sleeping soundly and snoring.
She sat on a stool, gravely watched him until he woke and stretched, and asked the time—then
looked at her. “Don’t stare so, Kezia. You look like a little brown owl.”
One day, when she was kept indoors with a cold, the grandmother told her that father’s birthday was
next week, and suggested she should make him a pin-cushion for a gift out of a beautiful piece of
yellow silk.

Labouriously with a double cotton, the little girl stitched three sides. But what to fill it with? That was
the question. The grandmother was out in the garden and she wandered into mother’s bedroom to
look for ‘scraps’. On the bedtable she discovered a great many sheets of fine paper, gathered them
up, tore them into tiny pieces, and stuffed her ease, then served up the fourth side.
That night there was hue and cry in the house. Father’s great speech for the Port Authority had been
lost. Rooms were searched—servants questioned.
Finally mother came into Kezia’s room.
“Oh! Yes,” she said, “I tore them up for my surprise.”
“What!” screamed mother. “Come straight down to the dining-room this instant.”

And she was dragged down to where father was pacing to and fro, hands behind his back. “Well?” he
said sharply.
Mother explained.
 He stopped and stared at the child.
“Did you do that?”

A. Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option: 6

1. On hearing the noise of carriage growing fainter, Kezia felt relieved

because……………………….
(a) she dreaded the horses (b) she was afraid of the coachman
(c) she did not like cluttering sound (d) she feared her father and avoided him
2. Kezia strutted only with her father because……………………….
(a) her father loved her too much (b) she loved him too much
(c) she tried hard to say the words properly (d) she tried to speak fluently.
3. To the little girl, her father appeared to be a giant because……………………….
(a) he had a very big body (b) he had big legs
(c) he had a very wide mouth (d) he had big arms
4. Her grandmother asked her to make a pin-cushion because……………………….
(a) her father needed a pin-cushion (b) her father’s birthday was coming up next week
(c) she was good at making things (d) she could display it to her friends
5. Her father was angry because……………………….
(a) Kezia’s mother had not given him evening tea
(b) the grandmother had disturbed him while he was writing
(c) his great speech for the Port Authority had been lost
(d) his invitation card for the annual meeting had been misplaced
6. The word ‘stutter’ in para 4 means……………………….
(a) to walk proudly and confidently (b) to support by a thin piece of wood or metal
(c) to move or start with difficulty (d) to speak haltingly

Answers:

1. (d) she feared her father and avoided him

2. (c) she tried hard to say the words properly
3. (a) he had a very big body
4. (b) her father’s birthday was coming up next week
5. (c) his great speech for the Port Authority had been lost
6. (d) to speak haltingly

Poem 1

When you are old

When you are old and gray and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire: take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled,
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option

1. What does the poem When You Are Old’ reflect?

(a) memory of past (b) true love (c) sympathy (d) pity
2. The poem When You Are Old’ is………………………
(a) a sonnet (b) a lyric (c) an ode (d) an epic
3. In her youth, the person addressed as “you” had………………………
(a) deep dark eyes (b) gray hair (c) youthful beauty (d) harsh looks
4. By “pilgrim soul” the poet means………………………
(a) the soul of a pilgrim (b) the soul that is pure (c) his own visiting soul
(d) his beloved’s pure soul
5. The poet’s love for his beloved is………………………
(a) spiritual (b) physical (c) sensual (d) psychological
6. The expression ‘how love fled’ expresses………………………
(a) the sorrows of love-sick person (b) the longings of a deserted beloved
(c) the transitory nature of love (d) the sadness of an old woman

Answers:

1. (b) true love

2. (b) a lyric
3. (c) youthful beauty
4. (d) his beloved’s pure soul
5. (a) spiritual
6. (c) the transitory nature of love

Poem: 2
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen,
Bright denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.
Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her wool
Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.
The massive weight of uncle’s wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand.
When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.

A. Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option: 6

1. Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are called ‘chivalric’ because……………………………

(a) they live far away from human settlements
(b) they are very respectful and courteous to women
(c) they occupy majestic and honourable position among the animals
(d) they don’t fear the men beneath the tree
 2. The poem ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ is clearly a……………………………
(a) revolutionary poem (b) feminist poem (c) critical poem (d) endymion poem
3. Aunt Jennifer’s tigers will survive because.…………………………..
(a) they are proud and unafraid (b) they are objects of art
(c) they have longer life (d) they are free from ordeals and sufferings
4. For Aunt Jennifer ‘the massive weight of wedding-band’ symbolises……………………………
(a) ordeals and hardships of married life (b) shackles constraining her individual freedom
(c) restraints on her freedom of creation (d) indicator of her social status
5. The literary device used in ‘sleek, chivalric certainly’ is……………………………
(a) metaphor (b) simile (c) alliteration (d) personification
6. The word ‘massive’ in stanza 2 means……………………………
(a) very large (b) extremely powerful (c) very serious (d) very heavy

Answers:

1. (c) they occupy majestic and honourable position among the animals
2. (b) feminist poem
3. (b) they are objects of art ‘
4. (a) ordeals and hardships of married life
5. (c) alliteration
6. (d) very heavy

Poem: 3

I love the Brooks which down their channels fret,

Even more than when I tripped lightly as they;
The innocent brightness of a new-born Day Is lovely yet;
The Clouds that gather round the setting Sun
Do take a sober colouring from an eye
That hath kept watch o’er man’s mortality;
Another race hath been and other palms are won.
Thanks to the human heart by which we live,
Thanks to its tenderness, its joys and fears,
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.

1. Today the poet is thankful for

A. The human heart which is full of joys and sorrows.

B. The beauty of the meanest flower.

C. The palms won by him in the race of life.

Which of the above are true?

(1) A and B (2) A, B and C (3) B and C (4) A and C

 2. The figure of speech used in line 1 is

(1) a simile (2) irony (3) a metaphor (4) personification

3. “The innocent brightness ........ ” is an example of

(1) Metonymy (2) irony (3) synecdoche (4) transferred epithet

4. The poet loves the brooks

(1) Because they flow between their banks (2) because he too can run briskly like them (3) now
more than when he was young (4) as they are overflowing their banks

5. The clouds around the setting Sun make the poet (1) thoughtful (2) sad (3) happy (4) curious

6. During his lifetime, the poet has thought about

(1) The rat race of man (2) love in human heart

(3) The dawn of the new day (4) mortal nature of man

Section 2 : English Language

Chapter :1, Definition, characteristics, Aims, Importance ,

According to the framework of NCERT (2005),

“English in India today is a symbol of people’s aspirations for quality in education and fuller
participation in national and international life … The level of introduction of English has now
become a matter of political response to people’s aspirations, rendering almost irrelevant an
academic debate on the merits of a very early introduction.”

English Language: Definition

we can say that language is a human system of communication that uses arbitrary signals such as
voice, sounds, gestures and written symbols. According to Edward Sapir, “Language is a purely
human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of a
system of voluntarily produced symbols”

Some of the important characteristics of language

1. Language exists in a society and it is a Vital Part of Growth Process, it meant for nourishing and
developing culture and establishing human relations.
 2. Language is Symbolic: Language consists of various symbols that are employed to denote some
objects, occurrences or meaning.

3. Language is Systematic: Language is symbolic arrangement of symbols in a particular system. All

languages have phonological and grammatical systems

4. Language is Arbitrary: There is no inherent relation between the words of a language and their
meaning or the ideas conveyed by them. The choice of word is arbitrary but once a word is
selected for a particular reference, it comes to stay as such.

5. Language is a Outcome of Evolution and Conventional: No language was created in a day out of
a mutually agreed upon formula by a group of humans. Like all human institutions languages also
change and die, grow and expand.

6. Language is Productive and Creative: The human language can be combined to produce new
utterances.

Aims of Language

1. Various aim of language teaching is as follow Ability to understand the speaker’s language.
2. Ability to express in written or verbal form.
3. Ability to learn technological language used in teaching of other subjects such as music,
computers or sports etc.
4. Ability to understand the scientific aspect of a language.
5. Development of creative skills.
6. Development of a learner’s sensitivity towards national issues, cultural heritage and different
aspects of contemporary life.

Importance of English Language

Study of English is important in India as it is common language. According to UGC, “English is a language
which is rich in literature-humanistic, scientific and technical. If under sentimental urges, we should give
up English language, we would cut ourselves off from the living stream of ever growing knowledge”.

Some more reasons of its importance are

English is also the primary language of press, internet.

More books and newspapers are written in English than in any other language.

English is the only language where maximum resources are available which makes it easier to learn.
English, being an international language, makes travel and business convenient to others.

In India, English is regarded as the second language so its importance cannot be undermined.

General Principles of Teaching and Learning of English Teaching

According to Graddol (2010),

“Throughout India, there is an extraordinary belief, among almost all castes and classes, in
both rural and urban areas, in the transformative power of English. English is seen not just
as a useful skill, but as a symbol of a better life, a pathway out of poverty and oppression.”

Sound Priority
Sounds must be presented with proper expression and not in isolation. Intonation and
rhythm must be used when speaking.

Controlled Vocabulary
Vocabulary should be taught in the context of real situations so that the meaning can
be reinforced and clear.

Basic Sentence Pattern

The learners must first learn the basic sentence pattern and then the teacher should
move on to the more complex topics.

Selection of Teaching Material

The teacher must select the appropriate teaching material to ensure the learners can
learn with comprehension.

Motivation
Teachers must be able to motivate the learners so that they can learn with interest.

General Principles of Learning English

Language

Imitation
Imitating native speakers and their way of speaking is helpful for learners.
Habit
Language must be acquired through a pattern of habits instead of viewing it as
knowledge gained to pass the exam.

Practice
A language cannot be learned unless it is practiced. Hence, practicing regularly is a
must.

Self-motivation
Learners must be motivated enough to learn English and put it into daily use.

Focused Attention
Learners must pay focused attention to what is being taught in the classroom.

Correlation with Life

The subject matter taught in English language should correlate with life. The course material and
audio visual aids should be correlated to the child’s life. It makes learning easy and
comprehensible. So, English should be practised in everyday situations with which children can
easily identify. This way meaning will be clarified and reinforced

Steps followed while teaching :

1. Known to the Unknown

Teaching should be carried on what the students know either in their native language or in
English. It is considered that old knowledge lays the foundation of new knowledge. e.g. pronoun
in English grammar should be taught when the learner has a knowledge of nouns.
2. Simple to Complex Simple
Things and vocabulary should be taught first before proceeding to complex structures or
vocabulary items. By learning simple things learners feel motivated and confident that would
certainly help in better understanding of complex things.

3. Concrete to Abstract

Concrete things are real things which can be seen and felt by our senses. Abstract things can be just
imagined. Teaching done with the help of concrete objects lasts for a longer period e.g. a learner can
imagine about a golden apple only if he has seen an apple.

4. Analysis to Synthesis
 When teaching is done from detailed teaching to summarising we go from analysis to synthesis
e.g. if a learner is taught different tenses with examples, he is able to understand sentence
structures easily.
5. Induction to Deduction In induction method
we give some examples first then try to reach on a conclusion. In deduction, first of all a rule is
explained than some examples are given. Teaching should always precede from induction to
deduction. Examples speak louder than language explanation. Such examples can help the
students learn much better the complicated concepts.
6. Psychological to Logical
While teaching, the interests, aptitudes, capacities and difficulty level of the learners should be
kept in mind. e.g. vocabulary and sentence structure of a language should be taught keeping in
mind the difficulty level of the learners and then they could be arranged and explained in a
logical manner.
7. Relate form to Meaning and Contextualise
All class activities should be meaningful, whatever activity the students are involved in, the
students should be able to understand the meaning of what they hear, say, read or write. Teach
new vocabulary items in context.

Exercise:

1.) Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct?

A. Language is one of the most important and characteristic forms of human behaviour.
B. Language helps in uniting thoughts and identity of the individual.
C. In India, linguistic diversity poses complex challenges.
D. In India, linguistic diversity provides a range of opportunities.
(1) Only A (2) B and C (3) Only D (4) None of these

2.) In learning, a new language

(1) the knowledge of mother tongue is helpful
(2) the use of mother tongue interferes rather than facilitates
(3) the mother tongue should not be used at all by the learners
(4) None of the above

3.) Before coming to school children are

(1) fully aware of all grammatical rules related to language
(2) do not know any thing about the second language
(3) well equipped in their native language to understand and explain
(4) well versed in more than one languages

4.) Which of the following statement is/are not correct?

(1) Language helps in uniting thoughts and identities of the individual
(2) In Indian language, diversity poses a complex problem
(3) Language is one of the most important form of communication among humans
(4) In India, English language is spoken by 80% of population

5.) Which of the following is not a language component?

(1) Sound (2) Symbols (3) Vocabulary (4) Structures
6.) If a student is unable to learn a task by a specific method, then as a teacher, you should .........

(1) ignore the student and move to the next topic

(2) give some extra time to the students to learn the task

(3) explain the situation to the student’s parents

(4) tell the student that the task is not very important

7.) Which of the following is not a characteristic of a language ?

(1) A vital part of growth process

(2) Has its own set of grammatical rules

(3) It is productive and creative

(4) It is spontaneous, not a result of evolution

8.) Which is no longer a position of English language in India?

(1) Link language (2) Associate-official language (3) Global language (4) Foreign language

9.) Sangeeta, English teacher of class V first explains the different parts of a sentence and then she
teaches the synthesis of sentences so that her learners can easily understand the concept. She is
following the principle of

(1) induction to deduction (2) concrete to abstract (3) known to unknown (4) analysis to synthesis

10.) Which is the most effective teaching method in a language class? (1) Laying too much emphasis on
correct pronunciation (2) Reading out letters and essays from a book (3) Emphasis on reading with
correct intonation and speed (4) Discussing a topic or idea of learner’s interest using simple vocabulary

11.) A child in class II will initially learn the language in the most effective manner through which one of
the given methods?

(1) Play way method (2) Practise and drill (3) Imitation (4) All of the above

Previous Years Questions in central TET Exam

1. Which of the following is suitable for making students responsible for their own learning? [CTET June
2011]

(1) Using technology to chat and network

(2) Encouraging students to ask more and more questions

(3) Giving a lot of home work, project work and assign-ments to improve language skills of students

(4) Discouraging students from making decisions about how they learn best

2. The Constructivist Approach to learning means [CTET June 2011]

(1) teaching rules of grammar and consolidating through rigorous practice

(2) helping learners acquire new vocabulary by studying literature intensively

(3) teaching new words and structures using a variety of audio-visual aids followed by practice through
drill

(4) involving the students in a variety of activities to encourage them to learn new words and structures
by accommodating them with those that they have already learnt through a process of discovery

3. When learners are engaged in a pair activity, taking on roles of a doctor and a patient, the activity is
called [CTET June 2011]

(1) declamation (2) simulation (3) exchanging notes (4) real activity

4. Gender stereotypes and bias among learners can be discouraged by [CTET June 2011]

(1) using textbooks which do not perpetuate such beliefs (2) creating an open and encouraging
atmosphere in a mixed class (3) pressuring girls to learn cooking (4) enabling all learners to cook and sew
irrespective of gender

5. A child-centred classroom is characterised by [CTET Jan 2012]

(1) very passive teachers and active learners (2) a variety of learning activities for the learners (3)
children sitting in the centre of the classroom (4) children teaching other children under the supervision
of the teacher

6. When a teacher uses lessons in Science and Social Science to teach language, such an approach can
be termed as [CTET Jan 2012]

(1) language across the curriculum (2) objective language teaching (3) pluralistic language teaching (4)
discipline-wise language teaching

7. After reading a story on fish, if a teacher asks children to answer …… “Imagine you are a fish in a
pond. What do you see around you?” This is an example of [CTET Jan 2012]

(1) multiple choice question (2) comprehension question (3) cloze type question (4) open-ended
question

8. Constructivist approach to language teaching expects the teacher to [CTET Jan 2012]
 (1) help construct knowledge using their experiences (2) give pre-constructed knowledge to learners (3)
construct his own curriculum (4) make learners prepare their own textbooks

9. “You ask, what has my government done for you? I can answer in two words : A lot !” The question
put here is [CTET Nov 2012]

(1) rhetorical (2) stylised (3) a prompt (4) explanatory

History of English

The history of the English language really started with the arrival of three
Germanic tribes who invaded Britain during the 5th century AD. These
tribes, the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes, crossed the North Sea from
what today is Denmark and northern Germany. The Angles came from
"Englaland" and their language was called "Englisc" - from which the
words "England" and "English" are derived.
Germanic invaders entered Britain on the east and south coasts in the 5th century

Old English (450-1100 AD)

The invading Germanic tribes spoke similar languages, which in Britain
developed into what we now call Old English. Old English did not sound or
look like English today. Native English speakers now would have great
difficulty understanding Old English. Nevertheless, about half of the most
commonly used words in Modern English have Old English roots. The
words be, strong and water, for example, derive from Old English. Old
English was spoken until around 1100.

Middle English (1100-1500)

In 1066 William, invaded and conquered England. The new conquerors
(called the Normans) brought with them a kind of French, which became
the language of the Royal Court, and the ruling and business classes. For
a period there was a kind of linguistic class division, where the lower
classes spoke English and the upper classes spoke French. In the 14th
century English became dominant in Britain again, but with many French
words added. This language is called Middle English. It was the language
of the great poet Chaucer (c1340-1400), but it would still be difficult for
native English speakers to understand today.

Modern English
Early Modern English (1500-1800)

Towards the end of Middle English, a sudden and distinct change in

pronunciation (the Great Vowel Shift) started, with vowels being
pronounced shorter and shorter.

The invention of printing also meant that there was now a common
language in print. Books became cheaper and more people learned to
read. Printing also brought standardization to English. Spelling and
grammar became fixed, and the dialect of London, where most publishing
houses were, became the standard. In 1604 the first English dictionary
was published

Late Modern English (1800-Present)

The main difference between Early Modern English and Late Modern
English is vocabulary. Late Modern English has many more words, arising
from two principal factors: firstly, the Industrial Revolution and
technology created a need for new words; secondly, the British Empire at
its height covered one quarter of the earth's surface, and the English
language adopted foreign words from many countries.