HBSE Class 12 Question Paper 2024 English Special

Haryana Board

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PAPERS
2024

HBSE PYQP

CLASS : 12th (Sr. Secondary) Code No. 1223
Series : SS/Annual Exam.-2024
Roll No.

ENGLISH (Special)
ACADEMIC/OPEN
(Only for Fresh/Re-appear/Improvement/Additional Candidates)

Time allowed : 3 hours ] [ Maximum Marks : 80
• Please make sure that the printed pages in this question paper are 16 in number
and it contains 4 questions.
• The Code No. on the right side of the question paper should be written by the
candidate on the front page of the answer-book.
• Before beginning to answer a question, its Serial Number must be written.
• Don’t leave blank page/pages in your answer-book.

• Except answer-book, no extra sheet will be given. Write to the point and do not
strike the written answer.
• Candidates must write their Roll No. on the question paper. Except Roll No. do not
write anything on question paper and don't make any mark on answers of objective
type questions.
• Before answering the questions, ensure that you have been supplied the correct and
complete question paper, no claim in this regard, will be entertained after
examination.

General Instructions :

(i) The question paper contains two Sections – Reading Skills and Writing Skills.

(ii) Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.

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SECTION – A

(Reading Skills)

1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow
(any two) :

(a) Dense fog and low clouds over the Himalayan foot-hills and the entire
Gangetic plains till the Bay of Bengal that has persisted for a week to
Tuesday is because of high moisture content in the upper atmosphere and
lack of strong western disturbances, compounded by heavy particulate
pollution and cold day temperatures, meteorologists said.

There has been an unusually low number of active western
disturbances this winter, which is also resulting in extremely dry
conditions over upper reaches of western Himalayas that are normally
covered by snow during this time of the year, they said.

The movement of active western disturbances has shifted north, giving
the Indian landmass miss so far this winter, officials said. However, mild
western disturbances that leave moisture behind are continuing to impact
the region. On Tuesday, Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabed, Chandigarh,
Bhiwadi, Bahadurgarh, Ghaziabad and Greater Noida, among others, also
recorded very poor air quality, according to Central Pollution Control Board
data.

"At the surface, winds are calm. But at higher levels, the winds are
strong. There is very high rainfall deficiency over north India because
western disturbances have moved north. When they are passing, some
moisture remains. Due to clear skies earlier, there was surface cooling.
Together, a fog has developed and has stayed", said M Mohpatra, director
general of the India Meteorological Department.

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There is a 95% rainfall deficiency over northwest India in January, the
weather office reported. "We are seeing typical inversion conditions, where
temperature near the ground is low, and a few metres upward,
temperatures are higher. So air is not able to escape that level......," said DS
Pai, senior scientist at the weather bureau. "Unless this is broken by
incursion of dry or strong winds, fog and smog will remain."

'There have been a few mild western disturbances that have brought
moisture to this region. Whenever humidity increases, there is overnight
cooling and there are light winds, dense fog conditions develop. An active
western disturbance can disrupt this cycle but that has not happened this
winter," said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of climate and meteorology at
Skymet Weather Services, a private forecaster. "It is also clear that the fog
has high particulate pollution," he added. "We can expect similar conditions
to persist for 4-5 days."

Minimum temperatures remained in the range of 2-5 degrees Celsius
over most parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi; and in the
range of 6-10 degrees over many parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, north
Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. These are below
normal by 1 to 4 degrees over many parts of northwest and east India. The
lowest minimum temperature of 1.1 degree was reported at Hissar in
Haryana on Tuesday.

Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions prevailed over many parts of
Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi; in isolated pockets of West Uttar
Pradesh, north Rajasthan and east Uttar Pradesh. Dense fog was reported
over most parts of Punjab; in many parts of Haryana, Chandigarh and
Delhi; in some parts of Uttar Pradesh; in isolated pockets of Uttarakhand,

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east Rajasthan and Bihar; and dense fog in isolated pockets of Jammu,
northwest Rajasthan, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Odisha and Saurashtra,
the IMD said.

The plains of northern India are experiencing jet stream winds of
140-150 knots, which may cause light rain and snowfall at isolated places
over J & K, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on January 17, it
predicted.

Questions : 2 × 5 = 10

(i) Why is dense fog persisting ?

(a) High moisture content

(b) Lack of strong western disturbances

(c) Heavy particulate pollution

(d) All the three above

(ii) What is impacting the entire region ?

(iii) How has the fog developed and stayed ?

(a) Winds calm at surface and strong at higher level

(b) High rainfall deficiency over north India

(c) Moisture and surface cooling due to clear sky

(d) All the three above

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(iv) Why does log stay here ?

(v) What magnitude of jet stream winds are being faced in northern
India ?

(b) Odisha is famous for its stunning beaches, ancient temples, and rich
cultural heritage. One of the most popular tourist destinations in India, this
state is home to several magnificent temples that attract visitors from all
over the world. The Jagannath Temple has again become a centre of
attraction for devotees from around the world after the news of temple's
Prakalpa project coming to life. Here is a list of other places you can visit on
your trip to the Jagannath Temple.

The Konark Sun Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is
located around 35 km from Puri. The temple is dedicated to Lord Surya, the
Sun God, and is renowned for its stunning architecture and intricate

carvings. The temple is designed in the shape of a chariot, with twelve pairs
of wheels representing the twelve months of the year.

Located in the city of Bhubaneswar, the Lingraj Temple is one of the
most revered temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple's architecture
makes devotees immerse in the bliss of devotion with several smaller
shrines dedicated to other Hindu deities as well. The architecture of the
temple is a blend of Kalinga and Dravidian styles, with its towering spire
and intricate carvings.

The Mukteswara Temple is located in the city of Bhubaneswar and is
known for its intricate carvings. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and
is considered one of the finest examples of Kalinga architecture. The
temple's most notable feature is its torana, or gateway, which is adorned
with intricate carvings depicting scenes from the Hindu mythology.

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The Rajarani Temple is again located in the city of Bhubaneswar and
attracts tourists for its ornate sculptures, which depict anecdotes from the
Hindu mythology.

During the Bhakti Movement in the 15th century, Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu stayed in the Shreekshetra for the last 24 years of his life at
the Radhakanta Math. He gathered thousands of devotees and sang the
name of Lord Jagannath immersing himself in eternal bliss. As a result,
there are several places within Puri that bring out his glory - the Siddha
Bakul, Gambhira (the Radhakanta Math), Tota Gopinath Temple and the
Gangamata Math. All these revered places remind devotees of the
unwavering devotion of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who is considered to be
Lord Krishna's incarnation.

Puri and its surrounding areas offer a plethora of cultural sites to
explore. Whether you're interested in Hindu mythology, architecture, or
natural beauty, Puri has something for everyone.

Questions : 2 × 5 = 10

(i) How is Odisha the popular tourist destination in India ?

(a) Stunning beaches

(b) Ancient temples

(c) Rich Cultural Heritage

(d) All of the above

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(ii) Why has the Jagannath temple become again a centre of attraction for
devotees ?

(iii) To which God is the Konark Sun temple dedicated ?

(iv) What is the most notable feature of the Mukteshwara temple ?

(v) Which places remind devotees the unwavering devotion of Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu ?

(a) The Siddha Bakul

(b) Gambhira (the Radhakanta Math)

(c) Tota Gopinath temple and the Gangamata Math

(d) All the three above

(c) The Local Climate Action Summit held during COP28 has turned the

spotlight on cities for accelerating progress on emission reduction. COP28
acknowledged the role of sub-national (federal) ambitions and actions in

supercharging national efforts. In India, the federal governments have

already begun the transformation of their transport sector to reduce
emissions. A few months ago, the Indian government launched a scheme

for the adoption of 10,000 electric buses across 100 Indian cities. The

scheme PM eBus Sewa Scheme puts into perspective the rising criticality of
improving public transport Infrastructure at the state level to make India a

net zero economy by 2070.

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The road transport sector accounts for over 87% of total transport
emissions in India. The scheme intends to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions from the sector while increasing the share of public transport. It
also seeks to expand public bus systems in new cities and augment them in
cities where they already exist. Urbanisation has led to an alarming rise in
vehicles on the roads, prompting sustainable mobility solutions to
decongest and decarbonise our cities. With every two out of three people
expected to live in urban areas by 2050, this scheme has the potential to
shape and define India's mobility pattern.

Buses form the backbone of urban mobility in India. Over 42,000
buses carry about 35 million passengers in urban India daily, with an
average of 840 passengers per day per bus. This means that every one out
10 Indians uses a bus for travel. While buses are used for over 80% of

public transport trips daily, their share has been plummeting, with no
major fleet expansions over the past decade. This e-bus scheme plans to
add over 10,000 buses to the transport system of over 100 cities –
breathing life into the transport infrastructure. The scheme targets cities
which particularly lack a robust network or public transport.

The implementation of this critical scheme would also make way for
some much-needed transformations in the transport system. The current
infrastructure urgently needs interventions in the areas of depot
infrastructure improvements, route prioritisation and optimisation
strategies and improving the overall efficiency of the system. Some other
ways to aid implementation of the scheme include setting service-level
benchmarks for performance measurement, creating an Intelligent

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Transport System that is based on standards and protocols and automatic
fare collection.

Questions : 2 × 5 = 10

(i) What does COP28 acknowledge ?

(ii) Name the scheme which puts into perspective the rising criticality of
improving public transport infrastructure at state level.

(iii) What does the scheme intend to do ?

(a) Reduce green house gas (GHG) emissions

(b) Increase the share of public transport

(c) Both (a) and (b)

(d) Neither (a) nor (b)

(iv) Which cities the project e-bus going to target ?

(v) What transformations does the scheme aim to draw attention to ?

(a) Depot infrastructure improvements

(b) Route prioritisation and optimisation strategies

(c) Improving orverall efficiency of the system

(d) All the three above

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SECTION – B

(Writing Skills)

2. Read the passage carefully and make a precis of it giving the suitable title :

Sometime last year, Prabba Atre performed a concert in Pune. She was 91. She
could no longer sit on the stage cross-legged. Dressed in her trademark white
saree, she sat on a stool, slightly elevated, surrounded by disciples who lent
vocal support and co-artists on the tabla and harmonium. For the next 90
minutes or so, she enthralled us with her music. I thought about John Keats'
Ode to a Nightingale where he refers to the nightingale singing in "full-throated
ease". Many in the audience that day felt that she was perhaps singing her best
music. The reaction, though exaggerated in some ways, cannot be entirely
dismissed. This was a spontaneous reaction to the virtuosity of her singing on

full display. A musician in her prime taking stock of all that she has learned,
thought, performed, and expressing it through music. This begs the question : Is
virtuosity linked to age ? No easy answers.

In the words of music critic Mohan Nadkarni, she was an avant-garde
musician along-side Kishori Amonkar and Kumar Gandharva. The use of the
term avant-garde is interesting and noteworthy at the same time. Why would
one think of Atre as avant-garde ? Is it because she was also a composer, wrote
bandishes and sang her own compositions ? She also wrote extensively on
khayal. Her books, Enlightening the Listener and Along the Path of Music
immediately come to mind. There are many more in Marathi. She researched,
composed, wrote, taught, and performed simultaneously. She pursued these
activities all through her life and believed this is what musicians ought to do
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while stressing the fact that she never veered away from tradition or the
shastras in her attempts to create new work. In fact, tradition opened up new
pathways for her forays into composing and writing music. She said that
alongside riyaaz (practice) in music, she continued her riyaaz of reading, writing,
thinking, and discussing important topics. Later through her organisation,
Swarmayee Gurukul, which operates out of her residence in Pune, she would
regularly hold workshops, competitions, mehfils and gatherings to think and
discourse about music. These gatherings would comprise performances by
artistes across music gharanas. She took special pride in the fact that these
events were organised entirely by her students.

Prabha Atre's stint with All India Radio, the Maru Bihag and Kalavati that
made he very popular, her emphasis on bhaav (expression), her thoughts on

kirana gharana gayaki, her tutelage under Pt. Sureshbhau Mane, Hirabai
Barodekar, how she drew inspiration from Ustad Amir Khan (led to the
introduction of sargam in her singing) and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.

Atre was troubled by the growing – and inevitable-corporatisation of music
festivals in India, which had reduced the time slots for performances. Music
festivals were turning into giant events where the surrounding paraphernalia
seemed more important than the performance. She wondered how music could
thrive in such an ambience, and what the audience would learn from such an
encounter. She missed the mehfils, small intimate gatherings where she enjoyed
performing. In Along the Path of Music, she writes : "The business-like attitude
that has entered the field of classical music today is there mainly because of

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these music festivals. It is here that the recent trends like newspaper publicity,
huge fees, souvenirs, favours for the artists are nurtured. The poor mehfil has
been buried under it."

Another area that Atre felt deeply about was musicians writing about
music. She advocated that more Indian musicians should write more about
music. After all, practice generates theory so why should practitioners shy away
from writing about their work ? This could also address problems of
misinterpretation often encountered in writing about music in India. She said
there ought to be more writing about Indian music and the life of musicians.
She further added that she had to write the text of the compositions that she
sang because she couldn't identify with what was available. In Along the Path of
Music, she writes : "Today, I feel very strongly that musicians must talk and

write about music as a part of their duty. In this matter, language is not very
important. What is important is the communication of thoughts, ideas and
experiences of the musicians themselves in their own words. When that takes
place, the artist and the audience would come closer, practice and theory would
come closer, the creative artist and the theorist would come closer."

Questions :

(i) Give a suitable title to this passage. 4

(ii) Write a Precis or Summary in your own words. 12

(iii) What is the gist of the passage ? 4

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OR

Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain and data analytics are rewriting the
work landscape. But this also raises the question of whether these can help
bridge the gender gap or whether they will make things worse.

Many experts have hailed AI as a creator of opportunities to override tasks
which have an inbuilt bias, such as hiring for the workplace or performance
evaluation. Blockchain is seen to have the potential to increase opportunities for
women in finance, traditionally a male-dominated sector, and data analytics can
highlight hidden discriminatory practices. So, these are technologies which
many feel can bring about positive change and herald a more inclusive, and
gender-just environment.

Parameswaran Iyer, executive director at the World Bank says, "Much like
past transformative technologies such as the internet and GPS, AI holds the

promise to enhance not just ease of living for women but also the ease of doing
business and ease of access. During my tenure as CEO of Niti Aayog. I
witnessed how the Women Entrepreneurship Platform envisaged leveraging AI to
provide women with personalised suggestions on the most relevant government
schemes and increasing uptake and access in the public sphere. Empowering
women with AI proficiency can unlock new avenues. transforming seemingly
challenging projects into doable tasks."

But many glitches remain before all this is realised. Women are indeed
acquiring AI skills at a fairly rapid pace. Data from Linkedin, however, suggests
that these skills are being acquired in fields like health care and education and
not enough in areas where men lead, such as deep learning and neural
networks.

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A 2022 study by Accenture shows that only 22% of global blockchain
startups have female founders. This statistic underscores the urgent need for
initiatives that empower women to integrate themselves more into blockchain
and other cutting-edge technologies.

Rama Vedashree, former CEO, Data Security Council of India says, "AI is
now a mainstream horizontal technology pervading both business and consumer
solutions in every domain. This offers women with domain expertise to join
team developing AI solutions. You do not have to be a computer or data scientist
to access AI career opportunities. There is also increasing attention to diversity
in teams developing AI solutions to reflect the demography of the audience. The
industry is now focused on attracting women talent into their AI teams. We now
need an AI talent pool in the fields of financial services, health care and retail."

The chasm between genders in tech can be bridged. The first step involves
getting rid of hidden biases by actively identifying them in data and algorithms
and neutralising them. "Algorithms may not have genders but the humans who
design them do. Let us code for equality," says Dhawal Gupta, group business
director, Chase India. This is a fairly exhaustive task and requires the
establishment of diverse teams, rigorous testing frameworks, and an unwavering
commitment to ethical AI development. If done effectively and consistently, these
can help guard against gender-based inequities in tech.

India, with its considerable expertise in all new technologies, can take
many steps to build equal access to them for women. One could be coding
programmes tailored for women and mentorship programmes for female tech

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leaders, which empower them to compete on more equal terms with their male
counterparts.

The government and private sector should also identify inspirational role
models among women who have excelled in new technologies and engage them
in mentorship roles. Though women have a long way to go to catch up with men
in new technology, efforts made today could level the playing field. These could
bridge rather than amplify existing divides.

Questions :

(i) Give a suitable title to the passage. 4

(ii) Write a Precis or Summary of it in your own words. 12

(iii) What is the gist of the passage ? 4

3. A new advertising firm needs an office in the central market. Write a letter

offering part of your office on rent, You are office manager starplanets,

Gurugram. 20

OR

Write a letter to the Principal of your school for opening a dispensary in the

school. You are Parul Sharma, a student of Suraj Schools Bhilwara.

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4. Write paragraph on any two of the following : 10 + 10 = 20

(i) Fashions in the Modern Age.

(ii) A visit to Hill Station.

(iii) A Birthday Party.

(iv) A Journey in a Crowded Bus.

S

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