CBSE Class 12 English Elective C Question Paper 2020

Code No. 212
Candidates must write the Code on the
Roll No.
title page of the answer-book.

 Please check that this question paper contains 11 printed pages.
 Code number given on the right hand side of the question paper should be
written on the title page of the answer-book by the candidate.
 Please check that this question paper contains 11 questions.
 Please write down the Serial Number of the question in the answer-book before
attempting it.
 15 minute time has been allotted to read this question paper. The question
paper will be distributed at 10.15 a.m. From 10.15 a.m. to 10.30 a.m., the
students will read the question paper only and will not write any answer on the
answer-book during this period.

ENGLISH (Elective) — (C)
Time allowed : 3 hours Maximum Marks : 100

General Instructions :
Read the following instructions very carefully and strictly follow them :
(i) The question paper is divided into three sections :
Section A — Reading 20 marks
Section B — Writing and Grammar 40 marks
Section C — Literature 40 marks
(ii) All the questions are compulsory.
(iii) You may attempt any section at a time.
(iv) All questions of that particular section must be attempted in the correct order.

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SECTION A
(Reading) 20

1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow : 10

1 Mr. Mani was having trouble with the porcupines. They had been getting
into his garden at night, digging up and eating his potatoes. From his
bedroom window, he could hear them enjoying the vegetables he had
worked hard to grow.

2 Scrunch, scrunch! as their sharp teeth sliced through the largest and the
juiciest of the potatoes. For Mr. Mani it was as though they were biting
through his own flesh. The sound of them digging industriously as they
rooted up those healthy, leafy plants made him tremble with rage and
indignation. Yes, Mr. Mani hated porcupines. He prayed for their
destruction, their removal from the face of the Earth. His friends were
quick to point out, ‘‘The Creator made porcupines too.’’

3 In any case one could never see the creatures or catch them, they were
completely nocturnal. Mr. Mani would get out of bed every night with a
torch in one hand and stout stick in the other. As soon as he stepped into
the garden, the crunching and digging stopped and he was greeted by the
most infuriating of silences. He would grope in the dark, swinging wildly
with the stick, but not a single porcupine was to be heard or seen. As soon
as he was back in the bed, the sounds would start off all over again —
scrunch, scrunch....

4 Mr. Mani came to his class tired and dishevelled, with dark rings beneath
his eyes and a permanent frown on his face. It took some time for his
pupils to discover the reason for his misery. When they did, they felt for
their teacher and took to discussing ways and means of saving his
potatoes from the porcupines.

5 It was Prakash who came up with the idea of a moat or a water ditch.
‘‘Porcupines don’t like water,’’ he said knowledgeably. ‘‘How do you
know ?’’ asked one of his friends.

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6 ‘‘Throw water on one and see how it runs! They don’t like getting their
quills wet.’’

7 There was no one who could prove Prakash’s theory wrong, and the class
fell in with the idea of building a moat, especially as it meant getting most
of the day off. ‘‘Anything to make Mr. Mani happy,’’ said the Headmaster.

8 The rest of the school watched with envy as Mr. Mani’s pupils armed with
spades and shovels, collected from all parts of the village took their
positions around Mani’s potato field and began digging a ditch. By the
evening the moat was ready. It was still dry and the porcupines got in
again that night and had a great feast. ‘‘At this rate,’’ said Mr. Mani
gloomily, ‘‘there won’t be any potatoes left to save.’’

9 The next day Prakash and the other boys and girls managed to divert the
water from a stream that flowed past the village. Everyone went home in
a good mood. By nightfall, the ditch had overflowed and the potato field
was over-flooded. Mr. Mani found himself trapped inside the house. The
porcupines stayed away that night.

1.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the questions
given below : 16=6

(a) Why was Mr. Mani troubled by the porcupines ?

(b) How did Mr. Mani feel when the porcupines chewed his
potatoes ?

(c) What would Mr. Mani do every night ?

(d) What did the students discuss in Mr. Mani’s class ?

(e) What idea did Prakash come up with ?

(f) What did the children do ?
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1.2 Choose the meanings of the words/phrases given below from the
given options : 14=4
(a) industriously (para 2)
(i) diligently
(ii) effortlessly
(iii) relentlessly
(iv) carefully
(b) infuriating (para 3)
(i) grudge
(ii) hostile
(iii) extremely angry
(iv) animosity
(c) dishevelled (para 4)
(i) dirty
(ii) unkempt
(iii) organized
(iv) unclean
(d) misery (para 4)
(i) dampening
(ii) solitude
(iii) desperation
(iv) distress

2. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow : 10
1 Insomnia (sleep disturbance and trouble in sleeping) is usually associated
with the elderly. Experts suggest that the number of young patients
suffering from sleep troubles have increased over the years. ‘‘Insomnia is
classically more prevalent among older people in our city but over the last
few years, a lot of younger people are accepting that their sleep is
disturbed and are seeking medical help. We are seeing an increasing
number of patients who are under 40,’’ says Dr. Aditya Agrawal, sleep
specialist. Most of the young insomniacs are either teens or in the age
group of 20  30.
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2 ‘‘Most young insomniacs are either just about to appear for competitive
exams or they are in jobs where the stress is too high. These people
usually come from STEMM (science, technology, engineering,
mathematics and medicine) backgrounds. Young lawyers and investment
bankers are adding to the insomnia group,’’ says Dr. Agrawal.

3 Shweta Dixit, 19, couldn’t sleep for several months due to career anxiety.
‘‘My HSC board exams were nearing and the pressure of securing good
marks and getting into a college often left me sleepless. Even after
studying for 16 hours a day, I often failed to sleep properly. I remember
that after trying to catch some sleep for hours, I would give up and start
studying again. Since I was a good student, I didn’t want to under deliver.
Even when the exams were over and the results were awaited, I would
have sleepless nights. Finally, I took to some yoga asanas that helped
induce sleep,’’ she says.

4 The common causes for insomnia among adults are poor lifestyle habits.
Poor diet, stress, depression, anxiety are common causes for insomnia.
The need to be alert, aware and available at all times eats into your sleep
time. The ‘work hard, party harder’ mantra of the younger generation is
also one cause. People work for long hours and then to unwind, they keep
awake all night. Excessive use of gadgets also results in sleep disorders.
Thanks to smartphones, it has become difficult to switch off our minds.

5 What we eat also affects our sleep habits. Some foods that make us
sleepless are cheese, chocolate, potatoes, eggplant, sugar, sausage, bacon
and wine. These foods contain tyramine, a hormone that stimulates our
brain. If you must have them, do so in the morning and afternoon. Other
things that must be avoided before going to bed are heavy meals, caffeine
as in coffee and tea, alcohol etc. Though water is essential, you must taper
its intake after sunset, else it can result in frequent visits to the loo and
disturb sleep.
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6 Eating the right kind of food can help us fight the problem. Consumption
of carbohydrate-rich food, milk, herbal teas, nutmeg, magnesium-rich
food, whole grains, cherries, ashwagandha, liquorice and holy basil reduce
stress and induce sleep.
7 There are a few things that should be kept in mind before going to bed to
enjoy good sleep. Sleep only long enough to feel rested and then leave the
bed. Keep your bedroom dark, quiet and free from reminders of work and
other things that cause stress. Reducing your body temperature signals
your brain to release the sleep hormones, melatonin. Never wear tight
clothes, undergarments while sleeping. Wear loose cotton and linen
clothes. Keep your phone switched off or in silent mode. Playing soothing
music will help put you to sleep. Stay away from passive and active
smoking.
2.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it
using headings and sub-headings. Also use recognizable
abbreviations, wherever necessary (at least 4). Use a suitable
format. Give it an appropriate title. 6
2.2 Write a summary of the above passage in about 80 words. 4

SECTION B
(Writing and Grammar) 40

3. You are Suraj/Sanjana. You wish to sell your dining table and 6 chairs as
you are planning to buy new ones. Draft a suitable advertisement to be
published in the classified section of a local newspaper.
(Word limit : 50 – 60 words) 4
OR
You are Vaibhav/Vaibhika. As the Headboy/Headgirl of King’s Senior
Secondary School, Jamnagar, write a notice informing students of
Std. XI-XII that a career counselling workshop is being organized in your
school. This workshop will help them to decide the course which they
would like to select for their graduation. Include details like time and
venue. (Word limit : 50 – 60 words) 4
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4. The electric supply in your locality is very irregular. This frequently
causes inconvenience to the residents, students and the passers-by. People
of the area are concerned about the security when there is no electric
supply for hours during the night time. Write a letter in 120 – 150 words
to the Chief Engineer, Electric Supply Company, New Delhi, complaining
about the problem and requesting him to take necessary action at the
earliest. You are Vivek/Vandana, resident of 165, East of Kailash, New
Delhi. 6

OR
You are Anand/Savita, Purchase Manager, Compact Telesystems,
Mumbai. Write a letter of enquiry in 120 – 150 words to Ganpati
Stationers, Churchgate, Mumbai asking for rates and terms of supply of
stationery items such as pencils, papers, cartridge sheets, pens, staplers,
etc. Invent the details. 6

5. You are Nandan/Nandani, a reporter with The Times of Delhi. You have
been asked to cover an incident of a daylight robbery when the residents
were present at home. Write a newspaper report in 150 – 200 words on the
incident. 10

OR

The newspapers these days can be seen to be full of advertisements more
than news content. You have been chosen to represent your school at the
Regional Level Inter-School Contest. Prepare a speech for the same on the
topic, ‘Newspapers ought to contain more news and fewer advertisements’.
Write your speech in 150 – 200 words. You are Amit/Amita. 10

6. Safeguarding environment is a major challenge for the world today. The
ice caps are rapidly melting, the forest cover is declining, temperatures are
fluctuating. Recently, you were deputed by your school to participate in a
seminar on ‘Environmental Protection’. Write a report in 150 – 200 words
for your school magazine on the seminar which highlighted the need for
preserving the environment. You are Raji/Raja. 10

OR
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Peace and harmony are the basic requirements of any nation. The citizens
of a country feel safe and secure and can prosper only if a peaceful
environment is maintained. While the people of India largely enjoy a
peaceful environment, the peace and harmony of the country is disrupted
many a time owing to various factors. Write an article in 150 – 200 words
on the need to safeguard peace and harmony. You are Aman/Shanti. 10

7. (a) Rearrange the following words and phrases into meaningful
sentences : 13=3
(i) flooding / is / different / rural / from / flooding / urban
(ii) of / are / centres / activities / areas / economic / urban
(iii) an / increasing / there / urban / disasters / has been / trend of /
flooding
(b) You are interested in applying for the membership of Sports
Complex. Frame a set of six questions that you would like to ask the
receptionist regarding the same. Use the cues given below : 3

membership procedure
membership charges
timings
number of sports
indoor or outdoor swimming pool
lockers in changing rooms
(c) The following paragraph has not been edited. There is one error in
each line. Write the error and the correction in your answer book
against the correct blank number. 14=4
Error Correction
Tokyo was rocked by its big earthquake (i) ________ ________

more than a year ago, but escaped by a little (ii) ________ ________

damage because it is centered far beneath the (iii) ________ ________

floor from the Pacific Ocean. (iv) ________ ________

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SECTION C
(Literature) 40

8. Choose any two of the extracts given below and answer the questions that
follow : 52=10

(a) ‘‘Hope’’ is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul .... ....
(i) How does the poet describe ‘‘Hope’’ ? 1
(ii) Where is it perched ? 1
(iii) Name the figure of speech used in the extract. 1
(iv) Name the poem and the poet. 1
(v) What does the word ‘perches’ mean ? 1

(b) Is it so easy then ? Goodbye no more than this
Quiet disaster ? And is there a cause for sorrow
That in the small white murder of one kiss
Are born two ghosts, two Hamlets, two soliloquies
Two worlds apart, tomorrow ?
(i) What is ‘Quiet Disaster’ ? 1
(ii) What is the significance of ‘‘two Hamlets’’ ? 1
(iii) What is the irony in the ‘white murder’ ? 1
(iv) Name the poem and the poet. 1
(v) What is a soliloquy ? 1
(c) Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
‘Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun :
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
(i) Who are the two friends referred to here ? 1
(ii) Pick out the phrase that describes their closeness. 1
(iii) What do the ‘conspirators’ do ? 1
(iv) Name the poem and the poet. 1
(v) Which poetic device is used in lines 2 – 3 ? 1
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9. Answer any one of the following questions in 50  60 words : 4

(a) What steps did Lord Weston take to safeguard himself against the
‘death warrant’ ?

(b) How does the monkey’s paw ruin the White family ?

(c) What did the company wish Sampson to convey to Herbert’s
parents ?

10. (a) Answer any two of the following questions in 80  100 words
each : 52=10

(i) Why is it important to look upon history with sympathy and
understanding ? (The Last Letter)

(ii) How does Einstein strike a balance between individual
development and the development of the whole society ?

(iii) ‘But I felt disappointment too, for I had dreamed of a
different child.’ What went wrong with the narrator’s
dream ? (I Can Play Schools)

(iv) How is the bee morally higher in the scale than the
mosquito ?

(b) Answer any one of the following questions in 120  150 words : 6

(i) Why did Vermaji bribe his grandson ? How did Rakesh react
to it ?

(ii) What is the beggar’s advice to the boy for realising and
sustaining his dream in ‘What’s Your Dream’ ?

(iii) ‘In spite of losing the challenge, Robichon gains the sympathy
of the readers.’ Describe with reference to the story, ‘The
Judgement of Paris’.

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11. Answer any one of the following questions in 150  200 words : 10

(a) Attempt a character sketch of Dr. Kemp.

(b) The life of the central character in ‘The Invisible Man’ shows that
human values should never be forgotten however great a person or
his discovery is. Comment.

(c) Eppie was right in declining Cass’s offer. Why ?

(d) How did William Dane conspire against Silas ?

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