Kerala Plus One Question Paper 2023 English

FIRST YEAR

Kerala Board
Question Paper
2023

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Reg. No. : ......................................
Name : ...........................................
FY-401
FIRST YEAR HIGHER SECONDARY EXAMINATION, MARCH 2023

Part – I Time : 2½ Hours
ENGLISH Cool-off time : 15 Minutes
Maximum : 80 scores

General Instructions to Candidates :
 There is a ‘Cool-off time’ of 15 minutes in addition to the writing time.
 Use the ‘Cool-off time’ to get familiar with questions and to plan your answers.
 Read questions carefully before answering.
 Write answers to the specific number of questions as instructed.

Questions – 1 to 8. Answer all the questions. Each carries 1 score. (8  1 = 8)

Read the following passage and answer the questions :

But I reconsidered why should I deprive her of the joy this sacrifice would give her ?
All that this shilling could have given her she was foregoing for the love of her brother.
The joy of doing it was beyond all price. The grief in her heart would be eased a little.
What good would it do to deprive her of it ? I picked up the shilling.

“Maggie, I said, “I shall use this shilling to buy flowers and put them on your brother’s
grave.”

1. The passage is taken from _______.

2. Which word in the passage indicates the meaning

‘to decide not to have something / to give up something’ ?

FY-401 1 P.T.O.

3. Why did the narrator decide to take the shilling ?

4. “The joy of doing it was beyond all price.” Why ?

Read the following lines of the poem and answer the questions that follow :

“If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;

If you think – and not make thoughts your aim,

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same :

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stood and build’em up with worn-out tools;

5. What according to the poet are the two imposters ?

6. What do knaves represent ?

7. What is the message conveyed in the above lines ?

8. Identify the figure of speech in the phrase ‘Triumph and Disaster’.

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Questions 9 to 12. Answer any 3. Each carries 2 scores. (3  2 = 6)

9. What is the theme of the story, “His First Flight” ?

10. Do you agree with A.J. Cronin’s remark “the animals were all outside”, why ? Give
two reasons.

11. Sleep is a fascinating biological process. Sleep is an efficient way to ‘service’ the brain,
to make sure it works well and long enough. Give two suggestions for a good sleep.

12. How does the father in the story “Conceptual Fruit” stand out as different from the
other members of the family ?

Questions 13 to 19. Answer any 5. Each carries 4 scores. (5  4 = 20)

13. (a) One of the sheep _______ (has / have) a bell on its neck.

(b) The teacher together with the students _______ (has / have) come.

(c) Neither the teacher nor the students _______ (has / have) gone for a walk.

(d) If you invite her, she _______ (will / would) come.

14. While planning a trip, we have to consider many things. What are the do’s and don’ts,
related to this ? (2 do’s and 2 don’ts).

FY-401 3 P.T.O.

15. “If thou art worn and hard beset

With sorrows that thou wouldst forget,

If thou wouldst read a lesson, that will keep

Thy heart from fainting and thy soul from sleep.

Go to the woods and hills ! No tears

Dim the sweet look that nature wears.

– What message do you get from these lines ?

16. (a) The police came only after the thief _______ (escape).

(b) Last year, I _______ (walk) back home every evening.

(c) He usually wears pants, but now he (wear) a dhothi.

(d) Look, the snow _______ (fall) !

17. Briefly describe the heroic acts of the crew of the Titanic at the time of the shipwreck.

18. Your school is conducting a debate on “Physical Education” which is mandatory for the
Higher Secondary Students. If you are to speak for the topic, what points will you put
forward ? Write four arguments.

19. Esther Dyson in “The Cyberspace” says that there is something in the modern psyche
that loves new frontiers, a liking to make rules instead of following them. Do you agree
with this statement ? Express your views in four sentences.

Questions 20 to 25. Answer any 5. Each carries 6 scores. (5  6 = 30)

20. “Hasan had no fondness for speech. But despite the silences of our long night vigils, I
gathered some fragments of his history.” Attempt a brief character sketch of Hasan.

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21. Prepare a short profile on Rabindranath Tagore by using the following hints :

Rabindranath Tagore

Born – 7th May 1861

Popular – Poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher,
social reformer and painter

Referred to as – “the Bard of Bengal”

Awards – Nobel Prize in Literature (1913)

Notable Works – Gitanjali, Gora, Red Olcanders, Post office,
Chithra, Chandalika, Natir-Puja, Mukta-Dhara

Pen name – Bhanusimha

Death – 7th August 1941

22. The story “Gooseberries” tells us how Nicholai Ivanich attains his goal and his long
cherished dream. If you were a reporter, how would you cover the success story of
Nicholai ? Write a newspaper report, giving it a suitable title.

23. Liam O’ Flaherty’s “His First Flight” makes the reader think about the kind of support
given by parents to make their children self-reliant and self-confident. After reading the
story, you decide to communicate your feelings to your friend abroad.

Draft an e-mail to your friend about it.

24. As a news reporter, you are present at the venue to report the trip of the hot air balloon,
Le Horla. Prepare a report about the balloon’s take off.

25. The boy who raised the question in “I will Fly” discovers a new path in his life after his
encounter with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. He writes a letter to his friend, describing the
impact of Kalam’s words on him and the changes that came over his character. Draft
the letter for the boy.
FY-401 5 P.T.O.

Questions 26 to 28. Answer any 2. Each carries 8 scores. (2  8 = 16)

26. Elaborate on the views of Nehru about Mahatma Gandhi in the lesson “And then
Gandhi Came”.

27. “A travel, in fact, an eye-opener, it opens up new, refreshing snapshots before us and
often helps us change our philosophy of life”. Write a travel essay describing the travel
experience you had recently.

28. Prepare a critical appreciation of the following poem :

(Hints – Summary of the poem – Themes – Poetic devices and style, Evolution of
thought – The perspectives of the student)

The Sands of Dee

By Charles Kingsley

O Mary, go and call the cattle home,

And call the cattle home

And call the cattle home

Across the sands of Dee’,

The western wind was wild and dank with foam,

And all alone went she.

The western tide crept up along the sand,

And o’er and o’er the sand,

And round and round the sand,

As far as eye could see.

The rolling mist came down and hid the land :

And never home came she.

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‘Oh ! is it weed, or fish, or floating hair,

A tress of golden hair,

A drowned maiden’s hair

Above the nets at sea ?

Was never salmon yet that shone so fair

Among the stakes of Dee.’

They rowed her in across the rolling foam,

The cruel crawling foam,

The cruel hungry foam,

To her grave beside the sea.

But still the boatmen hear her call the cattle home

Across the sands of Dee.

__________

FY-401 7 P.T.O.

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