Class 12 Question Paper 2023-24 English (Half Yearly)

2023-24
HALF YEARLY
EXAM
NCERT BASED
SYLLABUS
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FOR
CBSE BOARD
AND
STATE BOARDS

HALF YEARLY EXAMINATION, 2023-2024
SUBJECT: ENGLISH
CLASS: XII

Time Allowed: 3 Hrs. Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions:

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

SECTION A-READING SKILLS –22 marks
I. Read the passage given below. 12
1. People being what they are get practical about creating their own currency as long as it is
honoured. In Africa sea shells were used until the 19th century as money. But gold — practically
useless but known for its short supply and lasting quality — has been the most popular non-
currency form of money and is a standard for central banks.
2. Now in the age of the Internet and digital technologies, money is undergoing an exciting
makeover with talk of virtual currencies, mobile wallets and software apps that pretty much do
what gold has been doing for centuries and currency notes have been doing for a while.
Technologies such as near-field communications are being used to make the mobile phone an
instrument of payment without the customer having to sign a credit card voucher, thus making
it more secure.
3. In general, software apps are being developed to substitute for money in various ways. Some
companies like Starbucks allow ‘digital tipping’ of its baristas through a mobile app. Pre-paid
cash cards are being used asswipe instruments where customers do not need credit cards or
even bank accounts. The Next Gen ATM machines will recognize your face through facial
biometric technologies.
4. Bitcoin, the most popular virtual currency, started circulating in 2009. Its current market
value has been estimated at around $8 billion, about 80,000 transactions occurring daily,
according to reputable accounting firms. However, Washington’s Internal Revenue Service
ruled that bitcoin is not currency but more like property — and thus subject to capital gains tax.
5. Meanwhile other virtual currencies are taking off — and influencing politics. In Iceland, which

sawits banking system more or less wiped out, during the 2008 global financial crisis, there
emerged the euro coin, a new currency, now estimated to be worth $11.37 billion. This
currency is aimed at fighting capital controls imposed by the Iceland government.
6. Cryptocurrencies are a very important milestone in this fight for liberty from political control.
They bring the hope of a new era of free currencies immune to the meddling of politicians.

7. In addition, money is undergoing an exciting makeover through innovations galore. Telecom
companies the world over, for instance, with support from their central banks are offering
customers ‘mobile money’ as a service. Another innovation that is much talked about is the
mobile wallet and companies are helping their customers carry the equivalent of cash in their
handsets much like one carries travellers’cheques.
8. Thus more and more practical solutions are being spawned across the planet to focus not so
much on money’s ‘store of value’ but as a medium of exchange.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below.
i. Does the following statement agree with the information given in paragraph 1?
The contents of para 1 state the people are getting smarter about creating their own currency
that will downgrade the gold standard of currency.
ii. Do you think the findings about currencies will change the way for money transactions in
India? Select which of the given options gives an authentic answer.
(a) Practical usage of money shapes its use.
(b) Everyone in India is computer and internet literate.
(c) The digital learning in money is making transaction less fraudulent.
(d) Gold is gradually getting to the stage of digital currency.
iii. State what are the types of software available to substitute for money.
iv. Complete the sentence based on the following statements.
Bitcoin is not currency because the internal revenue service, Washington, rules that _____.
v. Select the option that best describes the linkages between government control and
cryptocurrencies.
(a) Other virtual currencies are taking off and influencing politics.
(b) The eurocoin emerged to curb controls on capital by the Icelandic government.
(c) Cryptocurrencies will ban national currencies.
(d) Crypto is money exchange only.
vi. What does the writer mean by freedom for cryptocurrencies?
vii. What is the offer being made by telecom companies?
(a) They are offering mobile money.
(b) They are offering support from their respective central banks.
(c) They are offering mobile money which has the support of their central banks.
(d) They are offering central banking services.
viii. Complete the given sentence.
Gradually the shift is from money’s financial value to _____.
ix. Complete the given sentence by selecting the most appropriate option.
Central banks are encouraging their customers to switch to mobile wallets because _____.
(a) it is equal to travellers’cheques

(b) it allows travellers to carry cash in the same manner as travellers’cheques
(c) it is an exchange in the form of travellers’cheques
(d) it is a handset built for carrying money

x. Based on the reading of the text, state a point whereby you can challenge the statement
below.
Cryptocurrencies are a way of freeing oneself from the impediments imposed by national
currencies.
(a) Besides controls by national currencies, there is also political control to contend with, when
it comes to currencies.
(b) Besides different currencies in different countries, there is also, international money
exchange to contend with.
(c) National currencies are a way of providing customers availability of money in an easy
format.
(d) Cryptocurrencies can topple governments
xi. What does cryptocurrencies bring to the new era?
xii. Give a suitable title to the passage.

II. Read the passage given below. 10
1. We sit in the last row, bumped about but free of stares. The bus rolls out of the dull
crossroads of the city, and we are soon in open countryside, with fields of sunflowers as far as
the eye can see, their heads all facing us. Where there is no water, the land reverts to desert.
While still on level ground we see in the distance the tall range of the Mount Bogda, abrupt like
a shining prism laid horizontally on the desert surface, it is over 5,000 meters high, and the
peaks are under permanent snow, in powerful contrast to the flat desert all around. Heaven
Lake lies part of the way up this range, about 2,000 metres above sea-level, at the foot of one
of the higher snow-peaks.
2. As the bus climbs, the sky, brilliant before, grows overcast. I have brought nothing warm to
wear: it is all down at the hotel in Urumqi. Rain begins to fall. The man behind me is eating
overpoweringly smellygoat’s cheese. The bus window leaks inhospitably but reveals a beautiful
view. We have passed quicklyfrom desert through arable land to pasture, and the ground is
now green with grass, the slopes dark withpine. A few cattle drink at a clear stream flowing past
moss-covered stones; it is a Constable landscape. The stream changes into a white torrent, and
as we climb higher I wish more and more that I had brought with me something warmer than
the pair of shorts that have served me so well in the desert. The Stream (which, we are told,
rises in Heaven Lake) disappears, and we continue our slow ascent. About noon, we arrive at
Heaven Lake, and look for a place to stay at the foot, which is the resort area. We get a room in
a small cottage, and I am happy to note that there are thick quilts on the beds.
3. Standing outside the cottage we survey our surroundings. Heaven Lake is long, sardine-
shaped and fed by snowmelt from a stream at its head. The lake is an intense blue, surrounded
on all sides by green mountain walls, dotted with distant sheep. At the head of the lake, beyond
the delta of the inflowing stream, is a massive snow-capped peak which dominates the vista; it

is part of a series of peak that culminate, a little out of view, in Mount Bogda itself.
4. For those who live in the resort there is a small mess-hall by the shore. We eat here
sometimes, and sometimes buy food from the vendors outside, who sell kabab and naan until
the last buses leave. The kababs, cooked on skewers over charcoal braziers, are particularly
good; highly spiced and well-done. Horse’s milk is available too from the local Kazakh

herdsmen, but I decline this. I am so affected by the cold that Mr. Cao, the relaxed young man
who runs the mess, lends me a spare pair of trousers, several sizes too large but more than
comfortable. Once I am warm again, I feel a pre-dinner spurt of energy - dinner will be long in
coming - and I ask him whether the lake is good for swimming in.
5. “Swimming?” Mr. Cao says. “You aren’t thinking of swimming, are you?”
6. “I thought I might,” I confess. “What’s the water like?”
7. He doesn’t answer me immediately, turning instead to examine some receipts with
exaggerated interest. Mr. Cao, with great off-handedness, addresses the air. “People are often
drowned here:’ he says. After a pause, he continues. “When was the last one?” This question is
directed at the cook, who is preparing a tray of mantou (squat white steamed bread rolls), and
who now appears, wiping his doughy hand across his forehead. “Was it the Beijing athlete?”
asks Mr. Cao.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below.
i. According to the narrator, the advantage of sitting in the last row of the bus is that _____.
ii. What did the narrator see soon after reaching the countryside?
(a) Fields of sunflower (b) A shining prism
(c) Tall range of Mount Bogda(d) Green pastures
iii. The word ‘brilliant’ as given in paragraph 2 means
1. dazzling
2. talented
3. ingenious
4. shining
5. virtuous
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 2 and 5
iv. Pick out the options that explains how the scene looked like a constable landscape?
1. The ground filled with green grass.
2. The rising full-moon.
3. The slopes dark with pine.
4. The flowing Heaven lake in the middle of the landscape.
5. A few cattle drinking at a clear stream flowing past mass-covered stones.
(a) 1, 3, and 5 (b) Both 2 and 4
(c) only 5 (d) 2, 4 and 5
v. Which word meansthe same as‘steep’from paragraph 1?
vi. What did the narrator wish for as the bus climbs higher?
(a) That he must not be travelling alone.
(b) That he had brought some eatables with him.

(c) He was scared and thought that he should not have come to this trip.
(d) That he had brought some warm clothes with him.
vii. The pair of trousers that Mr. Cao sent for the narrator was
(a) fittednicely to him. (b) very comfortable
(c) too short for him (d) too large but more than comfortable for him.

viii. The correct antonym of the word ‘arable’ is _____.
ix. Mr. Cao warned the narrator against swimming in the lake because _____.
x. Mantou is a kind of bread, traditionally used in _____.

III. SECTION B- CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS –18 marks
III. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. 4
A. Water supply will be suspended for eight hours (10 am to 6 pm) on 6th of March for cleaning
of the water tank. Write a notice in about 50 words advising the residents to store water for a
day. You are Karan Kumar/Karuna Bajaj, Secretary, Janata Group Housing Society, PalamVihar,
Kurnool. OR
B. You are Mahender, Sports Captain, St. John’s School, Lucknow. Write a notice in 50 words for
the school notice board informing students about an Inter School Football match to be played
in your school. Invite them to watch and cheer the teams.

IV. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. 4
A. The literary club of your society is putting up the play ‘Macbeth’. As secretary of the club,
draft an invitation inviting the famous writer Rohit Sharma to be the guest of honour at the
function. Write the invitation in about 50 words. You are Gaurav/Garima.
OR
B. You have been invited as a judge for a debate competition by New Hope public School. Draft
a formal refusal in about 50 words.

V. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. 5
A. Write a letter to Editor of local daily, New Delhi about water scarcity in you locality
suggesting ways to improve the condition of water supply. You are Bobby/Babita of Ghaziabad.
OR
B. As a regular commuter by bus from Noida to Delhi, you have been witnessing rash driving by
the bus drivers daily without an exception. Write a letter to the Editor, ‘The Times of India’
drawing the attention of the General Manager, Delhi Transport Corporation to this problem.
You are Priti/Prakash, 15, UdyogVihar, Noida.

VI. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. 5
A. Incessant rain has caused irrecoverable damage in your area. As an active participant in the
flood relief programme, write a report in 125-150 words on the different flood relief measures
carried out. You are Krishan/ Krishna.
OR
B. Accidents happen when people violate traffic rules. Careless drivers cause suffering to

themselves and to others. Write an article in 120-150 words on “Safe Driving”.

SECTION C- LITERATURE -40
VII. Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given. (1 X 6 = 6)
1.A A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases,
it will never
Pass into nothingness;
but will keep
A bower quiet for us
i. Pick out the option that best explains the expression - “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”.
1. Its loveliness decreases day by day. 2. It lasts forever.
3. It makes a person dull. 4. It never passes into nothingness.
(a) Only 1 (b) Both 2 and 3
(c) Only 4 (d) Both 2 and 4
ii. What does the phrase ‘a bower quiet’ indicates?
(a) serenity (b) morality (c) superiority (d) diversity
iii. What does the poet mean by ‘a bower quiet for us’?
(a) It is as beautiful as a rose.(b) It is as quiet as a mouse.
(c) It is as cool and pleasant as a quiet lover.(d) It is as temporary as happiness.
iv. Who is the poet of this poem?
(a) P.B. Shelley(b) John Keats(c) Tennyson(d) Robert Frost
v. What will never pass into nothingness?
vi. When the poet says that a thing of beauty will never pass into nothingness, he means that it
is _______________________.
OR
1.B Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still
For once on the face of the Earth
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.
i. The number twelve signifies
(a) the twelve days
(b) the twelve minutes
(c) the twelve hours mark on the clock to calculate time
(d) the twelve seconds
ii. The expression - “not move our arms” refers to
(a) sit quietly (b) not eat anything
(c) be inactive (d) sit still without any movement

iii. With reference to the poem “Keeping Quiet”, which of the following is TRUE?
(a) The poet requests people to keep quiet to maintain silence.
(b) The poet’s request to keep quiet is to avoid noise.
(c) By asking to keep quiet, the poet means to be friendly.
(d) The poet request to keep quiet in the hope of becoming more thoughtful and peaceful.

iv. How long is the poet expecting everyone to stay still?
(a) for 12 hours (b) for 10 minutes
(c) for 15 minutes (d) for few seconds till we count twelve
v. Who wrote the poem ‘Keeping Quiet”?
vi. In this extract the word ‘let’s’ is used to _____

VIII. Read the given extracts to attempt the questions with reference to context.(1 X 6 = 6)
1. Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given.
1.A “I will learn to drive a car,” he answers, looking straight into my eyes. His dream looks like a
mirage amidst the bangles. Every other family in Firozabad, famous for its making bangles. It is
the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry where families have sent generations working
around furnaces, welding glass, making bangles for all the women in the land it seems.
i. The expression, “families have sent generations working around furnaces” signifies that
(a) families were bound to do the same work because of their debt.
(b) all members of the family were into same profession since generations.
(c) they do not know anything except bangle-making
(d) bangle making is a profitable business for them
ii. The word ‘mirage’ means the same as
(a) reality(b) certainty
(c) illusion(d) credence
iii. What function does the glass-blowing industry of Firozabad do?
(a) It makes windows. (b) It makes crockery items.
(c) It works to mould glass only. (d) It works to mould glass and make colourful bangles of
it.
iv. Who is the author of ‘Lost Spring’?
(a) Sarojini Naidu (b) Kamala Das
(c) Maha Devi Verma(d) Anees Jung
v. ‘I will learn to drive a car:’ What does this statement imply?
vi. Which city is the center of India’s glass making industry?
OR
1.B It seemed a long way down. Those nine feet were more like ninety, and before I touched
bottom my lungs were ready to burst. But when my feet hit bottom I summoned all my
strength and made what Ithought was a great spring upwards. I imagined I would bob to the
surface like a cork. Instead, I cameup slowly. I opened my eyes and saw nothing but water -
water that had a dirty yellow tinge to it.
i. Why did the nine feet deep pool seemed ninety to Douglas?

(a) Because he was afraid of the water and didn’t know swimming.
(b) Because he didn’t know that the pool is so deep inside.
(c) Because he didn’t know the calculation.
(d) Because the pool’s water is so dirty
ii. The expression “I imagined I would bob to the surface like a cork” implies that

(a) Douglas was afraid to die.
(b) Douglas accepted his failure and ultimate death.
(c) Though Douglas was frightened he was not out of his wits.
(d) Frightened, Douglas was not able to shout for help.
iii. Choose the word from the given options which means to ‘make a quick, short movement up
and down’
(a) Burst (b) Tinge
(c) Bob (d) Summoned
iv. The above extract has been taken from _____.
(a) The Last Lesson (b) Indigo
(c) The Rattrap (d) Deep Water
v. Where did the given event take place?
vi. ‘It seemed a long way down: What was the author referring to?

IX. Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given. (1 X 4 = 4)
2.A In the afternoon the second thing happened. Hana, working hard on unaccustomed labour,
saw a messenger come to the door in official uniform. Her hands went weak and she could not
draw her breath. The servants must have told already. She ran to Sadao, gasping unable to
utter a word. But by then the messenger had simply followed her through the garden and there
he stood. She pointed at him helplessly. Sadao looked up from his book ....
“What is it?” he asked the messenger and then he rose, seeing the man’s uniform. “You are to
come to the palace,” The man said. “The old General is in pain again.” “Oh”, Hana breathed, “is
that all?”
i. The messenger had come to Sadao’s house
(a) to talk to him(b) to arrest Sadao’s wife
(c) to arrest the prisoner (d) to call Sadao to attend the General who was ill.
ii. The above extract has been taken from
(a) The Third Level (b) The Enemy
(c) Going Places (d) Lost Spring
iii. The phrase ‘unaccustomed labour’ means _____.
iv. What was Hana’s fear in the given extract?
OR
2.B The corridor I was in began angling left and slanting downward and I thought that was
wrong, but I kept on walking. All I could hear was the empty sound of my own footsteps and I
didn’t pass a soul. Then I heard that sort of hollow roar ahead that means open space and
people talking. The tunnel turned sharp left; I went down a short flight of stairs and came out
on the third level at Grand Central Station.

i. What does the phrase “I didn’t pass a soul” mean?
(a) That the narrator was dead.
(b) That nobody was there except the narrator.
(c) That there were so many dead souls roaming.

(d) That the narrator was thinking about a ghost.
ii. Which is the only sound that the speaker heard when he entered the corridor?
(a) Chirping of the birds
(b) Voices of the people talking
(c) Sound of the trains moving at the Grand Station
(d) Empty sound of his own footsteps
iii. ‘Began angling’ what does the phrase imply?
iv. To which chapter the given extract belongs?

X. Answer ANY FIVE of the following in about 40-50 words each. (2 X 5= 10)
i. How did Louisa react when the narrator told his wish to go to the third level to buy tickets?
ii. Why did Gandhiji feel that it was useless for the peasants to go to law courts?
iii. For Franz, what was much more tempting than going to school and why?
iv. What different image does the poet use to convey the idea of her mother’s age?
v. Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain Von Stahle?
vi. How can suspension of activities help? (Keeping Quiet)

XI. Answer ANY TWO of the following in about 40-50 words each. (2 X 2 = 4)
i. How did the gardener react when Dr. Sadao told him about the wounded American soldier?
ii. How will the Maharaja prepare himself for the hundredth tiger which was supposed to
decide his fate?
iii. How can a visit to the Antarctica be an enlightening experience?

XII. Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 120-150 words. (5)
i. Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle for
independence?
OR
ii. How did the peddler betray the confidante reposed in him by the crofter in “Ihe Rattrap’?

XIII. Answer any one of the following questions: (5)
a. ‘Take care of small things and big will take care of themselves’. What is the relevance of this
statement in the context of the Antarctica?
b. The astrologers predicted about the king, “The child will grow up to become the warrior of
warriors, hero of heroes, and champion of champions.” Do you think this prediction was right?

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