MBOSE Class 12 Question Paper 2023 for English

Total No. of Printed Pages—15
HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23

2023

ENGLISH

Full Marks : 100
Time : 3 hours

The figures in the margin indicate full marks for the questions

General Instructions :

(i) Write all the answers in the Answer Script.

(ii) Attempt Part—A (Objective Questions) serially.

(iii) Attempt all parts of a question together at one place.

( PART : A—OBJECTIVE )
( Marks : 50 )

SECTION—I
( Marks : 20 )

1. Complete the following sentences using the right
word from the alternatives given in the brackets
(any five) : 1×5=5

(a) Gandhi had _____ protracted interviews with
the Lieutenant Governor.

( three / four )

/23 [ P.T.O.

( 2 )

(b) The official inquiry assembled a crushing mountain
of _____ against the big planters.

( facts / evidence )

(c) The old crofter was in a hurry to milk his _____.

( cow / goat )

(d) The stranger made no attempt to _____.

( escape / dissimulate )

(e) Young boys like the son of the _____, now wore shoes.

( ragpickers / priest )

(f) Food is more important for survival than an _____.

( image / identity )

(g) With that he picked me up and tossed me into the
_____ end.

( deep / shallow )

(h) I had started on the long journey back to the bottom
of the _____.

( sea / pool )

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ Contd.

( 3 )

2. Write whether the following statements are True or False
(any five) : 1×5=5

(a) The December, 1916 Annual Convention of the
Indian National Congress was held in Delhi.

(b) The planters offered to refund to the extent of
twenty-five percent of the sharecropper’s money.

(c) The stranger caused a lot of trouble at Ramsjo as
he could not sleep.

(d) The ironmaster mistook the blacksmith to be an old
regimental comrade.

(e) The bangle makers think that a god-given lineage
can be broken.

(f) For the children, garbage has a meaning different
from what it means to their parents.

(g) Finally one September, Douglas decided to get an
instructor and learn how to swim.

(h) According to the instructor, “All we have to fear
is fear itself.”

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ P.T.O.

( 4 )

3. Complete the following sentences using the right
word from the alternatives given in the brackets
(any five) : 1×5=5

(a) It would be an exotic moment without rush, without
_____.
( sounds / engines )

(b) Perhaps the earth can _____ us.
( teach / guide )

(c) Some shape of beauty moves away the _____.
( pall / sadness )

(d) A flowery _____ to bind us to the earth.
( band / garland )

(e) Attend to the _____ beast.
( necessary / unnecessary )

(f) Caring for Animals is written by _____.
( Jon Silkin / John Keats )

(g) Cousins arrived in _____ in overcrowded private
buses.
( Chennai / Tiruchchanur )

(h) Let’s stop for one second, and not move our _____ so
much.
( arms / hands )

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ Contd.

( 5 )

4. Write whether the following statements are True or False
(any five) : 1×5=5

(a) In the poem, Keeping Quiet, the poet portrays the
importance of quiet introspection.

(b) ‘A Thing of Beauty’ will never pass into
nothingness.

(c) The poet got all the answers from the sky and the
serene blue water.

(d) In the poem, A Thing of Beauty, Keats expresses his
hatred for natural and material beauty.

(e) Even the animals have the right to be valued for what
they are and not for how they can be used.

(f) Family reunions help people who have been
separated for a while to come together.

(g) Sundari liked to squirrel up and down the forbidden
banyan tree.

(h) Jon Silkin is an American poet.

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ P.T.O.

( 6 )

SECTION—II
( Marks : 30 )

5. Answer any five of the following questions in not more
than 2 sentences each : 1×5=5

(a) Why did Raj Kumar Shukla want to meet Gandhi?

(b) Why did Gandhi decide to go first to Muzaffarpur?

(c) Who owned the Ramsjo iron mill?

(d) What did the vagabond compare the whole world to?

(e) Why is the author pleased with Mukesh?

(f) Where is Seemapuri located?

(g) What plan did William make to stop himself from
drowning in the pool?

(h) Why did William Douglas decide to hire an
instructor?

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ Contd.

( 7 )

6. Answer any five of the following questions in not more
than 2 sentences each : 1×5=5

(a) In the poem, Keeping Quiet, what is the appeal made
by the poet?

(b) What is meant by ‘Green Wars’?

(c) Why will a thing of beauty not pass into
nothingness?

(d) What does Keats mean by the ‘unhealthy and over-
darkened ways of man’?

(e) In the poem, Caring for Animals, what does the poet
question?

(f) What is the ‘green island’? What does Silkin expect
of it?

(g) What did the poet remember about his cousin,
Sundari?

(h) In the poem, And so it Eventually Happened, why was
it not possible for the family members to recognize
each other instantly?

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ P.T.O.

( 8 )

7. (a) Rewrite the following as directed : 1×8=8

(i) Seema’s sister was not as clever as she was.

( Change into comparative degree )

(ii) How happy I am!

( Change into assertive sentence )

(iii) He thinks too much of himself and his abilities.
He is such an _____.

( Use one word substitution for the
underlined words )

(iv) It was a wonderful performance.

( Change into exclamatory sentence )

(v) International calls are not expensive.

( Give the opposite of the
underlined word )

(vi) The news is so good that it cannot be true.

( Use : ‘too’ )

(vii) Hurry up or you will miss the train.

( Use : ‘if’ )

(viii) The mechanic was repairing the washing
machine.

( Change into passive voice )

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ Contd.

( 9 )

(b) Change the following into direct/indirect speech :
1×4=4

(i) Ravi said, “I am singing a song.”

(ii) She says, “I knew the way home.”

(iii) He said that she wrote a letter.

(iv) The teacher said to the boy, “What is your
name?”

(c) Rewrite any three of the following sentences in the
correct form : 1×3=3

(i) I love these poetries.

(ii) I found hundred rupees note on the road.

(iii) The sheeps are grazing in the meadow.

(iv) I must always speak truth.

8. Answer any five of the following questions in not more
than 2 sentences each : 1×5=5

(a) How was Simon dressed when he went to the village?

(b) What did Simon discover when he approached the
stranger?

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ P.T.O.

( 10 )

(c) What did Simon do with the twenty kopeks?

(d) Why did Matrena say that she had no supper
for Simon and the stranger?

(e) Why are caves important to the Palaeontologist?

(f) Why should troglobitic animals be documented?

(g) Who is a biospeleologist?

(h) Mention any three common species observed in the
cave environment of Meghalaya.

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ Contd.

( 11 )

( PART : B—DESCRIPTIVE )
( Marks : 50 )

9. Answer any two of the following questions : 5×2=10

(a) Who was Professor Malkani? How did he help
Gandhi? Why was his action of helping Gandhi
extraordinary in those days? 1+1+3=5

(b) After stealing from the Crofter’s cottage, where did
the peddler go? Why did he do that? What were
his thoughts during his journey? 1+1+3=5

(c) Describe the living conditions of the people of
Firozabad. 5

(d) How was William Douglas trained to become
a perfect swimmer? 5

10. Answer any two of the following questions : 5×2=10

(a) Write the central idea of the poem, Keeping Quiet. 5

(b) What are the beautiful objects present in nature
according to Keats? In what way will these objects
lift up our spirits? 2+3=5

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ P.T.O.

( 12 )

(c) How does the family reunion in Tiruchchanur bring
back the old memories? Give examples. 3+2=5

(d) “From growing mercy and a moderate love;
Great love for the human animal occurs,
And your love grows,
Your great love grows and grows.”

(i) What is the human animal?

(ii) What are the qualities that are developed in
a person by caring for animals?

(iii) What do you think is the message conveyed in
the above given lines? 1+2+2=5

11. Answer any one of the following questions : 10

(a) When did Michael smile for the second time?
Describe the incident. 2+8=10

(b) Write about the speleo history of Meghalaya. 10

(c) In what way do caves hold the key to the past?
Write about the conservation of caves in
Meghalaya. 5+5=10

(d) Describe the life led by Simon’s family before they
met Michael. How did their life change after Simon
brought home an angel? 5+5=10

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ Contd.

( 13 )

12. Write an essay on any one of the following topics : 10

(a) Importance of water

(b) Use of plastics and its effects on the environment

(c) Meghalaya as a tourist destination

(d) Impact of poverty on Education

Or

Write a letter to the Editor of a local daily complaining
about the bad condition of roads in Meghalaya.

Or

As the head boy/ head girl of the school, write a notice
informing the students about the inter-school poster
making contest on ‘Save the Girl Child’. Give all the
necessary details.

13. Read the passage given below carefully and answer the
questions that follow :

Among the various misfortunes that befall humanity,
loss of health is one of the severest. All the joy which life
can give, cannot outweigh the sufferings of the sick.
Nothing can relieve a sick person of his sufferings; rather
he will feel that half the world is lost to him, even the most
comfortable soft silken couch cannot give him any comfort
or relief. He will nevertheless groan and pass a sleepless
night on account of his suffering. But, on the other hand,
the healthy miserable beggar enjoys a sound sleep on the
hard ground. An ailing person may be offered delicious

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ P.T.O.

( 14 )

meals and choice drinks, but he will thrust back the
hand that offers them. He will rather envy the poor man
who enjoys his dry loaf of bread. Even the loveliest
throne and all other best things can no longer give
him relief. He will rather watch the marble, gold, the
costliest dresses and the most delicious dishes with
scornful eyes. He would feel extremely happy, if he could
enjoy the health of the meanest of his servants living
in the thatched hut. He envies the sweet entertainment
of the poor man blessed with good health. For him, health
is the greatest wealth which no amount of money can buy.

Questions :

(a) What is the worst type of calamity that can befall
mankind? 1

(b) What cannot outweigh the sufferings of the sick? 1

(c) Why does the ailing person envy the meanest of
his servants? 1

(d) Give the opposites of the following words : ½×4=2

(i) Ailing

(ii) Misfortunes

(iii) Costliest

(iv) Miserable

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 [ Contd.

( 15 )

(e) Give the meaning of the following words : 1×2=2

(i) Sleepless

(ii) Scornful

(f) What lesson does this passage teach us? 2

(g) Give a suitable title to the passage. 1

HHH

HS/XII/A. Sc. Com. V/E/23/23 K23—34400