ISC Class 12 Sample Paper English Literature

isc
specimen paper
2025
ISC Study Material

ENGLISH
PAPER 2
(LITERATURE IN ENGLISH)
(Prescribed Textbooks)
Maximum Marks: 80
Time Allotted: Three Hours
Reading Time: Additional Fifteen Minutes

Instructions to Candidates

➢ You are allowed additional fifteen minutes for only reading the question
paper.
➢ You must NOT start writing during reading time.
➢ This question paper has 7 printed pages.
➢ It has 5 questions in all.
➢ Answer all questions.
➢ While answering Question 1 in Section A, you are required to write only
ONE option as the correct answer.
➢ Internal choice has been given in the long answer questions on Drama,
Prose and Poetry.
➢ Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions in
Section B.
➢ The intended marks for questions are given in brackets [ ].

Instruction to Supervising Examiner

➢ Kindly read aloud the Instructions given above to all the candidates present
in the examination hall.

1

SECTION A– 20 MARKS

Question 1 [10]
Choose the correct options for the following questions.
(i) How does Lady Macbeth attempt to divert the attention of the guests from
Macbeth’s strange behaviour at the banquet? (Recall)
(a) She uses her social grace and charm to distract the guests.
(b) She engages the guests in conversation and entertainment.
(c) She pretends that Macbeth has an illness that is momentary.
(d) She speaks of Macbeth’s courage in troubled times.
(ii) What is Macbeth's reaction when he sees Banquo’s ghost at the banquet?
(Recall)
(a) He pretends to remain calm and collected.
(b) He is terrified and loses control over himself.
(c) He blames Ross and Lennox for playing tricks on him.
(d) He is proud and boastful.
(iii) What does Banquo’s soliloquy in Act III Scene i of the play Macbeth, reveal
about him? (Understanding)
(a) He is afraid of Macbeth.
(b) He is puzzled and confused.
(c) He is jealous of Macbeth and wishes to seize the throne.
(d) He is suspicious of Macbeth’s actions.
(iv) In Act V of the play Macbeth, which one of the following do you think reflects
the tragic arc of the play? (Analysis)
(P) Macbeth’s soliloquy; “Out, out brief candle, Life’s but a walking
shadow.”
(Q) Lady Macbeth’s breakdown: “What’s done cannot be undone.”
(R) Macduff’s greeting: “Hail, King of Scotland.”
(S) Malcolm’s final words: “So, thanks to all at once and to each one, whom

2

we invite to see us crowned at Scone.”
(a) (P) and (R)
(b) (P) and (Q)
(c) (R) and (S)
(d) (P) and (S)
(v) Read the two statements from the short story, The Cookie Lady and choose the
correct option from the ones given below. (Analysis)
Statement I: “Why don’t you read to me from your books? You know I
don’t see too well anymore and it’s comfort to me to be read to.”
Statement II: “You don’t mind if I touch your arm, do you?”
(a) Statement I and II are similar.
(b) Statement I and II are not related to each other.
(c) Statement II is the reason for Statement I.
(d) Statement I is the reason for Statement II.
(vi) Which of the following BEST captures the central idea of the short story,
The Medicine Bag? (Interpret)
(a) Embracing one’s cultural roots.
(b) Disrespect for the older generation.
(c) The fruits of modernisation.
(d) Peer pressure in adolescents.
(vii) Which natural element plays a crucial role in the end of the story There Will
Come Soft Rains? (Recall)
(a) Hail
(b) Wind
(c) Heat
(d) Rain
(viii) In the poem Telephone Conversation, the potent metaphor “stench of rancid
breath” is used to: (Interpret)
(a) evoke a strong sense of repulsion and disgust.
(b) describe bad odour in the telephone booth.

3

(c) create a toxic atmosphere.
(d) create a mental image of the lady with bad breath.
(ix) Why does Shane Koyczan begin the poem, Beethoven, with the word “Listen”?
(Analysis)
(a) To highlight the fact that Beethoven was abused.
(b) To make the poem appealing and lend rhythm.
(c) To add novelty to the beginning.
(d) To align it with the theme of music.
(x) How is Death personified in the opening lines of the poem, Death be Not
Proud? (Recall)

(a) As a desperate man
(b) As a gentle agent of Fate
(c) As a mighty conqueror
(d) As a reaper of souls

Question 2
Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each in brief. Do not [10]
write the question.
(i) Macbeth returns to the witches in Act IV Scene i because
__________________. (Understanding)
(ii) In Act V Scene viii of the play Macbeth, Macbeth initially refuses to fight
Macduff because__________________. (Recall)
(iii) In Act III Scene iv of the play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth dismissed the guests at
the banquet without standing on any ceremony because__________________.
(Analysis)
(iv) The escape of Fleance in Act III Scene iii of the play, Macbeth, is significant
because__________________. (Interpret)
(v) In the short story, Atithi, Motilal Babu and Annapurna choose Tarapada as a
prospective groom for their daughter because __________________.
(Recall)

4

(vi) In the short story, The Cookie Lady, Mrs. Drew wanted Bubber to keep visiting
her because__________________. (Understanding)
(vii) In the short story, Indigo, Aniruddha asked Sukhanram if there were ghosts in
the bungalow because__________________. (Recall)
(viii) In the poem, Telephone Conversation, the speaker resented the landlady asking
him about the colour of his skin because__________________. (Analysis)
(ix) In the poem, Small Towns and the River, the dead are placed pointing west
because__________________. (Recall)
(x) Beethoven amputated the legs of his piano because__________________.
(Recall)

SECTION B – 60 MARKS
MACBETH –WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Question 3
(i) How does Malcolm’s character grow and change over the course of the play? [5]
Incorporate the following details and write your answer in a short paragraph of
about 100-150 words. (Analysis)
(a) Malcolm’s testing of Macduff in Act IV
(b) His generalship and the restoration of order through Macduff
(ii) In what ways does power corrupt in the play Macbeth? Discuss any one [5]
character who is corrupted by power in the play.
Incorporate the following details and answer in 100-150 words.
(Understanding)
(a) The character’s traits before coming to power
(b) The character’s degeneration after coming into power
(iii) (a) Do you agree with the view that Macbeth is fighting a lost battle against [10]
forces beyond his control? Justify your point of view in about 200- 250
words by referring to the Acts studied. (Evaluate)
OR
(b) When do you have flashes of sympathy and admiration for Lady [10]
Macbeth in the course of the play? Explain by citing examples from the
Acts studied. Write your answer in about 200-250 words.
(Interpret)

5

PRISM- A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES

Question 4
(i) The Medicine Bag traces the narrator’s attitude to his Sioux Grandfather, from [5]
mild embarrassment to appreciation. Summarise the reasons for this
embarrassment and the change. (Understanding)
Write your answer in 100-150 words incorporating the following details.
(a) Reasons for embarrassment
(b) Specific reasons for the change in attitude
(ii) Referring closely to the short story, The Cookie Lady, explore Mrs. Drew’s [5]
fascination with Bubber.
Answer in 100-150 words Incorporating the following details.
(Understanding)
(a) Mrs. Drew’s repeated interactions with Bubber
(b) Role of the cookies in the short story
(iii) (a) Tarapada, the central character in the short story, Atithi, is a free soul [10]
who cannot be restrained by the bonds of society. Examine this statement
in 200-250 words. (Analysis)
OR
(b) Discuss the absence of human characters in the story, There Will Come [10]
Soft Rains. How does this absence contribute to the overall tone and
message of the narrative? Answer in 200-250 words. (Analysis)

RHAPSODY: POETRY

Question 5
(i) In what ways does the speaker’s cultural background clash with the landlady’s [5]
expectations in the poem Telephone Conversation?
Write your answer in 100-150 words incorporating the following details.
(Understanding)
(a) The speaker’s conversation with the landlady
(b) The undertones of racial and colour bias in the conversation

6

(ii) Referring to the poem Tithonus, show how his immortality becomes a curse. [5]
Answer in 100-150 words incorporating the following details.
(Understanding)
(a) Circumstances leading to Tithonus receiving a boon
(b) Reasons for the boon becoming a curse
(iii) (a) Analyse the comparison between death and sleep in the poem, Death Be [10]
Not Proud. How does this metaphor contribute to the overall message of
the sonnet? Write your answer in about 200-250 words. (Analysis)
OR
(b) The poem Beethoven explores the role of pain and suffering in the [10]
process of artistic creativity and excellence. Justify this statement in
200-250 words. (Evaluate)

7

ENGLISH
PAPER 2
(LITERATURE IN ENGLISH)
(Prescribed Textbooks)
ANSWER KEY
SECTION A– 20 MARKS
Question 1 [10]
Candidates have to write either the correct option or the description / explanation
against it. Please note that only ONE correct answer should be written.
(i) (c) She pretends that Macbeth has an illness that is momentary.
(ii) (b) He is terrified and loses control over himself.
(iii) (d) He is suspicious of Macbeth’s actions.
(iv) (b) Only (P) and (Q)
(v) (d) Statement I is the reason for Statement II.
(vi) (a) Embracing one’s cultural roots.
(vii) (b) Wind
(viii) (a) evoke a strong sense of repulsion and disgust.
(ix) (d) To align it with the theme of music.
(x) (c) As a mighty conqueror

Question 2 [10]
Candidates are required to answer the sub-parts briefly and not in detail. Please note
that the answers provided below are suggestive and not limiting and exhaustive. Any
other correct interpretation / reason will be accepted.
(i) he seeks to know more of the prophecies / he is increasingly desperate and
wants reassurance about his future / his ambition is fuelled / he wants to secure
his reign.
(ii) he was already burdened with guilt / spilled enough blood already / committed
a spate of murders.
ISC SPECIMEN ANSWER KEY 2025
1

(iii) she recognised signs of Macbeth’s troubled mind / she was afraid he would
blurt out the truth / his erratic behaviour might expose them / he was making a
fool of himself.
(iv) it ensures that Banquo’s line could potentially survive, fulfilling the prophecy
that Banquo’s descendants would inherit the throne.
(v) they want to temper Charusashi’s wild nature. / she was their only daughter and
so would be able to stay with them even after marriage.
(vi) she drew from his vitality and enjoyed the transformation she experienced. /
she was growing younger again by stealing his youth.
(vii) the place was spooky and old dak bungalows had a reputation for being
haunted.
(viii) being judged on the basis of skin colour was ignorant / dehumanising / unfair /
insulting.
(ix) when the soul rises, it will walk towards the east toward heaven. / it was a ritual
passed down from generation.
(x) he was deaf and got down on his knees so that he could feel the vibrations
through the floor.

SECTION B – 60 MARKS
MACBETH –WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

The long answers given in this section outline the correct approach and specify
the areas that the candidates must build their answers on. These answers are not
limiting but only suggestive. Any other correct interpretation supported by
textual evidence will be accepted.

Question 3
(i) The guidelines have been specified in the question. Candidates have to [5]
develop their answers on the prompts given in the question. They are required
to answer within the specified word limit.
(ii) Candidates must formulate their answers on the areas specified in the [5]
question.
(iii) (a) Candidates are expected to elaborate on the following ideas: [10]
• Identify the “forces beyond his control.”
• State whether the forces are merely the witches or his “Over
vaulting ambition.”
• Discuss the role of Macbeth’s soliloquies in brief to reflect the
ISC SPECIMEN ANSWER KEY 2025
2

battle within him.
• Discuss Macbeth’s responsibility in reacting to the persuasion of
Lady Macbeth and the witches.
• Contrast Macbeth with Banquo and Macduff.
• Judge what happens to Macbeth as a result of the battle within and
without.
OR
(b) Candidates will be expected to use the following approach to the [10]
question:
• Choose at least one example of each emotion.
• Explain Lady Macbeth’s actions/ role/ words in the chosen scene.
• Explain why the respective scene arouses Sympathy or Admiration.
• Focus on how the feelings are aroused in the reader- through words,
imagery, actions and so on.
• Suggest a plausible reason for such a portrayal.

PRISM- A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES

Question 4
(i) The guidelines have been specified in the question. Candidates have to [5]
develop their answers on the prompts given in the question. They are required
to answer within the specified word limit.
(ii) Candidates must formulate their answers on the areas specified in the [5]
question within the prescribed word limit.
(iii) (a) Candidates are required to focus on the following areas in their [10]
answers:
• Cite examples of Tarapada’s love of freedom.
• Mention his interests and activities.
• Describe his attitude to his own family and mother.
• Describe his reaction to music, nature and ordinary people.
• Comment on his relationship with Charusashi.
• Interpret his return to the world of Nature at the conclusion of the
story.
OR

ISC SPECIMEN ANSWER KEY 2025
3

(b) Candidates are required to focus on the following areas in their [10]
answers.

• Discuss the portrayal of a dystopian world – almost post-
apocalyptic
• Emphasise on the mechanical work of machinery/ robots
effortlessly carrying out their duties, even the mice are mechanical.
• Describe the complete, chilling absence of human presence- the
warmth, the fallible aspect of human existence.
• Things are done at their assigned time and assigned manner.
• Ironically, the house is preoccupied with Time- a human construct,
in the absence of human beings.
• In the end, Nature prevails over technology.

RHAPSODY: POETRY

Question 5
(i) The prompts have been specified in the question. Candidates have to develop [5]
their answers on those prompts within the specified word limit.
(ii) Candidates must formulate their answers on the areas specified in the [5]
question within the prescribed word limit.
(iii) (a) Candidates are required to build their answer on the following [10]
areas:

• Briefly explain how the poem is built on the common comparison
of death and sleep.
• Use of words and imagery which underscores this similarity.
• Use of imagery to show that death is also weak and susceptible.
• How does eternal life after death negate the power of Death.
• Constant downscaling of the power and terror of Death
• Message that Death can be overcome and defeated.
OR
(b) Candidates have to address the following areas in their answers: [10]
• Cite the words or lines which emphasise Beethoven’s suffering.
• Describe his anguish.
• Cite metaphors or imagery suggesting the connection between pain
and artistic creativity.
• Describe how Beethoven overcame adversity.
• Provide evidence from the poem to describe the impact of his music
on audiences.

ISC SPECIMEN ANSWER KEY 2025
4

CISCE STUDY MATERIAL

ICSE ISC

INFORMATION CLASS STUDY MATERIAL

1 Time Table 9 Specimen Paper
10 Specimen Paper
2 Result
11 Specimen Paper
3 Syllabus 12 Specimen Paper

OTHER RESOURCES
10 Question Paper
Maps of India, Maps of World
Writing Skill Formats 12 Question Paper
Periodic Table
9/10 Lab Manuals
BOOKS 11/12 Lab Manuals
ICSE Class 10 Prescribed Books
ISC Class 12 Prescribed Books
ISC Class 12 Project Work

ENTRANCE EXAMS

JEE Main CLAT CUET UG
JEE Advanced NEET UG Fashion & Design