English– Important Questions Bank for Rajasthan Board HSC 2016 Examination

ENGLISH ( COMPULSORY )

SECTION – A ( READING )

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

.All round development of man is the true aim of education. It should train not only the head, but also the hands and the heart. But our present system of education has miserably failed to achieve this aim. It suffers from many grave defects. The present system of education was founded by the British for their own convenience. Lord Macaulay was the father and founder of this system. He wanted it to produce clerks to help the British in running their administration. Today the English have gone but the same old system of education still continues. We are free but we are still slavishly following the system evolved by the British. This system of education has many defects. It must be changed and overhauled.

The greatest defect in our present system of education is that it is too theoretical. An educated man has only bookish knowledge. He knows nothing about practical things. He finds that his education has notmade him fit to do any useful work for his society. The present system of education does not teach us the dignity of labour. A student is not taught or trained to do things with his hands. Manual or physical labour finds no place in education. Educated young men are fit only to be clerk in offices. They look down upon manual labour. They consider it below their dignity to work with their hands in fields or factories.

Vocational education is the need of the hour. We need more and more technicians, engineers and doctors. But the number of vocational institutions — Engineering and Medical colleges, Polytechnics and I.T.I’s — is limited. A large number of young men and women, who can do well as technicians, are deprived of technical or vocational knowledge.

The present system of education gives too much importance to English. At many places, it is the medium of instruction. English may be an international language. It may have rich treasures of science and literature. But it can never be our national language. Education must be imparted in the mother tongue. This will save much talent of the country from going waste.

A number of commissions have been set up since the dawn of independence to plan afresh the country’s system of education. After much thought, the 10 + 2 + 3 system was introduced. It was designed to divert the students to different fields and vocations according to their talent and the needs of the society. But different states have taken to it only half-heartedly. As the things stand today, the 10 + 2 + 3 system has become a riddle. No one knows what exactly it is.

Meanwhile, our education system is as rotten and muddy as it used to be. Students find it purposeless. Therefore, they feel restive and go on strikes. They take no interest in their studies because they know that after finishing their education, they will only join the army of unemployed. There is an urgent need that the present system should be overhauled and made purposeful.

(i) What is the true aim of education ?

(ii) Who was the father and founder of the present system of education ?

(iii) What is the greatest defect in our present system of education ?

(iv) What type of education is the need of the hour ?

(v) Why was the system 10 + 2 + 3 introduced ?

(vi) Why do the students take no interest in their studies ?

Find out a word from the passage which means —

(vii) provided

(viii) usele

(ix) without any work.

SECTION – B ( WRITING )

1. You have constructed a new house. You want to let out a portion of that house. Write an advertisement to be published in the “To Let” classified columns of a local newspaper.
2. You are the Editor of your school magazine. Draft a notice for your school students and staff members inviting articles, Sketches etc. for your school magazine. Sing as PQR of Govt. S.S. school. Sitapur.
3. Draw up a poster on the dangers of global warming to the future of our planet.
4. D. K. International is looking for a receptionist for the school. Write an advertisement on behalf of the administrative officer in the classified columns of the local newspaper giving necessary details. Draft an advertisement in not more than 50 words
5. You are Mukesh, reporter of Rajasthan Patrika. Write a report in about 100 words on assembly elections held in your city.
6. You are the Principal of your school. You want to purchase furniture. Write a letter to M/s Sharma and Brothers, placing an order for school furniture
7. You are the monitor of your class. You organised and conducted a quiz competition in your class. Write a report of it to be published in the school magazine in about 100 words.
8. Write an application to the Secretary, Board of Secondary Education, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh for making correction in the date of birth in your secondary certificate. State what documents you are sending with it.
9. Your school is going to organize Van Mahotsava. Prepare a speech on the importance of Van Mahotsava in 100 words.
10. Write an article on “Television as a Means of Education” in 100 words.
11. Your club organised a blood donation camp in your city. Write a report in about 100 words
12. Write a factual description of your school Morning Assembly in about 100 Words
13. Write a job application for a post of Clerk advertised in the local newspaper of your city.

SECTION – C ( TEXTUAL QUESTIONS )

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

Perhaps the Earth can teach us

as when everything seems dead

and later proves to be alive

Now I’ll count up to twelve

and you keep quiet and I will go.

(i) What lesson can the Earth teach us ?

(ii) What does the poet ask us to do ?

(iii) Find out the word from the poem which means ‘silent’

2. Driving from my parent’s home to Cochin

Last Firday morning.

W saw my mother beside me doze open mouthed

Her face ashen like that

of a corpse and realised with pain that.

She was as old as she looked.

i) Where was the poet driving to and with whom?

ii) What did she notice while her mother sat beside her?

iii) Find word form the extract which means ‘dead body’

3. Answer any three of the following questions in 30 – 40 words each :

(i) Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’ ? ( My Mother at Sixty-six )

(ii) What does the poet want for the children of the slums? (An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum)

(iii) What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to ? Why is it vain ? ( A Roadside Stand )

(iv) List the things of beauty mention in the poem (A Thing of Beauty)

(v) What is suggested by the image ‘massive weight of uncle’s wedding band’ ? ( Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers )

(vi) What does counting up to twelve and keeping still help us achieve? ( Keeping Quite)

(vii) What was the plea of the folk who had put up the Roadside stand? ( A Roadside Stand)

4. Answer the following questions in 30 – 40 words each :

(i) What makes the city of Firozabad famous ? ( The Lost Spring )

(ii) What does counting up to twelve and keeping still help us achieve? ( Keeping Quite)

(iii)  Why did the peddler sing himself as Captain Von Stable? ( The Ratterap)

(iv) What does ‘The God that failed’ refer to ? ( Poets and Pancakes )

(v) Why do most celebrities hate to be interviewed ? ( The Interview )

(vi) Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being resolute ? (Indigo)

(vii) Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny? ( Going Places)

5. Answer the following question in about 125 words :

i) Describe the difficulties faced by Gandhi at Champaran. ( Indigo )

ii) What did the French teacher tell his students in his last French lesson ? What impact did it have on them ? Why ? ( The Last Lesson)

iii) How is the Grand Central Station a symbol of escape ? 7 ( The Third Level )

iv) Draw a character sketch of Mr. Lamb. ( On the Face of It )

v) How did the instructor “build a swimmer” out of Douglas? ( Deep Water)

vi ) What are some of the positive views on interviews? ( The Interview)

vii) Why is an adult’s perspective on line different from that of a child’s? ( Should Wizard Hit Mommy? )

viii)  What is it that draws Derry towards Mr. Lamb in spite of himself? ( On The Face of it )

6. Answer the following questions in 30 – 40 words each :

(i) Who was the Tiger King ? Why did he get that name ?  The Tiger King )

(ii) Why did the messenger come to Dr. Sadao ? ( The Enemy )

(iii) How did Evans surprise the Prison Governor with his disclosures ? ( Evans Tries an O-Level )

(iv) Why did Bama feel that the elderly man’s behaviour was funny ? ( Memories of Childhood )

(v) What does the third level refer to ? ( The Third Level)

(vi) What does the chief astrologer predict to be the cause of the Maharaja’s death? ( The Tiger King)

(vii) Bama’s experience is that of  a victim of the cast system. What kind of discrimination dies Zitkala-Sa’s experience depict? ( Memories of Childhood )

Let’s try to make this a two way exercise. While we gather the question banks, you might have some inputs on this too! Please use the comments box below and post questions that you think are important from your analysis. It would help the HSC community a lot.

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