[Section-A]
[Reading Comprehension]
Note: Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
Soil is your garden's natural growing medium, so it's vital for the health and successful growth of your plants and crops that you keep it well-maintained. Soil is basically rock that's been ground down by the effects of the weather over a long period of time. There are hundreds of different soil types, but they can broadly be classified as sandy, loamy or clay, referring to their basic texture. It is the texture that affects the drain age, aeration and nutrient content of the soil and you may have to take steps to improve on this in certain types of soil. Sandy soil fills gritty, when dry and even its wet particles will not stick together. Loams, on the other hand, can be molded in the hand when moist, but aren't at all sticky and gritty and are fairly loose when dry, clay soil is sticky and smooth when wet, but becomes polished when rubbed and backed hand when dry. A loamy soil is a well-balanced amalgamation of sand, slit and clay, which combines excellent drainage with sufficient moisture retention to assure good growing conditions for most plants. It's fairly easy to look after, although loamy soils do benefit from regular applications of well-rotted organic matter to prevent tightly packed. The particle consistency of sandy soil doesn't hold water well. Again well rooted organic matter can be added to bind the soil particles together.
There are various methods of improving soil in texture. Essentially this requires regular applications of a well-rooted organic substance called humus, which is obtained from decayed plant and animal matters. Most fruits and vegetables, however, grow better in neutral soil. Clay soil is most difficult to work, usually becoming water-logged.
Questions
[A] Choose the appropriate option: [ 1×5=5]
Q.1. We should keep soil well-maintained as… ..
(a) it absorbs and retains water
(b) it responds to effect of weather
(c) it raises water level
(d) it is the garden's natural growing medium.
Q. 2. Soil is divided into various types, on the basis of… .
(a) color
(b) drainage
(c) texture
(d) aeration
0.3. Loamy soil is the best for plant growth because
(a) it has a well-balanced mixture of sand, silt and clay
(b) it has a weak drainage and retention
(c) its texture responds slowly to decayed organic matter
(d) it gets tightly packed unless looked after well.
Q.4. Clay soils are the most difficult to work as … ..
(a) they don't hold water well
(b) they usually become water-logged
(c) the soil particles are not held together
(d) they require natural drainage and additives.
Q.5. Soil must be tested before growing fruits and vegetables because:
(a) they need alkaline soil
(b) they prefer slightly acidic soil
(c) they grow better in neutral soil
(d) they flourish in over-acidic soil.
[B] Answer the following questions in brief: [1×5=5]
Q.6. Which of the soils is the best for plant growth? Why?
Q.7. What do you know about the clay soil?
Q.8. In which soil do the fruits and vegetables grow better?
Q.9. Which soil is most difficult to work?
Q. 10. How can the texture of the soil be improved?
[C] Find the words in the passage similar meaning as :
Q. 11. Climate.
Q. 12. Wet.
Note: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it :
I am fond of playing cricket. I am a bowler. But when our openers lost their wicket fast,the captain sent me to bat.I was nervous. On the other end Ramsubhag was a good batsman. I gave him a chance to play his strokes, but he was caught on 45. I started hesitantly, slowly the score built and my confidence returned. I got a beautiful six, then a four. The other team lost their courage. They made blunders in fielding. The score moved steadily. Finally I crossed fifty. On the other end wickets fell, still we continued. In the 49th over we won the match. My bowling and batting made me a
hero. I always remember this as a very good match. Q. 13. On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it using headings and sub-headings. Use recognizable abbreviations wherever necessary. [4]
Q. 14. Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words using notes made and also suggest a suitable title. [3+1=4]
[SECTION-B]
[Writing Skills]
Q.15. You are Shilpa of Class XII, studying in St. Mary's H.S. School, Bilaspur. You have found a wrist watch in the school's theater room. Write a notice for the same for the school notice-board, giving details of the watch. [4]
Or
You are Shikha/Sunil, Head Girl/Boy of DAV Public School, Bhilai. Write a notice on the school notice-board, inviting students to give their names for the Quiz Competition.
Q. 16. You are Neelu, residing at C-75, Shanti Nagar, Bilaspur. Write a letter to your friend congratulating him/her on his/her brilliant success in NEET Examination. [6]
Or
Write an application to the Collector of your district for imposing restrictions on the use of loudspeakers during examination periods.
17. Write an article in about 250 words on any one of the following topics. [10]
(i)Festivals of India, (ii) Value of Games and Sports,
(iii) Advantages of Trees, (iv) Importance of Yoga to Students
Q. 18. Do as directed (any ten): [1× 10 = 10 ]
(i) Boys fly kites. (Change the voice)
(ii) He Said, "Earth moves round the sun."
(Change the narration)
(iii) As soon as the sun rises, darkness disappears. (Rewrite using 'No sooner... than')
(iv) He is so weak that he cannot work any more,
(Use 'too... to in the place of 'so... that')
(v) (a) The box is very heavy (b) I cannot lift it.
(Combine the sentence using 'so.... that')
(vi) You do your homework.
(Change the sentence into interrogative)
(vii) I like reading books.
(Pick out non-finite verb and write it)
(viii) If it doesn't rain, the crop will fail.
(Rewrite the sentence using unless' in place of 'if')
(ix) Make two kites.
(Change in to passive voice)
(x) Abdul gave me a pen. (Change into negative)
(xi) Kavita found the missing keys.
(Change the sentence in relative clause)
(xii) (a) Ram is a postman.
(b) He delivers letters.
(Combine using relative clause)
[Section-C]
[Literature Textbook ]
(Flamingo)
Note Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it:
My introduction to the Y.M.C.A. The swimming pool revived unpleasant memories and stirred childish fears. But in a little while I gathered confidence. I paddled with my new water wings, watching the other boys and trying to learn by aping them. I did this two or three times in different ways and was just beginning to feel at ease in the water when the misadventure happened.
I went to the pool when no one else was there. The place was quiet, The water was still, and the tiled bottom was as white and clean as a bathtub. I was timid about going in alone, so I sat on the side of the pool to wait for others.
Questions [1×4=4]
Choose the correct answer
Q.19. Y.M.C.A. pool revived….
(a) pleasant memories (b) stirred fear (c) unpleasant memories (d) childish memories,
Q.20. I.....with my new water wings:
(a) paddled
(b) swim
(c) air wings
(d) fear
Q.21. The narrator went to the pool when the place was ..
(a) quiet
(b) no one other
(c) calm
(d) crowd.
Q.22……... was as white and clean:
(a) the pool
(b) the water
(c) the tiled bottom
(d) the place.
Note :Read the following poem carefully and answer the questions given below:
Driving from my parent's home
to Cochin last Friday morning,i
saw my mother, beside me, doze,
open of a corpse and realized with pain
mouthed, her face ashen like that
that she was as old as the thought
away and looked out at young.
Questions [1×4=4]
Choose the correct answer:
Q.23. The poet was driving to the……
(a) Chennai airport
(b) Mumbai airport
(c) Cochin airport
(d) Delhi airport.
O.24. She noticed that her mother was..
(a) open mouthed
(b) open her eyes
(c) dozing
(d) with pain
Q.25. Her mother's face looked like a… … .
(a wall
(b) corpse
( c) pillar
(d) pale face
Q.26. In this passage 'corpse' means..
(a) pale
b) young
(c) dead body
(d) feol
Note :Answer the following questions in about 2 sentences each. [2×3=6]
Q. 27. Justify the title, 'The Last Lesson' .
Q. 28. Why should child labour be eliminated and how?
Q. 29. Why did Douglas have an aversion to water ?
Note: Answer the following in about 80 words. [6]
Q. 30. What is the theme of 'The Last Lesson' ?
Or
Give the character sketch of the peddler as portrayed in the story.
Vistas
Note: Answer the following questions in about 2 sentences each. [2x2=4]
0.31. What does the Third Level refer to?
0.32. Justify the title 'The Tiger King'.
Note: Answer the question in about 80 words. [6]
33. Give the character sketch of Charley.
Or
What will the Maharaja do to find the required number of tigers to kill ?