HBSE Class 12 English(Core) Question Paper 2025: Set A Solution
HBSE Class 12 English(Core) Question Paper 2025: Set A PDF
Answers only for the Class 12 English (Core) 2025 Set A paper 👇
SECTION A – Reading Skills
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(i) (d) All of these
(ii) (c) nectar
(iii) (d) Human body
(iv) (b) water
(v) (d) All of these
(vi) Purity of body, mind, and soul
(vii) By selfless service and meditation
(viii) Unity in Diversity
(ix) It unites all Sanatan traditions for discussion on faith
(x) Lore
Question 2 : Note Making
📝 Title: Health Benefits of Hibiscus Tea
Notes:
1️⃣ Hibiscus – More Than a Garden Flower
1.1. Hibiscus sabdariffa – tropical floral shrub
1.2. Used in trad. med. & food prep.
1.3. Has sweet-tart, fruity flavour – ideal for tea
2️⃣ Role in Healthy Living
2.1. Reduces blood pressure
2.2. Helps strengthen heart
2.3. Prevents cardiovascular dis.
3️⃣ Control of Cholesterol
3.1. Lowers LDL (bad cholesterol)
3.2. High in antioxidants
3.3. Better than green tea
4️⃣ Other Health Benefits
4.1. Lowers sugar levels – good for diabetes
4.2. Helps in wt. loss & obesity prevention
4.3. Needs more research for full proof
Abbreviations Used:
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dis. – diseases
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trad. – traditional
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prep. – preparation
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wt. – weight
Summary (1 Mark):
Hibiscus is not just a garden flower but a health-supporting plant. Its tea helps reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels. Rich in antioxidants, hibiscus tea benefits heart health, prevents obesity, and supports a healthy lifestyle.
✅ Marks Distribution (5 Marks):
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Notes (Headings & Sub-headings): 4 Marks
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Summary: 1 Mark
SECTION B – Grammar
(a) (i) finishes
(ii) have never known
(iii) (b) rains
(b) (i) must
(ii) should
(iii) (a) would
(c) (i) No article
(ii) the
(iii) (d) the
(d) (i) Was any money lent to you by him?
(ii) My heart is filled with your love.
(iii) (c) Why is the boy being beaten by you?
(e) (i) The captain ordered his soldiers to get ready to open fire at the enemy.
(ii) He told me that my friend had been teaching him English since morning.
(iii) (c) He asked me if I was singing a song.
Section C — Creative Writing Skills (Detailed explanations & model answers)
In this section students are tested on format, content, clarity, accuracy, tone and expression. Marks are given for correct format (heading, date, signature where needed), relevant content, organised paragraphs and appropriate language register.
Q4. Notice (Career Counselling cell — Model & scoring)
Task: Write a notice announcing a career counselling session “How to Succeed in Life” by Anand Mishra for classes IX–XII.
SJS GGSSS SILANA
Career Counselling Cell
NOTICE
Date: 5 September 2025
A career counselling session titled “How to Succeed in Life” will be delivered by Mr. Anand Mishra (YouTube influencer) for students of Classes IX–XII on Monday, 15 September 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in the School Auditorium. Attendance is compulsory for all students of Classes IX–XII.
Please report to your class teachers by 9:50 a.m.
(Secretary)
Career Counselling Cell
Explanation / Marking points (5 marks):
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Format & Heading (1 mark): School name, section heading ‘NOTICE’, date.
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Content / Details (3 marks): Title of programme, speaker name, date & time, venue, target audience, compulsory attendance, reporting instructions.
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Language & Clarity (1 mark): Crisp sentences, appropriate register (formal), no irrelevant details.
Common errors to avoid: missing date/time, no signature/authority line, informal language.
Q5. Letter to the Editor (Model & scoring)
Task: Write a letter to the Editor on the problem of social media overuse among youth.
Model Letter:
The Editor
The Tribune
Chandigarh
Date: 7 September 2025
Subject: Rising concern — Excessive use of social media among youth
Sir/Madam,
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper I wish to draw attention to the growing concern of excessive social media use among young people. While social platforms offer opportunities for learning and connection, their uncontrolled use has led to distraction, poor sleep patterns, reduced face-to-face interaction, and an increasing incidence of anxiety among students.
I suggest that parents and schools collaborate to set reasonable screen-time limits, run awareness programmes on digital wellbeing, and encourage offline activities like sports and reading. Social media companies should also be urged to adopt features that promote healthy use.
I hope the authorities and readers will take urgent steps to address this issue.
Yours faithfully,
Riya Sharma
Class 12, SJS GGSSS Silana
Explanation / Marking points (5 marks):
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Format (1 mark): Address, date, subject, salutation, complimentary close, signature.
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Content (3 marks): Problem statement, negative effects, concrete suggestions (parents/schools/companies), call for action. (Each important idea = 1 mark.)
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Expression & Tone (1 mark): Formal register, logical flow, error-free language.
Common mistakes: vague suggestions, lack of specific measures, informal tone.
Q6. Report on a School Event (Model & scoring)
Task: Report about a Drawing & Painting Competition on Road Safety.
Model Report (approx. 80–100 words):
REPORT: Drawing & Painting Competition on Road Safety
SJS GGSSS Silana organized a Drawing & Painting Competition on Road Safety on 12 March 2025 in the school auditorium. Over 100 students from classes VI–XII participated. The event aimed to raise awareness about traffic rules and pedestrian safety. Judges from the local traffic police evaluated entries on creativity and relevance. Mr. M. S. Yadav, Principal, inaugurated the programme and emphasised safe road practices. Prizes were awarded to the top three winners in each category. The event concluded with a pledge by students to follow road safety norms.
(Reported by: School Magazine Committee)
Explanation / Marking points (5 marks):
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Format & Heading (1 mark): Title, date/place, reporter name.
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Content (3 marks): Purpose, participation details, activities, chief guest remarks, results/prizes.
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Language & Cohesion (1 mark): Clear organisation, concise sentences, appropriate reporting tone.
Common pitfalls: too narrative (not report-style), missing objective facts (date, venue, participants), no concluding remark.
Section D — Literature (Detailed explanations & marking scheme)
For literature questions we give answers that include: direct textual reference, explanation of meaning/theme, use of a supporting quote (if possible), and linking to the overall theme. Below each sub-answer I indicate why marks are awarded.
Q7. (A) — Short objective/MCQ style items from The Rattrap
(i) Who is the main character referred to in the item?
Answer: (b) the peddler.
Explanation: The Rattrap’s narrative centers on the old iron peddler (the tramp) who sells rattraps.
(ii) What did the peddler confess to possess?
Answer: (c) that he was a thief.
Explanation: After being treated kindly, he admits to the narrator/others his cynical worldview and his actions as a petty thief.
(iii) The peddler claimed that the man had left with nothing. Why?
Answer: (d) that the man had taken nothing with him.
Explanation: (This refers to a specific MCQ in the paper — expect students to quote context: Edla’s generosity and the peddler’s conscience.)
(iv) Who is Edla?
Answer: (a) Edla Willmansson — the kind landowner’s daughter who treats the peddler with dignity.
(v) Which title fits the story?
Answer: (b) The Rattrap — apt because the peddler uses rattraps to make a living and the rattrap is symbolic.
Marking rubric: short answer/MCQ: 1 mark each if correct.
Q8. (Short descriptive responses — Mixed passages)
Below were brief questions earlier; here are fully explained model answers:
(i) “Vive La France” — meaning.
Answer: “Long live France.”
Explanation: This exclamation shows patriotic fervour — in contexts where French identity/language is central (e.g., The Last Lesson), students should link the phrase to national pride.
(ii) What incident led to Douglas’s fear of water?
Answer: He was thrown into a deep part of the YMCA pool by a big boy and nearly drowned; this traumatic event created a lasting phobia.
Explanation/Marking: Mention the near-drowning and its psychological aftermath (panic, imagined drowning) — 2 marks for stating event + 1 mark for effect.
(iii) How was Gandhi treated in a specific anecdote (context given in the paper)?
Answer: He was made to wait and treated as an ordinary person — illustrating how his humility intersected with leadership.
Explanation: If question refers to a particular passage from Indigo or Gandhi anecdote — highlight how Gandhi’s simple demeanour caused different expectations.
(iv) How did people of different states work together — significance?
Answer: Their cooperation symbolised unity in diversity; it showed that collective action across regions can achieve social goals.
Explanation: Link to theme of unity and collaborative social change.
(v) Jansie’s character (context: likely from a prose passage)
Answer: Jansie is practical and realistic; she acts as Sophie’s friend and advisor, offering a pragmatic viewpoint.
Marking: Cite an incident if possible — 2 marks for trait, 1 mark for textual proof/brief example.
Q9. Character Sketch — The Peddler (The Rattrap) — Detailed answer
Model answer (approx. 80–100 words):
The peddler in The Rattrap is a lonely, cynical man shaped by poverty and life on the margins. He calls the world a rattrap — full of temptations — and sees himself as a petty thief who must survive by wits. Despite his hardened exterior he is humane: Edla’s kindness starts his transformation. He feels gratitude and remorse, shows honesty by returning money, and is capable of redemption. His complexity makes him a sympathetic character — a victim of circumstance yet morally responsive when treated with respect.
Marking scheme (5 marks):
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Traits & initial cynicism (2 marks) — mention rattrap metaphor, survival instincts.
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Turning point (2 marks) — Edla’s kindness & resulting change (evidence: returning money/contrition).
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Language & coherence (1 mark) — structured answer, appropriate vocabulary.
Q10. Poetry MCQ & short answers (e.g., Keeping Quiet)
(A) Which poem is being referred to?
Answer: Keeping Quiet (if MCQ asked which poem deals with silence and world peace).
(B) Central ideas
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Q: Why ask everyone to keep quiet?
Answer: To pause destructive activities; to reflect and realize common humanity; to reduce conflict and allow healing.
Explanation: Neruda’s poem suggests a minute of global stillness to break habitual violence and thoughtless action. -
Q: What literary device is prominent?
Answer: Alliteration, repetition, and imperative tone.
Explanation: Repetition of commands (e.g., “Now we will count to twelve…”) creates rhythm and persuasive force.
Marking: 1–3 marks depending on question weight — award for accurate theme and at least one supporting device/line.
Q11. Short analytical answers (e.g., My Mother at Sixty-Six, A Thing of Beauty, Ranga’s Marriage)
(a) How does the poet feel seeing his mother age? (My Mother at Sixty-Six)
Answer: He feels a mix of sadness, fear of losing her, and tenderness. The car ride to the airport prompts him to notice her frailty and to contemplate mortality.
Evidence: Mention lines (if known) showing tears, “my mother…like a late winter’s moon” etc.
Marks: 2–3 marks (content + textual hint).
(b) Main idea of A Thing of Beauty
Answer: Keats celebrates beauty as a constant source of joy that uplifts human spirit, providing solace against life’s hardships.
Explanation: Quote line “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever” and explain how natural images sustain hope.
Marks: 2–3 marks.
(c) Villagers exploited (Lost Spring)
Answer: Middlemen, factory owners and urban exploiters lure villagers with false promises; they take advantage of poverty leading to repeated cycles of labour.
Evidence: Refer to characters like Saheb and Mukesh (or the “ragpickers”).
Marks: 2–3.
Q12. Title Justification — The Tiger King
Question: Why is The Tiger King an apt title?
Detailed Answer (3–4 points):
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Central figure: The King who prides himself on killing tigers is the protagonist; the narrative revolves around him.
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Irony: Though he kills many tigers to assert power, he ultimately dies because of a wooden toy — reinforcing the symbolism of tigers and fate.
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Theme of pride & fate: The King’s obsession and hubris are central; the title foregrounds this central character and his downfall.
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Mark allocation: 1 mark for naming focus, 2 marks for justification with irony/examples.
Q13. Miscellaneous short answers (sample items earlier)
(i) How did Charley realize the third level was real?
Answer: He received Sam’s letter from Galesburg describing similar experiences, which suggested other people had found time-travel/escape. (Mark: cite letter as evidence).
(ii) Why do villages benefit from certain modern interventions?
Answer: Because practical changes (like irrigation, schools) that respect local needs lead to sustainable improvements and community development. (2 marks).
(iii) Why does Derry fear his reflection?
Answer: Derry has a facial scar and fears rejection/taunts; he avoids mirrors, reflecting low self-esteem. (2 marks).
(iv) How did Annan help Bama?
Answer: He advised her to study, exposing her to ideas of self-reliance; she used education to fight caste oppression. (2–3 marks with small example).
Marking guidance & examiner tips for Sections C & D
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Creative writing: Strictly mark format first (heading, date, to/subject), then content. If format missing, deduct 1 mark but still award content if relevant.
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Literature short answers: Expect 30–50 words for 2-mark answers; 70–120 words for 4–5 mark long answers. Reward textual reference (quote / paraphrase) and linkage to theme.
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Use of examples: Where possible, students should quote one line or paraphrase an incident — this strengthens answers and earns extra credit.
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Language & presentation: Clarity, grammar, and linking words matter. For full marks, answer must be coherent and well-structured.
