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HBSE Sample Pre-Board Question Paper 2023-24 Class 12 English (Core)
Time Allowed : 3 hours Maximum Marks : 80
General Instructions:
1. The Question Paper contains four sections- Reading, Grammar, Writing Skills and Literature
2. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part. Write the correct question number in your
answer sheet to indicate the option(s) being attempted.
SECTION – A
Reading Skills [15 Marks]
1. Attempt any one from (A) and (B) given below:
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
2. Read the following text. 10 marks
(1)
In recent years, there has been a surge in both group and solo travel among young adults in India. A
survey conducted among young adults aged 18-25 aimed to explore the reasons behind their travel
preferences and recorded the percentage variation for 10 common points that influence travel
choices.
(2)
Among those who prefer solo travel, the most common reason cited was the desire for independence
and freedom (58%), followed closely by the opportunity for introspection and self-discovery (52%).
Additionally, solo travellers appreciated the ability to customize their itinerary to their preferences
(44%) and the chance to meet new people on their own terms (36%).
(3)
On the other hand, those who prefer group travel often cited the desire for socializing and making
new friends (61%) as their primary reason. Group travel also provided a sense of security and safety
in unfamiliar places (52%) and allowed for shared experiences and memories with others (48%).
Additionally, group travellers enjoyed the convenience of having pre-planned itineraries and
organized transportation (38%).
(4)
Interestingly, both groups had similar levels of interest in exploring new cultures and trying new
experiences (40% for solo travellers, 36% for group travellers). Similarly, both groups valued the
opportunity to relax and escape from the stresses of everyday life (36% for solo travellers, 32% for
group travellers).
(5) However, there were also some notable differences between the two groups. For example, solo
travellers placed a higher priority on budget-friendly travel options (38%) compared to group
travellers (24%). Conversely, group travellers were more likely to prioritize luxury and comfort during
their travels (28%) compared to solo travellers (12%).
(6) Overall, the survey results suggest that both group and solo travel have their own unique advantages
and appeal to different individuals, based on their preferences and priorities.
Created for academic usage / 290 words
Answer the following questions, based on given passage.
i Infer two possible ways that the survey , mentioned in paragraph (1) could be beneficial.
Answer in about 40 words. 2
ii Which travel choice point of the survey would influence tour operators to incorporate group
dinners, social events, and shared accommodations in their itinerary?
A. Freedom to customise itinerary
B. Luxury and comfort
C. Security and safety
D. Desire for making new friends
1
iii What do the top choices in the survey, for traveling solo and in a group suggest about young
adults?
1
iv Identify the solo traveller from the following three travellers:
(a) Reshma- I don’t want to keep hunting for rickshaws or taxis. A pre-booked vehicle is
perfect.
(b) Nawaz-I’m happy sharing a room in a hostel. I don’t need hotel accommodation.
(c) Deepak-I’m not worried about my well-being , even while exploring remote areas.
1
v Which of the following is an example of an opportunity for self-discovery, as mentioned in
paragraph 2?
1
A. Trying new cuisine
B. Hiring a tour guide
C. Purchasing local artifacts
D. Advance booking travel tickets
vi How might the differences in budget priorities between solo and group travellers impact the
types of accommodations and activities offered by the travel industry in India?
2
vii Complete the sentence appropriately.
The similarities in the percentage of both solo and group travellers who are interested in
exploring new cultures and trying new experiences may be due to ________.
1
vii) The similarities in the percentage of both solo and group travellers who are interested in exploring new cultures and trying new experiences may be due o a sshared desire for diverse and enriching travel experiences, regardless of their choice of solo or group travel.
viii State TRUE or FALSE.
The title, “Wanderlust: The Solo Travel Trend Among Young Adults in India”, is appropriate
for this passage. 1
OR
(B) Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
1. New Year is a holiday celebration that includes New Year’s Eve and lasts through New Year’s Day. New
Year’s celebrations have been around for a long time in one form or another. They can be traced all the way
back to the Babylonians at around 2,000 B.C. New Year’s Day was not always celebrated on January Ist as it is
today. Earlier, the New Year was celebrated in the Spring, as new life began to emerge in the world.
2. This tradition was quite sensible in relation to the seasons, however ancient cultures struggled to create a calendar that could retain alignment with the Sun. The Romans went through several versions of calendars in which they inevitably changed the first day of the year to January first. Their final change to the calendar was made by Julius Caesar in the year 46 B.C.( the Julian calendar). Caesar also adopted January first as the first day of the year. The Julian calendar became the basis for our current calendar, so New Year’s Day is found at the top of the calendar on January first.
3. Certain Roman traditions of the New Year have remained in some form to this day. Among the many Roman gods was Janus, a two- headed god. Janus was considered the god of beginnings and endings, and the guardian of gates and doors. One of the heads of Janus faced forward and the other looked back. This figure was a symbol good beginnings and endings to the Romans. One head was able to look backward to reflect upon what had passed, while the other could look forward what was coming. The word Janus is closely related to the word January.
4. The Romans considered the significance of Janus when they established their calendar, and named the first month after him. This Roman belief has continued on, in tradition to this day. In many ways, the modern celebration of New Year’s Day carries on ancient traditions. The holiday itself is celebrated from New Year’s Eve ( in the old year) and continued on through New Year’s Day.
5. By observing holiday in this manner, we are encouraged to look at the previous year as it passes away and to welcome the new one with renewed enthusiasm and desire to improve ourselves. New Year’s Day has traditionally been a day to enjoy happiness that will hopefully endure the year. With the old year gone, and the new year just beginning, it is great time to fulfil another New Year’s tradition- to make resolutions.
Based on the understanding of the passage, answer the questions that follow:
10×1 = 10 marks
(i) The final change in the Julian calendar was made by ___________
(a) Janus (b) Caesar (c ) Both ‘a’ and ‘b’ (d) none of the above
(ii) On the basis of your reading of the passage, find the incorrect statement.
(a) Janus was a Roman god
(b) In ancient times the New Year was celebrated in Spring
(c) The Julian calendar is the basis for the modern calendar
(d) Julius was the guardian of gates and doors
(iii) On the basis of the passage, study the two statements, I and II given below:
(I) Janus was the god of good beginnings and endings.
(II) The Julian calendar is named after Janus, a two- headed god.
Choose the correct option:
(a) I is true II is false
(b) II is true I is false
(c) Both I and II are true
(d) Both I and II are false
(iv ) Complete the following sentence by choosing the most appropriate option.
Although Roman civilization has ended long ago _____________
(a) Its traditions will never be forgotten
(b) Its traditional influence is a thing of past
(c) Its traditions influence today’s New Year celebration
(d) It is a tradition that other people besides the Romans, followed
(v) The month ‘January’ was named after __________
(a) Janus (b) Julius (c) Roman goddess (d) All of these
(vi) Find the antonym of “ divergently” from the para 5 of the text.
(vii) Who first started New year’s celebrations?
(viii) Complete the following sentence.
The two heads of Janus Symbolises ____________
(ix )Find the word from para 2 of the text which means same as “ certain to happen.”
(x) Why was the New Year’s celebration in Spring considered quite sensible?
2. Read the passage given below 5 marks
A vast blanket of pollution stretching across South Asia is cutting down sunlight by 10 percent over India, damaging agriculture, modifying rainfall patterns and putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk, according to a new study. The startling findings of scientists working with the United Nations Environment Programme indicate that the spectacular economic growth seen in this part of the world in the past decade may soon falter as a result of pollution. Research carried out in India indicates that the haze caused by pollution might be reducing winter rice harvests by as much as 10 percent, the report said. “Acids in the haze may, by falling as acid rain, have the potential to damage crops and trees. Ash falling on leaves can aggravate the impact of reduced sunlight on earth’s surface. The pollution that is forming the haze could be leading to several hundred of thousands of premature deaths as a result of higher level of respiratory diseases,” it said. Results from seven cities in India alone, including Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Kolkata, estimate that air pollution was annually responsible for 24000 premature deaths in the early 1990s.
Based on the understanding of the passage, make notes using headings and sub headings or in points. Use
recognizable abbreviations ( wherever necessary, minimum four). Also supply an appropriate title to it.
SECTION –B 10 marks
GRAMMAR
3 Attempt any two from each sub- part :
3.1 Fill in the blanks with appropriate modals/auxiliaries 2×1= 2
(I ) When we were young, we ____________ play in this ground.
(past habit)
( ii) It is sunny. It ____________ rain today.
( slight possibility)
(iii ) Choose the correct option.
_________ that I were a king!
(a) Would (b) may (c) ought to (d) must
3.2 Change the narration 2×1 =2
(I ) The teacher said to the students, “ Where there is a will, there is a way.”
(ii) The priest said to the newly married couple, “May God bless you both!”
(iii) Choose the correct option
Priti asked Sumit, “How are you?”
(a) Priti asked Sumit how you were.
(b) Priti asked Sumit how was he.
(c) Priti asked Sumit how she is.
(d) Priti asked Sumit how he was.
3.3 Fill in the blank with suitable articles wherever necessary 2×1=2
(i) The scientists saw an object flying in ______ sky.
(ii) He is my ______ best friend.
(iii ) I gave him _________ hundred rupee note.
(a ) a (b) an (c ) the (d) x
3.4 Change the voice 2×1= 2
(I ) Your hair needs cutting.
(ii ) It is time to read the newspaper.
(iii ) Choose the correct option.
Someone has picked my pocket.
(a) My pocket had been picked by someone.
(b) My pocket have been picked by someone.
(c) My pocket has been picked.
(d) None of the above.
3.5 Fill in the blank with correct form of verb. 2×1=2
(I ) I have not seen him since he __________ the village. ( to leave)
(ii ) The moon _________ around the earth. ( to revolve)
(iii ) Choose the correct option.
Rome ________ not built in a day.
(a) Is (b ) was (c) were (d ) had
SECTION C
Creative Writing Skills ( 15 marks)
4 Attempt any one from (A) , (B) and (C) given below: 5
(A) The Cultural Club of Govt. Model Sanskriti Sr. Sec.School , Jhajjar is going to organise a
Debate competition on the topic ‘ Pollution During Winter in NCR Region’. Draft a notice in about 50
words to be put up on the school’s notice board inviting the students to take part in it. Invent necessary details. Sign yourself as Sumit/ Meena.
OR
(B ) You want to sell your House which you bought last year and is in excellent condition. Draft an
advertisement to be published in a local daily under classified columns. ( word limit 50 words)
OR
( C ) Democracy is precious and each one of us must respect it. Prepare a poster urging people to to respect our democratic values. ( Word limit- 50)
5 Attempt any one from (A) and (B) given below: 5
(A ) The pollution has created big problen in NCR which has created problem for children and old people in the region. Write a letter in 120-150 words to the Editor, The Tribune drawing attention of the concerned authorities to this problem of the region. You are Jatin/ Jyoti of Sector 2 , Rewari.
OR
You are Mohit/ Priya. You saw the given advertisement in the newspaper and want to apply for the position advertised.
BRAKES & BRAKES PVT, LTD.
REQUIRED – Sales Manager
Young Male or Female
Preferred Skills and Qualifications
MBA from a recognized university
Computer savvy
Good communication skills
Experience 2 years
Apply within 10 days to Director, Brakes & Brakes Pvt. Ltd., New delhi
Write a letter to the Director, Brakes & Brakes Pvt. Ltd. , New Delhi along with your bio- data in 120-150 words applying for the post advertised.
6 Attempt any one from (A) and (B) given below: 5
(A ) A Block Level Science Exhibition was organised in your school. Many teams from different schools participated in it and exhibited their innovations. Your school team also participated in it and your team’s innovation was adjudged the best. As a student correspondent, write a report in 120-150 words for your school newsletter. You are Rahul/ Renu.
OR
(B ) Write an article in 120-150 words on the topic ‘ Value of Yoga ‘ to be published in your
school magazine.
SECTION D 40 marks
Literature
7 Attempt any one of the two extracts (A) and (B) given below: 5 marks
( A ) Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
Those who prepare green wars,
Wars with gas, wars with fire,
Victory with no survivors
Would put on clean clothes,
And walk about with their brothers
In the shade, doing nothing.
What I want should not be
Confused with total inactivity.
(i) According to the poet, what will make the war mongers quit the idea of war?
(a) Quiet introspection
(b) Total inactivity
(c) Atomic war
(d) All of the above
(ii) Find a phrase from the extract which suggests that wars are not fruitful and never yields a
winner.
(a) Those who prepare green wars
(b) Victory with no survivors
(c) In the shade, doing nothing
(d) Confused with total inactivity.
(iii)‘Total inactivity’ represents ….
(a) Life
(b) Death
(c) Laziness
(d) Action
( iv) What will the war mongers do after quitting the idea of war?
(a) They will engage themselves in new wars.
(b) They will learn the art of tailoring to sew new clothes.
(c) They will start working on humanitarian grounds.
(d) They will make their brothers hate.
(v ) Name the poet of the above extract.
(a) Kamala Das
(b) Stephen Spender
(c) John Keats
(d) Pablo Neruda
OR
( B) Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her wool
Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.
The massive weight of uncle’s wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand.
When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by
( i) What does the following line suggest you about Aunt Jennifer’s married life
“ The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand”
(A)She is happy with her married life as her husband has given her a precious gift
(B) She is not happy with her married life as her husband is a cruel man
(C) She is neither happy nor sad
(D)Only Aunt Jennifer can tell whether she is happy with her marriage or not
(ii) Complete the following analogy with a word from the given options:
Marriage : Wedding :: surrounded : ______________
(a) Massive
(b) Ordeals
(c) Ivory
(d) Ringed
(iii) On the basis of the extract, study the two statements, I and II given below:
(I) Aunt Jennifer Symbolizes all the married women
(II) She is the victim of patriarchal society
Choose the correct option:
(a) I is true II is false
(b) II is true I is false
(c) Both I and II are true
(d) Both I and II are false
(iv ) The rhyme scheme of the above extract is
(a) aabbcc (b) ababcc (c ) abcabc (d) abbcab
(v) Identify the figure of speech used in ‘fingers fluttering’.
(a) simile
(b) oxymoron
(c) Transferred epithet
(d) Alliteration
8 Attempt any one of the two extracts (A) and (B) given below: 5 marks
( A ) Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
The next I remember I was lying on my stomach beside the pool, vomiting. The chap that threw me in was
saying, “ But I was only fooling.” Someone said, “ The kid nearly died. But all right now. Let’s carry him to the
locker room. ”Several hours later, I walked home. I was weak and trembling. I shook and cried when I lay on
my bed. I couldn’t eat that night. For days a haunting fear was in my heart. The slightest exertion upset me,
making me wobbly in the knees and sick to my stomach.
(i) The use of ‘I’ in the present extract suggests that the piece is________________
(a) Autobiographical
(b) Biographical
(c) Both a and b
(d) None
(ii) On the basis of the extract, study the two statements, I and II given below:
(I) This incident made the writer hydrophobic
(II) The boy enjoyed swimming in the pool
Choose the correct option:
(a) I is true II is false
(b) II is true I is false
(c) Both I and II are true
(d) Both I and II are false
(iii) The chap threw the boy into the pool ___
(a) To kill him
(b) To teach him how to swim
(c) Just for fun
(d) To make him wobbly in the knees.
(iv) “ I was lying on my stomach beside the pool.” Which pool is being talked about here?
(a) Yakima
(b) Y M C A
(c) Waterland
(d) V M C A
(v) The boy could not eat that night because ______
(a) Of the misadventure
(b) He was not hungry
(c) He was afraid of his father
(d) He was dieting
OR
(B) Read the following extract carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Months passed, Shukla was sitting on his haunches at the appointed spot in Calcutta when Gandhi arrived; he
waited till Gandhi was free. Then the two of them boarded a train for the city of Patna in Bihar. There Shukla
led him to the house of a lawyer named Rajendra Prasad who later became President of Congress Party and of
India. Rajendra Prasad was out of town, but the servants knew Shukla as a poor Yeoman who pestered their
master to help the indigo sharecroppers. So, they let him stay on the grounds with his companion, Gandhi,
whom they took to be another peasant. But Gandhi was not permitted to draw water from the well else some
drops from his bucket pollute the entire source.
(i) Where was Shukla waiting for Gandhi ji
(a) Patna
(b) Champaran
(c) Calcutta
(d) At Rajendra Prasad’s house
(ii) Complete the following analogy:
Companion : Foe :: _________ : Delighted
(a) Boarded
(b) Permitted
(c) Pestered
(d) yeoman
(iii ) What was common in Shukla and Gandhi ji?
(a) Their patience
(b) Their helping nature
(c) There was nothing common in them
(d) Both (a) and (b)
(iv) The servants at Rajendra Prasad house did not allow Gandhi Ji to draw water from the well as they thought
him to be …….
(a) The National leader
(b) The worshipper of non violence
(c) A rich man
(d) An untouchable
(v) An autobiography is an account of a person’s life written by himself and a biography is an account of a
person’s life written by a person other than himself whereas a diary is a book in which one keeps a daily record
of events and experiences, and in a travelogue a person describes the important places he travels. In what
category would you put the above extract?
(a) Autobiography
(b) Biography
(c) Diary
(d) Travelogue
9 Answer any four questions in about 40- 50 words 2×4 = 8 marks
(a) Mukesh’s parents were fatalists but he was not. Comment. ( Lost Spring)
(b) Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler? ( Thee Rattrap)
(c) These days taking selfies, making reels etc. and uploading them on social media is common. But in
some primitive cultures taking a photographic portrait of someone was not allowed. What was their
belief about being photographed? (Interview)
(d) What made William Douglas hydrophobic? ( Deep Water)
(e) State two qualities of Subbu which you infer from the lesson ‘ Poet and Pancakes’.
10 Answer any two questions in about 40-50 words 2×3= 6 marks
(a) “Kamala Das’ mother loves her very much”. Support your answer with reference to the poem.
( My Mother at Sixty Six)
(b) How, according to Keats, does a thing of beauty give us the reason to live and love the life?
(A Thing of Beauty)
(c) What was the Plea of the folk who had put up the roadside stand ?
( A Roadside stand)
11 Answer any three questions in about 40-50 words: 3×2= 6 marks
(a) Why did the Tiger King not allow the British Officer to hunt the tigers in his kingdom?
( The Tiger King)
(b ) What superstitious beliefs of the servants made them oppose Dr. Sadao’s decision to harbour Tom?
(The Enemy)
(c ) What impact did Annan’s advice have on Bama and with what effect?
(Memories of Childhood)
(d ) Why did Green start ‘Students on Ice’ programme?
( Journey to the End of the Earth)
12 Answer any one of the following in about 120-150 words: 5
(a) The story depicts the pain that is inflicted on the people of two French districts namely Alsace and
Lorrain by Germans by taking away their right to study or speak their own language. Comment. (The
Last Lesson)
OR
(b) What made the American publisher think that the novel ‘ The Name of the Rose’ won’t sell in America?
What actually happened? What was the secret of its success? ( The Interview part –II)
13 Answer any one of the following in about 120-150 words: 5
(a) The modern consumerist world is full of fear’ insecurities, stress and wars. What are the ways in which we try to combat them? Answer with reference to ‘ The Third Level . ( The Third Level)
OR
(b) “The actual pain or inconvenience caused by a physical impairment is often much less than the sense of
alienation felt by the person with disabilities”. Discuss the character of Derry in the light of the above
statement. ( On the Face of it)
