HBSE Solved Paper: 11th English Half Yearly Assessment – September 2024
Section A: Reading (10 Marks)
Question 1: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow by choosing correct options given. (5 Marks)
The beginning of this fun-filled season with the sun hidden behind the grey clouds brings cheer to many of us, waiting eagerly to splash in the rain. Of course, not everything about rain is glamorous. Especially when you think about endless traffic jams, the bad roads dotted with potholes, uncleared garbage and the spate of waterborne diseases. Also, viral infections like colds and coughs make their presence felt. Most infectious diseases prevalent in the rainy season can be prevented by simply washing our hands regularly with water and soap. This can prevent us from contracting respiratory and diarrheal diseases. Kids have a lower level of immunity, and hence hand washing becomes a crucial part of their lifestyle. When unknowingly become infected monsoon season by touching their nose, eyes or mouth. The Food and Drug Administration states that the human influenza virus can survive on surfaces for up to eight hours. Hence, making people susceptible to catching it each time they touch the surface. Hence, repeated hand scrubbing is required. To make the best of this rainy season, we should follow some simple guidelines. First of all, if we decide to get wet in the rain we should change into dry set of clothes at the earliest. Also, we should keep raw food items at bay and wash a variety of clothes and fruits thoroughly before use. Moreover, strict kitchen hygiene should be maintained in order to enjoy one of the most beautiful seasons of the year. Also, in order to have a trouble-free rainy season, home-made fresh food should be given preference over the fast food sold in the market.
a. People wait for the rains since they can
- (i) splash ✓
- (ii) has potholed roads
- (iii) spate of waterborne diseases
- (iv) endless traffic jams
b. After getting wet in rain, we should put on dry clothes
- (i) as late as possible
- (ii) whenever we like to
- (iii) as early as possible ✓
- (iv) when we fall sick
c. Besides maintaining kitchen hygiene, we should ___ so as to keep us disease free in the rainy season.
- (i) avoid raw fruits ✓
- (ii) enjoy raw fruits
- (iii) avoid vegetables
- (iv) consume more fruits and vegetables
d. The passage suggests that small children should wash their hands ___ in the rainy season since they have lower immunity.
- (i) Frequently ✓
- (ii) rarely
- (iii) after every meal
- (iv) before every meal
e. The word in the passage which means the same as ‘prone and vulnerable’ is ___
- (i) dotted
- (ii) susceptible ✓
- (iii) hygiene
- (iv) influenza
Solved Paper: 11th English Half Yearly Assessment – September 2024
Question 2: Read the following passage carefully and make notes on it and also supply a suitable title. (4 + 1 = 5 Marks)
A good business letter is one that gets results. The best way to get results is to develop a letter that, in its appearance, style and content, conveys information efficiently. To perform this function, a business letter should be concise: don’t waste words. Little introduction or preliminary chat is necessary. Get to the point, make the point, and leave it. It is safe to assume that your letter is being read by a very busy person with all kinds of papers to deal with. Re-read and revise your message until the words and sentences you have used are as precise as possible. This takes time, but a necessary part of a good business letter. A short business letter that makes its point quickly has much more impact on a reader than a long-winded, rambling exercise in creative writing. This does not mean that there is no place for style and even, on occasion, humor in the business letter. While it conveys a message in its contents, the letter also provides the reader with an impression of you, its author. The medium is part of the message. The business letter must be clear. You should have a very firm idea of what you want to say, and you should let the reader know it. Use the structure of the letter—the paragraphs—to guide the reader point by point from your thesis, through your reasoning, to your conclusion. Paragraph often, to break up the page and to lend an air of organization to the letter. Use an accepted business-letter format. Re-read what you have written from the point of view of someone who is seeing it for the first time, and be sure that all explanations are adequate, all information provided (including reference numbers, dates, and other identification). A clear message, clearly delivered, is the essence of business communication.
- Title: Essentials of Effective Business Letter Writing
- Notes:
- Purpose:
- Gets results efficiently.
- Conveys info via appearance, style, content.
- Characteristics:
- Concise: Avoids waste words, prelim chat.
- Clear, organized, precise wording.
- Structure:
- Direct point-making, re-read for clarity.
- Paragraphs break page, guide reader (thesis → reasoning → conclusion).
- Use standard business format.
- Style & Review:
- Allows style/humor, reflects author’s impression.
- Re-read from reader’s view, ensure adequacy (explanations, dates, refs).
- Purpose:
Section B: Writing Skills (5 Marks)
Question 3: Attempt any one of the following: (5 Marks)
-
You are the Secretary of the English Literary Association of Tagore Memorial School, Patna. Write a notice for notice-board, inviting names of those who would like to participate in the proposed inter-house debate contest.
NOTICE Date: 15th September 2024 Tagore Memorial School, Patna
Inter-House Debate Contest
All students are informed that the English Literary Association is organizing an Inter-House Debate Contest on 25th September 2024. The topic will be announced soon. Interested students are requested to submit their names to the undersigned by 20th September 2024. For details, contact the English Department.
Riya Sharma Secretary English Literary Association
Section C: Grammar (5 Marks)
Question 2: Attempt any five out of given questions.
i. It was … unique sight.
- a) an ✓
ii. The movie … started when I reached the cinema hall.
- a) has
- b) have
- c) had ✓
- d) had been
iii. By the next month, we shall … the project.
- a) has completed
- b) completing
- c) completed
- d) have completed ✓
iv. He said, “I do not like coffee.”
- a) He said that he did not like coffee. ✓
- b) He asked that he does not like coffee.
- c) He said that I did not like coffee.
- d) He told that he doesn’t like coffee.
v. Work hard lest you … fail.
- a) should ✓
- b) must
- c) will
- d) can
vi. … you have a cup of tea?
- a) can ✓
- b) shall
- c) will
- d) would
Question 5
a. Name the lesson this extract has been taken from? (i) The Portrait of a Lady
b. What is growing concern? (ii) Holistic view
c. What does the environmental problem show? (iii) both (i) & (ii)
d. What has this new world vision given to us? (i) To see the world as an integrated whole
e. Give the antonym of the word ‘dissociated’? (i) Association
OR a. Name the poem this stanza has been taken from: (iv) Childhood
b. Name the poet: (i) Ted Hughes
c. What has the poet understood about adults? (iii) Adults pretend to be always good
d. What does the behaviour of adult reveal? (iv) Hypocrisy
Question 6
e. Find out the synonym of ‘Grownup’ and ‘taught’? (i) Youth / Learnt
- Answer the question in about 100 words: What difference did you notice between the reaction of adults and the children when faced with danger? Children often react to danger with curiosity and fearlessness, showing innocence and a lack of fear of death. Adults, however, respond with caution and fear, influenced by experience and responsibility, prioritizing safety over exploration.
OR What was Gangadharpant’s experience in Azad Maidan? (The Adventure) Gangadharpant experienced a surreal shift in history, witnessing Marathas and the British, realizing he had traveled back in time due to a cosmic event, blending past and present.
Question 7
Answer the following in about 20 words: (Attempt any three) (i) What was the happiest moment of the day for the grandmother? (The Portrait of a Lady) The happiest moment was when her grandson returned home.
Question 8
Answer the question in about 50 words: Why does the poet get surprised when he gets an answer from the rain? (The Voice of The Rain) The poet is surprised as he expects no reply from nature, but the rain responds, explaining its cycle of giving and returning, deepening his understanding of its role.
OR What can you say about the childhood of the poet’s mother? (A Photograph) The poet’s mother’s childhood was joyful, marked by beach outings with cousins, captured in a photograph, reflecting innocence and happiness now tinged with nostalgia.
