HSSLiVE

Kerala Plus One English Model Question Paper 1 with Answers

Time Allowed: 2^1/2 hours
Cool off time: 15 Minutes
Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions to Candidates:

• There is a ‘Cool off time’ of 15 minutes in addition to the writing time of 2^1/2 hrs.
• You are neither allowed to write your answers nor to discuss anything with others during the ‘cool off time’.
• Read the questions carefully before answering.
• All questions are compulsory and the only internal choice is allowed.
• When you select a question, all the sub-questions must be answered from the same question itself.
• Electronic devices except nonprogrammable calculators are not allowed in the Examination Hall.

(Qns. 1 – 3) Read the following excerpt from the story ‘His First Flight’ and answer the questions that follow.

Only his mother was looking at him. She was standing on a little high hump on the plateau, her white breast thrust forward.

Question 1.
Whose mother is referred to in the excerpt? (1)
Answer:
The mother referred to in the excerpt is the young seagull’s mother.

Question 2.
What is the implied meaning of the first sentence? (2)
Answer:
The implied meaning of the first sentence is that only his mother was concerned about him. His father and his two brothers and sister had nearly forgotten him as they were busy with their own things.

Question 3.
Write a note on the role of parents towards the well being of their children. (3)
Answer:
The parents have a big role towards the well-being of their children. The parents have to make sure that their young children are capable of fending for themselves as they grow up. In the story we see how the parents are trying to train their children in the art of flight. They taught them to skim the waves and to dive for fish.

We see how happily the parents made a proud cackle when one of their sons caught his first herring. We even see the parents of the young seagull shouting at him, scolding him and threatening him to starve when he refused to fly like his brothers and sister.

Question 4.
Imagine that you are the curator (a person in charge) of a renowned Museum of Arts, visited by thousands of tourists every year. Prepare an introductory speech to welcome the tourists to the museum. (3)
Answer:
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls,
As the Curator of this prestigious Museum of Arts, I wholeheartedly welcome you here. It is an ideal place to acquaint yourself with the rich heritage of the State of Kerala. The first thing that will capture your attention as you step inside the museum is a big statue of Sage Parasurama, who supposedly created Kerala by reclaiming the land from the sea. Exhibitions, demonstrations, literary discussions, art fairs and performances are organised at the museum on a regular basis.

The museum houses about 50 sculptures created by famous artists like Kanai Kunjuraman. There is also a 25 feet long and 5 feet wide mural painting, depicting a scene from the popular Sanskrit drama Shakunthalam by Kalidasa. Do not miss to explore the Gallery of Miniatures and Art Gallery, where you will be amazed to see some marvellous artwork.

Interestingly, there is another museum within the complex, called the Dolls Museum, which has more than a hundred dolls and traditional costumes on display. You will also find here costumes of Kathakali, Mohiniyattom and Theyyam.

Miniature of elephants presented at the Thrichur Pooram can also be been. There are paintings and sculptures reminding you of the festivities of Onam and Vallamkali. I am sure you will have a nice time walking around here and observing these rare exhibits. Thank you very much for coming to visit this Museum of Arts.

Question 5.
Fill in the following passage choosing the right word given in the box.

Frank and Isobel Hawking, Stephen’s parents, were not wealthy, (a) ……….they believed in the value of education, (b) ………. they planned for Stephen to go to Westminster, a famous public school in the heart of London, (c) ……….. Stephen was ill at the time of the scholarship examination for Westminster, (d) ………… he attended the local Saint Alban’s School. (4 × 1)
Answer:
(a) but
(b) So
(c) Unfortunately
(d) Therefore

Question 6.
Your class has to conduct a debate on the topic ‘Internet – a menace to the society’.
Prepare four arguments in favour of the topic. (4 × 1)
Answer:
The Internet is a real menace to the society. It is taking away people’s valuable time which could be used for better purposes. It is especially dangerous to the youth. Today youth have been called Net generation, Millennium Generation and Digital Natives. They spend their time with their tablets, i-pads and mobile phones.

They get lost in the glitz and glamour of the screen. They spend all their time watching movies, cricket or some sports, listening to music of their choice or playing various games. They have access to movies showing explicit sex scenes. Many people use the Internet for perpetrating crimes. Religious fanatics use it for spreading their pernicious ideas, dividing people and making them hate one another. The Internet also destroys culture. It tries to bring in some kind of uni-culture.

Youth blindly imitate the modes of dressing, the style of walking and even the way of talking of some popular films stars or cricketers. They now write SMS language. ‘Hi bro, y r u l8?’ is the modern way of writing ‘My dear brother, why are you late?’ Even food habits of the people are changed because of the onslaught of the Internet. Now people prefer KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), McDonald’s Burgers and Pizza. They are addicted to Coke and Pepsi.

I would say that alcoholism and drug addiction are also the result of the digital culture where successful men are always shown drinking and smoking. The Internet tempts boys and girls to get the latest gadgets, cars and bikes. When they fail to get them in the normal way, they try criminal methods. I would therefore definitely say the Internet is a menace to society.

(Qns. 7 – 11) Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.

Nobody becomes a champion unexpectedly. Success and fame are only the final points of a long challenge. The world of sports is replete with stories of champions who saw themselves not as what they were but as what they could become. They are the soul and spirit of the world of sports.

Wilma Rudolph put Black Women on the world map of athletic. Born prematurely, she weighed only 2.04 kg at birth. Her health did not improve. To make it worse, she had an attack of polio, double pneumonia and scarlet fever, at the age of four. She lost the use of her left leg. She was in bed for two years. First, she walked with supports. Then, her supports gave way to orthopedic shoes. Thus her leg gathered strength after strength.

Next she could play basket ball without her orthopedic shoes. This gained her a place in the school team. Soon, she found a place in the American squad for the 1956 Olympics. She could win only a bronze as a member of the 4 x 100 metres relay team. But, in 1960, she became a superstar winning two gold medals for USA. Thus, Wilma Rudolph has proved that nothing can stop her strong will.

Choose the right option for the following:

Question 7.
The word ‘replete’ means –
a. full of
b. filled
c. complete
d. none of these (1)
Answer:
a. full of

Question 8.
The word ‘prematurely’ means –
a. at the right time
b. before the usual time
c. after the usual time
d. none of these (1)
Answer:
b. before the usual time

Read the above passage again and answer the following questions.

Question 9.
What were the adversities Wilma Rudolph faced in her childhood? (2)
Answer:
The adversities Wilma Rudolph faced in her childhood were her premature birth, the attack of polio, double pneumonia and scarlet fever when she was 4. She lost the use of her left leg. She was in bed for2 years.

Question 10.
How did Wilma become famous? (2)
Answer:
After losing the use of her left leg, she started walking with supports, later with orthopedic shoes. She began to improve and gained her place in the school team. Soon she found a place in the American squad for the 1956 Olympics. She won a bronze as a member of the 4 × 100 metres relay team. In 1960 she became a superstar winning two gold medals for USA.

Question 11.
‘Where there is a will, there is a way’. Is this statement true in the case of Wilma Rudolph? Establish your answer in a few sentences. (Word limit: 40 – 50 words). (4)
Answer:
The statement ‘Where there is a will there is a way’ is true in the case of Wilma Rudolph. As a child she had many adversities -. premature birth, the attack of polio, double pneumonia and scarlet fever, resulting in the loss of the use of her leg. She was in bed for 2 years. Then she walked with supports and later with orthopedic shoes. She got a bronze as a member of the 1956 Olympic squad in the 4 × 100 metres relay. In1960 she became a superstar winning two gold medals for USA.

Question 12.
A group of ‘Save Nature, Save Lives’ movement members visits your school. They like to visit a few tourist destinations in your district.
Prepare a short write-up about one or two famous tourist centres in your district.
(Hints : name – location – major attractions – how to reach there, etc.)
Answer:

ATHIRAPPLLY FALLS

Athirappally Falls in Kerala is nicknamed The Niagara of India’. It is a 24-meter (80 ft) waterfall near the Vazhachal Forest Division and the Sholayar ranges. It is a thrilling sight especially in the monsoon season. At the Athirappally Falls, the water of the Chalakudy River surges around big rocks and cascades down in three separate paths. Below the falls the river remains turbulent for about 1 km. Then it calms down and flows smoothly until reaching the dam at Thumboormuzhi.

Wildlife in the area includes the Asiatic elephant, tiger, leopard, bison, sambar and the lion-tailed monkey. Different types of hornbill live in this area. Plantations in the area contain teak, bamboo and eucalyptus. This area is renowned for its biodiversity. You will see God’s plenty here. Visitors can reach the top of the waterfall via a paved path that leads through thick bamboo clusters.

A steep narrow path also leads to the bottom of the falls. The best time to visit this wonderful place is between June and September. Many films are shot here because of its glory, splendour and scenic extravaganza. If you love Nature, beauty and adventure, come to Athirappally and enjoy its breathtaking view. It is truly the Niagara of India. Niagara is much bigger but it does not have the wildlife and the biodiversity seen in this miraculous place. Athirappally is 30 km to the west of Chalakudy.

The journey from Chalakudy to the Falls passes through a landscape of winding roads, small villages and lush green trees. If you enjoy local food, you will find a lot of small restaurants on yourway where you can enjoy local dishes. But be careful! Some of them could be very spicy and hot!

(Qns. 13 – 14) The following lines are taken from the poem ‘Death the Leveller’. Read the lines and answer the questions that follow.

THE glories of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against fate;

Question 13.
What does the word ‘blood’ mean here? (1)
Answer:
Blood means family status or origin.

Question 14.
Elaborate the idea in the above lines. (3)
Answer:
The poet is telling us that Death levels everything and everybody. Death does not distinguish between the rich and the poor, the educated and uneducated, man or woman. Even if you are born into a royal family and have a lot of wealth, it means nothing to Death. There is no protection against death. When Death comes, you have to simply bow your head and accept him whether you like it or not. Everyone has to die.

Question 15.
One of the passengers in the balloon ‘Le Horla’ was interviewed by a Belgian reporter. The following are some of the responses made by the passenger. Read the responses and prepare the likely questions.
Reporter : How was your experience during the balloon journey?
Passenger : Wonderful! I enjoyed it very much. The view from the balloon was fantastic.
Reporter : (1) ……………………………………………….
Passenger : It was my first experience. So, I was tensed at the beginning, but as it flew up I became excited.
Reporter : (2) ………………………………………………..
Passenger : Yes, definitely the view was superb; it was dark on the earth and we were in the light.
Reporter : (3) ………………………………………………..
Passenger : The captain was very efficient and friendly. At the time of the emergency landing he gave us necessary directions to ensure our safety. (3 x 1)
Answer:
1) Have you flown earlier? How did you feel?
2) Was the view great? How did the earth look from there?
3) How good was the captain?

Question 16.
Complete the following report using the correct form of the verbs given in brackets. (You need not rewrite the given sentences.)
A seminar on ‘Increasing Road Accidents’ (a) ……….. (hold) at JBN Hall yesterday, at 2 pm. About 200 students (b) ………… (turn out) to attend the seminar. Kumari Suja, the School Leader, (c) ………. (be) the moderator. Three papers (d) ………… (present) in the seminar. (4 × 1)
Answer:
a) was held
b) turned out
c) was
d) were presented

Question 17.
In the story ‘The Serang of Ranaganji’, Hasan says: ‘What use is money Doctor Sahib, to one who has all he needs? I am well enough the way I am.’ Do you agree with Hasan in his attitude towards money? Justify your answer in a paragraph. (4)
Answer:
I quite agree with Hasan in his attitude towards money. Money is the means by which people try to acquire what they need. Some people have greater needs than others. Needs are unlimited and one can go on earning money without any limit.

We can see some of the richest men in the world working round the clock to make more money because their needs are also unlimited. A man may be satisfied to have a one-bedroom house. But some rich people have houses with dozens of bedrooms. One may be satisfied with just a pair of dresses. But some would want hundreds of pairs.

Recently we heard the story of a lady who had more than 3000 pairs of footwear! The basic needs of a man are ‘roti, kapda and makan – food, clothes and shelter’. Hasan has them and he is happy. For him there is no use for money. Weren’t people like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Theresa happy with the little they had?

Question 18.
‘If you could bring yourself to tell mother only once, after looking into the crystal, that Frank is all right, that he is alive – will it be too much of a lie? Will it be very, very wrong?’ As she spoke, tears streamed from her eyes. (From ‘The Price of Flowers’)
What trait of Maggie’s character is evident here?
Sketch the character of Maggie in a short paragraph.
Or
‘Please buy flowers with this shilling when you go, and lay them on my brother’s grave for me’, she said.
Can you find any connection between this sentence mid the title of the story?
Write a short paragraph about the significance of the title, ‘The, Price of Flowers’. (5)
Answer:
Note: Students have to answer only one of the options given under this question. But both are answered here for the convenience of all students, a) What is evident from the extract is Maggie’s love and concern for her mother.

Maggie’s full name is Full name Alice Margaret Clifford. She is a young English girl. She is 13 or 14 years of age. When we see her first she is wearing poor clothes showing she is very poor. Her hair hung in a heavy stream down her back. She had large eyes with a sad expression. She works in a shop close the restaurant where she met the writer. She goes to the restaurant only on Saturdays because Saturday is pay day.

Maggie is a hardworking girl. She lives with her old mother in a small house. Her only brother Francis is in the army and he is in India. She loves her brother very much and he too loves her. She loves her mother. She nurses her when she is sick.

She is superstitious. That is why she believes in the story told by her brother that by looking into the crystal ring one could see people who are far and what they are doing, if one thinks of them and looks into the ring carefully. She is very disciplined. She has polite manners and this is clearly shown in her behaviour.

Maggie is ambitious and she is not happy with her work in the shop. She says it is a mechanical job. She wants to do a job where her brain can be used. When she gets a better job she will rent o a better house and take her mother there. It shows much she cares for her mother.

When her mother is in a critical condition she even asks Mr. Gupta to tell her mother a lie about her brother so that the mother feels better by hearing that her son is alive and well in India.

Maggie is a very fine girl. She wants Mr. Gupta to go to the grave of her brother who is buried in India and gives one shilling to him. A shilling is a lot of money for a poor girl like her. To get that, she has to work hard for many days. Her action shows how much she loved her brother.

Her sacrifice brings tears to the eyes of Mr. Gupta and we too are moved to tears when we see such selfless love of a teenage girl for her dead brother. I can easily say that Maggie is a model for girls of her age.

Or

b) There is a fine connection between the sentence “Please buy flowers with this shilling when you go, and lay them on my brother’s grave for me” and the title of the story – ‘The Price of Flowers’. The title is very significant and most apt. Maggie loves her brother very much. His name is Francis or Frank.

He was a soldier working in Punjab. He had sent some pictures of Simla and the mountainous places around it on Maggie’s last birthday. He also had sent her a ring with a crystal which a yogi had given him. The yogi told him that if someone looked into the crystal concentrating his attention on a distant person he could see him and what he was doing.

Both Maggie and her mother tried to see Frank through the crystal but they never could see him. Unfortunately Frank was killed in a fighting and he was buried at Fort Monroe near Dera-Ghazi-Khan. When Maggie came to know that the author was going to India, she goes to him and gives him a shilling to buy flowers and lay them on her brother’s grave. To make that one shilling she had to work very hard.

Thus the price of flowers is not to be seen as just one shilling but the amount of hard work she had to put in to obtain that one shilling. The real price of the flowers is her priceless love for her dead brother.

Question 19.
Your class is conducting a group discussion on ‘The Relevance of Gandhian ideas in the 21^st century. Imagine that you are also participating in it. What would you speak? Prepare a script for your presentation. (Word limit: 50 to 60 words) (5)
Answer:
I would say that some of the Gandhian ideas are quite relevant even in the 21st century. The biggest idea of Gandhi was non-violence. The modern world is plagued with violence. Every day we hear of wars and killings. People are killing one another in the name of religion.

Even India is not free from religious intolerance. Gandhi taught us “IshwarAllah Tere Nam! Sabko Sanmati de Bhagwan!” It means the name of God can be different – some people call him Ishwar and some call him Allah. Both are the names of the same Almighty. So there is no need to fight, as we all -Hindus, Muslim, Sikh, Christians, Buddhists – are the children of the same Father.

Gandhi taught people to practise truth. In fact his autobiography is titled ‘My Experiments with Truth’. In our dealings with others, we have to be guided by truth. He also taught us the dignity of labour. Every work has its dignity. He wanted us to eschew casteism and the feeling of high class and low class. In fact he called the members of the Scheduled Castes as ‘Harijans’ – people of God.

Unfortunately we refuse to listen to his ideas. We call him the Father of the Nation but when it comes to practising his ideas we don’t show any zeal or enthusiasm. His ideas of truth, non-violence, hard work, respect of human rights, etc. are still very much relevant in the 21st century.

Question 20.
Nicholai, in the story ‘Gooseberries’, has plans to buy an estate. He comes across the following advertisement in a newspaper.

Nicholai calls the agent. Write the script of the telephonic conversation between Nicholai and the agent. (4)
Answer:
Nicholai : Hello! Is that the Estate Agent?
Agent : Yes, speaking. May I know who is this?
Nicholai : I’m Nicholai. I saw the advertisement about the 300 acres with a farm house, and park.
Agent : It is also nearby a river.
Nicholai : I saw that too. But the price quoted is too much. 3 million (30 lakhs) roubles.
Agent : It is negotiable.
Nicholai : Yeah, it is negotiable. What would be your final price?
Agent : We can come down to 2.5 million, i.e. 25 lakhs. For that price it would be a very good buy.
Nicholai : I made some enquiries from the nearby places. I came to know that the selling price there is about 5000 roubles per acre.
Agent : You mean you want to buy that estate for just 15 lakhs? No way! I don’t think it is a fair price at all for this particular estate. You may get some very bad estate for that price. But not this one.
Nicholai : I am willing to increase a bit. Let me give 6000 roubles per acre.
Agent : That would be only 18 lakhs. That is far below the expected price. I said 25 and you are saying 18.1 will come down a bit. Let’s make it 22 lakhs.
Nicholai : 22 lakhs is too much. Since you are willing to negotiate, let me quote my last price. I will give you 20 lakhs! And that is final. No more bargaining.
Agent : Alright. We shall meet tomorrow and work out the deal. Give me your details.
Nicholai : Nicholai Pedro, Boris Avenue, 17th Street. Moscow. Phone 72674657898. Email [email protected].
Agent : I got it. I will meet you tomorrow at 10. Bye!
Nicholai : Okay! Bye!

Question 21.
Imagine that you had a parachute ride over a valley.
Write a travel essay describing this experience. The essay should include description of the physical features of the area, the practical issues related to the travel, and your experiences and personal impressions. (6)
Or
Narrate Le Horla’s take off from the spectator’s point of view.
You may begin thus: ‘In one second, they fly skyward. Nothing can be heard; they float, rise, fly, and glide!’……….
Answer:
(There are two questions here. Both are answered for the convenience of the students.)
a) MY TRIP TO THE TITUS MOUNTAINS IN THE ALPS
My parents had promised me a foreign trip if I passed my SSLC with very high scores. I worked very hard and I passed with distinction. So my parents allowed me to go on a trip to Europe. Since travelling alone would be difficult, I decided to join a tour group organized by the company called Intersight, Kochi.

The first problem was getting a European visa. The company said it would get it for me. I was planning to go in April. April is hot in Kerala, but in Europe it is still cold. So I had to get warm clothes for the trip. I also needed a good camera.

We started our travel from Kochi. The representative from the Intersight was there to organize things. I reported to the airport 3 hours before the take off time. After completing the check-in, I went for the immigration formalities. After a thorough body check, I was allowed to go into the comfortable waiting lounge.

We were flying by Qatar Airways to Zurich. The flight was announced and we got into the aircraft. It was a huge aircraft. The smiling air hostesses showed us to our seats. Soon we took off. We were served refreshments. After that I watched an in-flight movie. After 3 hours, we landed at Qatar airport. It is a huge airport. We had to spend some time at the airport lounge to get our flight to Zurich.

The flight to Zurich was also by Qatar airways. We were served meals in the flight. After the meals I went off to sleep. Eight hours later, we landed at Zurich. We were taken to our hotel in a coach. It was then I came to know who the people in the group tour were. There was another boy of my age and soon we became friends.

Our first visit was to the Titlis Mountains, in the Alps. On our way, we saw the life of the people. How disciplined people were. How nicely they behaved on the roads. No animals and birds crossed the roads. We hardly saw anyone walking on the roads. On both sides there were fields. We could see cattle grazing. Switzerland is a beautiful country.

Soon we reached Titlis. We would be taken to the top by ropeways and lifts. We reached the top. The scene was breathtaking. The whole area was covered with snow and ice. People were skating. We went for an ice-tunnel walk. They have built a tunnel in the ice and I walked for nearly a kilometer inside the tunnel. Ice on top, ice at the bottom and ice on both sides. It was a wonderful experience. I was exhilarated.

Tomorrow we would go to Paris by coach to see the Eiffel Tower and other wonderful sights of that great city.

OR

b)
TAKE OFF OF LE HORLA
“In one second, they fly skyward. Nothing can be heard; they float, rise, fly and glide!” People standing on the ground scream with joy. Le Horla climbs above the city of Paris and it is slowly disappearing. The sight of the earth from the balloon will be fantastic. Now we can see it only as a small object.

The Captain of Le Horla is Jives. The others in the basket attached to the balloon are Lieutenant Mallet, M. Eterine Beer and Mr. Paul Bessand. In fact M. Patrice Eyries was also supposed to be there. But unfortunately he could not go as the balloon could not carry all of them because of the weight. Poor Patrice. He is feeling very sad. He is looking up and surely he is feeling disappointed. He is missing a big chance of his life. He had made a lot of preparations for this flight.

He had told about his flight to all relatives and friends and many of them had come there at La Valletta, from where Le Horla was to take off. They also feel sad that he could not make it. They try to console him by saying he can make it next time. As we look to the sky, we see Le Horla descending. Is it coming back? Did they have any problem? As the balloon was descending we were worried. We were praying for the passengers.

It continued coming down and our pulse rate was increasing. Thank God, now it is climbing again. May be the wind was the problem. We stood there and wondered how the people inside Le Horla would be thinking now. Are they worried? Are they excited? What fine sights would they see? We wished them good luck in their flight. When they come back we will listen to their stories.

Question 22.
In the essay ‘Disasters and Disaster Management in India’, you have learnt that constructing buildings according to proper guidelines and using good quality materials can reduce the risk arising from disasters. However, you find people violating the norms laid down by the government for constructing such houses. You decide to write a letter to the editor of a local daily to bring this matter before tire authorities and the public. Draft a letter which you would send to the editor! (6)
Answer:

Azad Road
Kaloor, Kochi
PIN 400 121
17 July 2015

The Editor
Indian Express
Kochi Edition
Kochi

Dear Sir,
USING SUBSTANDARD MATERIALS FOR CONTRUCTING BUILDINGS

The Kochi Metro has brought construction boom in Kochi and its environs. We the residents of Kaloor, close to the Nehru International Stadium, are witnessing the rise of multi-storeyed buildings all around. Recently a building, very closeto the stadium, collapsed killing 3 out-of-State workers.

Since they were from Bihar, the matter was hushed up without giving the tragedy wide publicity. But the fact remains that many of the buildings under construction are in danger of falling down sooner or later. The greedy contractors use substandard materials for the construction work. They reduce the quantity of cement, because cement is quite expensive. They use low-quality sand as good sand is also expensive.

The iron used in the construction work is of low quality as it rusts with the slightest contact with moisture. The contractors break all the norms of construction laid down by the Corporation. Some unscrupulous corporation officials close their eyes to the reality and give fitness certificates to such poorly constructed buildings. These buildings endanger the lives of people who live in them.

People should respect human lives which are priceless. Just because some people want to make easy money, they construct poor quality buildings and sell them to the public. The Corporation and other authorities in the State should ensure that buildings are constructed according to the safety norms prescribed by the Government.

Yours sincerely,
(John Abraham)

Question 23.
Read the sonnet given below and write a note of appreciation.

Upon Westminster Bridge

William Wordsworth

Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth like a garment wear

The beauty of the morning: silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky,
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.

Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour valley, rock, or hill;
Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm do deep!

The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still! (8)
(Westminster Bridge : the bridge across the river Thames in London, hath : has, doth : does, dome : round roof, glideth: glides)
Answer:
The poem ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’ by William Wordsworth is a sonnet. A sonnet is a lyric poem of 14 lines. The first 8 lines are called an Octave and the next 6 lines are called a sestet. Usually there is twist in the sestet, making it different from the Octave. The sonnet follows certain rhyming schemes.

The first eight lines of the poem present a view of the city as it wears the sunlit morning like a garment and its edifices glitter beneath the sky. The poet says that the earth does not have anything to show fairer than this sight. One who passes this sight without noticing it must be a dull person.

The morning is beautiful, silent and bare. Ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples lie open to the fields and to the sky. They are all shining as the air is without any mist and smoke at the moment. In the last six lines the poet says that the sun never steeped the valley, rock or hill in greater glory than he is doing now. The River Thames is flowing at its own sweet will. Even the houses seem asleep.

The mighty heart of London seems to lie still. Soon the city will wake up and all the noises will start. Wordsworth is a poet of Nature. He is often called the High Priest of Nature. To him Nature was a mother, a teacher and a guide. Along with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, he wrot^the ‘Lyrical Ballads’ and the introduction they wrote is supposed to be the starting point of Romanticism in English poetry.

The poem ‘Upon Westminster Bridge’ has many special qualities. It has some figures of speech. The most striking figure of speech in the poem is personification. It dresses the city in a garment and gives it a heart. It makes the sun “in his first splendour” a benefactor, and bestows on the river a will of its own. It has fine alliteration: a sight so touching. It has a simile: This City now doth like a garment wear the beauty of the morning: silent bare (comparison of beauty to a garment). There is also a metaphor: the very houses seem asleep (comparison of houses to a creature that sleeps).

The rhyme scheme in the octave is abba, abba, and in the sestet it is cdc, cdc. On the whole, it is a fine sonnet by the master of Romantic Poetry, William Wordsworth.

Plus One English Previous Year Question Papers and Answers

Kerala Plus One Economics Previous Year Question Paper March 2018 with Answers

Time Allowed: 2^1/2 hours
Cool off time: 15 Minutes
Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions to Candidates :

• There is a ‘cool off time’ of 15 minutes in addition to the writing time of 2^1/2 hrs.
• You are not allowed to write your answers nor to discuss anything with others during the ‘cool off time’.
• Use the ‘cool off time’ to get familiar with the questions and to plan your answers.
• Read questions carefully before you answering.
• All questions are compulsory and only internal choice is allowed.
• When you select a question, all the sub-questions must be answered from the same question itself.
• Calculations, figures and graphs should be shown in the answer sheet itself.
• Malayalam version of the questions is also provided.
• Give equations wherever necessary.
• Electronic devices except non-programmable calculators are not allowed in the Examination Hall.

Answer all questions from 1 to 5. Each carry one score. (5 × 1 = 5)

Question 1.
The following are the components of secondary sector except
a) manufacturing
b) construction
c) trade
d) electricity, gas and water supply
Answer:
c) trade

Question 2.
The advantages of a particular mode of a data collection is given below. Identify the mode of data collection.

• Highest response rate
• Better for using open ended questions
• Allows clarification of ambiguous questions
• Allows the use of all type of questions

a) personal interview
b) Telephonic interview
c) Mail the questionnaire
d) None of these
Answer:
a) personal interview

Question 3.
The following factors are responsible for land degradation except ………….
a) shifting cultivation
b) improper crop rotation
c) afforestation
d) indiscriminate use of agrochemicals
Answer:
c) afforestation

Question 4.
The midpoint of ‘10 – 15’ is ………….
a) 7.5
b) 10
c) 12.5
d) 2.5
Answer:
c) 12.5

Question 5.
Golden Revolution relates to …………
a) Horticulture
b) Sericulture
c) Pisciculture
d) None of these
Answer:
a) Horticulture

Question 6.
Match the columns B and C with column A. (5 × 1 = 5)

Answer:

Answer all questions from 7 to 11. Each carries two scores. (5 × 2 = 10)

Question 7.
Categorize the following programmes under the heads of wage employment and self-employment programmes.
a) REGP
b) NFWP
c) PMRY
d) MGNREGS
Answer:
Wage Employment:

• MGNREGS
• NFWP

Self Employment:

• PMRY
• REGP

Question 8.
Workers can be classified in many ways. One type of classification is casual wage worker and regular salaried worker. Cite two examples of them.
Answer:
Casual Wage Workers:

• Workers in agriculture sector
• Construction workers

Regular Salaried Workers:

• Bank staff
• Policemen

Question 9.
Human capital and human development are interrelated. Point out any two relationships between them.
Answer:

• Human capital and human dvelopment are integral to human well-being.
• Both forms of capital enhance output of goods and services of an economy.

Question 10.
Classes can be arranged in inclusive and exclusive manner. Point out any two features which help us to distinguish them.
Answer:

Question 11.
Calculate the mean deviation from the median for the following observations.
values: 3, 5, 8, 2, 4
Answer:
x = 3, 5, 8, 2, 4
Arranging the values in ascending order, we get x = 2, 3, 4, 5, 8

Answer any six questions from 12 to 18. Each carries three scores. (6 × 3 = 18)

Question 12.
Statistics helps the economics in various ways. Cite three instances for it.
Answer:
Statistics helps the economists in various ways. They are:

• It helps him to understand an economic problem.
• It is used in finding relationships between different economic variables.
• It contributes in the formulation plans and policies of the government.

Question 13.
In the field of infrastructure, the British government took many initiatives during the colonial period. Do you consider that, these are the positive contributions of the British? Substantiate.
Answer:
I do not agree. The infrastructure facilities in India began to develop during the colonial period. However, the real motive behind this development was not to provide basic amenities to the people but to protect various colonial interests.

Question 14.
The Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956 formed the basis of Second Five Year Plan. It was a milestone in the history of Indian industrial development. Point out the important features of the policy.
Answer:
The Industrial Policy Resolution (1956) had some features which are given below:

• The basic and key industries were to be under the control of the state.
• Industries are classified into three categories such as industries exclusively owned by the state, industries owned by both state and private sector and industries to be under the private sector.
• The licensing policy was used to promote balanced regional growth.

Question 15.
India, China and Pakistan had started their development strategies almost at the same time. Observe the following table and draw three inferences regarding the state of human development of these countries.
Some selected indicators of Human Development 2012 – 13

Answer:

• As compared to India and Pakistan, China is ahead in the Human Development Index Rank.
• China stands in front of India and Pakistan in life expectancy.
• Maternal mortality rates are high in both India and Pakistan.

Question 16.
Arithmetic Mean has an interesting property. Identify and prove it with an example.
Answer:
An interesting property of arithmetic mean is that the sum of the deviations of items about arithmetic mean is always equal to zero i.e., \(\Sigma(x-\bar{x})=0\)
For example x = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Question 17.
Statistics and Economics are closely related. Some statistical tools and their uses are given below. Match them correctly.

Answer:

Question 18.
Environment and sustainable development are interconnected. List out any six functions of environment.
Answer:
Environment and sustainable development are interdependence. Some functions of environment are given below,

• It supplies resources
• It assimilates waste
• It sustains life
• It provides aesthetic services
• It provides goods and services to people
• It promotes the development of a nation

Answer any four questions from 19 to 23. Each carries four scores. (4 × 4 = 16)

Question 19.
Details given below shows the height of 25 participants in a selection test. The minimum required height for the post is 170 cms. Prepare a frequency distribution table by exclusive method by taking class interval of 5. Find out the number of participants selected.
160, 164, 170, 179, 165, 168, 162, 165, 173, 177, 175, 164, 172, 178, 166, 174, 168, 179, 176, 172, 178, 173, 171, 172, 178.
Answer:

Question 20.
Calculate the price index number.

Answer:
Price Index Number = \(\frac{\Sigma P_{1}}{\Sigma P_{0}} \times 100\)

Price Index Number = \(\frac{45}{31}\) × 100 = 145.16

Question 21.
“If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin” – Charles Darwin.
In the light of this quotation, list out and analyse the causes of poverty in India.
Answer:
There are different causes of poverty in India.
Most important among them are:

• Rapid growth of population
• Overdependence on agriculture sector
• Stagnation in industrial sector
• Lack of education and technical skills
• Backwardness in healthcare sector
• Less growth in infrastructure sector
• Inequalities in the distribution of wealth and income
• Indebtedness of people in India
• Inefficiencies in the implimentation of poverty eradication programmes.

Question 22.
The development of health infrastructure ensure a country of healthy manpower. Whether the present status of Indian infrastructure is sufficient to keep the people healthy? Analyze.
Answer:
The development of health infrastructure is the constitutional obligation of the government. India has built up a wide health infrastructure and manpower at different levels. As compared to other countries, India’s share to health sector is very low. Our country bears 20% of the global burden of diseases (GBD). At present, less than 20% of the population utilities public health facilities. Every year 2.2 million children die of malnutrition and inadequate supply of vaccines.

Question 23.
Scores of 40 students in an examination is given below. Calculate the mean.

Answer:

Answer any two questions from 24 to 26. Each carries five scores. (2 × 5 = 10)

Question 24.
The concept of human capital is relatively more important in labour surplus economies like India. To make human capital formation possible the government has to address some areas. Identify these areas. Analyse the relationship between human capital formation and economic growth.
Answer:
Human capital plays an important role in the development of a country. There are five sectors of human capital formation in India. They are:

1. Education
2. Health
3. On the job training
4. Migration
5. Information

Relationship between human capital and economic growth:
India recognised significance of human capital in economic growth long ago. Economic growth means the increase in real national income of a country. Five sources of human capital is increasing individuals’ income earning capacity. This enhanced productivity of human beings stimulates innovation and ability to absorb new technologies.

The real per capita income is increasing after independence. This indicates that economic growth. Just as decrease in death rate and infant mortality rate along with the growth in economic sector. At the same time life expectancy has also increased. It is interesting to notice that the quality of human capital improves as a result of economic growth that our country had attained.

Question 25.
Now-a-days people discuss more about organic farming. Why? Discuss the following:
a) Advantages of organic farming.
b) Organic farming and sustainable development.
Answer:
In recent years there were much discussions on organic farming because it restores, maintains and enhances the ecological balance.
a) Advantages of organic farming

• It generates good returns on investment
• It creates more income through experts due to high demand.
• Organically grown food has more nutritional value
• It requires more labour inputs
• Organic products are environment friendly

b) Organic farming and sustainable development are interrelated for the development of a nation. Efforts for developing an eco-friendly technology are essential for sustainable development. One such method is organic farming. It is a whole system of farming. The demand for organically grown food is increasing throughout the world as it enhances food safety.

Question 26.
Calculate Karl Pearson’s coefficient of correlation.

Answer:

Answer any two questions from 27 to 29. Each carries eight scores. (2 × 8 = 16)

Question 27.
Antoine Augustin Cournot in 1843, was the first who used the term Median for the value that divides a probability distribution into two equal halves. Median can be located graphically with the help of Ogives. Draw Ogives and locate the median by using the following table.

Answer:

More than cumulative frequency
102, 97, 87, 67, 37, 17, 8, 3
Mean = 17.67

Question 28.
We learnt that India implemented new Economic Policy in 1991. It affected all sectors of our economy. On this basis,
a) List out and analyse the reform measures adopted in agriculture, Industry and financial sectors.
b) Critically evaluate the impact of these economic reforms in the measures of agriculture, industrial and financial sectors.
Answer:
implemented new economic reforms in 1991. It adopted in agriculture, industry and financial sectors which are given below:

Reforms in agriculture:
The reform led growth has not benefitted the agriculture sector, contrary to the experience of the economy as a whole. There was a declaration in the growth rate of agriculture sector. The major reasons for the poor performance of agriculture are,

• Fall in public investment in agriculture
• Withdrawl of fertilizer subsidy
• The reduction of import duty
• The removal of minimum support price
• The export policy badly affected on food crops

Reforms in Industry:
Industrial sector has grown at a respectable rate but are marked by considerable fluctuations. The fluctuating performance was mainly due to slow down in investment, infrastructural constraints, slow growth of exports, etc. There is no doubt that the reforms have been successful in improving the competitiveness of the private sector. Government has promoted progressive privatisation through disinvestment.

Reforms in fiscal policies:
Reforms aimed at curtailing wasteful expenditures of the government. The tax reforms aimed at increasing tax revenue and checking tax evasion by lowering the tax rates and widening of tax base. It also aimed at reducing the income disparities. But the reforms failed to generate the desired results.

• It led to widening of gap between the rich and the poor.
• It has also magnified regional disparities within the country.
• The performance of agriculture in the post reform period has not been very impressive, causing a looming agrarian crisis.
• The performance of industrial sector has not been satisfactory.
• It has intensified the problem of unemployment and poverty.

Question 29.
Calculate the quartile deviation and coefficient of quartile deviation for the following distribution.

Answer:

Plus One Economics Previous Year Question Papers and Answers

Kerala Plus One English Previous Year Question Paper March 2017 with Answers

Time Allowed: 2^1/2 hours
Cool off time: 15 Minutes
Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions to Candidates:

• There is a ‘Cool off time’ of 15 minutes in addition to the writing time of 2^1/2 hrs.
• You are neither allowed to write your answers nor to discuss anything with others during the ‘cool off time’.
• Read the questions carefully before answering.
• All questions are compulsory and the only internal choice is allowed.
• When you select a question, all the sub-questions must be answered from the same question itself.
• Electronic devices except nonprogrammable calculators are not allowed in the Examination Hall.

Question 1.
“There were white wires hanging down from their ears or tucked into pockets, purses or jackets. The eyes were a little vacant. Each was in his or her own musical world…”
Looking at the i-Pod people, Andrew Sullivan commented like this in his essay, ‘Is Society Dead’. You would like to post a similar comment in your social networking site. Draft the comment about the new generation, who has become addicts of mobile phones and such gadgets. (2)
Answer:
You see them talking to themselves, making gestures, smiling, shaking their heads or nodding even as they walk on the roads. You may think they are crazy people but on close examination you find that they have a mobile phone in their hands and they are talking to someone. They are so immersed in the talk that they don’t even seem to notice what is happening around them.

Question 2.
Read the following notice. Certain words are left blank. Complete the notice by supplying the correct form of the verbs given in brackets.

Notice

All students of Plus Two ………… (ask) to return the library books on or before 28th February. Those who fail to return books …………. (not give) admit cards for the Final Examination. (2)
Answer:
are asked, will not be given

(Q. 3 to 5): Read the following excerpt from the story, “The Serang of Ranaganji” and answer the following questions.

“The huntress from Cheltenham swung round, bent her wit, her fascinations upon me. Where did you keep him during the entire voyage. Doctor dear? In a special cage?”

Question 3.
Who is referred to as ‘huntress’ here? (1)
Answer:
Jope-Smith

Question 4.
Who does she speak about in the passage? (1)
Answer:
Hassan/The serang

Question 5.
What do you learn about the lady’s character from this comment? (2)
Answer:
She was very wise and very beautiful. She looked like a huntress seeking a prey.

Question 6.
On seeing his friends Ivan and Bourkin, Aliokin made the following comments. Report the dialogue.
You cannot imagine how glad I am to see you, gentlemen’, said Aliokin, coming after them into the hall. ‘Pelagueya’, he said to the maid, ‘give my friends a change of clothes’. Then, walking to the bathing shed he asked, ‘wouldn’t you like to come to the bathing shed?’ (3)
Answer:
Coming after Ivan and Bourkin into the hall, Aliokin told them that they could not imagine how glad he was to see them. He then told Pelagueya, the maid, to give his friends a change of clothes. Then walking to the bathing shed, he asked them whether they wouldn’t like to go to the bathing shed.

Question 7.
Bring out the message of the lines from the poem, ‘If by Rudyard Kipling’.
“If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop to build them up with worn-out tools
…. you’ll be a Man, my son!” (3)
Answer:
If you can tolerate the truth you have spoken twisted by some smart guys to make a trap for fools or watch the things which you built with hard work broken and still you try to build them up again, using old and worn-out tools, my son, you will be a real Man. In other words, don’t be daunted by the misinterpretations people give to your words and the ruin they cause to the things you have built up.

Question 8.
Most people believe that walking is a good physical exercise. They raise the following arguments to substantiate their view.

• Walking strengthens heart and reduces risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Walking helps lose weight as 75 calories of fat are burned by walking at 2mph for 30 minutes.
• Walking gives energy and a brisk walk is one of the best natural energizers around

But you support Max Beerbohm who objects walking for walking’s sake. What arguments would you raise to contradict those who support walking? Write three points which explains why you hate walking. (3)
Answer:

• Walking merely for the sake of walking is a waste of time as you can use that energy for something more useful and get the exercise to your body.
• Walking makes you tired. Imagine you go to school walking 3 or 4 kilometres in the morning. By the time you reach the school you will be so tired that you won’t understand the lessons. The same is the case with those who go to offices and other places of work, walking.
• Walking on the roads in India can be risky. There are so many instances of people getting killed during their morning walks.

Question 9.
Choose appropriate words form the box to complete the captain’s briefing of a balloon journey.

a) ………. briefing a balloon journey which they were just about to start, the pilot said, ‘there are no seats, forget seat belts, no emergency exits, no engines, no life jackets or oxygen masks; only a landing stance that one must take when told to do so. The destination is unknown,
b) ……….. an open field with no obstructions, some where on the outskirts of the town.
c) ……….. the take off is smooth and (d) …………you know it, you are floating in the air, rising steadily’. (4)
Answer:
a) While
b) Probably
c) After
d) although

Question 10.
Here is a time line of Albert Einstein’s life. Go through it carefully and prepare his short profile.

• 1879 Born to Hermann Einstein and Pauline in Ulm, Germany.
• 1895 Joins High School
• 1896 Graduates from High School and enrolls at the ETH (the Federal Polytechnic School) in Zunch.
• 1900 Graduates from the ETH.
• 1905 Publishes, five groundbreaking papers, miracle year – introduces theory of relativity and another E = MC².
• 1912 Moves to Zurich, becomes, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the ETH.
• 1915 General theory of relativity.
• 1917 Collapses from exhaustion, falls seriously ill.
• 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics
• 1955 Dies of heart failure on April 18. (5)

Answer:
Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany, in 1879. His father was Hermann Einstein and his mother was Pauline. In 1895, he joined the High School. The following year he graduated from High School and then enrolled himself at the ETH, the Federal Polytechnic School at Zurich.

In 1900 he graduated from ETH. In 1905 he published 5 ground breaking papers. It was a miraculous year for him as he introduced the theory of relativity and the concept E=Mc². In 1912, he returned to Zurich as a Professor of Theoretical Physics at ETH. In 1915 he thoroughly explained his General Theory of Relativity. He worked very hard, sometimes so hard that it was injurious to his health.

In 1917 he collapsed from overwork and exhaustion and became seriously ill. In 1921 Einstein received the Nobel Prize in Physics. On 18 April 1955, he died of a heart attack. Einstein was the greatest scientist the 20^th century.

Question 11.
Greta, in the story, ‘Conceptual Fruit’, reminds us that everything we do every therapy, encouraging word, smile or care will make a difference in the life of differently abled children. What type of schooling, do you think, is good for such children-maintstream schools or special schools? Imagine that you want to communicate your views about this to the public. Draft an e-mail to the editor of a leading newspaper.
(Hints: Not enough adaptive and cognitive skills – fails to follow group instructions – requires greater attention and individual care – need support from allied health professionals) (4)
Answer:
[email protected]
Sub: Special Schools for Differently-Abled Children

Until quite recently differently-abled persons were called disabled or handicapped persons. The term disabled or handicapped is not at all suitable for people with mental or physical conditions which are different from ours. They are differently abled because they possess a unique set of abilities and perspectives. Everybody has ability and everybody matters. It is all about acknowledging it. ‘Differently abled’ doesn’t hide the fact that your loved one has been diagnosed with a condition, but we continue to empower them despite their condition.

Often times, differently abled people see what we can’t, hear what we can’t and think what we can’t. This makes their ability different – not inferior, not superior – just different. The term differently abled recognises talent and value in everybody and treats them equally. While mental conditions like autism can affect certain everyday functions, it need not stop them from enjoying a fulfilling, enriched and loved life.

Many differently people are known to flourish and rejoice in life with the right opportunity, support and love. Let us remember the great differently-abled persons like of Helen Keller and Stephen Hawking. Vaikom Vijayalaksmi, a Malayalam playback singer, is a good example of a highly successful differently-abled person. She is blind.

When we say ‘differently-abled’ people we simply mean to say that they do not have enough adaptive and cognitive skills as the normal people. They often fail to follow group instructions. Therefore they need greater attention and individual care. This attention and care can’t be given to them in a main-stream school.

They need to be taught in special schools. They also need the support of allied health professionals for their proper development. So instead of feeling sorry for them, let us do what we can to make them contribute to their own welfare and also the welfare of the society.

Question 12.
The passengers on board the ship, Titanic, were really moved by the heroism of the crew, who were duty-bound even at the face of death. Narrate the tragic end of the Titanic, from the point of view of one of the passengers who got escaped the wreck. (4)
Answer:
We started our voyage in the Titanic from Southampton. The ship was a sea dream. She was the largest and the grandest of all the ships made until then. There were thousands of passengers on the ship. They felt very secure and happy. But suddenly a huge iceberg appeared and it collided with the shipwrecking it.

It soon began to sink and people knew it was sinking. Captain Smith was the commander. He was brave. Not even for one moment he thought of saving his life. He stood on the bridge and told his crew that they were British and they should remember their country and should do their duty. They decided to send the women and children in the lifeboats. The crew had no hope of saving themselves.

The Titanic sank from sight, and the band played “Nearer my God to Thee”. There was never a scene grander or more tragic than this. The ship was sinking and the band was playing. All credit goes to Smith, the crew and the men of Titanic. They showed such courage and nobility during the great tragedy.

Question 13.
“Then Jovis nudges me; he fears to frighten his happy, quiet passengers, for he knows full well that a storm is pursuing us”, says Maupassant. Here we see the trait of an ideal leader in the captain. What other traits of the captain, as a good team leader, do you find in the story, The Trip of Le Horla”? Sketch the character of captain Jovis in about sixty words. (4)
Answer:
Captain Jovis is a good example of an efficient and cool-headed captain. Any captain of such an adventurous trip has to be calm, composed and coolheaded. Even when the writer tells Jovis that the balloon is in the midst of a roaring wind, Jovis nudges him to keep quiet.

Jovis does not want to frighten his happy, quiet passengers. If the passengers come to know there is a storm, they will panic and there can be confusion aboard the balloon. So the captain does the right thing to pretend as if nothing serious is happening. Jovis also shows his coolheaded thinking while landing.

It was not an easy job but he manages the things so well that the landing is safe in spite of the dangers around. This shows how efficient Jovis is. I think the greatest quality of Jovis is his cool-headedness, his ability to be calm and composed amidst even great risks.

(Q. 14 to 16): Read the following passage and answer the questions given below.

There is a famous expression in English: “Stop the world. I want to get off!” This expression refers to a feeling of panic, or stress. ‘Stress’ means pressure or tension. It is one of the most common causes of health problems in modem life.

There are numerous physical effects of stress. Stress can affect the heart, the respiratory system and the stomach. Emotions are also easily affected by stress. Stress can make people angry, moody, or nervous, Long-term stress can lead to a variety of serious mental illnesses. Addictions often develop as a result of one’s efforts to relieve stress.

It is obvious that stress is a serious problem. It attacks the body. It affects the emotions. Uptreated, it may eventually result in mental illness. Stress has a great influence on the health and well-being of our bodies, our feelings, and our minds.

Question 14.
Which one of the following is NOT a common problem caused by stress? (1)
a) Physical problems
b) Mental problems
c) Anecdotal problems
d) Emotional problems
Answer:
c) Anecdotal problems

Question 15.
Choose the best answer to explain how alcoholism is caused by stress.  (1)
a) Alcohol is used to relieve stress
b) Alcohol is popular
c) Alcohol is a chemical
d) Alcohol is similar to medicine
Answer:
a) Alcohol is used to relieve stress

Question 16.
Why is it said that one should reduce stress and rest for sometime? (3)
Answer:
One should reduce stress and rest for sometime because:

• Stress causes health problems as it badly affects the heart, the respiratory system and the stomach.
• Stress can make people angry, moody and nervous.
• Long term stress can lead to a variety of mental illnesses and addictions can develop as one’s efforts to relieve stress.

Question 17.
Wordsworth’s poem “To Sleep’tells us how important it is to have a sound sleep in order to remain mentally and physically fit. But we know that getting a good night’s sleep requires more than crawling into bed and closing your eyes. Write a short article on ‘Sleep’, in about seventy-five words, for your school magazine. (4)
Answer:

Importance of Sleep

William Wordsworth is quite right in saying that without sleep the morning’s wealth is nothing. Sleep, according to him, is the mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health.

Research has shown that people don’t get enough sleep at night and go to school or work, tired. Some experts believe the cause is biological. Others believe that people stay up causing lack of enough sleep. Adults need 8 hours of sleep, teenagers need a bit more.

So why aren’t people getting enough sleep? For one thing, they are staying up late. A variety of things can contribute to this night-owl tendency among people, including social life, caffeinated or alcoholic drinks, electronic media such as computers, TVs and mobile phones. Other factors include procrastinating on work, and even depression.

Lack of sleep affects people’s ability to function normally. A recent study showed that “sleep deprivation can affect mood, performance, attention, learning, behaviour and biological functions.” Too little sleep may contribute to mood swings and behavioural problems. And sleepy persons who get behind the wheel may cause serious — even deadly — accidents.

To get proper sleep we can do the following: regular bed time, cutting out late night phone calls, avoiding arguments before sleep, not going to bed with full stomachs, not taking caffeinated or alcoholic drinks prior to sleeping, and filling the mind with refreshing, pleasant and reassuring thoughts.

Question 18.
Mr. Gupta, in the story, ‘The Price of Flowers’ attracts everybody’s attention. Imagine that he visits your town for an official meeting of the civil service officers. He has consented to give you an appointment to interview him. Prepare five questions you would like to ask him. (5)
Answer:

1. Mr. Gupta, when Mr. Clifford asked you what kind of a country India was and if it was safe to live there, you answered her that India was a beautiful country and it was quite safe to live there. Did you really mean what you said?
2. When Mrs. Clifford asked you what kind of a place Punjab was, you said it was a fine place and there was no fever there. Do you really think that there is no fever in Punjab?
3. You said that superstition was not limited to India. We could see that from the belief of Mrs. Clifford and Maggie about the ring with a crystal sent to them by Frank. Oen you tell us another example of a superstition of the local people of England that you found while you were living there?
4. When you told Clifford that you saw her son in the crystal and also what he was doing, did you not feel guilty at telling an outright lie?
5. Did you place the flowers at the grave of Frank as desired by Maggie?

Question 19.
Certain highlights of a terrorist attack, sent by a reporter from aborad, are given below. Imagine that you are a journalist in the bureau. Develop the highlights into a news report to be published in your newspaper.

OR
Natural Disasters usually creates havoc and misery. This year monsoon turns out be a bad omen for the poor residents of Kuttanad.

Certain highlights of the flood affected Kuttanad, sent by a reporter, are given below. Imagine that you are a journalist in the bureau. Develop the highlights into a news report to be published in your newspaper. (6)

Answer:
a)

TERRORIST ATTACK ON PARIS

A terrorist attack was carried out in the city of Paris. The terrorists wanted to destroy the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum. It was a kind of serial attack at 6 places. 128 people are reported dead and many are injured. The blasts did lot of damage to shops and properties. Fortunately, nothing happened to the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre. Police and the fire force are in hectic activity rushing the victims to hospitals and clearing the debris.

Different NGOs are also participating in the rescue operations. An Organization called “Anti-Imperialist Group” claimed the responsibility for the blasts. The mastermind behind the blast has been identified. Intelligence reports suggest that there will be further attacks of this kind. Citizens are warned to watch out for suspicious looking characters. They are asked not to touch any packet lying unattended and call the police if they see anything suspicious.

OR

b)

FLOODS RAVAGE KUTTANAD

It was terribly hot in the month of May in Kerala and people were complaining about the lack of rain. People were even praying for rains. And rains came with a vengeance! This year the Monsoon has been terrible flooding the places as never before. Kerala’s Rice Bowl, Kuttanad, is hit by huge floods.

The nonstop rains have made the fields look like a sea. Two persons have already died and more than 2000 hectares of land are underwater, destroying nearly 50% of the crops in the area. Roads have been washed away and the sewage system and drainage are overflowing with waste from toilets. Electricity has been cut off and there is no drinking water. People are panicky and they are worried about the possible outbreak of contagious diseases. Many have lost their homes and have taken refuge in the local schools and churches. Rescue work is in progress.

The Chief Minister is visiting the area and is overseeing the assistance given to the flood victims. The Kerala Government is requesting aid from the Centre to overcome the immediate financial crisis. Indian Agriculture is said to be a gamble on monsoons. The floods are proving the veracity of this statement.

Question 20.
“I shall work for an India in which … all communities shall live in perfect harmony. This is the India of my dreams’, says Mahatma Gandhi. How far has his dream been realized? Keeping in mind the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi’s dreams in the present scenario, prepare an essay on the topic ‘Importance of religious tolerance in national integration’.
OR
“I shall work for an India in which … there can be no room for the curse of intoxicating drinks and drugs. This is the India of my dreams”, says Mahatma Gandhi. How far has his dream been realized? Keeping in mind the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi’s dreams in the present scenario, prepare an essay on the topic ‘Increasing drug abuse-a menace of the day’. (6)
Answer:
Importance of Religious Tolerance in National Integration

Religious tolerance very essential for national integration. Ours is a nation of diversities. Nehru, our First Prime Minister, always boasted about our unity in diversity. In India we have all kinds of religions. We have Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Jews and Zoroastrians. So if we are to progress we have to work like the children of the same mother by being tolerant of the religions of others.

It would be good to remember that “One man’s religion is another man’s madness” and “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.” We should not expect everybody to believe in what we believe, and eat and drink what we eat and drink.The main reason for national disintegration is intolerance. The situation of intolerance may occur because of economically depressed and politically charged situation among the people of different groups.

In such situation, people find it hard to tolerate those different from themselves. It harms everyone badly and most importantly the nation. The country where intolerance exists may be the home of discrimination, repression, dehumanization, and violence.

Intolerance is the lack separation of unity which creates the condition of dislike, refusal and quarrel among the people of various groups. Tolerance appreciates unity in diversity and develops understanding to live in a peaceful manner. Tolerance is the ability which develops positive attitude in the people’s mind towards those with different religions, practices, opinions, nationality, customs, etc.

Intolerance is the condition of failure which motivates people to dislike the practices, opinions and beliefs of people related to another group. For example, a high degree of intolerance exists between the Israeli Jews and the Palestinians. Intolerance gives rise to the inter-group violence in the society.lt was intolerance that caused the Partition of India into two – Pakistan and India.

If the people of I ndia do not learn to live in harmony and cooperation, tolerating one another’s creed, there will still be troubles and again we may face problems that we faced in 1947. Let that not happen. We are all children of the same God and we should live like brethren. No religion teaches violence. Tolerance should be out watchword.

OR

INCREASING DRUG ABUSE – A MENACE OF THE DAY

In the India of Gandhiji’s dreams, there is no curse of intoxicating drinks and drugs. But unfortunately, in present day India there are many people who abuse alcohol and drugs. This essay concentrates on the issue of drug abuse and its increase in our society as it has become a major menace threatening our well-being. Drug abuse has both mental and physical impacts.

The drug addict experiences sensory deprivation. He has a general feeling of physical discomfort, and there are personality changes in him. The addict feels depressed. He fails to respond either to his environment or to other people. His mental disturbance can be like paranoia. The addict knows he has a problem. But he does not know the source of his problem, and he looks for its cause everywhere except in himself. He looks upon external objects with suspicion, Anything outside scares him and he withdraws further and further into himself. There are also drug-related physical disorders.

Dirty needles and solutions used for injecting drugs can cause abscesses in the arms and veins. They can cause liver disease, venereal disease and infection of the kidneys and brain. Sniffing cocaine and amphetamines can damage the tissues of the nose. Marijuana and tobacco smoking can cause lung diseases. Babies of women addicted to opiates are likely to be born addicted and to suffer from withdrawal symptoms. Cocaine and amphetamines cause hair fall. Marijuana can damage cells.

A drug addict can easily get pneumonia, tuberculosis, malnutrition and weight loss. An overdose of any sensual drug can cause respiratory or cardiac failure and instant death. It is a pity that drug addiction is more among the youths. Even school going children are addicts! I believe peer influence is the main reason for the growing drug addiction among teenagers and adolescents.

Question 21.
The literary club of your school has decided to celebrate Dr. Kalam’s birthday as World Students’ Day. In connection with the celebrations, the club is conducting an oratory training programme for higher secondary students to develop their skill and eloquence in public speaking. You, being the secretary of the club, are asked to deliver a speech to motivate them. Draft the script of the speech you would like to deliver there in the light of your reading of the story, ‘His First Flight’. (8)
Answer:
My dear students,
You are soon going to appear for your+1 Examination which is considered to be a big turning point in your life. Some students get panicky before the examination and spoil their chances to do well. There is no need to fear. The examinations are simply to test your understanding of the things that you have been taught in the class. Millions of students before you have taken this kind of examination. So this is nothing new or terrifying.

Be confident. Don’t be nervous. Be optimistic. Be cool, calm and composed. Fear will not help you. It will only make you forget what you already know. You have been reading your lessons regularly and doing the assignments. The teachers have been testing your knowledge every now and then. You already know what types of questions are coming in the examination and the time you have to answer them. So read the instructions and questions carefully and make a plan to answer them in the most appropriate manner.

You have read the story ‘His First Flight’ by Liam O’Flaherty. The seagull was reluctant to take his first flight. But goaded by his mother, he takes his flight and then he finds it is smooth and he experiences no problem. In a similar fashion, you go courageously and confidently to take your examination and everything is going to be fine. Keep your mind happy with encouraging thoughts. Be optimistic. You are not the first or the only one going to write this examination.

Life is full of examinations. The people who face them with confidence and courage will succeed in life. You don’t have to compare yourself with others. Kalam has told you to be unique, you to be you. You know you have done your best during the preparation time. Now you simply have to do your best as you write the examination without being unduly worried about the result. Do your best and leave the rest to God.

I wish you all resounding success in the forthcoming examinations!

Question 22.
Read the poem Azure and Gold by Amy Lowell and prepare a note of appreciation.

Azure and Gold

by Amy Lowell

April had covered the hills
With flickering yellows and reds,
The sparkle and coolness of snow
Was blown from the mountain beds.

Across a deep-sunken stream
The pink of blossoming trees,
And from windless apple blooms
The humming of many bees.

The air was of rose and gold
Arabesqued with the song of birds
Who, swinging unseen under leaves,
Made music more eager than words.

Blue-birds so blue, ‘t was a dream,
An impossible, unconceived hue,
The high sky of summer dropped down
Some rapturous ocean to woo

Such a colour, such infinite light!
The heat of a fabulous gem,
Many-faceted, brilliant and rare.

Centre Stone of the earth’s diadem!
Centre Stone of the Crown of the World,
“Sincerity” graved on your youth!
And your eyes hold the blue-bird flash,
The sapphire shaft, which is truth.
(azure = bright blue colour; flicker = shine; arabesque = dancing posture; hue = colour; rapturous = joyous; woo = try to gain a woman’s love; diadem = jeweled crown) (8)
Answer:
Azure and Gold
This is an exquisite poem by Amy Lowell. It effectively displays the theme of beautiful nature. Lowell compares nature to “The heart of a fabulous gem” which is brilliant and colourful, giving the reader great visuals with words. Excellent use of words to create images and soft rhymes in the poem efficiently appeal to our eyes and ears.

The theme of the poem is well expressed and supported with alliteration, rhymes and imagery. The poet is describing April. It has covered the hill with yellow and red flowers. There is snow. Across a deep stream, we can see the pink of the flowering trees. We can see bees fluttering from flower to flower on a windless day. There is the beautiful melody of the birds singing coming from the leaves.

The birds cannot be seen but they can be heard. The blue birds were bluer than the sea. All beautiful colours were mingling exquisitely. The place looked the centre stone of the world like a diadem shining on a crown. In such beauty all sorrow and pain vanish and it is joy and happiness everywhere.

There are many examples of alliteration in the poem: Blue-birds so blue” and “made music more eager”. The imagery is superb. Imagery depicting the “Azure and Gold”, appealing strongly to visual senses. “Such a colour, such infinite light! The heart of a fabulous gem” gives a fine picture.

Another picture is seen in “April had covered the hills/with flickering yellows and reds”. The poem has a fine rhythm and it has rhyme. The rhyming scheme in the first stanza is abcb.

Plus One English Previous Year Question Papers and Answers

Kerala Plus One English Previous Year Question Paper March 2018 with Answers

Time Allowed: 2^1/2 hours
Cool off time: 15 Minutes
Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions to Candidates:

• There is a ‘Cool off time’ of 15 minutes in addition to the writing time of 2^1/2 hrs.
• You are neither allowed to write your answers nor to discuss anything with others during the ‘cool off time’.
• Read the questions carefully before answering.
• All questions are compulsory and the only internal choice is allowed.
• When you select a question, all the sub-questions must be answered from the same question itself.
• Electronic devices except nonprogrammable calculators are not allowed in the Examination Hall.

(Questions 1 – 6): All questions are compulsory. Each carries two scores. (6 × 2 = 12)

Question 1.
In his essay, ‘Is Society Dead?’, Andrew Sullivan speaks about the many things that the ‘iPod generation’ misses. Ours is now a ‘smartphone generation’. What are the little pleasures of life missed by the new generation, when they are too involved with their smartphones? Write your responses in two sentences.
Answer:
When the new generation is too much involved with their smart phones they miss may things – the funny piece of an overheard conversation that stays with them, the sight of the children that will take them back to their childhood, bird song, weather, accents and the laughter of others. They also miss those thoughts that come to their mind when they allow it to wander aimlessly through the background noise of human and mechanical life.

(Questions 2 & 3) : Read the lines from the poem, ‘The Wreck of the Titanic’ and answer the questions that follow.

And with these down the corridors of all time,
The Titanic’s story shall sound sublime,
For never was courage more noble and true,
Then was shown on that night, by the Titanic’s Crew.

Question 2.
Why is it said that the Titanic’s story shall-sound sublime?
Answer:
The Titanic’s story shall sound sublime because the Titanic’s Crew showed great courage that was noble and true. Instead of rushing to save themselves in the lifeboats, the Crew helped women and children and other passengers to escape in the life boats and they themselves went down into the depths of the sea with the sinking Titanic.

Question 3.
Whose courage is mentioned here?
Answer:
The courage of the Crew of the Titanic.

(Questions 4 – 6): Read the excerpt given below and answer the questions that follow.

Some people travel on business, some in search of health. But it is neither the sickly nor the men of affairs who fill the Grand hotels and the pockets of their proprietors. It is those who travel for pleasure as the phrase goes. Tourists are, in the main, a very gloomy-looking tribe. One wonders why they come abroad.

The fact is that very few travelers really like traveling. If they go to the trouble and expense of traveling, it is not so much from curiosity, for fun, or because they like to see things beautiful and strange, as out of a kind of snobbery. People travel for the same reason as they collect works of art: because the best people do it. To have been to certain spots on the earth’s surface is socially correct; and having been there, one is superior to those who have not. Moreover, traveling gives one something to talk about when one gets home, The subjects of conversation are not so numerous that one can neglect an opportunity of adding to one’s store.

Question 4.
Pick out the words that have the meaning ‘to neglect’ and ‘curiosity’ from the options given below.
to miss, to mix, inquisitiveness, uncertainty
Answer:
to neglect – to miss
curiosity – inquisitiveness

Question 5.
Why, according to the author, do people travel?
Answer:
People travel for business and in search of health. They also travel, especially tourists, because they want to be socially correct. By going to different places, they feel superior to those who have not gone there. Moreovertravelling gives people something to talk about when they get home. Travelling gives them new topics to talk about.

Question 6.
The writer tells us that people who travel rarely find happiness. Do you agree with this statement? Give your comments.
Answer:
I don’t agree with the writer. Travelling does give pleasure to those who like travelling. When you see exotic birds and animals, historical places and monuments, the great cities and their wonders, different people and their cultures and styles, you definitely feel happy. Which traveller will not feel happy when he looks at the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower of Paris, or the Great Wall of China?

(Questions 7 – 10): Answer any three questions. Each carries four scores. (3 × 4 = 12)

Question 7.
Reread the excerpt given above (for Questions 4 – 6) and write a precis reducing the passage into 1/3^rd of its length.
Answer:
There are different kinds of travellers. Some travel for business and some travel in search of health. But some, the tourists, travel for pleasure. The writer feels that many tourists travel not because of their curiosity, fun, or their desire to see beautiful and strange things, but out of snobbery, just to show off and boast.

Question 8.
If the victim of abuse is a woman, she has to carry its stigma and shame all her life. So, women, victims do not even mention the atrocities they face. In the Sacred Turtles of Kadavu, we see that the two women from Namuana were changed into turtles to escape from the fishermen from Nabukalevu. If they had come back, how should the society have received them? Write an email to your friend on how society can help victims of abuse to succeed in life.
Answer:
[email protected]
Hi Geeta! How are things with you?
Today I want to tell you something about the way the society treats women who have been victims of abuse. Such women have to carry the stigma and shame of the abuse all their life. People look at them with some kind of contempt. This is utterly wrong. Society should look at the abusers and rapists with contempt.

The victims are innocent and if they are abused, it is not their fault. Sometimes we see the victims committing suicide. Why should they do that? Punishment should come to the abuser and not to the victim. The society should help the victims to feel respectable and they should be applauded for their courage in bringing out the crimes of the abusers.

Question 9.
In the story, ‘His First Flight’, the writer tells us about the first victory in the life of the young seagull. The helping hand for the maiden flight was extended by his mother. Have you not received such support in your life too? Narrate your experience in a paragraph.
Answer:
Just like the young seagull was helped by his mother to make his first flight, I too was helped by my mother to overcome problems and succeed in life. I remember the day when I was in Class 1.1 had failed in my Arithmetic Test. I got 0. My friends ridiculed me and laughed at me saying that I was an idiot. I went home crying. I refused to go to school. But my mother raised my spirits by telling me that everybody makes mistakes and one should not feel dejected because of just one failure. She told me the story of Robert Bruce who learned the lesson of perseverance from a spider.

Bruce who was the King of Scotland was defeated and he ran away to a forest, utterly dejected. One day he was sitting and thinking about his cruel fate. He saw a spider jumping from one end of a rock to another rock to weave its web. It failed the first time, the second time and the third time. But it continued and on the 8^th try it succeeded in reaching the other rock.

Bruce learned his lesson and he went back, organized his army and defeated his enemies and became the King once again. My mother taught me arithmetic by showing me practical examples and soon I became the first in the class scoring 100% marks in arithmetic.

Question 10.
The passage given below is an extract from a motivational speech. Fill in the blanks using appropriate forms of the words given in the brackets. Everybody is unique. If you ……….. (be) confident enough to break the shackles of uncertainty, you will be successful. Don’t brood over your past failures. I you ……….. (fail) in the past, you would learn lessons from it. If you ……….. (Pass) in all your attempts very easily, you would have been satisfied with those successes and ……….. (sit) simply with those.
Answer:
(be) – are
(fail) – failed
(pass) – had passed
(sit) – sat

(Questions 11 – 20): Answer any eight questions. Each carries five scores. (8 × 5 = 40)

Question 11.
Read the statements given below about the narrator in the story, ‘The Serang of Ranagangi’.

• Young and inexperienced in my profession, I had not learned to control my feelings.
• Indeed, as I viewed my own outlook towards the future, my passionate desire for success and wealth, I was conscious of a secret shame.
• Silence – a vision of the Serang’s nobility rising before me.

Attempt a character sketch of the narrator in a paragraph on the basis of the statements given above and the impressions you have formed from reading the story.
Answer:
The narrator is the physician on the ship named Ranaganji sailing to Calcutta with nearly 1500 passengers. After a few days of travel, Hasan, the serang of the ship, brought to him two lascar deck hands who had small pox. The narrator informed Captain Hamble about the sick people. Small pox is highly contagious and there was a need to keep the news a secret as the passengers would panic if they heard about it.

Hasan volunteered to nurse the sick people. He made a shelter in the stern of the ship into which the infected persons were removed. Later there were more people and the number of the sick went up to 14. When two sick men who were Hindus died, Hasan sewed their shrouds and read aloud a short passage from the Ramayana, although he himself was a devout Muslim. It showed his religious tolerance. Their bodies were cast overboard.

When the ship reached Colombo, the sick men were taken to the hospital and Hasan was in the forefront to help them, although some of them were with running sores of smallpox. Normally no one would dare to do such things because small pox used to be such a killer disease. Hasan’s example impressed the narrator very much. The narrator, Cronin, was young and inexperienced in his profession and he had not learned to control his feelings. He had a passionate desire for success and wealth.

In fact he was conscious of a secret shame that he is just a physician on a ship and nothing better than that. But here he saw the serang’s selflessness, courage, and sacrificing spirit and this was a great lesson to the author. He learned that greatness can come without wealth and position and that was a new vision to him.

Question 12.
The recent Ockhi disaster wreaked havoc in the lives of hundreds of people in coastal Kerala. The tragedy warns us that our weather forecasting technology needs to improve. Write a letter to the editor of a popular daily expressing your concern over the delay in the forecasts and the need for better technology and more proactive staff.
Answer:

Irinjalakuda
20 June

2018
The Editor
The Indian Express
Kochi

Dear Sir,
OCKHI DISASTER AND ITS AFTERMATH

The Cyclonic Storm Ockhi that lashed the Kerala shores in the first week of December 2017 caused severe damages to structures and property and claimed the lives of at least 218 people of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Many are still missing and there is no news about them. Hundreds of fishermen lost their fishing vessels and nets and their homes were devastated.

In these modem times when technology is so advanced, such heavy damages could have been prevented with timely interference from the authorities. The authorities are playing the blame-game. Cyclone warnings from the Indian Meteorological Department came too late. Its earlier warnings of a “deep depression” went unheeded by state disaster management officials. Rescue operations also saw delays. Fishing community leaders alleged that ships and helicopters pressed into service were inadequate in number and ill-equipped.

The affected communities showed their anger against state officials who in turn blamed central agencies. There is a need for better technology and more proactive staff to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies. We can’t stop storms and cyclones but we can definitely limit their damages by being well prepared to face them.

Ranbir

Question 13.
Read the lines from the poem, ‘Sunrise on the Hills’ given below.

If thou wouldst read a lesson, that will keep
Thy heart from fainting and thy soul from sleep
Go to the woods and hills!

More than a nature poem, it sounds like a plea for an escape from daily worries and concerns. Do you agree? Write your comments in a paragraph of 75 words.
Answer:
I quite agree with the observation that the poem “Sunrise on the Hills” is a plea for an escape from daily worries and concerns and not just a nature poem. People are worried all the time. When I read this poem I am reminded of Omar Khayyam’s famous lines: “Dead yesterday, unborn tomorrow, Why fret about them if today be sweet?” Modem man rushes to churches, mosques and temples and pilgrimage spots seeking peace.

Peace is there in nature itself. Only we have to open our eyes and ears to see the beauty of nature and its solacing power. For Wordsworth, Nature was a teacher, guide and philosopher who could teach man all sorts values and moral lessons. Let man go to the woods and hills and he can definitely keep his heart from fainting and his soul from sleeping.

Question 14.
In the poem, ‘To Sleep’, William Wordsworth speaks about his experience of staying sleepless at night. Give five suggestions for a sound sleep.
Answer:

1. Fill your mind with pleasant thoughts before you go to sleep. If you work hard during the day, sleep will come to you automatically.
2. Be optimistic. Always think tomorrow will be better than today.
3. Don’t let daily problems take away your sleep; problems are part of life and they will go on coming.
4. Have faith in God and pray to him to give you the capacity to face things and to endure things. Life is short and one should not spend his time in worries and anxieties.
5. Make sure that you have done at least a good thing during the day and then you can think of the happiness it has brought to its benefactor. There is more joy in giving than in taking.

Question 15.
You are a travel guide and you are assigned the task of preparing a travel info by the tour and travel coordinator of the travel agency you work with. Prepare a travel info of a place of your choice focusing on the facilities of transportation, major attractions, food, etc.
Answer:
Travel Info about Ooty:
Ooty is a popular hill station. Its full name is Ooiacamund. It is located 86 km north of Coimbatore and 128 km south of Mysore. Ooty is the capital of the Nilgiris district. Actually the total straight line distance between Thrissur and Ooty is 111 kilometers (about 70 miles). But the driving distance between Thrissur to Ooty is 223 KM or 139 miles as the roads are not often straight.

The travel is by luxury coach which has facilities for music and films. The time for the travel is around 5 hours with a stop of about 20 minutes for snacks at Coimbatore. We will leave Thrissur at 02.00 a.m. so that we reach Ooty by 7 ‘o’clock. We will have breakfast at Ooty in an excellent restaurant. You can have South Indian, North Indian or Continental breakfast.

After breakfast, the first place we are going to is the Government Rose Garden. It has one of the largest collections of roses in the country with more than 20,000 varieties of roses. Then we will go to the 22- acre Ooty Botanical Gardens. It is lush, green and well maintained. Since this is the month of May there is a Flower Show and an exhibition of rare plant species. The gardens have nearly a thousand species, both exotic and indigenous, of plants, shrubs, ferns, trees and bonsai plants.

Our lunch will be in a luxury hotel where different kinds of cuisine are available. You can have Indian, Chinese or Continental Meal. We recommend the Chinese Meal. After lunch, we go to the Deer Sanctuary located on the edge of Ooty Lake. It has a number of species of deer and other animals. We will also go for a boating in Pykara Lake in Ooty. There is the Kamaraj Sagar Dam which is a picnic spot and also a film shoot location. By 6 pm, we will start our return journey reaching Thrissur around 11 p.m.

Question 16.
Edit the following passage.
‘The Price of Flowers’ are a story wrote by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay. It speaks about the selfless love of a fourteen-year girl towards her family. The title indicates that though she sacrifices only a shilling, it have a far greater worth. The price of flowers cannot be measure.
Answer:
‘The Price of Flowers’ is a story written by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay. It speaks about the selfless love of a fourteen year old girl towards her family. The title indicates that though she sacrifices only a shilling, it has a far greater worth. The price of flowers cannot be measured.

Question 17.
The story, ‘Gooseberries’ tells us how Nicholai Ivanich attains his goal and long cherished dream. If you were a reporter, how would you cover the success story of Nicholai? Write the newspaper report, giving it a suitable title.
Answer:

DREAM REALIZED

Ivan and Nicholai are brothers. Both are seeking to be happy. Ivan is a veterinary doctor and he finds his happiness in freedom. Nicholai is an official at the Exchequer. Nicholai is two years younger than Ivan. Nicholai is fed up with his job – sitting in the same place and writing out the same documents. His dreams were centered around a farmhouse with a garden, an orchard, a fishpond and above all a gooseberry bush.

He lives like a miser to get his ideal place. He even marries an old ugly widow to fulfill his dream. In the end, he buys an estate with a farmhouse but it had no orchard, no duck-pond and no gooseberry bush. He plants some gooseberry bushes in his new estate. His joy in life is going on eating the gooseberries his gooseberry bushes produce.

Time passed. After many years Ivan wanted to visit his brother Nicholai in his estate. When Ivan saw him Nicholai looked old, stout and flabby. His cheeks, nose and lips were hanging loosely. But Nicholai said he was doing very well. He took Ivan to see his estate. In the evening when they were having tea, the cook laid a plateful of gooseberries on the table. They were from Nicholai’s farm, plucked for the first time since the bushes were planted. Nicholai laughed with joy and fora minute or two.

He looked at the gooseberries with tears in his eyes. He could not speak for the excitement. He said they were good and asked Ivan to try one. The gooseberry was hard and sour but Ivan saw a happy man in Nicholai whose dearest dream had come true.

Question 18.
After reading the story, ‘Conceptual Fruit1 your class conducts a group discussion on the topic, ‘Differently abled Children and Technology’. As the member who initiates the discussion, what would you say? Write your views on the topic in a paragraph.
Answer:
Dear Friends,
The topic for our Group Discussion today is “Differently Abled Children and Technology”. Technology can enable differently abled children to realize many of their dreams and contribute positively to the society. We recently (March 2018) heard about the death of Stephen Hawking who was always seen in a wheelchair because of his so many disabilities. But he became a world renowned scientist and professor at the University of Cambridge. It was technology that enabled him to achieve his dreams.

In the story “Conceptual Fruit” by Thaisa Frank we learned how technology helped the differently abled girl Greta get her dream fulfilled through technology. Greta goes to a special school. She is 16, but at a much lower class than her younger brother. She could tie her shoes only by the age of 10. She has some desires. She wants to have a big house. She loves peaches. She also loves cats. Her father is quite a loving father. He tries hard to make his daughter happy. He can’t buy her a real house. Instead, he makes her a house on cyberspace.

Greta wants a blue bowl in every room. She wants peaches in the kitchen and living room and all the bedrooms. She wants 11 windows covered with sheer white curtains. She wants a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a bedroom fora cat. She and her father make plans for the house in cyberspace. Greta is very happy to see the kind of house she wants. Her loving father hopes that one day Greta may live in a house of her dreams! Technology has made her dream come true, even if it is on cyberspace. Technology can thus help differently abled children in their education, entertainment and also in realising their cherished dreams.

Question 19.
Given below are the details in the life of Martin Luther King. Prepare his profile using the details.
Birth : 15^th January 1929 in Atlanta, U.S.
Education : Morehouse College, University of Boston
Career : Activist
Spouse : Coretta Scott
Awards : Nobel Peace Prize (1964), Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977, posthumous)
Known for : Civil Rights Movement, Peace Movement
Died : 5^th April 1968 by gunshot wound to head
Answer:
Martin Luther King (Jr.) was born on 15 January 1929, in Atlanta, in the United States of America. His higher education was in Morehouse College, University of Boston. He was a Black Rights Activist because in those days the Blacks were seriously discriminated against by the Whites in America.

King married Coretta Scott, who gave him her full support in his activities as an Activist. King was a great speaker and a writer. His “I Have a Dream” speech aroused the emotions of both Blacks and Whites. This speech is much anthologized and is part of many School and College Text Books all over the freedom-loving world. He is known for his active part in the Civil Rights Movement and also the Peace Movement. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964. He also posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977. Unfortunately, he did not live long.

A racist murderer shot him in the head and he died of the gunshot wound on 5 April 1968. When Barack Obama, a Blackman, was elected President in 2009, many people all over the world thought that it was possible because of the pioneering work done by the great Martin Luther King (Jr.)

Question 20.
Study the poster given below.

Now, write your reflections on the idea conveyed through this poster on the basis of your reading the essay, ‘Going Out For a Walk’.
Answer:

WALKING HELPS BOTH THE MIND AND THE BODY

Walking is an excellent form of exercise and it is good for our health. A person who walks for about three kilometers a day can maintain his physique very well. Walking gives exercise not only to the body but also the mind. As our muscles and body shake up, increasing the blood circulation, we see new things forcing our mind to think. Staying inside all the time makes one bored with life. Walking brings variety into our lives. Variety is the spice of life.

Doctors say that large numbers of people suffer from back pain due to lack of exercise. They say walking reduces back pain. When we walk, the fat accumulated in our body burns up. Then carbohydrates are burnt. Thus we clear our body from extra fat and carbohydrates.

Walking is an exercise which does not cost anything extra. You may need a good pair of walking shoes. These days there are many people who do sedentary jobs, which force them to sit down for long periods.

I like to go for walking with friends. When we walk, talking with friends, walking becomes doubly enjoyable. We forget the bodily exertion of walking and at the same time we exchange views on so many things. I prefer to walk early in the morning when the streets are not crowded. The air then will be fresh and without much dust. My advice to all the young boys and girls is to go to their schools on foot, if the distance is not much. Walking will make you healthy, wealthy and wise.

(Questions 21 – 23): Answer any two questions. Each carries eight scores. (2 × 8 = 16)

Question 21.
“He (Gandhiji) sent us to the villages, and the countryside hummed with the activity of innumerable messengers of the new gospel of action”, says Jawaharlal Nehru. Write an essay on the topic, ‘India lives in its villages’.
(Hints: Self – sustenance in food – importance of agricultural prosperity – farming – development – boost to the economy).
Answer:

INDIA LIVES IN ITS VILLAGES

India lives in its villages. 60 percent of the population still lives in the villages of India. Indian villages have a very beautiful and attractive lifestyle. The Villages are free from the hustle and bustle of a city life. Villages are peaceful, calm, quiet and full of greenery where one can breathe fresh air.

The beauties of villages are described by the way villagers happily live in the small huts or houses, made with clay or mud. We can see g big open area with trees at the front and a vegetable garden at the backyard, surrounded by various trees. The villagers are socially knit together. Every evening they assemble in the village centre where chatting and talking goes on till late the night.

Indian village houses are Eco- friendly in nature. Most houses in the villages are built of bamboo ortimber and clay with thatched roofs. Wall and floor of the village houses are painted by a mixture of dirt, grass, and cow shit. Most of the people who live in villages are farmers, others work as potters, carpenters, blacksmiths, etc. Bulls are used for farming and other activities in the field. Women work hard planting rice, wheat or corn. They also weed the fields and do most of the work connected with the harvest.

Men do the harder jobs like tilling the land, driving bullock carts, clearing the forest and making houses. The villages of India produce the bulk of the food we consume in our cities. Without the agricultural outputs India can’t survive. Thus the villagers boost our economy. In fact people can stay in the cities because the villagers work hard to supply the things they need in the cities.

Often a question is asked which life is better: Village Life or City Life. I don’t deny that city life has its great attractions like higher educational and health facilities, entertainments of different sorts, easy travel and communication, etc. But cities also have their problems like over-crowdedness, polluted air and water and unhealthy competition. I personally feel that villages, with their natural beauty, clean air and water, camaraderie amongst the people with their innocence, are far better. If I am given a choice, I would live in a village.

Question 22.
The poem, ‘Death the Leveller’ undermines war heroism. Prepare the script of a speech on the topic, ‘War creates woes and not heroes’ to be delivered in the school assembly in connection with Hiroshima Day.
Answer:
My dear friends,
Today we are observing Hiroshima Day. In the morning of August 6, 1945, the world witnessed the devastating impact of nuclear weapons for the very first time, when a U.S. plane dropped the atomic bomb “Little Boy” on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Around 140,000 people died as a consequence of the bombing. Many more were wounded and suffered different kinds of trauma. Properties worth millions of dollars were destroyed. Even the fields were devastated making them unfit for cultivation.

A rare opportunity to prevent the horror of a nuclear attack from ever happening again has emerged 72 years since the threat of a nuclear war started hanging over humanity. On July 7, 2017, 122 of the 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly agreed on a draft treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons.

“As a schoolgirl, I witnessed my city of Hiroshima blinded by the flash, flattened by the hurricane-like blast, burned in the heat of 4000 degrees Celsius and contaminated by the radiation of one atomic bomb,” said Setsuko Thurlow, peace activist and survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima – she was only 13 at the time – who spoke to the delegates of the treaty negotiations.

India also has nuclear power; so has Pakistan. Recently North Korea destroyed its plant for manufacturing nuclear weapons. I think all countries that have stockpiled nuclear weapons must destroy them and free the world from another nuclear threat. The world should realize that in a war there are only woes and not heroes. There is nothing that can’t be solved through negotiations. Let’s hope and pray there won’t be another nuclear holocaust.

Question 23.
Read the poem given below and attempt an appreciation of the poem.

EQUIPMENT

Edgar Guest

Figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You’ve all that the greatest of men have had,
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,
And a brain to use if you would be wise.
With this equipment, they all began,
So start for the top and say “I can”.

Look them over, the wise and great,
They take their food from a common plate
And similar knives and forks they use,
With similar laces, they tie their shoes,
The world considers them brave and smart.

But you’ve all they had when they made their start.
You can triumph and come to skill,
You can be great if only you will,
You’re well equipped for what fight you choose,
You have legs and arms and a brain to use,
And the man who has risen, great deeds to do
Began his life with no more than you.

Courage must come from the soul within,
The man must furnish the will to win,
So figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You were born with all that the great have had,
With your equipment, they all began.
Get hold of yourself, and say: “I can”.
Answer:
The poem “Equipment” by Edgar Guest is about the qualities one should have to succeed. Successful people can be found everywhere. All are born equal. All have the same faculties at birth. All have two eyes, hands, legs, arms and a brain. The basic equipment we all have is the same.

Successful men don’t have any extra faculties when they are born. Like others, they too use ordinary forks and knives to eat their food. They don’t have any special shoes and they tie their laces the same way as others do. But successful people have the right attitude and they believe in their abilities.

Determination and courage are the secret of success. A successful man sets his goals and works hard to achieve them. He is not put off by obstacles. He always tells himself “I can”. So each one of us should tell ourselves “I can” and “I will”. Then nothing will be impossible for you because you have the same equipment like any other successful man.

It is an inspirational poem which gives us encouragement and motivation. It has 4 stanzas, each one with six lines. The poem is in rhyme. The rhyming scheme is aabbcc, three rhyming couplets in each stanza. There is a good example of parallelism when the poet says, “two arms, two hands, two legs, and two eyes.” It has fine rhythm and it is melodious and it gives us an excellent message that we must take to heart.

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