English Language & Literature : 2008 [Delhi] Set 1

1 Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:                                  (12)

Kausani is situated at a height of 6.075 feet in the central Himalayas. It is an unusually attractive little town. It covers just about 5.2 sq. km. It lies north of Almora in Uttrakhand’s picturesque Kumaon region.

Kausani provides the 300-km wide breathtaking view of the Himalayas. It is the most striking aspect of this place. Snow-capped peaks are spread in a stately row. They stare at you in slivery white majesty. The most famous peak on view in Nanda Devi, the second highest mountain in India. It is situated at a height of 25,645 feet and 36 miles away at the crow files. The other famous peaks on view are Choukhamba (23,420 feet) and Trishul (23,360 ft). Then there are also Nilkanth, Nandaghunti, Nandaghat and Nandakot. On a clear day, the blue of the sky makes a splendid background to these peaks. At sunrise and sunset, when the colour changes to a golden orange, the scene gets etched in your memory.

When Gandhiji visited this place in 1929, its scenic beauty held him spellbound. He named it the ‘Switzerland of India’. He prolonged his two-day stay to fourteen days, making time to write a book, ‘Anashakti Yoga’. The place where he was staying was originally a guesthouse of the tea estate. It was renamed ‘Anashakti Ashram’ after the book.

Kausani is the birthplace of Sumitranandan Pant, India’s poet laureate. Its natural surroundings inspired many of his poems. Its tea gardens mingle with dense pine forests and fruit orchards. The area is also host to many fairs and religious ceremonies. If Uttaranchal is the abode of gods, Kausani is God’s own backyard. There is no traffic, no one is in a hurry. If serenity could be put on canvas, the picture would resemble kausani. (297 words)

1.1 Answer the following questions briefly:   9

(a)  Where is Kausani situated?  2

(b)  What is the most striking aspect of Kausani?1

(c)  Which is the most famous peak on view from Kausani? What is so significant about this peak?2      

(d)  When does the view of peaks become most memorable?  1

(e)  How can we say that Gandhiji was greatly charmed by the natural beauty of Kausani? Give two reasons.        2

(f)  What makes Kausani a calm and quiet place?       1   

1.2 Find the word/phrase in the passage which means the same as the following:   3

(i) hill’s sharp tops   para 2   1

(ii) extended                   para 3          1

(iii) home/dwelling para              1

Read the passage given below and answer the question that follow:         8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

A gentleman was repeatedly picking up starfish along a beach in Mexico. He was throwing them into the sea. When asked why he was doing so he said, “I am throwing these starfish back into the ocean  because they came in with the high tide and now the tide has receded, they will die here, stranded.” “But there must be thousands on every beach. You can’t possibly make a difference, ‘asked the other man. The man smiled, lifted yet another starfish and as he threw it back into the sea, said, “made a difference to that one.”

The story shows that it is not the big things only that really count in life. In fact all great people build their character by doing small day-to-day good actions. Gandhiji once was standing in the open compartment door of a speeding train. He was lost in his thoughts when one of his ‘chappals’ slipped from his foot and fell down. The moment he realized it was gone, he dropped the other one too. On being asked why he did so he replied, “One chappal is of no use to me, nor to him who finds the dropped one. So he might as well have the full pair.” This incident shows that nothing was too insignificant for Gandhiji. (247 words)

(a)  What was the gentleman doing with the starfish at the shore? Why?        2

(b)  Did he make any difference? What was that?       2

(c)  What did Gandhiji do when he realized that one of his ‘chappals’ fell down from his foot?    1

(d)  What explanation did he offer for his act?      2

(e)  What does it show about Gandhiji’sattitude?   1

Your friend Kamal has recently joined Merry Heart School, Lucknow and is living in the hostel. Imagine yourself as Kamal and write a letter to your father describing your hostel life to him.8

OR

 A number of stray animals keep on roaming on roads, causing injury to people and blocking the traffic. Write a letter to the Municipal Commissioner of your city complaining about this menace. You are Arvind / Aruna, N-6, Navkunj Road, Kolkata.

People make use of loudspeakers, bands etc. during marriage, processions and religious functions during days and nights without caring for the sick and the student’s studies. Write an article, in not more than 80 words, on ‘Rising Noise Pollution’.       8

OR

Roadside vendors (sellers) occupy most of the space on roads causing difficulties to people. You want to create awareness about this problem. Using the hints given below write a paragraph in not more than 80 words.

all types of vendors – occupy both sides of roads – stand haphazardly – roads get narrower – disturb the flow of traffic – difficulty for pedestrians – no effective check.

The Literary Club of Bal VidyaBhawan observed an English Week organizing various inter house contests like debate, declamation, poetry recitation, essay writing etc. Write a report, in about 60 words, for your school wall magazine to create interest in English among students. You are Deepika / Devender, Secretary of the club.    4

OR

Your school organized a Sadbhavna Cycle Yatra on the Republic Day focusing on pollution. Mentioning the number of the participating cyclists carrying the placards and the details of the rally from the starting point to the end, write a report in about 60 words. You are Amit / Amrita, head Boy / Head Girl of your school.

In the passage given below, one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that comes before and the word comes after it in your answer sheet. Ensure that the word that forms your answer is underlined as shown.                 ½ *8=4

Situated close the Haryana Border           eg. close to the

‘Fun ‘n’ Food Village’ is spread in area      (a)

of ten acres and offers range of                (b)

activities water rides, pools, rain              (c)

dance amusement park rides. The            (d)

rides are suitable different age                 (e)

groups. A special attraction is wave         (f)

pool is the largest one in and around       (g)

Delhi. The water park is said to

be largest indoor snow park.                    (h)

Read the following passage and fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words given in brackets. Correctly number and write the answer in your answer sheet. ½*8=4

A businessman from Andhra Pradesh who (a) ___________ (come) to Gurgaon (b) ___________ (purchase) land (c) ___________ (rob) of Rs. 38 lakhs from a car on Monday. The vehicle (d) __________ (belong) to a property dealer who (e) _________ (sit) inside the car when the robbery took place. The businessman (f) ___________ (go) to the bank (g) ___________ (withdraw) more money (h) __________ (leave) behind a bag full of cash in the car.

Read the dialogue and complete the passage given below. Write the correct answer in your answer sheet against the correct blank number. Do not copy the whole sentence.       1*4=4

Lady Receptionist    :  Can I help you, sir ?

Gentleman         :  I want a single room in the hotel.

Receptionist             :  have you made any advance booking ?

Gentleman                :  No

Receptionist             :  Sorry, sir, the hotel is fully booked up at this time of the year.

The receptionist at the counter of a hotel humbly asked the gentleman (a) __________ . The gentleman said that (b) ___________ . The receptionist enquired (c) ____________ . The gentleman told her that he had no advance booking. The receptionist very politely expressed her inability and said (d) __________ of the year.

Look at the words and phrases given below. Rearrange them to form meaningful sentences. The first one has been done as an example. Write the correct sentences in your answer sheet. Remember to number the answers correctly.              1*3=3

Example :

there / ago / many / years / were / lamps / no / electric

Many years ago there were no electric lamps.

(a)  oil / people / lamps / used

(b)  gave / oil / a little / lamps / light

(c)  to read / its light / was / it / in / difficult

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. Write the answer in your answer sheet in one or two lines only. Remember to number the answers correctly. 5

I landed and was not sorry to walk away the old Dakota near the control tower. I went and asked a woman in the control centre where I was and who the other pilot was. I wanted to say “Thank you”.

She looked at me very strangely, and then laughed.

“Another airplane? Up there in this storm? No other aero planes were flying tonight. Yours was the only one I could see on the radar.” 

(a)  Who is ‘I’?                                                                            1

(b)  What did he ask the woman in the control center?                                            2

(c)  Why did he want to meet the pilot of the black airplane?                          1

(d)  Which word in the passage means the same as ‘an instrument' that shows directions?   1