English sample paper, Essays (high school) of English

Download English sample paper and more Essays (high school) English in PDF only on Docsity! Reading Comprehension I. Read the following passage carefully: 1. Philosophy of Education is a label applied to the study of the purpose, process, nature and ideals of education. It can be considered a branch of both philosophy and education. Many educationalists consider it a weak and woolly field, too far removed from the practical applications of the real world to be useful. 2. Plato is the earliest important educational thinker, and education is an essential element in "The Republic" (his most important work on philosophy and political theory, written around 360 B.C.). In it, he advocates some rather extreme methods: removing children from their mothers' care and raising them as wards of the state, and differentiating children suitable to the various castes, the highest receiving the most education, so that they could act as guardians of the city and care for the less able. He believed that education should be holistic, including facts, skills, physical discipline, music and art. 3. Aristotle considered human nature, habit and reason to be equally important forces to be cultivated in education, the ultimate aim of which should be to produce good and virtuous citizens. He proposed that teachers lead their students systematically, and that repetition be used as a key tool to develop good habits, unlike Socrates' emphasis on questioning his listeners to bring out their own ideas. He emphasized the balancing of the theoretical and practical aspects of subjects taught, among which he explicitly mentions reading, writing, mathematics, music, physical education, literature, history, and a wide range of sciences, as well as play, which he also considered important. 4. During the Medieval period, the idea of Perennialism was first formulated by St. Thomas Aquinas in his work "De Magistro". Perennialism holds that one should teach those things deemed to be of everlasting importance to all people everywhere, namely principles and reasoning, not just facts (which are apt to change over time), and that one should teach first about people, not machines or techniques. It was originally religious in nature, and it was only much later that a theory of secular perennialism developed. .During the Renaissance, the French skeptic Michel de Montaigne (1533 - 1592) was one of the irst to critically look at education. Unusually for his time, Montaigne was willing to question the conventional wisdom of the period, calling into question the whole edifice of the educational system, and the implicit assumption that university-educated philosophers were necessarily Wiser than uneducated farm workers, for example. Othe basis of your understanding of the passage answer the questions given below y choosing one of the options that follow: (Attempt any four) ) Philosophy of Education is a branch of both: (a) Psychology and Education (c) Psychology and Teaching (1 x4 = 4Marks) (b) Philosophy and Education (d) None of these 217 (ii) The Republic' is an important work on: (a) Philosophy b) Political Theory (c) Education (d) Both (a) and (b) (ii) Plato believed that: (a) only the rich have the right to acquire education. (b) education should be holistic. (c) only a select few are meant to attend schools. (d) all pupils are not talented. (iv) According to Aristotle ultimate aim of education is to (a) produce virtuous citizens. (6) produce intelligent citizens. c) produce good citizens. (d) Both (a) and (c) () Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning as the word 'skeptic' (Para 5). (a) believer (b) doubter (c) optimist d) disciple Answers: (i) (6) (ii) (d) (ii) (b) (iv) (d) (u) (6) B. Answer the following questions briefly: (Attempt any four) (1x 4 4 Marks) () What is the difference between the approaches of Socrates and Aristotle? ) Why do educationists consider philosophy a 'weak and woolly' field? (iii) What do you understand by the term Perennialism' from the given passage? (iv) Why did Aquinas propose a model of education which did not lay much emphasis on facts? (v)Who questioned the assumption that university-educated philosophers were necessarily wiser than uneducated farm workers? Answers: (i) Aristotle emphasized on the importance of paying attention to human nature; Socrates emphasized upon science. (ii) Because it is not practically applicable. (iil) It refers to something which is of ceaseless importance. (iv) According to Aquinas, facts change with the changing times. (u) Montaigne. II. Read the following passage carefully: RICE, SUGAR CONTRIBUTED OVER 95% TO AGRI ExPORT INCREASE 1. Export of refined sugar contributed an increase of R 1,719 crore and export of raw augar 448 ore during the pandemie-hit period - this means non-Basmati rice and sugar (refined and raw) together contributed 4,559 erore (over 95%) in total increase of agri commodities export. Though pigeon pea (tuur), Bengal gram and raw groundnut oil figure at the top in percentage term increase, their contribution in value terms in total export is low compared to rice, sugar and onion during the pandemic-hit period. (iii) Pigeon pea (iv) Rice and sugar (w) Both groundnut oil and wheat recorded an increase of 243% and 148%, respectively. Creative Writing Skills (3 x 1 3 Marks) III. (Attempt any one) A. You are Prateek/Parul Chawla, living at 32, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi. You decide to hold a dinner party to congratulate your grandparents on their golden wedding anniversary. Draft an invitation to all family members to attend a grand dinner at home. Ans. 32, Rajauri Garden New Delhi 9 August 20xx Dear family members On the auspicious occasion of the Golden Wedding Anniversary of my grandparents, I invite you to the grand dinner at my residence. The dinner is scheduled to be on 18 August 20xx at 8.30 pm. Kindly confirm your presence by 16 August. Yours affectionately Parul Chawla Or B. You received an invitation to attend a dinner party on the occasion of Prateek's grandparents' golden wedding anniversary. Draft a suitable reply to the invitation. Ans. 125-A, Mahavir Enclave New Delhi 11 August 20xx Dear Prateek Thank you for the invitation. We gladly accept the invitation to attend the dinner party on the occasion of your grandparents' golden wedding anniversary. We are really excited and looking forward to the party. Yours affectionately Mrs and Mr Verma IV. Attempt any one) 5x 1 5 Marks) A. A pharmaceutical company requires sales officers at various loeations in north India. The candidate should be a science graduate below thirty years of age. Two to three years of experience is desirable but not essential. The job requires selling the company's produets to hospital, private practitioners, and institutions. Apply for the above job stating your qualifications and experience. Write to the Zonal Manager North, PAT India Ltd., Barakhamba Road, New Delhi. Ans. D-27, Hari Nagar New Delhi 23 May 20xx The Zonal Manager (North) PAT India Ltd. Barakhamba Road New Delhi Subject: Application for the post of Sales Oficer Dear Sir This is in response to your advertisement dated 16 May 20xx in The Hindu, inviting applications for the post of sales officer in a pharmaceutical company. I wish to apply for the same. I am a twenty-seven-year-old graduate. I did B.Sc. (Hons.) Chemistry from Delhi University. Thereafter I was employed by a local pharmaceutical company in 20xx as a medical representative. Working for this company, I acquired experience in field marketing. I have successfully sold their 2500 medicines to hospitals and private practitioners. I would like to work for your firm as it is a prestigious company. I am willing to travel out of station, if necessary. Hope my particulars meet your requirements. Regards Anil Kumar Or B. History Society of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Krishna Nagar sent a group of students to visit a place of historical interest. You, Anant/Anita, were its leader. Write a report in 150-200 words for the school newsletter on the tour, deseribing the place, its history, how you reached there and all that you have learnt. Ans. History Society Visits The Tajmahal (by Anita) Ghaziabad: 7 February 20xx On 5 February, 20 students of history Society of Kendriya Vidyalaya , travelled to Agra and spent two days there. We flew into Delhi on 2nd February after a quick lunch near the airport, we headed to Nizamuddin station to board our 4 pm train to Agra, the Mahakoshal Express. At the Agra Cantonment station, we flagged an auto-rickshaw to take us to our home-stay. After a yummy, hot meal, we hit the sack as we planned to visit the Taj Mahal early next morning. Next day, we were there, at the Taj by 7 am. The monument was glowing in the early morning sun and the marble looked beautiful. We walked around the main podium and also went to the two buildings on either side of the Taj. When we visited it at sunset again , it was teeming with people. This time, we had a guide, Shanu. He gave us many insights into the monument, its history and construction. We saw the 'tire' stone, a semi-precious stone used in the inlay work, which was apparently Mumtaz Maha>'s favourite stone.It was a delight to see the delicate inlay and lattice work , the symmetry of its structure and the brilliant colours of this incomparable monument. We returned with many happy memories. Literature v. Reference to Context When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by. The tigers in the panel that she made Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid. (1x2 2 Marks) A. Multiple Choice Questions (Attempt any two) (i) Read the statement given below: Aunt Jennifer's plight is best explained by her hands, they hold both her freedom and the instrument of her imprisonment. Choose the option that best explains the above statement, as per the extract. (a) Aunt Jennifer's hands are terrified, but when she is dead, her tigers will roam free. b) Aunt Jennifer knits her desires, but is overpowered by the wedding ring she wears. (c) AuntJennifer's tigers are proud and unafraid, but she is mastered by ringed ordeals. (d) Aunt Jennifer makes panels of tigers when she has time from her responsibilities. (i) Which of the following CANNOT be inferred from the given extract? (a) Aunt Jennifer's tigers will keep her alive in everyone's memory. (b) Aunt Jennifer feels oppressed and constricted in her marriage. (c) Even in death, Aunt Jennifer cannot escape pattriarchal subjugation. (d) Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance as a lasting symbol of her desires. (ii) What makes the tigers "proud and unafraid"? (a) They embody the grandeur and supremacy of animals in the wild. b) They symbolise authority and are 'topaz denizens of green'. (c) They represent Aunt's repressed desires for freedom and power. d) They are a product of Aunt's imagination and colonial experience. Answers: ) 6) (i) (a) (ii) (c) B. Very Short Answer Questions (Attempt any two) (1 x 2 = 2 Marks) (i) How did the poet describe Aunt Jennifer after her death? (ii) What has terrified Aunt Jennifer? (üi) Why does the poet compare the wedding ring with the massive weight? Answers: ) According to the poet, uncle's terror and torture would never leave Aunt Jennifer even after her death. Her soul would long for freedom. (i) Fear and torture that Aunt Jennifer had met at the hands of uncle has terrified her. (iii) It suggests the harsh and difficult experiences of Aunt's married life, consisting of all the ordeals of heavy responsibilities and duties. VI. Reference to Context DERRY: You think... Here's a boy. You look at me...and then you see my face and you think. "Thats bad. That's a terrible thing. That's the ugliest thing I ever saw. You think, Poor boy.' But Im not.