Students can Download Kerala SSLC English Model Question Paper 2 Pdf, Kerala SSLC English Model Question Papers helps you to revise the complete Kerala State Board New Syllabus and score more marks in your examinations.
Kerala SSLC English Model Question Paper 2
Time: 2½ Hours
Maximum: 80 Scores
Instructions:
- The first fifteen minutes is cool-off time. You may use the time to read the questions and plan the answers.
- Read the questions carefully before answering.
- Certain Sections of the questions have choices. Follow the instructions.
Questions 1 – 6: Read the excerpt “Adventures in a Banyan Tree” and answer the questions that follow. Each question carries one score. (1 × 6 = 6)
When I had also made a conscious descent from the tree and returned to the house, I told Grandfather of the fight I had seen. He was pleased that the mongoose had won. He had encouraged it to live in the garden, to keep away the snakes, and fed it regularly with scraps from the kitchen. He had never tried taming it, because wild mongoose was more useful than a domesticated one.
From the banyan tree I often saw the mongoose patrolling the four corners of the garden, and once I saw him with an egg in his mouth and knew he had been in the poultry house; but he had not harmed the birds, and I knew Grandmother would forgive him for stealing as long as he kept the snakes away from the house.
Question 1.
Why was the Grandfather pleased?
Answer:
The Grandfather was pleased because the mongoose had won the fight.
Question 2.
Why did the Grandfather encourage the mongoose to live in the garden?
Answer:
The Grandfather encouraged the mongoose to live in the garden because it would keep away the snakes.
Question 3.
The Grandfather never tried training the mongoose. Why?
Answer:
The Grandfather never tried training the mongoose because a wild mongoose was more useful than a domesticated one.
Question 4.
What did the narrator often see when he was sitting on the banyan tree?
Answer:
When he was sitting on the banyan tree, the narrator often saw the mongoose patrolling the four corners of the garden.
Question 5.
Was the Grandmother angry with the mongoose for stealing an egg from her poultry?
Answer:
No, she wasn’t.
Question 6.
Find a word from the passage which means ‘tamed’.
Answer:
Domesticated.
Questions 7 – 10: Read the lines from “Lines Written in Early Spring” and answer the questions that follow. Each question carries one score. (1 × 4 = 4)
I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran
And much it grieved my heart to think’
What man made of man.
Question 7.
Where did the poet sit?
Answer:
He sat in a grove.
Question 8.
Sitting there what did the poet hear?
Answer:
He heard a thousand blended notes.
Question 9.
To whom did Nature link her good works?
Answer:
To the human soul.
Question 10.
Why did the heart of the poet grieve?
Answer:
The heart of the poet grieved because of what man-made of man.
Question 11. Read the poem “Mother to Son” and attempt a brief appreciation, point out the theme(s) and poetic devices used. (1 × 5 = 5)
I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.
Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And ’tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.
The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure:-
But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.
The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.
If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature’s holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
Whatman has made of man?
Answer:
The poet says that while sitting reclined on a woodland grove, his mind was filled with several thoughts. While he finds solace in the nature’s beauty, the same beauty also reminds him of sad thoughts. The speaker appreciates the nature for her god like abilities of linking a human soul to herself but he also feels grief while thinking about how cruelly man has separated himself from mother nature. The poet is highly appreciative of nature’s beauty.
He finds delight in the green bowers and has faith that the beautiful flowers enjoy every ounce of the air they breathe and they are thankful for living beside the nature. The speaker observes the birds which sing and hop around him. He is in awe of these creatures. Though the speaker does not understand their, language and ways, he does recognize that the birds are creating all these movements out of sheer pleasure and joy.
The breeze blowing is sweet and light, the twigs are spreading out as if to catch the sweet air and all the poet can do is gather pleasure in their existence. The speaker questions that if this is heaven and this is the holy plan of nature then what man has done to himself is really bad. Man has separated himself from such joy and is spending his time hating one another and fighting wars.
The poem has 6 quatrains and the rhyming scheme is abab. There are examples of personification. There is fine-visual and auditory imagery. We too feel like the poet reclining in the grove watching the flowers and listening to the music of the birds. Nature is really beautiful.
Questions 12 – 16: Read the following passage from “The Castaway” and answer the questions that follow. Each question carries one score. (1 × 5 = 5)
After Satish’s arrival, Kiran had seldom got much time to spare serving Nilkanta’s meals which she had been doing so generously as he had an immense capacity of eating. After that he left the hall without eating much. He would repeatedly say, “I am not hungry” thinking that it would bring Kiran to press him to finish. That didn’t happen. Soaking the pillow with his sobs became a usual occurrence. He jumped into the conclusion that some venomous trick of Satish had made her angry against him.
Question 12.
Who had an immense capacity of eating?
Answer:
Nilkanta had an immense capacity of eating.
Question 13.
Why did Nilkanta repeatedly say, “I am not hungry”?
Answer:
Nilkanta repeatedly said, “I am not hungry” because he wanted Kiran to press him to eat more.
Question 14.
Did Kiran press him to eat more?
Answer:
No, she didn’t. Kiran didn’t press him to eat more.
Question 15.
Why was Nilktanta soaking his pillow with his sobs?
Answer:
Nilkanta was soaking his pillow with his sobs because he was sad that he was being neglected by Kiran after the arrival of Satish.
Question 16.
Did Nilkanta entertain Satish?
Answer:
No, he didn’t. He kept mum saying that he did not remember anything,
Questions 17 – 21: The details of some authors given below. Study the table and answer the questions that follow. Each question carries on score. (1 × 5 = 5)
Question 17.
How many of the above authors were born in the 19th century?
Answer:
One
Question 18.
Who is the only film director in the list?
Answer:
MajidiMajidi
Question 19.
A speech by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is in your syllabus. Name it.
Answer:
The Danger of a Single Story
Question 20.
Write down the name of the writer from the USA.
Answer:
Bob Dylan
Question 21.
of all those who were born in the 20th century, who was born first?
Answer:
Ruskin bond
Question 22 – 23: Answer any ONE of the following in about 120 words. (7 × 1 = 7)
Question 22.
Narrate the story of the Scholarship Jacket in your own words.
Answer:
Martha is an intelligent and hardworking girl. But because her parents were poor, they gave her to her grandparents to bring up. Her poverty did not stop her from hard work and she has been scoring top grades all the years.
In the Texas school where she was studying, there was the custom of awarding a scholarship jacket to the best outgoing student. The jacket was given during the valedictory function for the 8th grade students. The eligible student should have constantly scored the top grades in all the 8 years of his/her stay there. Martha was sure she would get it and she was eagerly awaiting it.
There was a girl called Joann in her class. She was nowhere near Martha in her grades. But her father was a Board mehnber and he made a plan to keep Martha away from the Prize. He knew that Martha was too poor to pay any money to get the jacket. He and some his friends took the initiative and made the Board change its policy from that year. They decided that to get the scholarship jacket the student has to pay 15 dollars. By this he knew that Martha won’t get it and it could then be given to Joann.
But a good teacher named Mr. Schmidt was against this scheme. He persuaded the principal to make the scholarship jacket free. The principal also realized it would be an injustice to Martha if the jacket was not given to her. So, finally, Martha got it because of the goodness of Mr. Schmidt and the principal. Martha was very happy.
Question 23.
Prepare a review of the Drama “The Never-Never Nest”.
Answer:
“The Never-Never Nest” is a one-act Play by Cedric Mount. It exposes’ the shams of contemporary society which tries to live beyond its means. It warns the people against the modern “Buy Now Pay Later” scheme which tempts people to buy things which are not essential for them. Since they don’t have to pay immediately, they are tempted to buy things that are available on instalments. In the play we see Jack and Jill, a young couple with a baby.
Jack earns only 6 Pounds a week. Jill is a housewife. But they go on getting all kinds of luxury items on instalments. The monthly installments come to more than 7 Pounds. To make up the deficit they will take a loan which will further increase their financial burden. In their lounge in the villa, they have fine furniture, a radiogram and a piano.
They also have a refrigerator and a car. But all these and the villa itself are bought on installments. So nothing is their own, even their, baby, as they owed money to the doctor. They have to finish the installments to make the baby fully their own. Their Aunt comes and pays them 10 Pounds and Jill pays it to the doctor hoping that at the least the baby in the house will be their own. The play is a warning to those who live beyond their means and go on buying things on installments.
Questions 24 – 26: Answer any TWO of the questions. Each question carries 5 score.
Question 24.
Imagine that Mr. John, after meeting the narrator for the second time, writes his diary. What would be the possible diary entry?
Answer:
Today is one of the happiest days in my life. For almost 25 years I had been trying to find out this man, who had changed my life. This man, this doctor, had not only revived me after my suicide attempt, but also gave me the money to put back into the place from where I had stolen it. He is not just a man but an angel for me.
Without his help, I would have been dead. Today I met him while I was returning from the States. This doctor has grown slightly old, but the cheerful expression is still on his face. I recognized him at the first look. But he did not recognize me. So I went and told him who I was and how he had helped me 25 years ago. He was happy to see me and hear about my work. I was also extremely pleased to meet him. I pray God there should more and more persons like him in this world.
Question 25.
Read the following lines from the poem “The Ballad of Father Gilligan” and prepare a note of appreciation.
‘Mavrone, mavrone! The man has died
While I slept on the chair’;
He roused his horse out of its sleep
And rode with little care.
He rode now as he never rode,
By rocky lane and fen;
The sick man’s wife opened the door,
‘Father! you come again!’
‘And is the poor man dead?’
he cried ‘He died an hour ago’.
The old priest Peter Gilligan
In grief swayed to and fro.
Answer:
Fr. Gilligan is an old priest. He is working very hard day and night because half of parishioners are either dick or dead. One evening he was sitting in a chair quite tired and sleepy. But he is called to go and administer the sacrament of anointing the sick to a poor sick man. Fr. Gilligan is not happy because he is already too tired. He said he has no rest, joy or peace as people are going on dying. Soon he was sorry that he thought like that and he kneels down and prays seeking forgiveness from God.
He soon fell asleep. Only when he heard the sparrows chirping he got up from his sleep. He suddenly thought that the man may have died as he was sleeping. He then took his horse and rushed to the place of the sick man. He rode very fast over the rocky paths and wetlands. The sick man’s wife opened the door and she was surprised to see him ‘again’. On enquiring about the sick man she says he died an hour.ago. Fr. Gilligan was shocked to hear the news. Later we learn that God had sent an angel in the guise of Fr. Gilligan and the sick man was administered the sacrament.
This poem by William Butler Yeats tells a beautiful story. It shows the sincerity and honesty of an old priest. He did not immediately go to the sick man when he got the call because his body was too tired and he slept quite involuntarily. The way he seeks forgiveness from God and thanking him later for sending an angel to do his duty is very touching.
The poem is in rhyme and the scheme is abcb. There is a simile here: “He rode now as he never rode.” There is alliteration in ‘his horse’ and ‘Priest Peter’. The use of ‘Mavrone! Mavronel’ to mean “Alas!’ is very special and it has an Irish ring to it. The conversational style adds beauty to the ballad. On the whole it is an exquisite poem by Yeats, the Nobel Prize Winner.
Question 26.
The English Club of your school as decided to stage the play “The Never-Never nest”. Draft a notice inviting all teachers and students to watch the play.
Answer:
Crescent Public School, Chalakudy
English Club
1 December 2019
Notice
The English Club of this School is staging a play titled ‘‘The Never-Never Nest”. It is a very interesting play by Cedric Mount.
Venue: School Auditorium
Date and Time: 10 December 2019, 3 p.m.
A couple named Jack and Jill are in the habit of getting everything on instalment basis. They take advantage of the “Buy Nowand Pay Later” scheme. They have a good house, fine furniture, a radiogram, a piano and a car. Even their baby is on instalment as they , have to still pay money to the doctor. Jack earns only 6 Pounds a week. Jill is a homemaker, the instalments come to more than 7 Pounds. Their Aunt comes to visit them and she gives them a small cheque asking them to make at least one thing their own. Find out what is the thing they make their own by watching the play on stage.
All the teachers and students of the school are cordially invited!
Raj Job
Secretary
Questions 27 – 31: Answer any three of the following. Each question carries six scores.
Question 27.
In the Lesson “Adventures in a Banyan Tree”, the boy sees a fight between the cobra and the mongoose. Narrate the fight scene in your own words.
Answer:
The boy was sitting on the platform halfway up the tree. It was an April afternoon. Warm breezes had sent everyone indoors. The boy was thinking of going for a swim, when he saw a black cobra coming out of a group of cactus. It was looking for a cooler place in the garden. A mongoose also came out and went towards the cobra. They came face to face.
The Cobra knew that the 3 feet long mongoose is a fine fighter, clever and aggressive. But the cobra was also an experienced fighter. He could move with great speed and strike the mongoose. His sharp teeth were full of poison. It was a battle of champions.
The cobra hissed. His tongue darted in and out. It was 6 feet long. It raised its three feet high and raised its broad, spectacled hood. The mongoose was also ready to fight. Its hair on the spine stood up like bristles. They would help him to prevent his body from getting bitten. A myna and a jungle crow were watching the fight.
At one stage they dived towards the cobra, but they missed it. The myna went back. The crow was trying to turn around when it was struck by the cobra. It died soon. The mongoose proved too clever for the cobra and finally it was killed by the mongoose which dragged it into the bush.
Question 28.
In the story “The Snake and the Mirror”, the snake did not harm the homeopath. The homeopath in turn did not hurt it. Keeping Basheer’s vision on nature and its beings, commend on this story.
Answer:
In the story the snake did not harm the homeopath. The homeopath in turn did not hurt it. By saying this, Basheer is emphasizing the principle of “Live and Let Live”. Man and animals are supposed to co-exist in this world. As man has the right to live, the animals also have the right to live.
It is a known fact that animals do not harm people unless they are provoked and feel threatened. No snake will deliberately come and bite you. But we deliberately kill snakes. A snake will attack only if it feels threatened and its escape route is blocked. If they see people, they will either try to hide or run away.
They bite only when people step over them unknowingly or chase them and block their escape . route. In that sense man is the only ‘animal’ that kills for pleasure. Animals of prey may kill to satisfy their hunger. But we do it for fun.
Basheer is of the view that we should let animals live their life without interfering with them, unless they prove dangerous to us. Peaceful coexistence is what he insists. It is an interesting story in which the homeopath has fine dreams about his future wife.
Question 29.
Here are some details about Pablo Neruda. Write his short profile.
His actual name : Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoaito
Birth – 1904
Nationality – Chilean
Career – poet, diplomat and politician
Specialty: He often wrote in Green Ink.
Famous poems: “Tonight I Can Write the Saddest Lines”,” Don’t Be Far Off’, “When I Die I Want Your Hands on My Eyes”, “Die Slowly”, “Here I Love You”. Award – Nobel Prize for Literature, 1971
Answer:
Pablo Neruda’s actual name was Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He was born in 1904. he was a Chilean poet, diplomat and politician. It is interesting to know that he often wrote in Green Ink, which represented his hope and optimism. His most famous poems are “Tonight I Can Write the Saddest Lines”, “Don’t Be Far Off’, “When I Die I Want Your Hands on My Eyes”, “Die Slowly”, and “Here I Love You”. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, 1971. He died in 1973.
Question 30.
Satyajit Ray and his friends had to shoot scenes involving the tiger twice at Notun Gram and Boral. Ray describes the shooting at both these places. How it would be?
Answer:
We found a suitable bamboo grove in Notun Gram. As arranged with Mr. Thorat of Bharat Circus, a lorry arrived with two well-fed tigers. He brought two so that if one did not do things properly the other could be used. Atripod was placed facing the bamboo grove to mount the camera. The audience was instructed to get behind the camera. Goopy and Bagha were placed close to the bamboo grove so that they could be seen along with the tiger.
A five-foot iron rod was fixed to the ground, some 30 feet from the area where the tiger was to walk. A tiger-skin collar with a thin wire inside was placed in the neck of the tiger. The door of the cage was opened and the tiger jumped out. But instead of walking calmly it started running and jumping about. When it became calm some shots were taken. But the shots were later found to be dark owing to poor light.
The scenes had to be shot a second time. Abamboo grove near Calcutta in Boral was found. The lorry arrived with Thorat, the tiger, the steel wire, the special collar and the iron rod. The whole village came to watch the shooting. The villagers were told to keep at least 70 feet away from the scene of the shot.
Without listening to the instructions, the entire crowd got as close to the camera as they could. Thorat opened the cage. With a roar the tiger charged towards the crowd. The crowd disappeared as if my magic. Soon the tiger calmed down and the shots were taken as required. This time the tiger and the camera behaved well.
Question 31.
In her speech, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie talks about the dangers of a single story. Prepare a write up bring out her views on the issue.
Answer:
A single-story creates stereo types. The problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but they are incomplete. The experience of Chimamanda -Adichie, while she was a student in the USA, proves the point. Her American roommate was surprised to hear Adichie speak English so well and she liked the songs of Mariah Carey.
The American roommate could never imagine that a girl from Nigeria would speak English or listen to singers like Mariah Carey. Many British, Canadians or Australians feel surprised when Indians speak fluent English because they think that Indians can’t speak English well. Adichie further elaborated how single stories often misinform and misguide people. They had a servant, whose name was Fide. Her mother always talked about the poverty of Fide.
Adichie once visited Fide’s home and found his brother was a fine craftsman who could make beautifully patterned baskets. But she knew only of their poverty and not their artistic skills. This is what happens to many of us. We hear just one thing about a person or about a country. We don’t hear other things about him or the country. And so our opinion about the person and the country remains prejudiced. In India there are many street magicians an snake charmers. Many people in Africa and Europe think that all Indians know magic and they can handle snakes like Vava Suresh.
We all have heard the story of six blind men going to ‘see’ the elephant. Each of them felt with their hands a different hart of the elephant. The person who felt the leg of the elephant said that an elephant is like a pillar. The one who felt the ear said that an elephant is like a hand-fan. To the one who felt the tail an elephant was like a stick! They all were right in their own limited way, but they were all wrong about their concept of the elephant.
So before coming to conclusions we should hear not a single story about something, but different stories about it. Otherwise we will remain prejudiced like the blind men in the story.
Question 32.
Complete the following conversation between Ali and Zahra from the story “My Sister’s Shoes”. (5)
Zahra: Ali, where are my shoes which you took for
repairs yesterday?
Ali: I lost them.
Zahra: You lost them! What …………. (a) to school today?
Ali: You can wear my shoes.
Zahra: Your shoes? ……………..(b).
Ali: If they are too big for you wear your slippers.
Zahra: I will be punished by the teacher, …………….. (c)?
Ali: No, you won’t. Tell the teacher your shoes were stolen.
Zahra : I am going to tell our father about the loss of my shoes.
Ali: ………….. (d). He will beat me.
Zahra: It will be good for you for your carelessness. ……………..(e)
Answer:
a) will I wear
b) They are too big for me
c) won’t I
d) Please don’t.
e) won’t it?
Question 33.
Report the following dialogue.
Grandfather: In the fight between the cobra and the mongoose, who won?
Narrator: The mongoose won the fight. He was a better fighter than the cobra.
Answer:
Grandfather asked the narrator as to who won the fight between the cobra and the mongoose.
The narrator replied saying that the mongoose won it and he was a better fighter than the cobra.
Question 34.
Complete the passage choosing the right words from the ones given in brackets. (5)
In a village named Notun Gram we found a suitable bamboo grove …………(a) shoot the first meeting between Goopy and Bagha and the tiger. Thorat came to the location …………… the tiger. There were some 25 people there. A. ………….(c) villagers took our permission to come and watch …………..(d) shooting. (the, few, to, with)
Answer:
a) to
b) with
c) few
d) the
Question 35.
There are a few mistakes in the following passage. The mistakes are underlined. Correct them. (4)
Nine year olds
(a) Vanka Zhukhov, which
(b) had been apprenticed three months ago too
(c) Alyakhin the shoemaker, did not went
(d) to bed on Christmas eve.
Answer:
a) old
b) who
c) to
d) go
Question 36.
Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with an appropriate phrasal verbs from the ones given in brackets.
(put off, put cross, put up with, put out)
a) I can’t …………. his rude behaviour.
b) The firemen ………….. the fire with great difficulty.
c) A good teacher must be able to …………. his ideas to students.
d) The meeting was ……………… because of the floods in the area.
Answer:
a) put up with
b) put out
c) put across
d) put off