Class 11 - English Core - Sample paper - Solved

General Instructions:

Time allowed: 3 hrs

Max. Marks : 80

(i) The Question paper is divided into three sections:

Section A: Reading (26 marks)

Section B: Writing Skills and Grammar (23 marks)

Section C: Literature (31 marks)

(ii) All questions are compulsory.

(iii) You may attempt any section at a time. (ro) All questions of that particular section must be attempted in the correct order.

Section A:- (Reading)

1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

1. We are what we eat. The type of food we eat has both immediate and long-term effects on us, at all the three levels-the body, the mind and the spirit. Food which is tamasik (i.e. stale or leftover) in nature is bound to generate stress as it tends to upset the normal functioning of the human body. Fresheners should be avoided. Taking piping hot tea/milk or steaming hot food, whenever available, must be preferred. Excessive use of condiments also disturbs one's usually calm attitude. Further, it is a mistaken belief that smoking or drinking, even in moderation, relieves stress. Simple meals with one or two food items, rather than too many lavish are advisable. Also, vegetarian diet is preferable. Although it is customary to serve fruits with food items, it is not the right thing to do. This is because different kinds of digestive secretions are produced by the stomach for variant food items. Mixing up too many varieties of food items in one meal creates problems for the digestive system. In fact, any one type of fruit, preferably taken in the morning, is better.

2. On an average, we eat almost three to four times the quantity of food than we actually need. A lot of body's energy is used up for digesting the excess food. It is said that after a particular level of food intake, the 'food actually eats one up'.

3. It is always good to eat a little less than your 'full-stomach' capacity. Besides, never eat food unless you are really hungry. To have dinner at 8 or 9 pm after a heavy snack around 5 or 6 pm in the evening is asking for trouble. In fact, skipping a meal is always good if the stomach is upset. There are varying views on the benefits of fasting, but we will not discuss them here. However, giving a break to one's stomach, at least once a week, by having only fruit or milk, etc., may be worth a try.

4. While a little bit of water taken with meals is all right, drinking 30 to 60 ml of water with food is not advisable. Water, taken an hour or so before or after meals, is good for digestion. One's diet must be balanced with all the required nutrients for a healthy living.

5. Also remember, excess of everything is bad. Related to the problem of stress, excessive intake of salt is definitely out. Too much of sugar, fried food and chilies are not good either. Over-indulgence and excessive craving for a particular taste/type of food generates rajasik (aggressive) or at worst, tamasik (dull) tendencies. An even more important aspect of the relationship between food and stress lies not so much in what or how much we eat but how the food is taken. For example, food eaten in great hurry or in a state of anger or any other negative state of mind is bound to induce stress. How the food is served is also very important. Not only the presentation, cutlery, crockery, etc., play a role, the love and affection with which the food is served is also significant. Finding faults with food while it is being eaten is a bad habit. It is better not to eat the food you do not like, rather than finding faults with it.

6. It is good to have regular food habits. Workaholics who do not find time to eat food at proper meal time invite stomach ulcers. One must try to enjoy one's food, and therefore, eating at the so-called lunch/dinner meetings is highly inadvisable. Every morsel of food should be enjoyed with a totally peaceful state of mind. Food and discussions should not be mixed. There are accepted ways to 'charge' the food we eat. Prayer is perhaps 'the best method for energizing the food and it does definite additional good at no extra cost.

By: Lt. Gen. M. M. Walia

A. On the basis of your understanding of the passage answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option.

(1 × 6 = 6)

1.1. Tamasik food influences a person by

(a) generating stress.

(b) making a person energetic. 

(c) generating large amount of energy

(d) making a person bold

1.2. Generally what incorrect belief do people practise at the table?

(a) Smoking helps to digest food. 

(b) Smoking or drinking even in moderation relieves stress.

(c) Pickles add to taste

(d) Condiments help to enhance appetite

1.3. The writer says that the "food actually eats one up" because the

(a) Digestion takes too much time.

(b) Excessive intake of food takes a lot of body's energy to digest it.

(c) Food sustains the body. 

(d) Person becomes healthy.

1.4. Rajasik tendencies are generated due to:

(a) Over indulgence in fried food. 

(b) Too much use of spicy food.

(c) Over indulgence and excessive craving for a particular taste.

(d) Excess of everything.

1.5. Here, the word "charge" means

(a) to impose or ask as a price or fee

(b) to attack by rushing violently against

(c) to accuse formally

(d) to feel full of vigour

1.6. What does 'induce' mean?

(a) Reduce

(b) Cause, influence

(c) Aggressive

(d) To intake

B. Answer the following questions as briefly as possible: (Do any 4)

2.1. ______should be avoided.

2.2. It is always good to eat less than your ____ capacity.

2.3. Water, taken an hour or so before or after meals, is good for____.

2.4. _____who do not find them to eat food at proper meal times invite stomach ulcers.

2.5. Find the word in the passage with the meaning to avoid extremes. (para 1)

2.6. Find the word in the passage with the meaning not worth recommending. (para 6)

(More questions will be uploaded soon).

Class 10 - NCERT - First Flight - The Ball Poem - Poem - John Berryman

The Ball Poem

What is the boy now, who has lost his ball,

What, what is he to do? I saw it go

Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then

Merrily over — there it is in the water!

No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:

An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy

As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down

All his young days into the harbour where

His ball went. I would not intrude on him;

A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now

He senses first responsibility

In a world of possessions. People will take

Balls, balls will be lost always, little boy.

And no one buys a ball back. Money is external.

He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes,

The epistemology of loss, how to stand up

Knowing what every man must one day know

And most know many days, how to stand up.

JOHN BERRYMAN

Central Idea of the Poem

 "The Ball Poem' looks like a simple story of a young boy losing his ball. The boy is severely upset over the loss. Normally, it may seem like a great overreaction. Children lose things as their toys and balls quite often. Usually, no fuss should be made about such a small thing. But the ball seems to be symbolising the poet's childhood. The boy becoming an adult, loses his childhood. He was clinging onto his childhood for so long. The poet accepts the changes in his life. Although he is still suffering yet he is learning to move on from his fleeting childhood. The true theme of the poem is that we should cherish every moment of life. Life is really very short. The poet realises that it is very difficult to deal with the loss but it must be done. We should move on as there is no use in wasting precious time and life.

Main points of the poem:-

1. The young boy lost his ball.

2. He was playing and saw the ball bouncing down the street.

3. Then, in the end the ball fell down into the water and lost forever. 

4. The boy sees everything happening before his eyes but he is helpless. 

5. He only stands there helplessly moaning at the loss of the ball.

6. The loss of the ball may appear to be an ordinary incident.

7. It seems that boys lose such balls many times while they are playing.

8. The boy should not make a fuss over it. 

9. The loss of ball is symbolic. It has a deeper meaning.

Detailed Explanation

This poem by John Berryman is about a young boy who has lost his ball and is standing by the water staring at it. The poet describes the boy's reaction to the loss of his ball, which is one of "ultimate shaking grief" and "trembling." The boy is not just upset about losing his ball but also about the realization of the finality of possession. The poet emphasizes that balls are lost always and can't be bought back, and this is the boy's first experience with the reality of loss.

The poem also reflects the theme of growing up and learning to deal with the reality of loss and disappointment. The boy is learning, as the poet says, "The epistemology of loss" which means the theory and knowledge of loss, and how to stand up knowing what every man must one day know. The poem emphasizes that this knowledge is not something that can be bought with money, it's something internal and something that every man must learn.

The final lines of the poem, "how to stand up, knowing what every man must one day know, and most know many days, how to stand up," suggests that the loss of ball is not just a small event, but a significant part of growing up, and a necessary step in learning to deal with the inevitable losses in life.

Thinking About the Poem

Question 1. Why does the poet say, “I would not intrude on him”? Why doesn’t he offer him money to buy another ball?

Answer:

The poet says, "I would not intrude on him" because he recognizes that the boy is going through a personal and emotional experience and doesn't want to interrupt or disturb him. The poet is aware that the boy is standing alone, staring into the water, and feeling a deep sense of grief and loss. He doesn't want to intrude on the boy's moment of grief, and he wants to respect the boy's privacy and personal space.

The poet also doesn't offer the boy money to buy another ball because he understands that this is not a problem that can be solved with money. The loss of the ball is not just about the ball itself but about the boy's first experience with the reality of loss and the finality of possession. The poet realizes that the boy is learning a valuable lesson about life and that money cannot replace that learning experience. Offering money would not only be inadequate, but it would also trivialize the boy's emotional state. The poet wants to acknowledge the boy's emotions and the significance of this moment in his life.

Question 2. “… staring down/All his young days into the harbour where/His ball went …” Do you think the boy has had the ball for a long time? Is it linked to the memories of days when he played with it?

Answer:

The line "staring down / All his young days into the harbour where / His ball went" suggests that the boy is staring into the water for a prolonged period of time, and it implies that the loss of the ball is significant to him, but it does not specify how long he has had the ball for. The phrase "all his young days" could mean that the ball has been a part of his life for a long time and is linked to many happy memories, but it could also mean that the boy is young, and this is one of the first significant possessions he has lost in his life. The poem doesn't give us a specific time frame, but instead, it emphasizes the emotional significance of the loss to the boy.

Question 3. What does “in the world of possessions” mean?

Answer:

The phrase "in the world of possessions" refers to the idea that we live in a society where we accumulate possessions and material objects. These possessions play a significant role in our lives and are often seen as a symbol of our status, identity, and well-being. The phrase "in the world of possessions" is used to indicate that the boy is learning about the nature of material possessions and how they can be lost. The phrase emphasizes that the boy is beginning to understand that possessions are not permanent, and that he must learn to deal with the reality of loss. It implies that the boy is learning a valuable lesson about how possessions are not the most important things in life and that they can be replaced, but the emotions and memories associated with them cannot. It highlights the idea that possessions are temporary and that they are not the ultimate source of happiness.

Question 4. Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier? Pick out the words that suggest the answer.

Answer:

The poem does not delve into the boy's past experiences with loss. However, based on the words "I saw it go / Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then / Merrily over — there it is in the water!" it could imply that this is one of the first times the boy has lost something, and he is not prepared for it. The words, "An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy / As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down" suggest that the boy is experiencing a deep sense of loss and that this is the first time he's been confronted with this kind of feeling.

Question 5. What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball? Try to explain this in your own words.

Answer:

The poet suggests that the boy is learning a valuable lesson about loss and the nature of possessions. The boy is learning the "epistemology of loss", which refers to the study of knowledge or understanding of loss. He is learning how to deal with the reality of losing something that he valued. The poet says, "He senses first responsibility / In a world of possessions" which implies that the boy is becoming aware of the fact that possessions are not permanent and can be lost. He is learning that possessions are not the most important things in life, and that they can be replaced, but the emotions and memories associated with them cannot.

Question 6. Have you ever lost something you liked very much? Write a paragraph describing how you felt then, and saying whether — and how — you got over your loss.

Answer:

Loss is an inevitable part of human life, and it can take many forms, such as the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, the loss of a home, the loss of a possession, and more. The sense of loss can be overwhelming and can lead to feelings of sadness, grief, and hopelessness. It can be difficult to move on from the loss and to find meaning in life again. However, it is important to understand that loss is a natural part of life, and it is possible to overcome it. One way to overcome the sense of loss is to allow yourself to feel and express your emotions. It is important to give yourself time to grieve and to process your feelings. It is also important to reach out to friends and family for support and to seek professional help if necessary. It is also important to focus on the present moment and to take small steps towards rebuilding your life. You can try to find new hobbies or activities to keep yourself occupied and to focus on the positive aspects of life. It is also important to remember that the memories and the love of the person or the thing that you lost will always remain with you. With time and patience, you will eventually learn to cope with the sense of loss and to find meaning in life again.