ENGLISH PAPER II (Reading and Literature)
Three hours and a quarter
(The first fifteen minutes of the examination are for reading the paper only. Candidates must
NOT start writing during this time.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Instructions:
1. This paper has four sections, Section A for Short Stories, Section B for Essay, Section C for
Poetry and Section D for Drama.
2. In each section, there are two sets of questions: Set 1and Set II. Set I comprises Question nos.
1a and 1b and Set II corresponds to Question no.2 across all sections.
3. You are required to answer four sets of questions in all, one set from each section. Your
choice must include one Set II question (question no.2) from any section.
4. The choices offered are between the sets and not among the questions within the sets.
5. The intended marks for each question is given in brackets.
6. You are reminded to mention the section, question set number and question numbers before
writing your response.
7. No marks will be awarded for any extra questions attempted.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Section A: Short Stories Direction: From the TWO SETS of questions under this genre,
choose ONE SET and write your responses in your answer sheet. Answer the questions
from the CHOSEN SET in this section with reference to the short story “Woman
Unknown” by Rabindranath Tagore.
Set I
Question 1a. [1x5] Direction: For each of the following questions there are four possible
responses. Choose the correct response and write it in the space provided.
(i)
The story ‘Unknown Woman’ by Rabindranath Tagore is an example of...
A. Romantic story.
B. Classical Indian story.
C. Realistic Fiction.
D. Fictional Tragedy.
(ii)
The specific reason for Kalyani’s decision not to marry is…
A. Because of the wedding fiasco.
B. Because she didn’t want it to burden for her parents.
C. She loved Anupam so much.
D. She was committed to educate girls.
(iii)
Anupam’s uncle was against the marriage with daughters of rich fathers…
A. Because rich fathers are greedy.
B. Because he wanted the bride to enter the house with humility.
C. Because the uncle wasn’t looking for wealthy bride
D. Because rich fathers don’t like ordinary hookah.
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(iv)
(v)
“My mother’s command”. Who is the mother referred to?
A. Anupam’s mother.
B. Kalyani’s mother.
C. The motherland, India.
D. None of the above.
In Anupam’s boyhood, teachers compared his good looks to…
A. Soft lotus petal and pear fruit.
B. Soft cotton leaves and cherries.
C. Silky cotton flower and makal fruit.
D. None of the above.
Question 1b.
Directions:
Read the following questions carefully. Copy the number of the questions
onto your answer sheets and answer them briefly.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
Describe the uncle from the story, and his view of Anupam’s marriage.
How different is Anupam from Kalyani?
Interpret the title of the story in context with the content of the story.
Elaborate what is happening in the epilogue.
Set II
Question 2.
Directions:
Read the following questions carefully. Copy the number of the questions
onto your answer sheets and answer them accordingly.
(i)
(ii)
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[20]
[25]
Which part of the story is considered as a prologue? Explain its importance, and write
what is happening. (10 marks)
Explain how the story is exhibiting the theme of standing up for ones rights with
subtlety and understatement. (15 marks)
Section B: Essay
Directions: Read the essay given below carefully. From the two sets of questions on
this text, choose ONE SET and write your responses in your answer sheet.
John Hunter: The First Surgeon
If you had to have an operation in the 18th century, your chances of surviving it would have been
very poor. Many operations which today are quite straightforward and from which patients recover
quickly, such as removing an appendix, would not have been attempted, the victim would probably
have died without anyone really knowing why. One of the reasons for this was that doctors knew
very little about anatomy – the way the body is built, and even less about physiology – the way
different parts of the body work. It was left to John Hunter, son of poor scot farmer, to show the
value of knowledge of anatomy and surgery.
John Hunter had three advantages. He had a brother who was a doctor and he was thus able to
learn about diseases and their effects. His natural curiosity led him to observe and study the lives
of wild animals in the countryside and he had strong and skillful hands so essential to a surgeon.
In fact, he became in a short time so famous that he was asked to lecture but John preferred the
practical work of a surgeon.
Soon after becoming surgeon, Hunter joined the army. He learnt a great deal from his experience
of dealing with soldier’s wounds. In particular, he studied how to prevent a wounded man from
bleeding too much, learning thereby how the nervous system functioned in the bodies of animals
and humans. But, there were many things he did not know about and which could only be learnt
by dissection; and this posed a problem.
The Christian church whose authority was complete on many matters frowned on dissection.
Cutting up dead animals to find out about their organs and how these functioned was thought to
be disgusting thing to do and to cut up a human body, though dead, was thought to be evil.
Surgeons had to pay grave-diggers to steal bodies for dissection. Hunter once paid $3,500 for the
body of an eight- foot Irishman whose skeleton can still be seen in the Royal College of Surgeons
museum. Thus, to be a surgeon was thought so inferior an occupation that many operations were
carried out by barbers.
But, Hunter continued with his experiments, all the time learning more about how our bodies
worked and he found new ways of operating on people so as to save both, their limbs and their
lives. If a man was brought to him with a bad tumour on his leg, Hunter didn’t do as most surgeons
would have done, cut off his leg, but tried first to remove the tumour and treat the leg so that the
leg might be saved.
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Set I
Question 1a. [1x5]
Directions: Each question below is followed by four responses. Choose the correct answer
or response that best fits the given question and write it in your answer sheet.
(i)
(ii)
The 18th century operations failed because
A. operations were not known
B. the victims died during operation
C. operations were straight forward
D. doctors knew very less about physiology
Soon after becoming the surgeon, John
A.
B.
C.
D.
(iii)
Hunter didn’t do as ‘most surgeons would have done’, because he wanted to
A.
B.
C.
D.
(iv)
Skillful hands
A doctors degree
Curiosity to learn
Knowledge of nervous system
‘Surgeons had to pay the grave diggers to
A.
B.
C.
D.
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Be famous
Cut off the leg
Be experienced
Save limb and life
A surgeon must have
A.
B.
C.
D.
(v)
Became famous
Joined the army
Practiced surgery
Learnt to dissect
Steal bodies
Bury the bodies
Furnish the museum
Study the body anatomy
Question 1b. [20]
Directions: Read the following questions carefully. Copy the number of the questions
onto your answer sheets and answer them briefly.
(i)
What enabled Hunter to become a good surgeon?
[5]
(ii)
Why surgeon’s profession was considered inferior?
[5]
(iii)
What did Hunter learn on joining the army?
[5]
(iv)
Would you like to get operated by John Hunter? Give three reasons to your
answer.
[5]
Set II
Question 2. [25]
Directions: Read the following questions carefully. Copy the number of the questions
onto your answer sheets and answer them accordingly.
(i)
How did Hunter take pains to improve his skills as a surgeon?
(ii)
There should be no reservations on cutting up human body for dissection.
Argue using at least five evidences from your experiences.
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[10]
[15]
Section C: Poetry
Directions: Read the poem given below carefully. From the two sets of questions on
this poem, choose ONE SET and write your responses in your answer sheet.
I wandered Lonely as a Cloud
– William Wordsworth.
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed---and gazed---but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
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Set I
Question 1a. [1x5]
Directions: Each question below is followed by four responses. Choose the correct answer
or response that best fits the given question and write it in your answer sheet.
(i)
A.
B.
C.
D.
What is the rhyming scheme in the first stanza? Is it
AABBCC
ABCCBA
ABABCB
ABABCC
(ii)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Simile
Metaphor
Alliteration
Personification
(iii)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Each stanza ends with a……………….
Meter
Images
Rhyming couplet
Dancing daffodils
(v)
A.
B.
C.
D.
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The poet compares himself with a
Star
child
cloud
Daffodil
(iv)
A.
B.
C.
D.
‘Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.’ Identify the figures of speech used
One of the themes of the poem is
Loneliness
Human love
Solar system
Nature’s beauty
Question 1b. [20]
Directions: Read the following questions carefully. Copy the number of the questions
onto your answer sheets and answer them briefly.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
What is the role of memory in this poem?
[5]
Mention any four figures of speech found in the poem.
[5]
Comment on the relation between waves and daffodils. How did it affect the poet?
[5]
‘What wealth the show to me had brought.’ Do you think the ‘show’ would have
equally appealed to you? Why or why not?
[5]
Set II
Question 2. [25]
Directions: Read the following questions carefully. Copy the number of the questions
onto your answer sheets and answer them accordingly.
(i) Wordsworth believed that Nature’s beauty uplifts the human spirit. Justify this view with
close reference to the poem.
[10]
(ii) How far is Wordsworth successful in changing your view on the natural world and the
inner world of feeling? Discuss any three points.
[15]
Section D: Drama
Directions: From the two sets of questions under this genre, choose ONE SET and
write your responses in your answer sheet.
Set I
Question 1a. [1x5]
Directions: Each question below is followed by four responses. Choose the correct answer
or response that best fits the given question and write it in your answer sheet.
(i)
The name of ‘the author’ in the play is…
A. Leon
B. Moliere
C. Jean Anouilh
D. Jacques
(ii)
‘Your oafish practical jokes’. Which practical joke is Ardele referring to?
A. The plumbers feeling the wall in silence.
B. La Surette monkeying with the maid.
C. The author cutting off the water just as Ardele is taking shower.
D. Photographer continuously taking photographs.
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(iii)
(iv)
(v)
Madame Bessarabo is boasting herself to Housing Inspector saying that…
A. She is the greatest journalist from Romania.
B. She is the Queen of Romania.
C. She is Princess Bessarabo.
D. She is great reporter and a better writer.
“Tell me. Like Oedipus, I want to know everything”. The dialogue is an example
of…
A. Metaphorical expression.
B. Simile.
C. Allusion.
D. Metrical Romances.
Which of the following is NOT True?
A. The maid is crying because she is pregnant.
B. Author’s contact number is Jasmin one two, one two.
C. Author’s friend Paul Zed is a film maker.
D. Romanian Intelligentsia just wants to know about the author’s view of love.
Question 1b. [20]
Directions: Read the following questions carefully. Copy the number of the questions
onto your answer sheets and answer them briefly.
(i)
Who is Madame Bessarabo? State the reason for her visit to the author’s place.
(ii)
Discuss the symbolism of the repeatedly ‘falling picture’ in the drama.
(iii) Discuss the role of Housing inspector in making the drama more comical.
(iv)
If you were the author, how would you deal with the mother’s problem?
Set II
Question 2. [25]
Directions: Read the following questions carefully. Copy the number of the questions
onto your answer sheets and answer them accordingly.`
(i)
List at least five important features of the Absurd Drama, and give evidences from the
drama. (10 Marks)
(ii)
Put yourself in the shoe of the photographer, and report on what you have seen and
heard at the author’s place. (15 Marks)
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