RBSE Class 12th 2020 -SS-20-2020 Previous Year Papers

ENGLISH LITERATURE

SENIOR SECONDARY SUPP. EXAMINATION, 2020

Time: 3¼ Hours    Maximum Marks: 80

No. of Questions: 27    No. of Printed Pages: 8

Roll No.: _______________

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE EXAMINEES:

1. Candidates must write his/her Roll No. on the question paper.
2. All the questions are compulsory.
3. Write the answer to each question in the given answer-book only.
4. For questions having more than one part, the answers to those parts are to be written together in continuity.
5. Write the correct serial number of each question before attempting it.

SS-20-Eng. Lit. (Supp.) [ Turn over ]

SECTION – A (READING)

(1–5) : Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :

SS-20-Eng. Lit. (Supp.)

Questions from the Passage

1. What test did the father give to his sons?

   The father gave each of his sons one rupee and asked them to buy something that would fill the house with light.

2. What did the first son buy with his one rupee?

   The first son bought a bundle of wood with his one rupee.

3. "An idea struck him." What was the idea that struck the second son?

   The idea that struck the second son was to buy candles with his rupee. He then lit two candles in each room, filling the house with light.

4. Why was the father pleased with the second son?

   The father was pleased with the second son because he showed true wisdom by buying candles that filled the house with light, fulfilling the test's requirement.

5. Find the words from the passage which mean the same as:

   1. Unwilling

      The word is not directly present in the given passage. However, based on context, the closest word might be "reluctant" (not in text). The passage does not contain a word meaning "unwilling."

   2. Feeling of hopelessness

      The word is not directly present in the given passage. The passage does not contain a word meaning "feeling of hopelessness."

Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow:

I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe;
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I water’d it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright;
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.

And into my garden stole
When the night had veil’d the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretch’d beneath the tree.

1. What did the poet do when he was angry with his friend?

   When the poet was angry with his friend, he told his friend about his anger (wrath). As a result, his anger ended.

2. Which things did the poet use to grow his anger with his foe?

   The poet used "fears" and "tears" (watering the anger with tears night and morning) and "smiles" with "soft deceitful wiles" (sunning it with smiles) to grow his anger toward his foe.

3. Who came secretly in the poet’s garden?

   The poet's foe (enemy) came secretly into the poet's garden when the night had covered the sky.

4. '...... And my foe beheld it shine.' What does 'it' here refer to?

   'It' refers to the bright apple that grew from the poet's nurtured anger.

5. Find the words from the poem which mean:

   1. enemy – foe
   2. partly hidden or covered – veil’d

SECTION-B (WRITING)

11. Write an essay in about 50-200 words on any one of the following topics: 8

• Family is the foundation of our society
• OR
• Be Indian and Buy Indian

12. Write a report in about 50-200 words on ‘Cleanliness Campaign organized in your school’. 7

OR

You are Ajay/Anita, the president of the Eco-club of your school. Write an article in about 50-200 words on ‘Save Environment – Save Life’.

SECTION-C (GRAMMAR)

(Questions 3–7): The following sentences have not been edited. There is an error in each line. Identify the error and write it correctly in your answer book.

SS-20-Eng. Lit. (Supp.) [Turn over]

SECTION - D (GRAMMAR)

Transform the following sentences into indirect speech :

8. He said to me, “How old are you ?”

   Answer: He asked me how old I was.

9. The teacher said to me, “Have you done your home work ?”

   Answer: The teacher asked me if I had done my homework.

10. “Hurrah ! We have won the match,” cried the boys.

    Answer: The boys exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

11. “Please bring a glass of water for me,” She said to the maid.

    Answer: She requested the maid to bring a glass of water for her.

12. My mother said to me, “I am cooking food for the guests.”

    Answer: My mother told me that she was cooking food for the guests.

SECTION - E (LITERARY TERMS)

Write notes on any two of the following literary terms in about 50 words each : (2×3=6)

20. (i) Impressionism

    Answer: Impressionism in literature focuses on capturing the subjective, sensory impressions and fleeting moments of experience rather than objective reality. It emphasizes mood, atmosphere, and the inner consciousness of characters, often using vivid imagery and fragmented narrative.

21. (ii) Metaphysical poetry

    Answer: Metaphysical poetry, popular in the 17th century, is characterized by intellectual wit, complex imagery, and philosophical themes. Poets like John Donne used conceits (extended metaphors), paradoxes, and colloquial language to explore love, death, and religion.

22. (iii) Interior Monologue

    Answer: Interior monologue is a narrative technique that presents a character's inner thoughts, feelings, and reactions directly, often in a stream-of-consciousness style. It reveals the character's psychological state and private reflections without external dialogue or description.

23. (iv) Anglo-Indian Literature

    Answer: Anglo-Indian literature refers to works written in English by Indian authors or about Indian themes, often blending Indian cultural elements with Western literary forms. It emerged during the colonial period and continues to explore identity, tradition, and modernity.

SECTION - F (TEXTS)

Answer any two of the following questions in about 100 words each : (2×6=12)

24. (i) ‘Eveline had consented to go away to leave her house ......’ Describe the conflict of thoughts and emotions felt by Eveline. (Eveline)

    Answer: Eveline experiences a deep internal conflict between her desire for freedom and her sense of duty. She longs to escape her oppressive home life with her father and start a new life with Frank in Buenos Aires. However, she feels bound by promises to her deceased mother and fears the unknown. Her emotions swing between hope and guilt, ultimately leading to paralysis as she cannot leave the familiar, even if it is miserable.

25. (ii) The poem ‘If’ is a father’s message to his son on how to be a Man. Write the message conveyed by the poet. (If)

    Answer: The poem ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling conveys a father's advice on achieving maturity and integrity. It teaches the son to remain calm under pressure, trust himself while considering others' doubts, be patient and honest, handle success and failure equally, and persevere through adversity. The core message is to cultivate self-discipline, humility, and resilience, ultimately becoming a well-rounded and virtuous person.

26. (iii) Forster’s essay ‘Does Culture Matter ?’ is about the preservation of culture in the contemporary society. Discuss. (Does Culture Matter ?)

    Answer: In ‘Does Culture Matter?’, E.M. Forster argues that culture is essential for human development and should be preserved despite modern materialism. He believes culture fosters creativity, empathy, and critical thinking, which are vital for a balanced society. Forster warns against the dominance of commercial and technological values that threaten cultural richness. He advocates for active engagement with arts and literature to maintain a humane and enlightened civilization.

Answer any four of the following questions in about 50 words each: 4×3=12

1. (i) Write in short about Gretl — Dr. Margolin’s Wife. (A Wedding in Brownsville)

   Gretl is Dr. Margolin’s wife in the story. She is a kind, supportive woman who helps her husband in his medical practice. She is also a good hostess and plays a key role in the wedding preparations, showing her caring and practical nature.

2. (ii) ‘The Tiger and the Deer’ is a symbolic poem. Write the theme of the poem. (A Tiger and the Deer)

   The poem symbolically represents the eternal struggle between good and evil, or the predator and the prey. The tiger symbolizes cruelty, violence, and destruction, while the deer represents innocence, peace, and beauty. The theme highlights the cycle of life and death in nature.

3. (iii) What does Hazlitt say about Women’s good sense? (On the Ignorance of the Learned)

   Hazlitt praises women’s good sense, saying they possess natural intelligence and practical wisdom. Unlike learned men who are often lost in abstract theories, women have a better understanding of real life, human nature, and everyday matters. Their good sense comes from experience, not bookish knowledge.

4. (iv) What were the accusations imposed upon Manjula? (Broken Images)

   Manjula is accused of being a plagiarist. She is charged with stealing the manuscript of her sister Malini’s novel and publishing it under her own name. This accusation damages her reputation and creates a conflict between the sisters, as Manjula is seen as dishonest and opportunistic.

5. (v) What solution does Henry suggest to Aurora to get out of the problem created by the loss of the poems? (How He Lied to Her Husband)

   Henry suggests that Aurora should pretend that the lost poems were actually written by her husband, Teddy. This way, Teddy would be flattered and would not be angry about the loss. Henry also offers to write new poems for Aurora, which she can claim as her own, thus solving the problem.

SECTION — F (FICTION)

Answer any one of the following questions in about 60 words: 4

1. Who came to the school to meet Sita and Why? (Inside the Haveli)

   Kanta, the maid from the haveli, came to the school to meet Sita. She came to inform Sita that her mother-in-law, Bai Sa, was seriously ill and wanted to see her. This news was urgent and emotional, as Bai Sa had always been a guiding figure in Sita’s life.

2. OR

   Who was Manji Bai Sa? What were her views regarding education?

   Manji Bai Sa was the elderly, traditional matriarch of the haveli. She held conservative views regarding education, especially for women. She believed that traditional household skills and values were more important than formal schooling. She was initially opposed to modern education, fearing it would corrupt young minds and break family traditions.

Answer the following questions in about 100 words: 6

Rama Mehta’s novel ‘Inside the Haveli’ acknowledges modern thoughts valuing traditional roots. Discuss.