<![CDATA[Mandakini Study Institute - Patna: NIOS English (302) October 2016 Question Paper]]>

ENGLISH
(302)

Time : 3 Hours

Maximum Marks : 100

Note :
(i) This Question Pa per consists of two Sections, viz., ‘A’ and ‘B’.
(ii) All the questions from Section ‘A’ are compulsory.
(iii) Section ‘B’ has two options. Candidates are required to attempt questions from one option only.
(iv) Marks are indicated against each question.

SECTION–A

Q.1.

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow :

(a) Whenever I went to my uncle’s house my favorite pastime used to be to take out his pullovers and caress them with a sense of longing. I was so attracted by the India test pullovers that once I even dared to ask him if I could take one, since he had so many. My uncle told me that one has to sweat and earn the India ‘colours’ and I too should work hard to earn the distinction. That is a lesson I have never forgotten.

(i) What used to be the writer’s favorite pastime whenever he went to his uncle’s house?

(ii) What did the writer ask his uncle?

(iii) What lesson did the writer’s uncle teach him?

(iv) Pick out the words from the extract which are similar in meaning to the following expressions :

· to touch some thing gently
· a strong feeling of wanting some thing

Along with this religious counsel, there were a series of visits to hakims (physicians who followed the Greek or Unani system of medicine). These quacks prescribed all types of concocted drops to put in my eyes. The surmas, which were administered at all hours of the day and night, burned and stung my eyes; and the only soothing part of the miserable ordeal was the loving caress of mother afterwards.

(i) What did the writer’s mother do to revive his sight?

(ii) “The writer had to go through miserable ordeal everyday.” Cite evidence from the ex tract in sup port of the above statement.

(iii) What was the soothing part of the miserable ordeal?

(iv) Pick out the words from the extract which are similar in meaning to the following expressions :
· a per son who dishonestly claims to have med i cal knowledge or skills
· a difficult or unpleasant experience

(b) It was a long ride to the Sorley farm and the sight of a man walking alone along the country road, as seen just ahead by the lights of the car, was a welcome relief to the doctor. He slowed down and looked at the man walking along with difficulty against the wind, a little package under his arm.

Coming alongside, Doctor Benson stopped and invited the man to ride. The man got in.

(i) What was a welcome relief to the doctor? Why?

(ii) Pick out the expressions which suggest that it was a windy night.

(iii) Why did Doctor Benson stop?

(iv) Pick out the words from the extract which are similar in meaning to the following expressions :
· the act of removing pain and anxiety
· a box or a bag, etc., in which things are wrapped up

Tembu, who was twelve, did not always sleep with his father at the station, for he had also to help in the home, where his mother and small sister were usually alone. They lived in a small tribal village on the outskirts of the forest, about three miles from the station. Their small rice fields did not provide them with more than a bare living and Baldeo considered himself lucky to have got the job of Khalasi at this small wayside signal stop.

(i) Why didn’t Tembu always sleep with his father at the station?

(ii) Where did Tembu and his family live?

(iii) Quote the details from the extract which suggest that Tembu’s family was very poor.

(iv) Pick out the words from the extract which are similar in meaning to the following expressions :
· the parts of a town or city that are furthest from the centre
· in the way that is normal; most often

Q.2.

Answer any three of the following questions in about 30–40 words each : (2×3=6)

(a) What kind of life did the writer’s grandfather lead when he was a small boy?

(Father, Dear Father)

(b) What unique place does India have in relation to wind energy?

(Fuel of the Future)

(I Must Know the Truth)

(d) What model of change does Gandhiji provide? What are its advantages?

(India—Her Past and Future )

Q.3.

Answer the following in about 60 words :

Who is more intelligent of the two : Gerrard or the Intruder? Give reasons to justify your answer.

(If I were You)

“Going to school was a turning point in Bholi’s life.” Elaborate the statement with examples from the story.

(Bholi)

Q.4.

Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow :

There is a house now far away where once
I received love … That woman died,
The house withdrew into silence, snakes moved
Among books, I was then too young
To read, and my blood turned cold like the moon

(a) Whose house was that? Why does the poet cherish that house so much?

(b) What happened to the house after the grandmother died?

My mother twisted through and through
groaning on a mat
My father, sceptic, rationalist,
trying every curse and blessing,
powder, mixture, herb and hybrid.
He even poured a little paraffin
upon the bitten toe and put a match to it.

(a) The poet’s mother was suffering from severe pain. Pick out the lines which indicate that pain.

(b) What type of a person was the poet’s father?

Q.5.

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :

The famous Margosa oil is obtained from the yellow fruit of the tree. It is used as an effective source of medication for the treatment of leprosy and skin diseases. The external application of the oil from the seed is also believed to cure rheumatism. The bark and gum yield valuable medicines. In fact, every part of the tree is of some value. The timber from the neem tree is beautiful, hard and heavy, and is used for shipbuilding and for making carts and furniture. The wood from the old trees is so bitter that no insect will touch it.

(a) Name the tree mentioned in the above lines. From which part of this tree is Margosa oil obtained and what is it used for?

(b) For what purpose are the seeds of this tree used?

· bark
· gum
· wood
from the old trees?

(d) What is the timber from this tree used for?

Q.6.

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :

Through all these years, Galileo kept up his varied and lively interests. He was an artist, he played the lute and organ, he wrote songs, poems and literary criticism. These and even his scientific writings were lively and witty in style. Indeed, it was Galileo’s way of writing that probably caused the most trouble between him and the authorities. In an age when most scholars wrote in Latin, Galileo chose to write in Italian.

Galileo’s many discoveries, theories and books are all very important. But his main achievement is that he established for all time, the need and the right of scientists to question. Above all, he insisted on searching for the truth. He was still searching when he died in 1642. As we now know, he had laid the groundwork of modern physics.

(a) Pick out the details from the passage which indicate that Galileo was an artist.

(b) What were the special features of Galileo’s writing?

(d) Pick out the words from the passage which are similar in meaning to the following expressions :

· able to say or write clever, amusing things
· a large musical instrument with keys like a piano

Q.7.

Read the passage given below and complete the statements that follow :

I discovered that the place exactly corresponded to the details described. But it was the hostess, particularly, and her husband and their little daughter who really proved to be the centre of attraction to me.

The lady belonged to the South, though she had married a North Indian. She was rather dark, but had a very pleasant face, all smiles and kindness. The husband was a huge swarthy man, with large, bony limbs. He was extremely well-mannered and there was not a trace of that untempered roughness which one finds in most men hailing from the North.

(a) But it was the hostess, particularly, .........(i) who really .........(ii) to me.

(b) She was .........(i) , but had a very .........(ii) and kindness.

(d) He was extremely well-mannered and .........(i) roughness which one finds .........(ii) the North.

Q.8.

Read the passage given below and make a summary in about 100 words :

There were some positive gains in my otherwise undistinguished years at school. I learnt to love the English language. And poetry, both in English and Urdu. My eyes also became more receptive to things of beauty. I picked up English quite rapidly on my own. Since there was no one to guide me at home, it was acquired haphazardly by reading and rereading strip cartoons in the English children’s weekly Puck, illustrated stories from the Bible, and volumes of The Book of Knowledge. On my own, I went on to Edgar Rice Burroughs’ series, Tarzan the Ape Man, and Rider Haggard’s novels on Africa. Very often I got the meanings of words wrong and mispronounced them.

My interest in English became more organized when a young English lady, Miss Budden, took over English classes. Instead of going over boring textbooks, she read us Ivanhoe, Last of the Barons, and Tess. She read us children’s stories by Oscar Wilde and short poems by Shakespeare.

Q.9.

Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with appropriate passive form of the verbs given in brackets :

Galileo (a) _____ (call) to Rome and imprisoned. He (b) _____ (force) to deny his belief. He (c) _____ (allow) to return home only when he promised to stop writing on astronomy.

Q.10.

Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with appropriate form of the verbs given in brackets :

After a while, they (a) _____ (come) to a thick patch of woodland. As the child (b) _____ (complain) of hunger and thirst, she (c) _____ (climb) over the fence with him; and sitting down behind a large rock, she (d) _____ (give) him a breakfast out of her little package.

Q.11.

Combine the following pairs of sentences using the connectors given against each pair :

(a) (i) Forgive us.
(ii) We forgive our enemies. (as)

(b) (i) He heard the news.
(ii) He wrote to me. (as soon as)

(d) (i) I have a little shadow.
(ii) It goes in and out with me. (which)

Q.12.

Report the following conversation in indirect speech :

Aava : Papa, can I join the summer camp in Kullu Manali from 16th June to 30th June?

Father : How many people are going to attend the camp? How many teachers are going to accompany you?

Aava : Papa, fifteen students of my class and two teachers are going to attend the summer camp.

Father : Well, that sounds good! You may join the summer camp.

Q.13.

Write a paragraph of about 100 words on any one of the following topics :

(a) My favorite film hero/heroine
(b) India of my dreams
(c) Pollution of all types has now become a curse to us (write your comments)

Q.14.

Blood saves life. There is a great need for blood in hospitals. Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper encouraging the youth to donate blood and save valuable human life.

Q.15.

The following passage has seven mistakes of spellings and other grammatical inaccuracies. Spot the errors and provide correct forms as shown below. One is done for you to serve as an example :

i first start flying in 1951. I become a pilot with grate difficulty. No one was willing to hired me because I am a woman. They were scare to be piloted by a woman!

Q.16.

Read the following passage carefully. Make notes in points only, using appropriate headings and subheadings. Also use recognizable abbreviations :

One of the most magical places I’ve ever been to is Ninfa, south of Rome, between the mountains and the sea. I don’t know what’s happened to it now, it was the property of an English family. It has been a holy site for thousands of years. A stream of very fast, cool water ran down the mountain there, making its way to the sea, and to the area of beautifully, watered land—in the middle of what is probably not very good land—gave it a quality which people came to revere. They built their temples, they built their churches, and the gardens have, in the meantime, overgrown all these temples and churches.

SECTION - B

Note :
(i) At tempt any one of the two options.
(ii) At tempt all the questions from the same option.

OPTION–I
(E.S.P. FOR RECEPTIONISTS )

Q.17.

Frame requests for the following replies :

(a) The checkout time is 12 noon.
(b) It’s 900 for a single room and 1200 for a double room.
(c) OK Mr. Williams, a table for four at 7 p.m. on Saturday, the 12th will be reserved for you.
(d) I’ ll check whether Mr. Bajpai is in.

Q.18.

Why does a receptionist need a message form so often?

Q.19.

Write notes on the following :

(a) Early Morning Call Sheet
(b) Railway Time Table
(c) Internal Telephone Directory

Q.20.

Give a brief account of the duties of a receptionist.

Q.21.

What are the two major problems that a receptionist has to face while handling telephone calls? How does she deal with them?

OPTION–II
(E.S.P. FOR OFFICE USE)

Q.17.

Read the following greetings and decide whether they are formal or informal :

(a) What a pleasant surprise!
(b) Good morning, Mr. Damoso!
(c) Sir, may I come in please?
(d) Hello! How are you?

Q.18.

As a Secretary of P.C.A. Club, New Delhi, write an e-mail addressed to the executive members of the club informing them about a Board Meeting to be held on 18th June at Safdarjung Club from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Q.19.

While writing a memo, what are the points that one should keep in mind?

Q.20.

Read the following advertisement published in Global Times, New Delhi :

GLITTER FASHION ACADEMY
REQUIRES
A QUALIFIED FASHION DESIGNER
POST YOUR CV WITH RECENT
PHOTOGRAPH
TO
DIRECTOR, GLITTER FASHION ACADEMY
20/105, GK1, NEW DELHI–110048

Write an application for consideration.

Q.21.

What are the three most important points that one must remember while facing an interview?