Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, Satara First Semester Examination 2025-26 Std - XII

 Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, Satara

First Semester Examination 2025-26

Std - XII

Marks - 50.                         Sub - English 

Section- I Prose

(Reading for Comprehension, Language study, Summary)

1. A) Read the extract and complete the activities gien below.

At length Soapy reached one of the avenues to the east where the glitter and turmoil was but faint. He dragged himself toward Madison Square, for the homing Instinct survives even when the home is a park bench.

But, on an unusually quiet corner, Soapy came to a standstill. Here was an old church, quaint and rambling and gabled. Through one violet-stained window a soft light glowed, where, no doubt, the organist loltered over the keys, making sure of his mastery of the coming Sabbath anthem. For there drifted out to Soapy's ears sweet music that caught and held him transfixed against the convolutions of the Iron fence.

The moon was above, full and radiant; vehicles and pedestrians were few; sparrows twittered sleepily in the eaves or a little while the scene might have been a country churchyard. And the anthem that the organist played cemented Soapy to the iron fence, for he had known it well in the days when his life contained such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends and immaculate thoughts and collars.

The conjunction of Soapy's receptive state of mind and the influences about the old church brought a sudden and wonderful change In his soul. He viewed with rising horror the pit into which he had tumbled, the degraded days, unworthy desires, dead hopes, wrecked faculties and base motives that made up his existence.

And also in a moment his heart responded thrillingly to this strange mood. A strong impulse moved him to battle with his desperate fact. He would pull himself out of the mire and would make a man of himself again; he would conquer the evil that had enslaved him. There was time; he was young yet; he would resurrect his old eager ambitions and pursue them without faltering. Those solemn but sweet organ notes had set up a revolution in him. Tomorrow he would go into the roaring downtown district and find work. A fur importer had once offered him a place as driver. He would be somebody in the world. He would ---

Soapy felt a hand laid - on arm. He looked quickly around into the impassive face of a policeman.

"What are you doin' here?" asked the officer.

"Nothin'"said Soapy.

"Then come along,"said the policeman.

"Three months on the island," said the Magistrate in the Police Court the next morning.

A1. State whether the following statements are ture or false.

a) Soapy decided to trun his life around.

b) Soapy was sentenced to three years on the island.

c) The church that Soapy saw was newly constructed.

d) Soapy lived on a park bench.

Answer :-

a) Soapy decided to turn his life around. — ✅ True

b) Soapy was sentenced to three years on the island. — ❌ False (He was sentenced to three months)

c) The church that Soapy saw was newly constructed. — ❌ False (It was old, quaint, and rambling)

d) Soapy lived on a park bench. — ✅ 

True

A2. Complete the following:

i) Change in Soapy's soul caused 

due to.   a)..........................................................

ii) A fur importer offered a post to Soapy 

b)........................................................

iii) Verdict of the magistrate

.c).......................................................

iv) within five minutes

d)......................................................

Answer :-

a) the sweet music and peaceful surroundings of the old church.

b) as a driver.

c) Three months on the island.

d) Soapy’s dream of reform was shattered as he was arrested by the policeman.

A3. Give reasons and complete the following.

1) Soapy dragged himself towards Madison square because of...........................

2) The anthem played by the organist comented Soapy to the iron fence .................

Answer :-

1. Soapy dragged himself towards Madison Square because of

👉 his homing instinct which made him go back to the place he usually stayed — the park bench.

2. The anthem played by the organist cemented Soapy to the iron fence because

👉 it reminded him of his past life filled with good memories — his mother, friends, ambitions, and pure thoughts.

A4. Write an incident in which you did something wrong and repented for it later. Give reasons.

Answer :-

One day, I forgot to complete my homework and told my teacher that I had left my notebook at home. Later, when she found out the truth, I felt very guilty for lying. That night, I couldn’t sleep because I kept thinking about my dishonesty. The next day, I apologized to my teacher and promised never to lie again. This incident taught me the importance of honesty and responsibility.

A5. Language study.

Do as directed:

1) His heart responded thrillingly. (Choose the correct past perfect tense from the given alternatives and rewrite.)

a) His heart had been responding thrillingly.

b) His heart had thrilled response.

c) His heart was responded thrillingly.

d) His heart had responded thrillingly.

Answer :-d) His heart had responded thrillingly.

ii) He would pull himself out of the mire and would make a man of himself again.

(Choose the correct alternative to get 'No sooner ... from of the given sentence.)

a) No sooner did he pull himself out of the mire than he of murid again.

b) No sooner would he pull himself out of the mire than he could make man himself.

c) No sooner could he pull himself out of the mire than he could make man himself.

d) No sooner he pulled himself out of the mire than he made a man of himself again.

Answer :-c) No sooner could he pull himself out of the mire than he could make a man of himself again.

A6. Write the antonyms of the following from the passage.

1) loud

2) strong

3) dirty

4) enslaved

Answer :-

1. loud → soft

2. strong → weak

3. dirty → immaculate

4. enslaved → free

B) Grammer/Language study. (Non textual grammer)

1) I thought the parents may know something about new education policy. (Rewrite using Modal auxiliary that donate compulsion.)

i) could ii) must.  iii) can  iv) should

Answer :-I thought the parents must know something about the new education policy.

2) J. R. D. Tata was amazing personality. He always helped poor in the country.

(Fill in the blanks with the appropriate articles)

Answer :-J. R. D. Tata was an amazing personality. He always helped the poor in the country.

3) Unless you are confident, you will not succeed.

(Choose the correct option from the following options to change the sentence beginning with 'If ............)

i) If you are confidence you will get success.

ii) If you have confidence you will get success.

If you are confident you will not get success.

Iv) If you are not confident you will get success.

If you have confidence, you will get success.

2. A) Read the extract and complete the activities given below :

'I want my photograph to be taken. I sald. Everybody know what a photographer is like. 'Sit there,' he said, 'and walt,' I waited an hour. I read the Ladies Companion for 1912, the Girl's Magazine for 1902 and the Infants Journal for 1888. I began to see that I had done an impertinent thing in breaking in on the privacy of this man's scientific pursuit with a face like miner

After an hour the photographer opened an inner door. 'Come in,' he said severely. I went into the studio. 'Sit down,' said the photographer, I set down in a beam of sunlight filtered through a sheet of factory cotton hung against a frosted window.

The photographer rolled a machine in to the middle of the room and crawled into it from a behind. He was only in a second-just time enough for one look at me- and then he was out again, tearing at the cotton sheet and the window panes with a hooked stick, apparently frantic for light and air.

Then he crawled back in to the machine again and drew a little black cloth over himself. This time he was very quiet in there. I knew that he was praying and kept still. When the photographer came out at last, he looked very grave and shook his head.

'The face is quite wrong.' he said.

'I know, I answered quietly, 'I have always known.'

He sighed.

'I think,' he said, 'the face would be better three quarters full.'

'I'm sure it would be, 'I said enthusiastically, for I was glod to find that the man had such a human side to him. 'So would yours.' In fact I continued, 'how many faces one sees that are apparently hard,narrow, limited, but the minute you get the three-quarters full they get wide, large, almost boundless in- But the photographer ceased to listen.He come over and took my head in his hand and twisted it in sideways.

I thought he meant to kiss me, and I closed my eyes.

But I was wrong.

He twisted my face as far as it would go and then stood looking at it.

He sighed again.

'I don't like the head, he said.

Then he went back to the machine and took another look.

'Open the mouth a little,' he said.

I started to do so.

A1. Choose the correct option and rewrite the complete statement.

a) The narrator waits outside the photographer's studio for

i) less than hour.  ii) an hour

iii)more than two hours. iv) two hours

b) While waiting for this photograph at studio narrator read a journals' named ........

i) Infants for 1888.  ii) Ladies Companion for 1912

iii)Girls Magazine for 1902.  iv) All the above

c) The photographer crawled into the machine for just a second and come out again clearly for

i) cotton sheets.   ii) window panes

iii) light and air.        iv) curtains

d) When the narrator says I know that he was praying and I kept still Here he is being

i) serious.    ii) ironic

iii) sarcastic.     iv) humorous

Answer :-

i) an hour.

ii) All the above.

iii) light and air.

iv) humorous

A2. Complete the following.

When the photographer called the author in through the inner door he..............................

Answer :-

When the photographer called the author in through the inner door, he sat down in a beam of sunlight filtered through a sheet of factory cotton hung against a frosted window

.

A3. "I had done an impertinent thing in breaking in an the privacy of this man's scientific pursuit with a face like mine". Explain.

Answer :-

The author humorously suggests that the photographer treats photography as a serious scientific profession. By visiting him just to take a simple photo, the author feels as if he has disturbed an important scientific experiment with his ordinary face. It shows the author’s sense of irony and wit.

A4. There are different types of photography. State any two which you like most.

Answer :-

Types of Photography I Like Most

1. Nature Photography – capturing the beauty of landscapes, plants, and wildlife.

2. Portrait Photography – capturing expressions and emotions of people.

A5. Language study:

1) The photographer looked at me without enthusiasm.

(Choose the correct alternative to make the above passive volce sentence.)

i) Without enthusiasm I looked at by the photographer.

ii) I looked at by the photographer without enthusiasm.

iii)Me without enthusiasm was looked at by the photographer.

iv) I was looked at without enthusiasm by the photographer.

Answer :-iv) I was looked at without enthusiasm by the photographer.

2) He was a thin man in a grey suit, with the dim eyes of the natural scientist.

(Use 'and' rewrite the sentence.)

i) He was a thin man in a grey suit and had the dim eyes were of the natural scientist.

ii) He was a thin man in a gray suit and he has the dim eyes of the natural scientist

iii)He is a thin man in a gray suit and he has the dim eyes of the natural scientist

iv) He had the dim eyes of the natural scientist and would a thin man in a grey suit.

Answer :-ii) He was a thin man in a grey suit and he has the dim eyes of the natural scientist.

A6. Vocabulary:

Match the column.

'A' column.                   'B' column

a) Sigh.              i) Excited interest

b)Impertinent.  ii) Deep prolonged audible                                      inhale or exhale of breath

c) Frantic.            iii) Irrelevant

d)Enthusiasm.    iv) In state of Panic or rush

Answer :-

a) Sigh ii) Deep prolonged audible inhale or exhale of breath

b) Impertinent iii) Irrelevant

c) Frantic iv) In a state of panic or rush

d) Enthusiasm i) Excited interest

B) Summary Writing:

Write a brief summary of the above extract with a suitable title with the help of the given clues.

Auther's visit to Studio........ photographer's response........... author's use of time............ photographer's efforts........... photographer's methods/instructions.

Answer :-

Summary:

The narrator visits a photographer’s studio to get his photograph taken. He waits for an hour, spending time reading old magazines. When finally called in, the photographer behaves very seriously, treating photography like a scientific experiment. He keeps adjusting the light, air, and the narrator’s face, showing dissatisfaction with every pose. The narrator, with his witty remarks, observes the situation humorously. The extract highlights the photographer’s perfectionism and the narrator’s patience and sense of humor.

Section-II -Poetry

3.  the extract and complete the activities given below: 8

No stir in the air, no stir in the sea, The ship was as still as she could be,

Her sails from heaven received no motion, Her keel was steady in the ocean.

Without either sign or sound of their shock The waves flow'd over the Inchcape Rock;

So little they rose, so little they fell, They did not move the Inchcape Bell.

The Abbot of Aberbrothok

Had placed that bell on the Inchcape Rock;

 On a buoy in the storm it floated and swung, And over the waves its warning rung.

When the Rock was hid by the surge's swell, The mariners heard the warning bell; 

And then they knew the perilous Rock, And blest the Abbot of Aberbrothok.

A1. Complete the following statements.

i) The Abbot of Aberbrothok placed a bell on the Inchacape Rock because...........................

ii) The Mariners were grateful to the Abbot of Aberbrothok because...........................

Answer :-

i) The Abbot of Aberbrothok placed a bell on the Inchcape Rock because he wanted to warn sailors about the dangerous rock hidden under the sea waves and prevent shipwrecks.

ii) The Mariners were grateful to the Abbot of Aberbrothok because the bell helped them identify the perilous rock during storms and saved their liv

es.

A2. Describe the qualities of the Abbot of Aberbrothok in your own words.

Qualities of the Abbot of Aberbrothok

Answer :-

Kind and caring

Thoughtful and helpful

Concerned about the safety of others

Wise and responsible

A3.Describe difficulties you may face when you travel through ship. 2

Answer :-

When travelling by ship, one may face high tides, strong winds, and storms that make sailing dangerous. There is also the risk of hidden rocks, sea sickness, and getting lost in fog or darkness.

A4. Complete the table with reference to the first stanza in the above poem.

Sr. No.          Rhyming words.     Rhyming                                                                       scheme

1.            ................................       ......................

2                 ................................           ......................

Answer :-

1. sea – be a

2. motion – ocean b

Rhyming scheme: 

aabb

Section III - Writing Skills

4. A) Complete the activities as per the Instruction given below:

1) E-mail Writing:

Imagine your college is going to organise a programme in view of 'World Environement Day'. As the secretary of the colony, draft an email to a distinguished personality to invite him as a Chief Guest for the same.

Answer :-

To: dr.arunkumar@gmail.com

Subject: Invitation as Chief Guest for World Environment Day Programme

Respected Dr. Arun Kumar,

Warm greetings!

I am writing on behalf of Green Valley College, as the Secretary of the Students’ Council. Our college is organizing a special programme on the occasion of World Environment Day on 5th June at 10:00 a.m. in the college auditorium.

We would be highly honoured if you could grace the occasion as the Chief Guest and share your valuable thoughts on environmental conservation and sustainable living with our students.

Kindly confirm your availability for the event.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

Ravi Sharma

Secretary, Students’ Council

Green Valley College

2) Appeal:

Prepare an 'Appeal' on the tropic 'Traffic Rules For Safety Measures' with the help of the following points. (100 to 150 words)

Ignorance and lack of knowledge and Information.

Purpose/need of abeyance.

Avold accidents.

Discipline.

Answer :-

APPEAL

🚦 Follow Traffic Rules – Ensure Your Safety! 🚗

Dear Citizens,

Many accidents happen every day due to ignorance and lack of knowledge about traffic rules. To make our roads safer, everyone must follow the traffic signals, wear helmets and seat belts, and drive within speed limits.

Obeying traffic rules is not just a law but a moral duty. It ensures discipline on roads and prevents loss of life and property. A small act of carelessness can destroy lives, while careful driving can save many.

Let’s take a pledge today —

“Follow traffic rules and save precious lives.”

Be alert, be responsible, and make our roads saf

e for all!

B) Complete the activities as per the instructions given below.

I) Speech:

Prepare a speech on 'Father's Day' with the help of the following points.

Man of practical attitude.

Pillar of family.

Greatest family support.

Thinker of future.

II) Expansion of Idea:

Expand the following idea with the help of the points given below

A Stich In Time Saves Nine.

* Meaning of the proverb.

* Importance of doing work regularly.

* Don't keep your work pending.

Symbolic meaning of the words.

Section IV (Literary Gener-Novel)

5. A) Complete the activities given below as per the instructions.

I) Match the following items from column 'A' with those from the column 'B'.

Column A.                           Column B

i) Murasaki Sikibu     a)Gulliver's Travels

ii) Jonathan Swift.   b) The Pilgrims Progress

iii) John Bunyan.      c) Raja Mohan's wife

iv) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.  d) Tale                                                                   of Genji

II) Pick the odd words out.

a) Amit Ghosh, Vikram Seth, Hery Fielding, Amita Desai.

b) Plot, Novella, Setting, Theme.

c) Place, Time, Climate, Epistolary.

d) Harror, Mystery, Picaresque, Thriller.

Here’s the completed solution for your activity:

Answers of section IV

Column A Column B Answer

i) Murasaki Shikibu d) Tale of Genji ✅

ii) Jonathan Swift a) Gulliver’s Travels ✅

iii) John Bunyan b) The Pilgrim’s Progress ✅

iv) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay c) Rajmohan’s Wife ✅

II Pick the odd words out:

a) Henry Fielding

(Reason: Others are Indian novelists; Henry Fielding is an English novelist.)

b) Novella

(Reason: Others — Plot, Setting, Theme — are elements of a novel; Novella is a type of short novel.)

c) Epistolary

(Reason: Others — Place, Time, Climate — refer to setting; Epistolary is a form of novel writing.)

d) Picaresque

(Reason: Others — Horror, Mystery, Thriller — are types based on theme