Academics Easy: Class XI - Sample Question Paper

CBSE Question Paper Design, 2015-16

English Core

Time: 3 Hours Class XI M. Marks: 100

General Instructions:

1. This paper is divided into four Section A, B, C and D. All the sections are compulsory.

2. Separate instructions are given with each section and questions, wherever necessary. Read these instructions very carefully and follow them faithfully.

3. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

Section A (Reading) 20 Marks

Q1. An unseen passage/poem for comprehension (350-400 words). 12 Marks

a. MCQ 6 Marks

b. VSAQ 4 Marks

c. Vocabulary 2 Marks

Q2. An unseen passage for Note-making & Summarising (550-600 words) 8 Marks

a. Note-making 5 Marks

b. Summarising 3 Marks

Section - B (Writing Skills) 20 Marks

Q3. Short compositon (Any one of two questions) 4 Marks

Q4. Letter Writing (Any one of two questions) 6 Marks

Q5. Article/Speech/Report/a Narrative (Any one of two questions) 10 Marks

Section - C (Grammar) 10 Marks

Different grammatical structures in meaningful context will be tested. Item types will include gap filling, sentence re-ordering, dialogue completion and sentence transformation. The grammar syllabus will include determiners, tenses, clauses, modals and change of voice. These grammar areas will be tested using the following short answer type and MCQ type questions.

Q6. Error correction/ editing tasks 1x4=4 Marks

Q7. Transformation of sentences/gap filling/dialogue completion 1x3=3 Marks

Q8. Re-ordering of sentences/change of voice 1x3=3 Marks

Section C (Text-Books) 18 Marks

Q9. An extract from poetry to test comprehension and appreciation. (Any one of two extracts) 1x3= 3 Marks (MCQ)

Q10. Short Answer Questions based on prose, plays and poetry from both the texts. (Any three of four questions). 3x3=9 Marks

Q11. Long Answer Question based on texts to test global comprehension and extrapolation beyond the texts to bring out the key messages and values. (Any one of two questions) 6 Marks

Long Reading Text/ Novel: 12 Marks

Q12. Long Answer Question based on theme, plot and incidents from the prescribed novel. (Any one of two questions) 6 Marks

Q13. Long Answer Question based on understanding appreciation, analysis and interpretation of the character sketch. (Any one of two questions) 6 Marks

Assessment of Listening And Speaking: 20 Marks

( to be conducted by school)

Question Paper Design-2016

Typology	MCQ 1 Mark	Very Short Answer Question 1 Mark	Short Answer Question 3 Marks	Short Answer Question 4 Marks	Long Answer 80-100 words 5 Marks	Long Answer 120-150 words 6 Marks	Very Long Answer 150-200 words (Hots) 10 Marks	Total Marks
Reading Skills	6	6	1	------	1	-------	--------	20
Writing Skills & grammar	------	10	------	1	------	1	1	30
Literary Text Books & Long Reading Text/Novel	-------	3	3	-------	--------	3	--------	30
ASL	------	-------	--------	-------	4 (L+S)	-------	------	20
Total	6x1=6	19x1=19	4x3=12	1x4=4	5x5=25	4x6=24	1x10=10	100

Tips for scoring good marks in English Core

Stress is Temporary and Purely Psychological: It is quite natural to feel nervous and tense before and during the examinations. A little bit of tension is quite helpful as it propels us to put in the very best effort. The origin of stress is purely psychological, so it is best that we don't let it eat ourselves.

Neat and Systematic Presentation: The way you present your work plays a major role in determining the impact you make on the examiner. Good handwriting, systematic presentation, following of instructions, using proper formats and neatly written answers easily impress the examiner and makes him/her take extra interest to go through the entire booklet more than once. So make sure your work is neat as far as possible.

Stick to the topic: Sometimes it happens that in excitement or as a result of struggling for words and ideas, students tend to divert from the chosen topic and start adding irrelevant details that make the content read out of focus. This makes it more difficult for the examiner to sustain her/ his interest in correcting the rest of the answer booklet. So make sure you stick to the topic and include only those points that are relevant and important for the topic.

Quote from Text: While answering questions, a judicious mix of quoting from the book and using your own expressions, is a must. If you quote too much, this may give the impression that you have just memorized the book without actually understanding. The best balance is quoting from the book and explaining in your own words.

Use of the Correct Vocabulary: It is always better to use every day common words as a part of your content while writing an essay or letter. Remember by using a flowery phrase in a wrong context will only fetch you low marks and not any praise from the examiner. The examiner will mark you only on the correct usage of words that makes sense.

Style: In order to grasp the attention of the examiner, make your content appear fresh and different. Always adopt a different style in writing out the content for essays and letters. Style does not have to include new words and phrases but it must be interesting enough for the examiner.

Dos and Don'ts:

1. Write long answers in short paragraphs.

2. Use short and crisp sentences in simple language and avoid diverting from the topic.

3. Underline the key sentences in long answers.

4. Use simple vocabulary and write correct spellings throughout your answers.

5. Write invitation, poster, notice and letter from a new page.

6. Put notice, poster, advertisement and formal invitation in a box.

7. Avoid using multi colours in writing a poster. It will save your time.

8. Write headings in bold letters.

9. Write all the answers using only one recommended ink pen.

10. Write answers within prescribed word limit.

11. Leave proper space between two answers in order to avoid any confusion.

12. Answer all questions in a serial order.

13. Make sure all the sub- parts of the same question are answered together.

Don’t write personal notes: Avoid writing personal notes like ‘Sorry, Please mark my paper leniently,’ ‘Forgive Me I did not get enough time’ and so on to the examiners. Such notes will only infuriate most of the examiners. Remember no examiner will be that heartless to give you low marks without any proper reason. They are all professional experts and understand the problems that might be faced by an examinee inside an examination hall.

Hence it is always better to appear for an exam with fresh and calm mind without bothering much about the results. Give your best effort and try to win over the examiners with a presentable and meaningful answer booklet.

Heavy Meals Just Before Exams Decreases Brain Power: You should not eat any heavy meal for 3 hours before going to an exam. This is because digestion of food requires energy. When you eat food, blood supply and flow of oxygen increases to stomach area. The total blood in the body is constant, so the blood that's supplied to the brain decreases. This is why you feel lazy or sleepy after eating food. This also means that your IQ or brain power decreases for a few hours (2 or 3 hours) after eating.

Sample Test Paper, 2015-16

English Core

Class – XI

Time: 90 Mts. MM: 40

General Instructions:

(1) All questions are compulsory. (2) Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary.

(3) Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions. Marks will

be deducted if this limit is crossed.

1. Read the following poem carefully: 5 Marks

What I LEAVE TO MY SON

No point in leaving you a long list

Of those who have died

Even if I limit it to my friends and your uncles

It won’t do. Who could remember them all?

My son, isn’t it true?

The obituaries leave me indifferent

As the weather. Sometimes they seem to matter

Even less: How can that be, my son?

I’ll leave you, yes,

A treasure I’m always seeking, never finding

Can you guess? Something wondrous

Something my father wanted for me

Although (poor man!) it’s been nothing

But a mirage in the desert

Of my life.

My soul will join his now, praying

That your generation may find it-

Simply peace-

Simply a life better than ours

Where you and friends won’t be forced

To drag grief-laden feet down the road.

Answer the following questions by selecting the most appropriate options from the ones given below:

1) The obituaries and weather

a) have no significance for the poet

b) leave the poet depressed

c) matter a lot to the poet

d) are an integral part of the poet’s survival

2) The legacy the poet wishes to leave to his son is

a) To live a life devoid of hatred

b) To have a better life than his own generation

c) To be a happy and responsible citizens

d) All of the above

3) The poet‘s father’s wishes have been nothing but

a) A dream

b) Something wondrous

c) Treasure he always is seeking

d) A mirage in the desert of his life

4) The expression “drag grief laden feet” means

a) A life that has no aim

b) Being unhappy

c) Leading a slow life

d) Leading a life of monotony

5) The poet‘s father was

i) a poor man

ii) a careless person

iii) a rich man

iv) mentally retarded

2. The Eco-Club of your school organized a rally to help spread awareness about the importance of tree plantation. Write a report in about 100 words for your school magazine. 8 Marks

3. Fill in the blanks with suitable determiners: 3 marks

Today many students are concerned about money and fashions. (a)_________ are not concerned about (b)--------

___________country .No one , except (c)_________want to join (d) _________army or become police officers as (e)_________professions do not pay (f)__________. I think.

4. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: 4 Marks

The cardboard shows me how it was

When the two girl cousins went paddling,

Each one holding one of my mother’s hands

And she the big girl - some twelve years or so.

(1) What does the word ‘cardboard’ denote in the poem? 1 mark

(2) Who were the three girls captured in the photograph? 1 mark

(3) Where had they gone for outing? 1 mark

(4) What does the poet say about the mother? 1 Mark

5. Answer any three of the following in about 30 words each. 3 x 2 = 6 marks

(a)What made the grandmother unhappy in the city?

(b)When did the narrator and his wife marry almost lose all hope of survival? (c)What did John Byro notice in his horse after it was returned to him? (d)Why and when did the narrator feel an urge to see her mother’s belongings?

6. Answer any one of the following in about 150 words. 6 Marks

(a) Describe how the bond of friendship between the author and her grandmother grew strong and then weak with the passage of time.

(b) Give a brief account of Mourad’s adventure with the white horse.

7. Answer any one of the following in about 150 words: 8 Marks

(1) How can you say that Canterville Chase was a haunted place?

(2) How did Mr. Otis face the ghost?

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