AHSEC| CLASS 11| ALTERNATIVE ENGLISH| SOLVED PAPER - 2020| H.S. 1ST YEAR
2020
ALTERNATIVE ENGLISH
Full Marks: 100
Pass Marks: 30
Time: 3 hours
The figures in the margin indicate full marks for the questions
UNIT-I
(Reading an Unseen
Passage and a Poem)
1.Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
I was not
regarded as a dunce at the high school. I always enjoyed the affection of my
teachers. Certificates of progress and character used to be sent to the parents
every year. I never had a bad certificate. In fact, I even won prizes after I
passed out of the second standard. In the fifth and the sixth, I obtained
scholarships of rupees four and ten respectively, an achievement for which I
had to thank good luck more than my own merit. For the scholarships were not
open to all, but reserved for the best boys amongst those coming from the
Sorath Division of Kathiawad. And in those days there could not have been many
boys from Sorath in a class of forty or fifty.
My own
recollection is that I had not any high regard for my ability. I used to be
astonished whenever I won prizes and scholarships. But I very jealously guarded
my character. The least little blemish drew tears from my eyes. When I merited,
or seemed to the teacher to merit a rebuke, it was unbearable for me. I remember
having once received corporal punishment. I did not much mind the punishment,
as it was considered my deserts. I wept piteously. That was when I was in the
first or second standard. There was another such incident during the time when
I was in the seventh standard.
Dorabji Edulji
Gimi was the Headmaster then. He was popular among boys, as he was a
disciplinarian, a man of method and a good teacher. He had made gymnastics and
cricket compulsory for the boys of the upper standards. I disliked both. I never
took part in any exercise, cricket or football, before they were made
compulsory. My shyness was one of the reasons for this aloofness, which I now
see was wrong. I then had the false notion that gymnastics had nothing to do
with education. Today I know that physical training should have as much place
in the curriculum as mental training.
I may mention,
however, that I was none the worse for abstaining from exercise. That was
because I had read in books about the benefits of long walks in the open air,
and having liked the advice, I had formed a habit of taking walks, which has
still remained with me. These walks gave me a fairly hard constitution.
The reason for
my dislike of gymnastics was my keen desire to serve as a nurse to my father.
As soon as the school closed, I would hurry home and begin serving him.
Compulsory exercise came directly in the way of this service. I requested Mr.
Gimi to exempt me from gymnastics so that I might be free to serve my father.
But he would not listen to me. Now it so happened that one Saturday, when we
had our school in the morning, I had to go from home to the school for
gymnastics at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I had no watch, and the clouds
deceived me. Before I reached the school the boys had all left. The next day,
Mr. Gimi examining the roll, found me marked absent. Being asked the reason for
absence, I told him what had happened. He refused to believe me and ordered me
to pay a fine of one or two annas (I cannot now recall how much).
I was convicted
of lying! That deeply pained me. How was I to prove my innocence? There was no
way. I cried in deep anguish. I saw that a man of truth must also be a man of
care. This was the first and last instance of my carelessness in school. I have
a faint recollection that I finally succeeded in getting the fine remitted.
The exemption
from exercise was of course obtained, as my father wrote himself to the
Headmaster saying that he wanted me at home after school. But though I was none
the worse for having neglected exercise, I am still paying the price of another
neglect. I do not know whence I got the notion that good handwriting was not a
necessary part of education, but I retained it until I went to England. When
later, especially in South Africa, I saw the beautiful handwriting of lawyers
and young men born and educated in South Africa. I was ashamed of myself and
repented of my neglect. I saw that bad handwriting should be regarded as a sign
of an imperfect education.
I tried later to
improve mine, but it was too late. I could never repair the neglect of my
youth. Let every young man and woman be warned by my example, and understand
that good handwriting is a necessary part of education. I am now of the opinion
that children should first be taught the art of drawing before learning how to
write. Let the child learn his letters by observation as he does different
objects, such as flowers, birds etc., and let him learn handwriting only after
he has learnt to draw objects. He will then write a beautifully formed hand.
Questions:
(a) State
True or False: 1/2x4=2
(i) Dorabji
Edulji Gimi was a disciplinarian. True
(ii) The
speaker never received any corporal punishment. False
(ii)
According to the passage, a man of truth does not need to be careful. False
(iv) In
fact, Gymnastics has a major role to play in education. True
(b) When did
the speaker obtain scholarships? 1
Ans:- The
speaker obtained scholarships in the fifth and the sixth standard.
(c) To which
division of Gujarat did the speaker belong? 1
Ans:- The
speaker belonged to the Sorath Division of Gujarat.
(d) Why did
the speaker dislike Gymnastics? 2
Ans:- The
speaker disliked gymnastics because it came in the way of his service to his
father.
(e)
Reproduce, after the speaker, the suggestions about learning handwriting. 2
Ans:- The
speaker suggests that children should first be taught the art of drawing before
learning how to write. They should learn their letters by observation as they
do different objects, such as flowers, birds, etc., and they should learn
handwriting only after they have learned to draw objects. They will then write
a beautifully formed hand.
(f) Who can
the speaker be? What kind of student had s/he been? 1+1=2
Ans:- The
speaker can be Mahatma Gandhi. He had been a good student who was always loved
by his teachers. He was also a very caring and responsible child who always put
his family first.
2. Read the poem given below and on the basis of your
reading, answer the following questions:
What is life, if
full of care,
We have no time
to stand and stare,
No time to stand
beneath the boughs
And stare as
long as sheep and cows.
No time to see,
when woods we pass,
Where squirrels
hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see,
in broad daylight,
Streams full of
stars like skies at night.
No time to turn
at Beauty's glance,
And watch her
feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait
till her mouth can
Enrich the smile
her eyes began.
A poor life this
if, full of care,
We have no time
to stand and stare.
(a) Enlist
the things found in the poem that we have no time to stand and stare. 2
Ans:- In
the poem, we have no time to stand and stare at the boughs, watch squirrels
hide their nuts in grass, see streams full of stars, turn at Beauty's glance,
and wait for her smile to enrich.
(b) What is
the poet's attitude towards a life full of care? 1
Ans:-The
poet's attitude towards a life full of care is critical and reflective. The
poet suggests that a life consumed by cares and worries, without taking time to
appreciate the beauty around us, is a poor and unfulfilling existence.
(c) Where do
the squirrels hide their nuts? 1
Ans:- The
squirrels hide their nuts in the grass as mentioned in the line "Where
squirrels hide their nuts in grass."
(d) Identify
a simile used in the poem. 1.
Ans:- A
simile used in the poem is "Streams full of stars like skies at
night." This comparison highlights the beauty and wonder of nature by
likening streams to star-filled skies.
UNIT-II
(Poetry and Prose)
[Poetry]
3. Answer either (a) or (b):
(a) But
believe me, son,
I want to be
what I used to be
when I was like
you. I want
to unlearn all
these muting things.
Most of all, I
want to relearn
how to laugh,
for my laugh in the mirror
shows only my
teeth like a snake's bare fangs!
I. Answer
any two of the following: 1x2=2
(i) Who is
the "son" referred to in the passage? 1
Ans:-
The "son" referred to in the passage is symbolic and represents
youth, innocence, and a sense of freedom that the speaker longs to reconnect
with.
(ii) What
does the speaker want to relearn? 1
Ans:-
The speaker wants to relearn how to laugh authentically and genuinely. The
laughter in the mirror that shows only teeth like a snake's bare fangs
symbolizes a lack of true joy and a desire to rediscover genuine happiness.
(iii) What
are the "muting things" in the present context? 1
Ans:-
In the present context, the "muting things" refer to the societal
pressures, responsibilities, and experiences that have dampened the speaker's
ability to express joy and laughter freely. These could include stress,
worries, societal expectations, or personal struggles that have silenced the
speaker's true self.
II. Explain
the reasons behind the speaker's desire of unlearning'. 3
Ans:- The
speaker's desire to unlearn the "muting things" stems from a deep
yearning to reconnect with their authentic self and reclaim a sense of joy and
freedom that has been lost over time. The speaker likely feels burdened by the
weight of life's challenges and responsibilities, which have dulled their
ability to laugh genuinely. By wanting to unlearn these inhibitions, the
speaker seeks to break free from the constraints that have stifled their true
nature and rediscover a sense of lightness and happiness that comes from
embracing one's true self. This desire for unlearning reflects a universal longing
for personal growth, self-discovery, and a return to a more carefree and joyful
existence.
Or
Why, do you
think, the poet finds snake's bare fangs in the mirror? 3
Ans:-
The poet finding snake's bare fangs in the mirror could symbolize a moment of
self-realization or introspection where they see aspects of themselves that are
sharp, intimidating, or potentially harmful. It may represent confronting one's
own inner fears, insecurities, or darker aspects of their personality. This
imagery could be used by the poet to evoke themes of self-awareness,
introspection, or coming face-to-face with one's own vulnerabilities or hidden
truths.
(b) Oh, God
of May have mercy.
Bless these
withered bodies
with the passion
of your resurrection;
make their dead
veins flow with blood again.
***
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