Section-A : (Reading)
Question 1. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
Once, when a beggar was calling out for alms on the street, a passer-by turned towards him only to find that he was in no way disabled. So he asked how he was entitled to charity. The beggar replied, “I’m poor.” The man said, “No you are not. On the contrary, you are very rich.” The beggar pleaded with him not to make fun of him, as he was really poor. The man went on, “All right, give me whatever you have, and in return, I’ll pay you Rs. 50,000.” The beggar happily handed over to him his dirty bag containing a few coins and said, “That’s all I have, you can take it.”
The man said, “No, you have much more besides this. You have two feet. Give me one of them and I’ll pay you Rs. 10,000 in exchange.” The beggar refused. Then the man said, “You have got two hands, give me one hand, and I’ll pay you Rs. 20,000.” The beggar again refused. So the man said, “You have got two eyes, give me one eye and I’ll pay you Rs. 20,000.” The beggar refused again.
The man now said, “Look, you have got two feet, two hands, two eyes. I wanted only one each which together add up to Rs. 50,000. If we set a price on the pairs, it will be one lakh rupees. That means the price of only three parts of your body is at least one lakh rupees. How can you say you are poor then? You are extremely wealthy. Stop begging, utilize this great God-given wealth and you will be reckoned amongst the wealthiest people in the world.”
God has endowed us with extraordinary capabilities, but we do not realize their true importance under normal conditions. It is only when we lose anyone of them that we learn how priceless each one is.
Take the case of James Thomas, twenty-four years of age and a machine operator by profession. Due to some illness, both his kidneys started malfunctioning. He was admitted into the AIIMS (New Delhi), where doctors told him that the only way to survive was to obtain a kidney from a donor. Now, a kidney is a product of nature which cannot be built in a human factory, even if we were in a position to spend millions and billions of rupees to make one. And even after receiving the priceless gift of a kidney, he still needed Rs. 45,000 just to have it transplanted.
Here was part of his body which he had never given any particular thought before, and now its value had been brought home to him in no uncertain manner. In truth, even when a person is resource-less, he has a great deal to invest. The body and the brain which we possess are priceless. If an individual exploits his capabilities to the full, there is no success which he cannot attain in this world. For him nothing is impossible. When you have hands to hold things, when you have feet to walk with, when you have a tongue to speak, really, you have all that you want in this world. And because everything else can be obtained by material means, there is nothing that is beyond one’s reach.
Questions:
I. What was the beggar’s initial reason for asking for alms?
a) He was disabled.
b) He was hungry.
c) He was poor.
d) He was lost.
✅ Correct Answer:
c) He was poor
Explanation (Hindi):
भिखारी ने खुद कहा कि वह गरीब है, इसी कारण वह भीख माँग रहा था।
II. What was the passer-by’s main argument to prove the beggar was not poor?
a) The beggar had hidden wealth.
b) The beggar’s physical abilities were extremely valuable.
c) The beggar was secretly employed.
d) The beggar’s bag contained valuable items.
✅ Correct Answer:
b) The beggar’s physical abilities were extremely valuable
Explanation (Hindi):
व्यक्ति ने भिखारी के शरीर के अंगों (हाथ, पैर, आँखें) की कीमत बताकर उसे अमीर सिद्ध किया।
III. According to the story, when do people truly understand the value of their capabilities?
a) When they compare themselves to others.
b) When they are gifted something new.
c) When they face the prospect of losing them.
d) When they calculate their monetary worth.
✅ Correct Answer:
c) When they face the prospect of losing them
Explanation (Hindi):
कहानी के अनुसार, जब व्यक्ति किसी अंग को खोने की स्थिति में होता है, तब उसकी असली कीमत समझता है।
IV. What was James Thomas’s medical condition?
a) He had a failing heart.
b) Both his kidneys were malfunctioning.
c) He had lost his eyesight.
d) He had a severe lung infection.
✅ Correct Answer:
b) Both his kidneys were malfunctioning
Explanation (Hindi):
पैसेज में स्पष्ट है कि बीमारी के कारण जेम्स थॉमस की दोनों किडनियाँ खराब हो गई थीं।
V. What solution did the doctors at AIIMS propose for James Thomas?
a) A special diet and medication.
b) A kidney transplant from a donor.
c) A revolutionary new drug.
d) An artificial kidney machine.
✅ Correct Answer:
b) A kidney transplant from a donor
Explanation (Hindi):
डॉक्टरों ने बताया कि जीवित रहने का एकमात्र तरीका किडनी ट्रांसप्लांट है।
VI. Based on the passage, what is the author’s view on human potential?
a) It is limited by one’s financial status.
b) It is fully realized only through academic education.
c) It is immense if one fully exploits their innate capabilities.
d) It is predetermined and cannot be changed.
✅ Correct Answer:
c) It is immense if one fully exploits their innate capabilities
Explanation (Hindi):
लेखक के अनुसार व्यक्ति की क्षमता असीम होती है यदि वह अपने गुणों का सही उपयोग करे।
VII. The example of James Thomas is primarily used to:
a) Highlight the severe financial and emotional struggles caused by a major illness.
b) Provide a factual case study that underscores the critical need for organ donation.
c) Offer a real-world illustration supporting the claim that our bodily organs are invaluable.
d) Demonstrate the remarkable surgical solutions available in modern medicine.
✅ Correct Answer:
c) Offer a real-world illustration supporting the claim that our bodily organs are invaluable
Explanation (Hindi):
यह उदाहरण शरीर के अंगों की अनमोल कीमत को दर्शाने के लिए दिया गया है।
VIII. What is the central message of the passage?
a) We should always be grateful for the good health we enjoy in our lives.
b) The act of donating organs represents an invaluable and lifesaving gift to others.
c) A person’s most fundamental wealth lies in the physical and mental faculties they possess.
d) Choosing to beg for money is ultimately a dishonest and unproductive way to live.
✅ Correct Answer:
c) A person’s most fundamental wealth lies in the physical and mental faculties they possess
Explanation (Hindi):
पैसेज का मुख्य संदेश है कि इंसान की सबसे बड़ी संपत्ति उसके शारीरिक और मानसिक गुण हैं।
IX. “He learned how priceless each one is.”
Which of the following is the SYNONYM of the underlined word?**
a) expensive
b) worthless
c) invaluable
d) common
✅ Correct Answer:
c) invaluable
Explanation (Hindi):
“Priceless” का अर्थ है अमूल्य, जिसका सही समानार्थी “invaluable” है।
X. “Both his kidneys started malfunctioning.”
Which of the following is the ANTONYM of the underlined word?**
a) operating correctly
b) causing pain
c) improving slowly
d) shutting down
✅ Correct Answer:
a) operating correctly
Explanation (Hindi):
“Malfunctioning” का विलोम “operating correctly” (सही तरह से काम करना) है।
Question 2. Read the passage carefully and make notes on it and also give a suitable title to it.
Photosynthesis is the fundamental biochemical process that sustains most life on Earth, serving as the primary engine for converting inorganic matter into organic energy. It is performed by autotrophs, primarily plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, which use sunlight to synthesize sugars from carbon dioxide and water, releasing oxygen as a vital by-product.
The process occurs within specialized organelles called chloroplasts, where the green pigment chlorophyll captures light energy. This energy drives two main stages: the light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle. In the light-dependent reactions, which take place in the thylakoid membranes, captured solar energy splits water molecules, releasing oxygen and generating energy-carrying molecules, ATP and NADPH.
These molecules then power the Calvin cycle in the chloroplast’s stroma, where carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is fixed and converted into glucose, a stable form of chemical energy that the organism can use for growth and repair.
The global significance of this process is immense. It forms the base of nearly every food chain, as heterotrophs (animals, fungi, and many microorganisms) consume autotrophs to obtain this stored energy. Furthermore, photosynthesis is responsible for maintaining Earth’s atmospheric balance; it removes vast quantities of carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas, while replenishing the oxygen essential for aerobic respiration in animals and other organisms.
Historically, the gradual oxygenation of the atmosphere by ancient photosynthetic bacteria over billions of years created the conditions necessary for complex life to evolve. Today, understanding and protecting photosynthetic systems, such as forests, phytoplankton, and agricultural crops, is critical for managing climate change, ensuring food security, and sustaining the planet’s biosphere.
Answer:
Title:
Photosynthesis – The Foundation of Life
or
The Process of Photosynthesis
Notes:
1. Meaning of Photosynthesis
- Photosynthesis is a basic biochemical process.
- It sustains almost all life on Earth.
- It converts inorganic substances into organic energy.
2. Organisms Involved
- Performed by autotrophs.
- Includes plants, algae, and cyanobacteria.
- Uses sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water.
3. Site of the Process
- Takes place in chloroplasts.
- Chlorophyll traps light energy.
4. Main Stages of Photosynthesis
- Light-dependent reactions
- Calvin cycle
5. Light-dependent Reactions
- Occur in the thylakoid membranes.
- Water molecules split.
- Oxygen, ATP, and NADPH are produced.
6. Calvin Cycle
- Occurs in the stroma of chloroplast.
- Carbon dioxide is converted into glucose.
- Glucose provides energy for growth and repair.
7. Importance of Photosynthesis
- Forms the base of all food chains.
- Maintains atmospheric balance.
- Reduces carbon dioxide and releases oxygen.
8. Historical and Present Significance
- Enabled evolution of complex life.
- Essential for climate control and food security.
- Protection of forests and crops is necessary.
(Section-B : Writing)
Question 3. You are the school captain of Govt. Boys H.S.S. Jabalpur. Write a notice for all the members of the student council to attend a meeting to prepare a plan for the annual function.
✅ Answer: Notice
GOVT. BOYS H.S.S., JABALPUR
NOTICE
Date: 10 January 2026
All the members of the Student Council are hereby informed that a meeting will be held on 15 January 2026 at 11:30 a.m. in the School Conference Hall to prepare and discuss the plan for the Annual Function.
All members are requested to attend the meeting positively and come with their suggestions regarding cultural programmes, discipline, and stage arrangements.
Absence without prior information will not be appreciated.
Rohan
(School Captain)
OR
You want to let out a house. Prepare an advertisement to this effect for publication in a newspaper giving the location of the building, nature of accommodation, rent expected, etc.
✅ Answer: Advertisement
TO LET
A well-maintained 2 BHK residential house is available on rent at DIG Colony, Indore.
The house has two bedrooms, a drawing room, a modular kitchen, and attached bathrooms.
24-hour water and electricity supply available.
Located near school, market, and hospital.
Rent: ₹12,000 per month (Negotiable)
Preferred: Small family
Contact: 9XXXXXXXXX
Question 4. You are Abhishek Saxena, residing at 54, DIG Colony, Indore. Write a letter to the Collector of your district about the lack of facilities and malfunctioning of the government hospital of your area.
✅ Answer: Formal Letter
54, DIG Colony
Indore (M.P.)
10 January 2026
To
The Collector
Indore District
Indore (M.P.)
Subject: Complaint regarding lack of facilities and malfunctioning of the government hospital.
Respected Sir,
I would like to draw your kind attention to the poor condition and malfunctioning of the government hospital in our area. Patients have to face serious difficulties due to the shortage of doctors, nurses, medicines, and proper medical equipment.
The hospital lacks cleanliness and basic facilities such as drinking water and seating arrangements. Emergency services are often delayed, causing great inconvenience to patients. Despite repeated complaints, no improvement has been noticed so far.
I request you to kindly look into the matter personally and take immediate steps to improve the facilities and working conditions of the hospital in the interest of public welfare.
Thanking you.
Yours faithfully,
Abhishek Saxena
OR
Question 4. Write a letter to your friend advising him to study English, Maths, General Knowledge, and Reasoning for the upcoming NDA examination.
✅ Answer: Informal Letter
54, DIG Colony
Indore
10 January 2026
Dear Amit,
I hope you are in good health and spirits. I am writing this letter to advise you regarding your preparation for the upcoming NDA examination.
You should give special attention to English, Mathematics, General Knowledge, and Reasoning, as these subjects play a crucial role in clearing the written exam. Try to follow a proper timetable and practise previous years’ question papers regularly. Reading newspapers daily will help improve your English and GK.
Remain confident and stay focused. I am sure that with hard work and determination, you will succeed.
Yours lovingly,
Abhishek
Question 5. Last Monday you went to the hospital to see your friend who was admitted there. Using the following input, produce a small write-up on “A Visit to a Hospital” in about 120 words:
a) registration counter
b) people in front of doctors’ room
c) surgical ward
d) nurses attending patients
e) medical ward – patients lying on their beds
f) friend and his health
Answer:
Last Monday, I went to a hospital to see my friend who was admitted there. First, I visited the registration counter where many people were standing in a long queue. In front of the doctors’ rooms, patients were waiting patiently for their turn. I also saw the surgical ward where doctors and nurses were working very carefully. Nurses were attending patients with great dedication and kindness. In the medical ward, many patients were lying on their beds, some resting while others were receiving treatment. When I met my friend, he looked weak but was recovering well. I wished him a speedy recovery and felt grateful for the services provided by the hospital staff.
OR
Write a short paragraph on any one of the following topics in about 120 words:
A. Importance of Protecting Trees
B. Power of Press in Democracy
C. Women Empowerment
D. Value of Games and Sports
E. Online Education: Boon or Bane
Answer:
A. Importance of Protecting Trees
Trees are the most valuable gift of nature to mankind. They give us oxygen, food, fruits, wood, and shade. They maintain ecological balance by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Trees prevent soil erosion, bring rainfall, and provide shelter to birds and animals. In today’s world of increasing pollution and global warming, tree plantation is the need of the hour. Cutting trees for industrialization and urbanization has created serious environmental problems. Planting more trees will reduce pollution, control climate change, and make our earth green and healthy. Every individual must take the responsibility of planting and protecting trees. Saving trees means saving life on earth. Thus, plantation is not only important but the most urgent necessity for the survival of future generations.
B. Power of Press in Democracy
The press plays a vital role in a democratic country. It acts as the voice of the people and keeps the government aware of public problems. Through newspapers, television and digital media, people get information about national and international events. The press exposes corruption and misuse of power, which strengthens democracy. A free and fair press helps in forming public opinion and spreading awareness. However, the press should act responsibly and present true news. An honest press is the backbone of a strong democracy.
C. Women Empowerment
Women empowerment means giving equal rights, education and opportunities to women. Empowered women contribute positively to the development of society and the nation. Education plays a key role in women empowerment as it helps women become confident and independent. Today, women are working in every field such as education, politics, science and sports. Still, gender discrimination exists in many parts of society. Therefore, we must promote women empowerment to create a balanced and progressive society.
D. Value of Games and Sports
Games and sports play a vital role in a student’s life. They help in the physical and mental development of individuals. Playing regularly keeps the body fit and the mind active. Sports teach values like discipline, teamwork, leadership, and time management. They help reduce stress and improve concentration in studies. A healthy mind lives in a healthy body, and sports ensure that balance. With growing pressure of academics, it is essential to take part in sports to stay refreshed and energetic. Whether indoor or outdoor, games should be a part of daily routine. Therefore, games and sports are not just activities of leisure, but an important part of education and life. They prepare students to face challenges with confidence and make them responsible citizens of tomorrow.
E. Online Education: Boon or Bane
Online education has become very popular in recent years. It allows students to study from anywhere at any time. Online classes save time and provide access to a wide range of resources. However, it also has some disadvantages. Lack of face-to-face interaction and excessive screen time can affect students’ health. Poor internet connectivity is another problem. Online education is a boon if used properly, but it cannot completely replace traditional classroom learning. So, while online learning is helpful, it must be used properly. Teachers and parents should guide students to use technology for good purposes only.
(Section-C : Grammar)
Question 6. Fill in the blanks (any five)
Q.6 (i)
He is good …… Mathematics.
(in, at, of)
✅ Correct Answer: at
📝 Explanation (Hindi):
“Good” के साथ हमेशा at preposition का प्रयोग होता है।
Q.6 (ii)
Work hard, …… you will fail.
(else, and, but)
✅ Correct Answer: else
📝 Explanation (Hindi):
Else का अर्थ है “नहीं तो”।
Q.6 (iii)
There is not …… water in the pool.
(much, some, many)
✅ Correct Answer: much
📝 Explanation (Hindi):
Water uncountable noun है, इसलिए much सही है।
Q.6 (iv)
I …… him yesterday.
(haven’t seen, didn’t see, hadn’t seen)
✅ Correct Answer: didn’t see
📝 Explanation (Hindi):
Yesterday past time है, इसलिए simple past का प्रयोग होगा।
Q.6 (v)
He teaches in …… university.
(a, an, the)
✅ Correct Answer: a
📝 Explanation (Hindi):
University का उच्चारण “यू” से होता है, इसलिए a लगेगा।
Q.6 (vi)
When I was young, I …… climb trees.
(can, could, may)
✅ Correct Answer: could
📝 Explanation (Hindi):
Past ability के लिए could प्रयोग होता है।
Question 7. Do as directed (any five)
Q.7 (i)
He was playing chess. (Change into Passive Voice)
✅ Correct Answer:
Chess was being played by him.
📝 Explanation (Hindi):
Past continuous tense का passive बनाया गया है।
Q.7 (ii)
This is the school. I teach here.
(Combine using Relative Clause)
✅ Correct Answer:
This is the school where I teach.
📝 Explanation (Hindi):
Place के लिए where का प्रयोग किया गया।
Q.7 (iii)
He did it. (Change into Interrogative)
✅ Correct Answer:
Did he do it?
📝 Explanation (Hindi):
Helping verb did को आगे लाया गया।
Q.7 (iv)
I don’t know where he lives.
(Identify the underlined clause)
✅ Correct Answer:
Noun Clause
📝 Explanation (Hindi):
यह clause object की तरह कार्य कर रहा है।
Q.7 (v)
Unless it rains, we will play the match.
(Rewrite using ‘if’)
✅ Correct Answer:
If it does not rain, we will play the match.
📝 Explanation (Hindi):
Unless = if not
Q.7 (vi)
As soon as the thief saw the police, he ran away.
(Rewrite using ‘no sooner…than’)
✅ Correct Answer:
No sooner did the thief see the police than he ran away.
📝 Explanation (Hindi):
No sooner के साथ inversion होता है।
(Section-D : Text Books)
Question 8. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
It seemed a long way down. Those nine feet were more like ninety, and before I touched bottom my lungs were ready to burst. But when my feet hit bottom I summoned all my strength and made what I thought was a great spring upwards. I imagined I would bob to the surface like a cork. Instead, I came up slowly. I opened my eyes and saw nothing but water — water that had a dirty yellow tinge to it. I grew panicky. I reached up as if to grab a rope and my hands clutched only at water. I was suffocating. I tried to yell but no sound came out. Then my eyes and nose came out of the water — but not my mouth.
I flailed at the surface of the water, swallowed and choked. I tried to bring my legs up, but they hung as dead weights, paralyzed and rigid. A great force was pulling me under. I screamed, but only the water heard me. I had started on the long journey back to the bottom of the pool.
Questions:
1. What is the narrator’s initial expectation when reaching the bottom of the pool?
a) To bob to the surface like a cork
b) To find a rope to hold onto
c) To remain at the bottom
d) To see clear blue water
✅ Correct Answer:
a) To bob to the surface like a cork
2. How does the water appear to the narrator when he opens his eyes underwater?
a) Crystal clear
b) Dirty yellow tinge
c) Dark and murky
d) Shimmering blue
✅ Correct Answer:
b) Dirty yellow tinge
3. What happens when the narrator tries to yell underwater?
a) A loud scream echoes through the pool
b) No sound comes out
c) They hear their own voice clearly
d) The water muffles their voice
✅ Correct Answer:
b) No sound comes out
4. What does the narrator attempt when he reaches up in the water?
a) He successfully grabs a rope
b) His hands clutch only at water
c) He feels the weight of a rope slipping away
d) He encounters a solid surface
✅ Correct Answer:
b) His hands clutch only at water
5. How does the narrator describe the sensation of his legs underwater?
a) Light and buoyant
b) Paralyzed and rigid
c) Swiftly propelling them upwards
d) Tangled in seaweed
✅ Correct Answer:
b) Paralyzed and rigid
Question 9. Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow:
(A)
But after the airport’s security check, standing a few yards away, I looked again at her, wan, pale as a late winter’s moon.
And felt that old familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
But all I said was, see you soon, Amma,
All I did was smile and smile and smile……
Questions:
1. Which of these has the poet compared mother’s face to?
a) Full moon brightness
b) Late winter’s moon
c) Young children
d) Young tree
✅ Correct Answer:
b) Late winter’s moon
2. Which of these was the reason of mother’s pale face?
a) Mother’s old age
b) Mother’s depleting energy
c) Mother’s illness
d) Both (a) and (b)
✅ Correct Answer:
d) Both (a) and (b)
3. The writer of the text is —
a) John Keats
b) Kamala Das
c) Pablo Neruda
d) Adrienne Rich
✅ Correct Answer:
b) Kamala Das
(B)
Early this year, I found myself aboard a Russian research vessel — the Akademik Shokalskiy — heading towards the coldest, driest, windiest continent in the world: Antarctica. My journey began 13.09 degrees north of the Equator in Madras, and involved crossing nine time zones, six checkpoints, three bodies of water, and at least as many ecospheres. By the time I actually set foot on the Antarctic continent I had been travelling over 100 hours in a combination of a car, an aeroplane and a ship; so my first emotion on facing Antarctica’s expansive white landscape and the uninterrupted blue horizon was a relief, followed up with an immediate and profound wonder. Wonder at its immensity, its isolation, but mainly at how there could ever have been a time when India and Antarctica were part of the same landmass.
Questions:
1. What were the writer’s feelings on reaching the continent?
a) Of relief and amazement
b) Of relief and tiredness
c) Of relief but sadness
d) Of isolation and unhappiness
✅ Correct Answer:
a) Of relief and amazement
2. From which lesson has the above text been taken?
a) Evans Tries an O Level
b) Memories of Childhood
c) The Tiger King
d) Journey to the End of the Earth
✅ Correct Answer:
d) Journey to the End of the Earth
3. Where was the narrator travelling to?
a) Amsterdam
b) Antarctica
c) Russia
d) India
✅ Correct Answer:
b) Antarctica
4. In the above text the word ‘isolation’ means —
a) Separation
b) Society
c) Company
d) Connection
✅ Correct Answer:
a) Separation
Question 10. Answer the following questions in about 30 words (any five):
1. What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
Answer:
A notice announcing the order from Berlin was put up on the bulletin-board, stating that only German would be taught in schools of Alsace and Lorraine.
2. In the lesson ‘The Lost Spring’, who is Mukesh? What is his dream?
Answer:
Mukesh is a poor boy working in a bangle factory. His dream is to become a motor mechanic and escape the cycle of poverty.
3. Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water?
Answer:
Douglas wanted to overcome his fear of water so that it would not control his life and prevent him from enjoying swimming and other water activities.
4. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler?
Answer:
The crofter lived alone and felt lonely, so he became friendly and talkative when he found someone to talk to.
5. Why did the servants think Gandhi to be another peasant?
Answer:
Gandhi was simply dressed and looked like an ordinary poor farmer, so the servants mistook him for another peasant.
6. What were the options that Sophie was dreaming of?
Answer:
Sophie dreamed of becoming a fashion designer, owning a boutique, becoming an actress, or rising quickly to a glamorous and successful life.
Question 11. Answer the following questions in about 30 words (any three):
1. Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’? (My Mother at Sixty-Six)
Answer:
The young trees are described as sprinting to show the contrast between youth and old age. While everything outside is full of life and energy, the mother is motionless and weak.
2. What does the poet mean by saying ‘victory with no survivors’? (Keeping Quiet)
Answer:
It means that war destroys everyone, leaving no real winner, only loss, suffering, and destruction.
3. What pleasure does a beautiful thing give us? (A Thing of Beauty)
Answer:
A beautiful thing gives everlasting joy, peace, and happiness and helps us overcome sadness and despair.
4. Why does the poet call the car ‘selfish’? (A Roadside Stand)
Answer:
The car owners stop only to ask for directions or food, ignoring the poor villagers and their suffering.
Question 12. Answer the following questions in about 30 words (any two):
1. What does ‘The Third Level’ refer to?
Answer:
The third level refers to an imaginary world created by Charley to escape stress and insecurity of modern life.
2. How did the Tiger King acquire his name?
Answer:
He was called the Tiger King because he was predicted to be killed by a tiger and later killed many tigers himself.
3. How does Derry get his face burnt?
Answer:
Derry’s face was burnt by acid accidentally when he was a child, leaving permanent scars.
Question 13. Answer the following questions in about 75 words (any two):
1. Justify the title of the story ‘The Last Lesson’.
Answer:
The title ‘The Last Lesson’ is justified because it marks the last French lesson taught by M. Hamel after the order from Berlin banning French in schools. It symbolizes loss of language, culture, and freedom under foreign rule.
2. Why is Rajkumar Shukla described as being resolute?
Answer:
Rajkumar Shukla was determined and persistent. He followed Gandhi everywhere until Gandhi agreed to visit Champaran, showing strong will and dedication to the cause of farmers.
3. Write the character sketch of Sophie.
Answer:
Sophie is a daydreamer with unrealistic ambitions. She dreams of fame and success but lacks practical thinking, showing the gap between dreams and reality.
Question 14. Answer the following question in about 75 words:
Write the central idea of the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’.
Answer:
The central idea of the poem “Keeping Quiet” is that peace and harmony can be achieved through introspection and silence. The poet suggests that if we stop all activity and remain silent for a while, we can understand ourselves better and reflect on the harm we are causing to ourselves and the world. This moment of quietness can help us realize the need for unity, brotherhood, and peace in the world.
OR
Explain the central idea of the poem ‘A Roadside Stand’.
Answer:
The central idea of the poem “A Roadside Stand” is to highlight the struggle, poverty, and helplessness of rural people. The poet criticizes the selfishness of city people who ignore the roadside stand set up by poor villagers in the hope of selling their goods. The poem reflects the unequal development between cities and villages and shows the poet’s sympathy for the rural poor who long for a better life.
Question 15. Answer the following question in about 75 words:
Briefly describe Charley’s strange experience in the third level.
Answer:
Charley discovers a mysterious third level at Grand Central Station that takes him to the year 1894. It represents his desire to escape from modern stress and insecurity.
OR
Describe the difficulties faced by Dr. Sadao and Hana when they tried to help the enemy soldier.
Answer:
They faced fear of punishment, moral conflict, and social pressure but still helped the injured enemy soldier due to their humanity.