CLASS-11th GENERAL ENGLISH
SEP-2025 Exams
Time: 3 hours MM: 80
SECTION-A (READING COMPREHENSION) (10 marks)
Q1. A) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Dance is a performing art comprising a series of movements and steps that are synchronized to match the speed and rhythm of the music. It is accompanied by gestures and expressions that explain the theme contained in the music. One can dance alone or with a partner in a group. Rhythm and movements are fundamental to dance. India has a rich cultural tradition. Dance is a part of our rich cultural heritage. It is as varied as the land itself. It bears an underlying unity which binds the people of the country together. The dances of India are an expression of our ancient civilization. Dance in India has an unbroken tradition of over 2000 years. Its theory is derived from mythology, legends and classical literature. There are two main dance forms in India. These are folk dance and classical dance. Seven classical dances follow the principles and rules laid down by Bharat Muni in his Natyashastra ages ago. There are 180 styles of Indian dances, and 101 of these are described in the Natyashastra. Most of these dance styles are depicted on the walls and pillars of the famous Indian temples. Of the classical dances of India, five are famous all over the world. These are Bharat Natyam, Kathakali, Manipuri, Kathak and Odissi. Other prominent dances are Kuchipudi of Andhra Pradesh and Mohiniattam of Kerala.
I. Multiple Choice Questions (2 × 1 = 2 marks)
Q1. Which of the following is not a classical dance of India?
a) Bharat Natyam
b) Kathakali
c) Manipuri
d) Bhangra
Q2. The principles and rules of Indian classical dances were laid down by
a) Vedas
b) Ramayana
c) Natyashastra
d) Mahabharata
II. Answer the following questions in one line each (8 × 1 = 8 marks)
Q3. What is dance?
Q4. What explains the theme contained in the music during a dance?
Q5. How many main dance forms are there in India?
Q6. Who laid down the principles of Indian classical dances?
Q7. For how many years has dance in India had an unbroken tradition?
Q8. How many styles of Indian dances are described in the Natyashastra?
Q9. Name any three Indian classical dances.
Q10. Which state is Kuchipudi associated with?
Q1. B) Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: (6 marks)
Penicillin is one of the most useful drugs invented by man. With its help, we can heal wounds caused by bacteria that cannot be otherwise healed. In the beginning, very few people knew of this wonderful discovery or its uses. First the scientists and then the ministers of governments were interested in it. Since penicillin could save the wounded soldiers, it was helpful in war. So, they decided to encourage the process of extraction. Vast factories were set up for preparing it. Lives of hundreds and thousands of soldiers were saved with its help. Most people benefitted from it. Penicillin when introduced into the streams of the human blood, acts as an aid to those parts which are always fighting the deadly germs. It does not have power over every kind of bacteria, but certain kinds are destroyed by penicillin in the great majority of cases.
Questions:
-
Choose the correct statement.
(a) Penicillin could save the wounded soldiers.
(b) Penicillin could not save the soldiers.
(c) Penicillin was harmful for the soldiers.
(d) Penicillin was discarded by the scientists. -
Who were interested in the discovery of Penicillin in the beginning?
(a) Governments
(b) Scientists and Ministers of Governments
(c) Teachers
(d) Doctors -
How was penicillin useful in wars?
-
How does penicillin act on human blood?
-
Fill in the blank with a suitable word from the passage:
The water level decreases in the __________ in winters. -
Match the following words in column A with their meaning in column B:
| A | B |
|---|---|
| aid | method |
| process | help |
| _______ | decrease |
SECTION-B (WRITING SKILLS, GRAMMAR AND TRANSLATION)
Q2: You lost your wrist watch yesterday in your school playground. Draft a notice for the loss of your watch
OR
Draft an advertisement for "Swachh Bharat Mission" in rural areas. (4 marks)
Q3: You are Rita. You live at #2009, Sector 9, Chandigarh. Write a letter to your uncle thanking him for the birthday gift that he sent for you.
OR
Suppose you are Amit. You live at 38-A, New Model Town, Jalandhar. Write a letter to your younger brother Amitabh, who is a bookworm, persuading him to take part in games. (6 marks)
Q4:
A) Translate the following from English to Punjabi. (2 marks)
-
We obey the traffic rules.
-
You do not like me.
B) Translate the following from Punjabi into English. (2 marks)
ਅਧਿਆਪਕ ਨੇ ਟੈਸਟ ਨਹੀਂ ਲਿਆ।
-
ਉਹ ਚਲਾਕ ਸਨ।
Q5: DO AS DIRECTED. (1×13=13 marks)
A) Fill in the blanks with suitable determiners:
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______ of us were constantly together.
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We hear ______ amazing success stories.
-
Children begin learning by imitating ______ elders.
B) Fill in the blanks with suitable modals:
4. The film ______ to be a great success.
5. My hostel mates told me I ______ use the opportunity to go to Pune.
C) Do as directed:
6. Hard work ______ (bring) success. (Change into simple present tense)
7. She ______ (stay) here till Sunday. (Change into future continuous tense)
D) Change the voice:
8. I know him.
9. Shut the door.
E) Do as directed:
10. I was too scared to go to meet MR JRD Tata. (Rewrite the sentence after removing ‘too’)
11. She is so intelligent that she cannot be cheated. (Use ‘too’)
F) Change the narration:
12. The teacher will say, "Gita is performing on the stage."
13. The Principal said, "Virtue is its own reward."
SECTION-C (LITERATURE TEXTBOOKS) (10 marks)
Q6: Objective-type questions. (10 marks)
a. How many people were there on the interview panel? (Gender Bias)
b. KD was the owner of __________. (Gender Bias)
c. Who is the author of the lesson ‘The Portrait of a Lady’? (The Portrait of a Lady)
d. For how many years did the author study abroad? (The Portrait of a Lady)
i. Six years ii. Three years iii. Five years iv. Nine years
e. Who was made to march in front of the whole battalion? (Liberty and Discipline)
f. The astrologer carried on his job __________. (An Astrologer’s Day)
g. Who was Tembur? (The Tiger in the Tunnel)
h. Tembur was a sleeping centre at the back of the railway station. (True/False) (The Tiger in the Tunnel)
i. The astrologer had stabbed a man, Guru Nayak. (True/False) (An Astrologer’s Day)
j. Who is the writer of the lesson ‘The Tiger in the Tunnel’? (The Tiger in the Tunnel)
Q7: A) Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow: (1×4=4 marks)
The budding twigs spread out their fan
To catch the breezy air,
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.
Questions:
-
Name the poem.
-
Who is the poet of the poem?
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What was there on the branches of the trees?
-
What were the budding twigs doing?
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Name the figure of speech used in the very first line of the given stanza.
OR
Whenever I see a caterpillar slouching
towards a peony’s eye,
or hear ancestral voices in a wind’s howl,
I invoke my deity,
sometimes twice a day.
-
Write the name of the poem.
-
Who is the poet of the poem?
-
The poet hears ancestral voices. (True/False)
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The poet invokes __________.
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How many times does the poet invoke his deity?
Q7: B) Give the central idea of any one of the poems given below. (3 marks)
-
Upagupta
OR -
Mother’s Day
Q8: Answer the following questions in 20-30 words (any three). (3×2=6 marks)
-
What type of questions was the author asked by the interview panel? (Gender Bias)
-
What did Sudha first see JRD Tata? (Gender Bias)
-
Why did Grandmother always go to school with the author? (The Portrait of a Lady)
-
How does the author define ‘liberty’? (Liberty and Discipline)
Q9: Answer the following questions in 20-30 words (any two). (2×2=4 marks)
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What were the astrologer’s professional equipments? (An Astrologer’s Day)
-
How could the astrologer guess his clients’ problems? (An Astrologer’s Day)
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What was Baldeo’s axe like? (The Tiger in the Tunnel)
Q10: Give a brief pen portrait of Grandmother.
OR
What is the relationship between liberty and discipline? (5 marks)
Q11: Write a character sketch of the astrologer.
OR
Write, in brief, a character sketch of Baldeo. (5 marks)
Answer Key
SECTION-A (READING COMPREHENSION)
Q1 A) Dance Passage
I. Multiple Choice Questions
-
d) Bhangra
-
c) Natyashastra
II. One line answers
3. Dance is a performing art comprising movements and steps synchronized with music.
4. Gestures and expressions explain the theme contained in the music.
5. There are two main dance forms in India – folk and classical.
6. Bharat Muni laid down the principles of Indian classical dances.
7. Dance in India has an unbroken tradition of over 2000 years.
8. 101 dance styles are described in the Natyashastra.
9. Any three: Bharat Natyam, Kathakali, Manipuri, Kathak, Odissi.
10. Kuchipudi is associated with Andhra Pradesh.
Q1 B) Penicillin Passage
-
(a) Penicillin could save the wounded soldiers.
-
(b) Scientists and Ministers of Governments.
-
Penicillin was useful in wars because it saved the lives of wounded soldiers.
-
Penicillin acts as an aid to the parts of blood that fight deadly germs.
-
The water level decreases in the streams in winters.
| A | B |
|---|---|
| aid | help |
| process | method |
| _______ | decrease |
SECTION-B (WRITING SKILLS, GRAMMAR AND TRANSLATION)
Q2: Notice / Advertisement
(Model Answer – either can be written)
Notice:
LOST AND FOUND
I, a student of Class 11, lost my wrist watch yesterday in the school playground. It has a black strap with a silver dial. If anyone finds it, please return it to the undersigned.
Ravi, XI-A
Advertisement (for Swachh Bharat Mission):
Join Swachh Bharat Mission – Clean Village, Healthy Village
Keep your surroundings clean. Use dustbins. Do not litter. Participate in cleanliness drives. Together we can build a cleaner and healthier India.
Q3: Letter Writing
(Model Answer 1 – Thank You Letter):
Rita
#2009, Sector 9
Chandigarh
20 Sept, 2025
Dear Uncle,
Thank you so much for the wonderful birthday gift you sent me. I really loved it and it made my day special. Your blessings mean a lot to me.
With regards,
Yours lovingly,
Rita
(Model Answer 2 – Persuading Brother):
38-A, New Model Town
Jalandhar
20 Sept, 2025
Dear Amitabh,
I know you love reading books but health is equally important. Games make us strong, active and fresh. Please take some time to play outdoors daily. It will help you in studies also.
Your loving brother,
Amit
Q4: Translation
A) English → Punjabi
-
ਅਸੀਂ ਟਰੈਫ਼ਿਕ ਨਿਯਮਾਂ ਦੀ ਪਾਲਣਾ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ।
-
ਤੈਨੂੰ ਮੇਰੀ ਪਸੰਦ ਨਹੀਂ।
B) Punjabi → English
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The teacher did not take the test.
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They were clever.
Q5: Do as Directed
A) Determiners
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All of us were constantly together.
-
We hear many amazing success stories.
-
Children begin learning by imitating their elders.
B) Modals
4. The film is sure to be a great success.
5. My hostel mates told me I should use the opportunity to go to Pune.
C) Tense Changes
6. Hard work brings success.
7. She will be staying here till Sunday.
D) Voice Change
8. He is known by me.
9. Let the door be shut.
E) Sentence Transformations
10. I was so scared that I could not go to meet MR JRD Tata.
11. She is too intelligent to be cheated.
F) Narration
12. The teacher will say that Gita is performing on the stage.
13. The Principal said that virtue is its own reward.
SECTION-C (LITERATURE TEXTBOOKS) Answer Key
Q6: Objective-type Questions
a) There were five people on the interview panel. (Gender Bias)
b) KD was the owner of a software company. (Gender Bias)
c) The author of The Portrait of a Lady is Khushwant Singh.
d) The author studied abroad for five years.
e) A cadet was made to march in front of the whole battalion. (Liberty and Discipline)
f) The astrologer carried on his job under a tamarind tree in the marketplace.
g) Tembur was a small wayside station in the jungle. (The Tiger in the Tunnel)
h) False – Tembur was not a sleeping centre but a small station.
i) True – The astrologer had stabbed Guru Nayak.
j) The writer of The Tiger in the Tunnel is Ruskin Bond.
Q7: A) Poem Extracts
(First Extract: “The budding twigs spread out their fan…”)
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The poem is Lines Written in Early Spring.
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The poet is William Wordsworth.
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There was pleasure on the branches of the trees.
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The budding twigs were spreading out to catch the breezy air.
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Figure of speech: Personification.
(Second Extract: “Whenever I see a caterpillar slouching…”)
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The poem is Prayer of the Woods.
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The poet is Gieve Patel.
-
True.
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The poet invokes his deity.
-
The poet invokes his deity sometimes twice a day.
Q7: B) Central Ideas (any one)
Upagupta –
The poem highlights the Buddhist monk Upagupta’s simplicity, compassion, and service to humanity. It shows how he served a dancing girl during her suffering without caring for social status, teaching us that true religion lies in kindness and love.
Mother’s Day –
The poem conveys the importance of respecting mothers. It reminds us that we often value our mothers only after they are gone. The central idea is to show love, gratitude, and care for mothers while they are alive.
Q8: Short Answer Questions (20–30 words, any three)
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The author was asked irrelevant and personal questions like whether she would cook, what she would do if her husband was transferred, etc. (Gender Bias)
-
Sudha first saw JRD Tata when he came to inaugurate the computer centre at her institute. (Gender Bias)
-
Grandmother always went to school with the author because she believed in learning and enjoyed helping him in his studies. (The Portrait of a Lady)
-
The author defines liberty as self-control. Liberty is not absence of discipline but the ability to regulate oneself within rules. (Liberty and Discipline)
Q9: Short Answer Questions (20–30 words, any two)
-
The astrologer’s professional equipments were a saffron turban, sacred ash, charts, cowrie shells, and a notebook which made him look learned. (An Astrologer’s Day)
-
The astrologer guessed his clients’ problems by observing their appearance, behaviour, and body language, and by asking shrewd questions. (An Astrologer’s Day)
-
Baldeo’s axe was small, very sharp, and made of special steel. It was gifted to him by his father and he carried it always. (The Tiger in the Tunnel)
Q10: Long Answer (5 marks)
Pen Portrait of Grandmother –
The grandmother was a deeply religious, old, and dignified lady with wrinkled face and white hair. She spent most of her time in prayer, feeding sparrows, and telling beads of her rosary. She was affectionate and loving towards her grandson. Though traditional, she adjusted to changes and showed great courage in her last moments.
OR
Relationship between Liberty and Discipline –
Liberty and discipline are interdependent. True liberty means freedom with responsibility, not misuse of freedom. Discipline guides liberty and prevents chaos. Without discipline, liberty becomes license, and without liberty, discipline turns into slavery. Thus, liberty and discipline are two sides of the same coin.
Q11: Character Sketch (5 marks)
The Astrologer –
The astrologer was a shrewd and observant man. He had no formal knowledge but used his cleverness to impress clients. He dressed to look holy and wise. He knew how to exploit people’s fears. Though once guilty of stabbing Guru Nayak, he escaped punishment and changed his profession. He was practical, quick-witted, and used presence of mind to save himself.
OR
Baldeo –
Baldeo was a brave and responsible tribal watchman at Tembur station. He carried a sharp axe made of fine steel. He was fearless and dutiful. When attacked by a tiger, he fought bravely with his axe but lost his life. His courage and devotion to duty made him a heroic figure.
