PSEB Class XII – General English
September Examination – Sample Paper Set 1
Time is one of the most valuable things in human life. Money lost can sometimes be earned again, but lost time can never be recovered. Every person receives the same twenty-four hours in a day, yet people use this time differently. Successful people usually plan their work and make proper use of every hour. Students especially need to understand the value of time because their habits during school years influence their future.
Regular study is better than studying only before examinations. A student who studies a little every day can understand lessons more clearly and remember them for a longer period. Time management does not mean that a person should work all the time. Rest, recreation, exercise and time with family are also necessary for a healthy life. The important thing is to maintain a proper balance.
Many people waste time through unnecessary conversations, excessive use of mobile phones, careless browsing of the internet and postponing important work. Small delays may appear harmless, but repeated delays can become a habit. A person who respects time generally becomes disciplined, punctual and responsible. Therefore, everyone should learn to use time wisely. Proper planning, regular effort and self-discipline can help a person achieve his or her goals.
- What can sometimes be earned again after being lost?
- How many hours does every person receive in a day?
- Why is regular study better than studying only before examinations?
- Name any two activities that may waste valuable time.
- Why is recreation necessary?
- What does time management mean?
- What qualities can a person develop by respecting time?
- How can small delays become harmful?
- Successful people usually ______ their work.
- Lost time:
Trees are essential for life on earth. They provide oxygen, fruits, wood, shade and shelter for many living beings. Their roots hold the soil together and help to reduce soil erosion. Trees also absorb carbon dioxide and help maintain the balance of gases in the atmosphere.
Trees make our surroundings cooler and more pleasant. They provide homes for birds and other animals. In cities, trees can reduce dust and provide shade to people walking on roads. Forests also play an important role in maintaining rainfall and protecting the natural environment.
Planting trees is therefore important, but planting alone is not enough. Young plants need regular water, protection and proper care. Schools, communities and individuals can all contribute to increasing green cover. If people protect existing trees and plant new ones responsibly, future generations will inherit a healthier environment.
- Trees provide:
- What do the roots of trees help to reduce?
- How do trees help birds and other animals?
- Why is merely planting a tree not enough?
- Fill in the blank: The roots of trees hold the ________ together.
- Match the words in Column A with their meanings in Column B:
Column A Column B 1. Shelter a. Important 2. Significant b. Protection or safe place
(a) Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper expressing your concern about the increasing use of mobile phones among students and suggesting measures to control it.
(b) Write an application to the Principal of your school requesting three days' leave due to illness.
(a) Explain the following newspaper headline in 15–20 words:
STUDENTS URGED TO PLANT MORE TREES
(b) Write an e-mail to your Principal requesting an extension of leave for two more days.
(a) Translate any two of the following into Punjabi/Hindi: (2 × 1 = 2)
- Hard work always brings success.
- We should respect our teachers.
- Do not waste your valuable time.
(b) Translate any two of the following into English: (2 × 1 = 2)
- ਸਾਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਮਾਪਿਆਂ ਦੀ ਆਗਿਆ ਮੰਨਣੀ ਚਾਹੀਦੀ ਹੈ।
- ਉਹ ਹਰ ਰੋਜ਼ ਸਮੇਂ ਸਿਰ ਸਕੂਲ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
- ਮਿਹਨਤ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾਂ ਸਫਲਤਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਮਿਲਦੀ।
(a) Determiners: Fill in the blanks with suitable determiners. (3 × 1 = 3)
- There are ________ students in the classroom. (much / many)
- Please give me ________ water. (some / many)
- ________ of the two brothers is honest. (Both / Each)
(b) Non-finites: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb given in brackets. (2 × 1 = 2)
- We are fond of ________. (dance)
- Let us ________ for a walk. (go)
(c) Transformation of Sentences: Do any two. (2 × 1 = 2)
- The bag was too heavy for Rohan to carry. (Remove ‘too’)
- The tea was so hot that I could not drink it. (Use ‘too’)
- No other boy in the class is as intelligent as Aman. (Change into comparative degree)
(d) Voice: Do any two. (2 × 1 = 2)
- The students completed the assignment.
- The teacher is checking the notebooks.
- The letter was written by Ravi.
(e) Narration: Do any one. (1 × 1 = 1)
- The teacher said to the students, “Work hard for your examination.”
- Mother said to me, “Do not waste your time.”
(A) Intensive Study (5 Marks)
- Who was Hassan?
- What was the name of Philip's father?
- What does the term lateral thinking mean?
- Who is the writer of On Saying Please?
- Fill in the blank: The first requirement of civility is that we should acknowledge a __________.
- Fill in the blank: Philip became famous as the __________ King.
- Hassan was a ________ but irregular student.
- Who propagated the notion of lateral thinking?
- The conductor in On Saying Please was:
- Philip finally became famous as a:
(B) Extensive Study (5 Marks)
- What was the real aim of Miss Beam's school?
- What was the name of the policeman in A Chameleon?
- What was Bholi's real name?
- Fill in the blank: Bholi's teacher helped her to develop __________.
- Fill in the blank: The main character in A Chameleon is __________.
- Miss Beam's school aimed at developing:
- Who was the main character of A Chameleon?
- Bholi refused to marry Bishamber because he:
- Bholi's teacher gave her:
- The children at Miss Beam's school were made to experience the difficulties of:
(A) Read the following extract and answer any four questions: (4 Marks)
And make happy the skies.”
- Name the poem.
- Name the poet.
- What does the Sun do?
- What is the rhyme scheme of these two lines when considered with the following two lines of the stanza?
- Identify the figure of speech in “happy the skies.”
Read the following extract and answer any four questions:
The board of your table”
- Name the poem.
- Who is the implied speaker?
- What does the speaker hold?
- Name the figure of speech used in the expression “I am the beam.”
- Mention one use of wood referred to in these lines.
(B) Write the central idea of any one of the following poems: (3 Marks)
- Prayer of the Woods
- Once upon a Time
- Why did the parent-teacher meeting about Hassan end fruitlessly?
- Why did Philip get into trouble on the day of the concert?
- How did the girl intelligently win the pebble game?
- What is the first requirement of civility according to A. G. Gardiner?
- What were the good qualities of the conductor in On Saying Please?
- What was the real aim of Miss Beam's school?
- Why does Otchumyelov change his opinion repeatedly in A Chameleon?
- Why did Bholi refuse to marry Bishamber?
(a) Describe the character of Hassan. What qualities of a good student did he lack?
(b) Describe how the girl in Thinking Out of the Box: Lateral Thinking solved an impossible situation by using lateral thinking.
(a) Describe the contribution of Miss Beam as the Head of The School for Sympathy. What was the purpose of her unusual teaching method?
(b) How did education transform Bholi from a timid, stammering girl into a confident young woman?
