HSC ENGLISH FEBRUARY 2019 SET D BOARD PAPER WITH SOLUTION
SECTION – I
(Reading Skill, Grammer, Vocabulary, Note-making and Summary)
Q.1)(A) Read the first activity, read the extract and then do all the activities: (15)
A1. True / False - (2)
Rewrite the following sentences stating against each of them whether they are true or false :
A2. Give reasons - (2)
Dell wanted to start a business of selling computers because :
A3. Guess : (2)
“I couldn’t bear to miss this chance,” Dell says. Guess. which chance Dell did not want to miss”.
A4. Vocabulary - (2)
Find out the words from the extract which mean :
A5. Personal response : (2)
Suggest two strategies to become a successful businessman.
1. Challenge yourself: If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you have to challenge yourself. No one else is going to push you, so it’s up to you to do it.
2. Be passionate: If you don’t love what you do, don’t do it. I truly believe it’s as simple as that. As an entrepreneur, you’re going to have to put in long hours and make sacrifices for your business. When you’re passionate about what you do, putting in the long hours won’t feel like a sacrifice anymore.
A6. Grammar - (2)
Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :
(i) Seeing the hungry market, Dell placed local advertisement.
(Make it a compound sentence)
(ii) He added features to improve performance. (Frame ‘Wh’ question to get the underlined part as an answer.)
The question word "Why" is used to ask about reasons.
Since the sentence is in the past tense ("added"), the auxiliary verb "did" is used, and the main verb changes to its base form ("add").
because the sentence is in the Simple Past Tense ("added"), we must introduce the helping verb "did" and change the main verb back to its base form ("add").
(B) Grammar: -
Do as directed:-
(1) When earthquake strikes, world trembles. (Insert appropriate articles wherever necessary and rewrite it)
(2) I spent my holiday ______ some friends ______ a wooden house. (Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions)
(3) Radha said to the teacher, "I feel very happy to help my mother at home" (Change in into indirect speech)
12th English Board Papers
- English - February 2025 View Answer Key
- English - July 2025 View Answer Key
- English - February 2024 View Answer Key
- English - July 2024 View Answer Key
- English - February 2023 View Answer Key
- English - July 2023 View Answer Key
- English - February 2022 View Answer Key
- English - February 2022 View Answer Key
- English - July 2022 View Answer Key
- English - September 2021 View Answer Key
- English - March 2020 View
- English - March 2014 View
- English - October 2014 View
- English - March 2015 View
- English - July 2015 View
- English - March 2016 Set A View
- English - March 2016 Set B View
- English - March 2016 Set C View
- English - March 2016 Set D View
- English - July 2016 Set A View
- English - July 2016 Set B View
- English - July 2016 Set C View
- English - July 2016 Set D View
- English - March 2017 Set A View
- English - March 2017 Set B View
- English - March 2017 Set C View
- English - March 2017 Set D View
- English - July 2017 Set A View
- English - March 2018 Set A View
- English - March 2018 Set B View
- English - March 2018 Set C View
- English - March 2018 Set D View
- English - March 2019 Set A View
- English - March 2019 Set B View
- English - March 2019 Set C View
- English - March 2019 Set D View
Q. 2. A. Read the first activity, read the extract and then do all the activities.
A. 1. Read the following statements, Find out the correct statements and write them down: [2]
A. 2. Complete the following statements: [2]
(i) The interest of maharashtra and that of India should be one for the progress of maharashtra state, because .........................
(ii) Maharashtra depends on India, because .......................
A. 3. Complete the table: (2)
| The name of the mountain | Stands for | The reason |
|---|---|---|
| The Himalayas | ||
| The Sahyadri |
| The name of the mountain | Stands for | The reason |
|---|---|---|
| The Himalayas | India | The snowy Himalayas with the highest mountain ranges symbolise India. |
| The Sahyadri | Maharashtra | With the blackest rock structure and with 200 - 300 inches rainfall symbolise Maharashtra. |
A. 4. Vocabulary - [2]
Give antonyms of the following words by adding prefixes:
A. 5. Personal response:
Give your suggestions that will help the people to make Maharashtra prosperous.
A. 6. Grammar: - [2]
Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:
(i) India and Maharashtra can progress only when there is oneness of interest. [Rewrite is using 'unless']
(ii) This state of Maharashtra will work for the betterment of the common people of Maharashtra. [Rewrite it using modal auxiliary showing 'obligation']
Somnathpur Temple
Q.3. (A) Read the first activity, read the extract and then do all the activities : (15)
A1. Table -
Complete the stable with the information from the passage : (2)
| Insects | Similarity | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Bumble bee - Bee Fly | ||
| Wasp - Hoverfly |
| Insects | Similarity | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Bumble bee - Bee Fly | Body colour and hums sound | Beefly does not have a sting & hence it harmless. |
| Wasp - Hoverfly | Body colour (yellow & black stripes) | Hoverflies do not have stings and they have only pair of wings each while wasps have two pairs each. |
A2. Complete the tree diagram : (2)
A3. Find out : (2)
‘Nature has given self-protection mechanism to insects’.
Find out at least two examples from the passage to prove this statement.
(i) By having body colour close to those of the rocks and dried leaves, they can escape from being pursued by the predators.
(ii) Possessing wings which resemble dried leaves help certain butterflies and moths to hide among heaps of dried leaves when predators are around.
A4. Vocabulary - (2)
Find the words from the passage for :
A5. Personal response - (2)
‘Soldiers disguise themselves to prevent enemies to spot them’.
Give two more examples when the disguising technique is used by humans.
1. A celebrity may go 'incognito' in order to avoid unwelcome press attention.
2. Some people often disguise themselves as somebody else to avoid being recognized. Examples include dressing as a peddler in order to avoid being spotted.
A6. Grammer - (2)
Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :
(i) They have only one pair of wings.
(Make it negative without changing the meaning)
(ii) Insects have already adopted the tactic of disguise to escape from the clutches of their predators. (Replace infinitive with gerund and rewrite)
3. (B) Summary:
The power of nature is incredible. Nature has given insects the art of disguise naturally like having body column or possessing wings which resembles dried leaves or rocks. So that they can escape from being pursued by the predators. Soldiers use Camouflage technique so that they can hide themselves in the jungle area and their enemies could not spot them easily and attack. Camouflage is used by soldiers in order to protect them from the enemies and also to be safe from the insects who are camouflaging in the jungle in between the rocks, trees, shrubs and dried leaves. The assimilation of insects is done as their bright body colour and shapes so that they appear dangerous and hence ward them off. There are several similarities and differences between bee fly, bumblebee, hoverfly, wasp and other insects. The need of imitation in insects is required because there variations are hardly noticed by the predators and it helps them to escape.
SECTION – II (Poetry)
Q.4 Read the following extract and then do all the activities that follow:
A1. Complete ______
Complete the following sentences choosing correct alternatives:
(1) The poet used to watch the valley play hide and seek, because _______
(ii) he had no park to enjoy playthings
(iii) he had no friends
(2) According to the poet, only littered swamps could be reality, because _______
(ii) water from oceans will become magical potions.
(iii) Oceans are changing into swamps for fishing purposes.
A2. Poetic device
Figure of speech
Name and explain the figure of speech used in the following line:
‘We used to watch the valley play hide and seek’.
Antithesis – Opposite words 'hide' and 'seek' are used in the sentence.
Alliteration – The alphabet 'w' is repeated in the sentence.
A3. Personal response:
Suggest some remedies on how we can enrich our nature.
1. Bring your own bags.
It's such a simple thing to do, and so beneficial for the environment––bringing your own bags to stores not only helps cut down on the number of bags needed, and by extension the resources needed to create them, it also means that fewer bags get thrown away into our already-overfilled landfills.
2. Grow your own food.
It's not only a great way to avoid many of the common nasties that make their way into so much store bought food, plants help release much-needed oxygen into the air, and can also help replenish the soil, depending on which types of plants you're working with.
3. Cut down on your energy use.
It's really easy to carelessly waste energy––leaving a light bulb on here and there, keeping the air conditioning on at home when you're out at work all day––but it all adds up. Try to cut down on your energy use by being conscious of how you use electronics.
A4. Poetic creativity
Compose the following four lines as a free verse using the words life, oxygen, trees, nature with the help of clue given in each line so it would convey message :
A1. True/False
State whether the following statements are true or false:
A2. Write a gist :
Write a gist of the above given extract in about 50 words.
B1. Complete _____ Complete the following sentences:
B2. Convert dialogue into a story:
Convert the above dialogue into a story in about 50 words.
Q. 6. (A) Letter Writing - (12)
Write any ONE of the following letters : (4)
(1) Write a letter to The Chief Officer, Road Transport Authorities, drawing his attention to the problem of frequent traffic jams in your locality suggesting some solutions for the problem.
M.G. Road, Nana Peth,
Pune City- 441 002.
14th July 2013
To,
The Chief Officer,
Road Transport Authorities,
Traffic Headquarters,
Nanapeth,
Pune- 411005.
Subject: Complaint regarding reckless driving by youngsters
Dear Sir/Madam,
I reside at Nanapeth, a locality that has wide roads and broad pavements. Unfortunately, our locality has become a potential danger-zone because of the growing instances of traffic jams. We know that the number of vehicles on the roads is on the rise and that there is no proportional increase in the number of roads. So, traffic jams are bound to happen.
It stretches one’s tolerance to the ultimate limit when buses and autos on this busy road show an appalling disregard for any kind of traffic law. I strongly suggest, on behalf of the residents of this neighbourhood, request you deploy few such officers on this road, to bring this situation under check. Otherwise there is every chance that our locality will become an accident - prone - zone, where ordinary and innocent citizens will have to think twice before stepping out of their houses.
Yours truly,
ABC.
(OR)
(2) Your college is 20 km away from your village. You go to the college by S.T. bus, but the bus timings are not convenient for you and other students. Write a letter of complaint to the Depot Manager of your town/city. Suggest some solutions for the problem.
Rainbow colony,
M.G.Road, Dharavi,
Mumbai:- 400 017.
7th March, 2014.
To,
The Manager,
The Local Bus Depot
Vasai Roar,
Subject : Inconvenience caused due to very few and lack of timely bus service.
Respected sir,
I am a student of ‘The General English High School’ , Dharavi and make use of the bus service on a regular basis for going to and coming from the school. I would like to bring to your attention that in the morning there is a big crowd and most of them choose to travel from taxis, ‘Ola’, ‘Uber’ etc. But everyone cannot afford that much of huge travelling cost. Students who belong to the weaker economic section of society need the bus service as we cannot afford to travel by private vehicles.
The bus service provided by the State Transport bus service is very poor. Most of the time the buses are late and since the number is less, the crows makes a mad rush to get in without observing discipline. Many junior college students and passengers find it a difficult task to board these buses.
My kind request is to inform the authorities to increase the number of bus service in the morning on this route and see that they run in time.
Thanking You,
Yours Faithfully,
XYZ
Introduction: Ooty, also known as Udhagamandalam, is popularly called the "Queen of Hill Stations." It is famous for its rolling hills, dense forests, beautiful lakes, and pleasant climate. It is situated in the Nilgiri Hills in the western part of Tamil Nadu, near the borders of Karnataka and Kerala.
i. How to go there: Ooty is well connected to the rest of India through a combination of transport modes. It does not have its own airport or mainline railway station due to the steep terrain.
Plane: Ooty does not have an airport. The nearest airport is Coimbatore International Airport (CJB), located about 88 km (a 2.5 to 3-hour drive) away. Coimbatore is well-connected to major Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Bangalore. From the airport, you must hire a taxi or take a bus up the hills to Ooty.
Train: You cannot take a regular, fast train directly to Ooty. You must take a mainline train to either Coimbatore Junction or Mettupalayam. From Mettupalayam, the famous UNESCO World Heritage Nilgiri Mountain Railway (the "Toy Train") runs to Ooty. This is a slow, scenic, 5-hour journey that must be booked months in advance. Alternatively, you can take a taxi or bus from the mainline stations up the hill.
Bus: Excellent bus services are available from nearby major cities. Regular government and private luxury buses run from Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore, and Calicut.
ii. Where to Stay: Accommodation is no problem in Ooty. Options range from budget guest houses and mid-range hotels to luxury heritage bungalows and high-end resorts. Homestays are also very popular, offering a cozy experience of life in the hills.
iii. When to Visit: Ooty is a year-round destination, but the experience varies:
Peak Summer (April to June): The most popular time to escape the Indian heat. It is crowded, and the famous Flower Show happens in May.
Winter (November to February): Excellent for those who love cold weather, misty mornings, and clear days. Temperatures can drop below 5°C at night.
Monsoon (July to September): The hills are lush green, but heavy rains can disrupt sightseeing plans.
iv. What to See: The scenery of Ooty is mind-blowing. It is a colonial-era hill station known for its natural beauty.
Major Attractions: The Government Botanical Gardens, Ooty Lake (for boating), Doddabetta Peak (the highest point in the Nilgiris), the Rose Garden, and the scenic Pykara Lake and waterfalls.
Nearby: The smaller, quieter town of Coonoor is nearby and worth a visit, especially for Sim’s Park and Dolphin’s Nose viewpoint.
v. Shopping: Shopping in Ooty is fun. Ooty is most famous for Nilgiri Tea, homemade chocolates, aromatic eucalyptus oil, and fresh local spices. You can also find good quality woolen clothes and shawls to keep warm.
vi. Anything Special (Food and Culture): As far as food is concerned, while standard South Indian fare like Idli, Vada, and Dosa is available everywhere, Ooty has its own charms.
Specialties: Don't miss the hot "Varkey" (a local crusty biscuit) to dip in your Nilgiri tea. Fresh, locally grown carrots and corn sold roadside are delicious. Many old colonial-era bakeries sell excellent pastries and fudges.
Culture: The Nilgiris are home to several indigenous tribal groups like the Todas, known for their unique huts and embroidery. The local population is generally welcoming and used to tourism.
(OR)
(2) Report writing -
Your college celebrated the ‘World Environment Day’. You are the Class Representative. Write a report on the celebration of the ‘World Environment Day’ with the help of the help of the following points :
6th June, 2019
Mumbai
student@omtexclasses.com
Omtex College of Science located at Dharavi celebrated its World Environment Day on 5th June 2019.
Mr. Sachin Tendulkar our former cricketer, was the Chief Guest of this ceremony. He planted a rose plant and inaugurated ceremony. There were lot of crowd as many people gathered to watch Salman Khan and also to be a part of this programme. He addressed in his speech to all people “To save mother earth plant more trees”. Students of our 11th Std Div. A performed Drama on ‘Mother Earth’, apart from this class -12th students performed a group song to save mother earth. At last college gave an activity to all the students “Cultivate Seeds and Nurture the Plant” under this activity our college arranged Exhibition to show how students have nurtured various plants. Tree plantation was also done in the college ground. After all the activities snacks was distributed to all the students and staff. Our Principal Sir Mr. Rao felicitated Mr. Salman Khan, and said special thanks for sharing his time with us. Overall the programme was a great success with everyone’s effect.
- By Student Reporter.
(C) Write on any ONE of the following items : (4)
(1) Counter-view -
Read the following View Section and Develop a Counter-View Section in about 120 words :
View Sections:
Your parents are your first…everything. They brought you into this world and hopefully, guided your development into the person you are today with as much love, nurturing and opportunity that they could provide. As said, our first teacher in life are always our parents. No one can ever replace our parents in our life. There is no need of any law to enforce children to take care of their parents in their old age. This is everyone's basic responsibility and this should be innate. A child should himself understand that when we were kids our parents took care of us so it is our responsibility when we grow up to take care of them. If each individual thinks on this whether a daughter or a son would not need any law for the same. In last 25 years, rather than Grey population the number of experienced people has double in the society. Since, we Indians have got our values and cultures from our parents for the protection of elderly persons we do not need any welfare society. The family values learned keep everyone together in the family with all the love and care. We know that the experience of old people is always fruitful to the younger generation but with time the situations and the way to handle these situations have changed. So, not all their experiences & knowledge is useful. But they are an important part of our family and society both.
(2) Information Transfer -
Look at the following web chart and write a short paragraph based on it in about 120 words. Suggest a suitable title :
Language is a method of human communication, either spoken or written whereas communication is exchanging the information Language & Communication both are interrelated. For better understanding or functioning communication should be clear & concise. Though effective communication is essential, there are several barriers to effective communication. The major issue is language as we know every country or community has a different language when it comes to speaking or understanding it is difficult for the other person. At times, even people speaking same language have difficulty in understanding each other. The second one is time, where in everyone is busy in today's life we hardly get time to talk to each other and on top of that if we are in different countries the time zone also matters. Noise is another barrier as while speaking to anyone if there is any disturbance over the phone, network or internet it interrupts our talks. The next barrier is distance as we all are living in different parts of the world the ways or methods of communication also differs Eg. We call to talk over the phone, message to chat on different sites or may do a video call using skype or other app using internet. The distance impacts these factors & can interrupt our communication like when we talk while travelling. Distraction is another issue which becomes a barrier to effective communication as while talking to a person if we are distracted the communication can go on a different track or may move out of the topic rather than the actual topic. The other problem is discomfort with the topic like in a conversation if the other person is not comfortable to talk about specific topic it may leave the conversation without any conclusion or of no use. Lastly, lack of interest also hampers the communication like if a person is not interested in your talks he may ignore it or might not be attentive or may get half knowledge & all other possibilities. Hence, for an effective communication all these factors matter and should support an individual in a conversation.
Q. 7. (A) Interview Questions : (7)
Imagine that you are going to interview a Sarpanch of a village, who has been selected for ‘Adarsh Gaon Award.’ Frame a set of 8 to 10 questions to interview him/her. (4)
Q.1) How are the elections conducted in your village?
Q.2) Who motivated you to participate in the election for the post of ‘Sarpanch’?
Q.3) Who are the other members of your Panchayat samiti?
Q.4) As per you, what is the role of a Panchayat Samiti in a village?
Q.5) What inspired you to bring such changes in your villages that everyone is appreciating today?
Q.6) How is the funding of Gram Panchayat done?
Q.7) How does Government helps a village in making it a ‘Adarsh Gaon’ ?
Q.8) What is the best thing that ever changed in your village ?
Q.9) What were the challenges that you have faced during these years as a Sarpanch?
Q.10) What is an Adarsh Gaon according to you?
Q.11) Where do you see your village in coming three years?
Q.12) Any message you would like to share with other villagers?
(B) Speech Drafting : (3)
Your college has organised an elocution competition. One of the topics therein is ‘Importance of Health’.
Prepare a speech on it in about 100 words with the help of the following points :
Good morning to my respected teachers and all my fellow classmates. Today, I would like to speak on the topic "Health is Wealth." We all know this proverb, yet few of us actually follow it. If we do not live with discipline and respect nature’s rules, we cannot maintain our well-being or achieve true success.
Nature gave us bodies to move, not to sit idle. Just as a fish must swim and a bird must fly to survive, humans are meant to be active. Unfortunately, many of us spend our days sedentary. A life of too much comfort weakens us and invites failure rather than strength.
Decades ago, our grandparents were strong because they walked and worked physically. Today, technology has reduced our efforts, making us lazy. While their livelihood was healthy, our modern inactivity has led to diseases like high blood pressure and stress, even at a young age.
To keep ourselves healthy physically and mentally, we must be active every day. By maintaining a balanced diet, exercising, and thinking positively, we can build the discipline needed for a happy life.
Thank you.