ENGLISH LANGUAGE

ENGLISH Paper 2

SECTION A - DRAMA

The Merchant of Venice : Shakespeare

Question 1.

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

Salarino : O! ten times faster Venus' pigeons fly To seal love's bonds new-made, than they are wont To keep obliged faith unforfeited!
Gratiano: That ever holds: who riseth from a feast With that keen appetite that he sits down? Where is the horse that doth untread again His tedious measures with the unbated fire That he did pace them first? All things that are, Are with more spirit chased than enjoy'd

(i) Where does this scene take place? Who has out-dwelt his hour? Normally what do the lovers do as far as the appointed time is concerned? [3]
(ii) Who is Venus? How do the Venus’s pigeons behave as far as love is concerned [3]
(iii) “All things that are, Are with more spirit chased than enjoy’d”. How far is this statement brought out by giving the example of a ship in later lines? [3]
(iv) How does Gratiano explain in the extract the state of people in love? [3]
(v) What will be Jessica’s role in the masquerade? What does she have to say regarding this role? What is your opinion of Jessica [4]

Question 2.

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

Antonio : Grieve not that I am fall'n to this for you,
For herein Fortune shows herself more kind
Than is her custom. It is still her use
To let the wretched man outlive his wealth,
To view with hollow eye and wrinkled brow
An age of poverty—from which lingering penance
Of such misery doth she cut me off.
Commend me to your honorable wife.
Tell her the process of Antonio’s end.
Say how I loved you. Speak me fair in death.
And when the tale is told, bid her be judge
Whether Bassanio had not once a love.
 

(i) When and to whom does Antonio speak these lines? What is meant by “Grieve not that I am fall'n to this for you”? [3]
(ii) How has “Fortune” been represented in this line? Why does Antonio feel that fortune is kind to him [3]
(iii) What is meant by “lingering penance”? What is it that Bassanio must not regret and what is it that Antonio does not repent? [3]
(iv) What offer does Bassanio make after this extract to save Antonio? What is Portia’s response? [3]
(v) Throw some light on the bond of friendship between Bassanio and Antonio, giving various instances from the scene. [4]
 

Loyalties : John Galsworthy

Question 3.

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Mabel : We’ll fight it tooth and nail!
Margaret : Mabel, you’re pure wool, right through;
                 everybody’s sorry for you.
Mabel : It’s for him they ought……….

(i) Where does the scene take place? Why does Margaret address Mabel as 'pure wool'? Why was Mabel stunned earlier at the mention of the word ‘court’? [3]
(ii) What did Mabel wish to fight? Who is referred to as ‘him’ in the last line of the extract? What has he been accused of? [3]
(iii) Name the other lady who enters the scene at this time. What news does she bring that further points to ‘him’ as the criminal? What bit of gossip does Margaret offer from ‘his’ past [3]
(iv) Mention two ways in which Mabel's words to the other ladies reveal her fierce loyalty to ‘him’. Which solicitor does Margaret suggest to Mabel? Why does she do so? [3]
(v) What does Dancy, who enters now, propose that they do as soon as the ladies have left? Why does Mabel object to the plan? Who enters at this point? What appeal does Mabel make to this person? [4]

Question 4.

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Dancy: They’ll break the door in. It’s no good - we must open.
Hold them in check a little. I want a minute or two.
Mabel: [clasping him]: Ronny! Oh Ronny! It won’t be for long…….

(i) What two major confessions had Dancy made to Mabel just before this extract? What did his solicitors want him to do? [3]
(ii) What does Mabel say to express her loyalty to him despite his crimes? Who knocks at the door at this point? What does she do to ‘hold them in check’? [3]
(iii) Who else enters the house? What sound do they all hear? Why does Mabel faint? [3]
(iv) What does Colford do with Dancy’s letter? What is your opinion of Dancy in the light of his unexpected suicide? [3]
(v) Mention the different kinds of loyalties that the dramatist has touched upon in the play, providing examples to support your answer? [4]

SECTION B – POETRY

A Collection of Poems

Question 5.

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

“What would my wife be thinking of her man so strong and grown,
If she could see me sitting here, too weak to stand alone?
Could my mother have imagined, as she held me to her breast,
That I’d be sitting HERE one day with this pain in my chest?”
                (Small Pain in My Chest by Michael Mack)

(i) What does his wife usually think of him? How do you know? [3]
(ii) Throw light on his present condition. [3]
(iii) Describe briefly what had happened last night. [3]
(iv) Is he really aware of his fatal wound? How can you say so? [3]
(v) What is the message the poet wishes to convey? [4]

Question 6.

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

The morning stretched calm, beautiful, and warm.
Sprawling half clad, I gazed out at the form
Of shimmering leaves and shadows. Suddenly
A strong flash then another, startled me.
I saw the old stone lantern brightly lit.
          (A Doctor’s Journal Entry for August 6, 1945 by Vikram Seth)
(i) What does the poet conclude the flashes to be? What was he doing just before the flashes occurred? [3]
(ii) Describe the scene immediately after this extract? [3]
(iii) What was the weird experience he had? Why did he think it weird? What was the real reason? [3]
(iv) Describe the condition of his wife. What was her name? [3]
(v) Later in the poem the doctor asks his wife to go ahead. Why? What were his feelings after she had gone? [4]

SECTION C – PROSE

Collection of Short Stories

Question 7.

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

No praise was now too high for Alagu and his sense of fairness and justice.
‘This is the true panchayat.’ ‘Alagu has divided truth from falsehood as a swan
separates milk from water.’ ‘Friendship has its place in life, but it cannot
override truth and justice.’ ‘It is only honest men like Alagu who sustain the
earth, or it would have sunk under the ocean long ago.’

(i) Describe briefly why the panchayat was called. [3]
(ii) Why was it that no praise was too high for Alagu? [3]
(iii) What was the verdict passed by Alagu? [3]
(iv) Explain the statement ‘It is only honest men like Alagu who sustain the earth’. [3]
(v) With reference to the end of the story, how was Jumman convinced that the panch speaks the voice of God. [4]

Question 8.

Real happiness does not lie in material possessions or in the knowledge of learning.
Discuss with reference to the story ‘The Bet’. [16]

Animal Farm : George Orwell

Question 9.

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
   

When it was all over, the remaining animals, except for the pigs and the dogs,
     crept away in a body. They were shaken and miserable. They did not know
     which was more shocking – the treachery of the animals who had leagued
     themselves with Snowball, or the cruel retribution they had just
     witnessed……. Since Jones had left the farm, until today, no animal had killed another animal.

(i) Mention the two crimes that the four pigs had just confessed to. As a result what happened to them? [3]
(ii) Who was Snowball? In what way had he deceived the other animals? [3]
(iii) What happened to the other animals who had ‘leagued’ themselves with Snowball? [3]
(iv) Why had Mr. Jones left the farm? Which two persons were willing to take over the farm from the animals? Whom did Napolean favour? [3]
(v) How was the sixth commandment, ‘No animal shall kill any other animal’ modified? Briefly describe any other incident which led to the change in another commandment. [4]
 

Question 10.

Show how Boxer was one of the most hard-working animals on the farm, and describe what happened to him in the end. [16]

To Sir, With Love : E.R. Braithwaite

Question 11.

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

Recently, Mr. Florian had fallen into the habit of dropping in on us and entering
into our discussions, thus adding to them the benefit of his wide and varied
interests and experiences.

(i) Who was Mr. Florian? Mention any two of his ‘wide and varied interests and experiences. [3]
(ii) What did the author learn from Mr. Florian, in the beginning of the story, about why his school was different? [3]
(iii) Why did Mr. Florian raise an objection when the author decided to take the children to the museum? Mention two ways in which he was proved wrong. [3]
(iv) How did Mr. Florian help make the ‘discussions’ more interesting. [3]
(v) Briefly describe one incident which showed that the author had a positive influence on the children. What do you think of the author’s way of treating them? [4]

Question 12.

With close reference to the text, show how the teacher was able to achieve success
with a little determination and patience in areas of their personal hygiene and in how
the boys and girls addressed each other. [16]

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