English Language And Literature

SECTION - A
READING – 20 marks

Q1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention. When areas in and around Leh began to experience water shortages, life didn’t grind to a halt. Why? Because Chewang Norphel, a retired civil engineer in the Jammu and Kashmir government came up with the idea of artificial glaciers.

2. Ladakh, a cold desert at an altitude of 3,000-3,500 metres above sea level, has a low average annual rainfall rate of 50mm. Glaciers have always been the only source of water. Agriculture is completely dependent on glacier melt unlike the rest of river/monsoon-fed India. But over the years with increasing effects of climate change, rainfall and snowfall patterns have been changing, resulting in severe shortage and drought situations. Given the severe winter conditions, the window for farming is usually limited to one harvest season.

3. It is located between the natural glacier above and the village below. The one closer to the village and lowest in altitude melts first, providing water during April/May, the crucial
sowing season. Further layers of ice above melt with increasing temperature thus ensuring continuous supply to the fields. Thus, farmers have been able to manage two crops instead
of one. It costs about Rs.1,50,000 and above to create one. 4. Fondly called the “glacier man”, Mr. Norphel has designed over 15 artificial glaciers in and
around Leh since 1987. In recognition of his pioneering effort, he was conferred the Padma Shri by President Pranab Mukherjee, in 2015.

5. There are few basic steps followed in creating the artificial glacier.

6. River or stream water at higher altitude is diverted to a shaded area of the hill, facing north,where the winter sun is blocked by a ridge or a mountain range. At the start of winter/November, the diverted water is made to flow onto sloping hill face through distribution channels. Stone embankments are built at regular intervals which impede the flow of water, making shallow pools and freeze, forming a cascade of ice along the slope. Ice formation continues for 3-4 months resulting in a large accumulation of ice which is referred to as an “artificial glacier”. (349 words)

1.1 Attempt any eight of the following questions on the basis of the passage you have read (1X8=8Marks)

i. Who was Chewang Norphel?
ii. What kind of land form is Ladakh?
iii. Why have Glaciers been the only source of water for Ladakh?
iv. Why has the pattern of snowfall and rainfall changed?
v. How are Glaciers significant for irrigation?
vi. How do farmers manage to grow two crops instead of one?
vii. In which year did President Pranab Mukherjee confer Padma Shri to Mr. Norphel?
viii. How many months does the ice formation continue for?
ix. Find the word in the paragraph 6 which means the same as ‘gathering’?

Q2.Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. Have you ever failed at something so miserably that the thought of attempting to do it again was the last thing you wanted to do?

2. If your answer is yes, then you are “not a robot.” Unlike robots, we human beings have feelings, emotions, and dreams. We are all meant to grow and stretch despite our circumstances
and our limitations. Flourishing and trying to make our dreams come true is great when life is going our way. But what happens when it’s not? What happens when you fail despite all of your hard work? Do you stay down and accept the defeat or do you get up again and again until you are satisfied? If you have a tendency to persevere and keep going then you have what experts call, grit.

3. Falling down or failing is one of the most agonizing, embarrassing, and scariest human experiences. But it is also one of the most educational, empowering, and essential parts of living a successful and fulfilling life. Did you know that perseverance (grit) is one of the seven qualities that have been described as the keys to personal success and betterment in society? The other six are: curiosity, gratitude, optimism, self-control, social intelligence, and zest. Thomas Edison is a model for grit for trying 1,000 plus times to invent the light bulb. If you are reading this with the lights on in your room, you know well he succeeded. When asked why he kept going despite his hundreds of failures, he merely stated that what he had been not failures.
They were hundreds of ways not to create a light bulb. This statement not only revealed his grit but also his optimism for looking at the bright side

4. Grit can be learned to help you become more successful. One of the techniques that helps is mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice that helps the individual stay in the moment by bringing awareness of his or her experience without judgement. This practice has been used to quiet the noise of their fears and doubts. Through this simple practice of mindfulness, individuals have the ability to stop the self-sabotaging downward spiral of hopelessness, despair, and frustration.

5. What did you do to overcome the negative and self-sabotaging feelings of failure? Reflect on what you did, and try to use those same powerful resources to help you today.

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