AHSEC Class 12 English Solved Question Paper 2020 [AHSEC Class 12 Solved Question Papers]

English Solved Question Paper 2020
AHSEC Class 12 Solved Question Papers English

(For both New and Old Course)

Full Marks: 100

Pass Marks: 30

Time: Three hours

The figures in the margin indicate full marks for the questions

SECTION – A (Reading Skill: 10 Marks)

1. Read the following passage carefully:

The next time you take printouts or you throw a paper into the bin, think for a minute as to how many trees have been felled to manufacture something you use so often every day.

Can you take out some time from your everyday routine and devote it to starting a simple recycling programme at your school or your neighbourhood? Not only would you save our planet from the torture of felling greenery, but you would also reduce generation and dumping of waste into the environment.

Using recycled papers conserves natural resources. As our worldwide population grows, the strain of these resources becomes even greater. You can drastically reduce the number of trees cut down for manufacturing paper. In addition to saving landfill space, you cut down on your expenses of trash-disposal. There is a reduction in air pollution caused due to incineration. Making papers from discards instead of trees not only saves forests, but it also reduces energy use by up to three quarters and require4s less than half as much water. Items that are made of paper and may be recycled are called the loose paper, a few examples are paper bags, magazines, newspapers and cardboard egg-trays.

A paper-recycling programme gives a positive image to large corporations or business organizations. Parents can teach their children for importance of recycled paper by bringing about simple changes in their lifestyle. Schools can also train students to make paper products like folders, penholders, material for the display board, lampshades, teaching/learning aids, etc. Students can creatively make their own cards, files, folders, invitation cards and certificates for the school. Working on a paper recycling plant demonstrates the concept of recycling waste into ‘wealth’. The real success of such programmes is visible in the seemingly simple acts like students exchanging books in a new academic session, indirectly saving paper and thereby, trees. This is amazing that only a single sheet is saved by each child; 40,000 trees could be saved per year by students only.

Learning the facts about recycling paper will help you as you fulfill your part to keep the environment green. If we keep your minds focused on the desire to be friendly to our earth and her resources, recycling will become important. After a while, we will be in the habit of recycling the paper that we use in the course of a given day.

On the basis of your reading of passage, answer the following questions:

a) Why do you need to think before you take printouts unnecessarily? 2

Ans: One needs to think before taking unnecessary printouts because the manufacturing of paper involves felling trees (which is a "torture of felling greenery"), and by reducing usage, you also reduce the generation and dumping of waste into the environment.

b) Name some of the products that can be obtained from recycled paper.              2

Ans: The passage mentions that students can be trained to make:

- Folders

- Penholders

- Material for the display board

- Lampshades

- Teaching/learning aids

- Also, cards, files, invitation cards and certificates for the school.

c) How can parents and schools help in creating awareness about paper recycling?            2

Ans: Parents can teach their children the importance of recycled paper by bringing about simple changes in their lifestyle.

Ans: Schools can train students to make paper products like folders, penholders, and teaching/learning aids, and encourage them to creatively make their own cards, files, and certificates.

d) How can students help in saving trees indirectly?          2

Ans: Students can help in saving trees indirectly through seemingly simple acts like exchanging books in a new academic session. The passage notes that if only a single sheet is saved by each child, 40,000 trees could be saved per year by students only.

e) Give a synonym of ‘conserve’.                               1

Ans: The synonym used in the passage is save.

f) Find a word in the passage which means “the destruction of something, especially waste material by burning”. 1

Ans: The word is incineration.

SECTION – B (Advanced writing Skills: 25 Marks)

2. You are Gautam/Geeta, General Secretary of Radhakrishnan College, Guwahati. Your college is organizing an educational trip to Delhi during the summer vacations. Write a notice for the college notice board giving all the details of the trip. (Word Limit: 50 words) 5

Ans.

Radhakrishnan College, Guwahati

1^st November, 2025

NOTICE: Educational Trip to Delhi

Our college is organizing an educational trip to Delhi as per the following details:

Date: 01/2/2026 To 15/2/2026

Charges: Rs. 4000 per head (Including travelling expenses, board and lodging)

Those who want to join this educational trip should give their names to the undersigned on or before 25/01/2026. A no-objection note by the parents is a must.

Gautam

General Secretary

Or

Design a poster in not more than 50 words to create awareness about the safety measures to be taken during an earthquake.  5

3. A team of twenty students from Japan visited your school as part of a cultural exchange programme. A special welcome assembly was organized for them. Write a report about the same in 100 – 125 words for your school magazine. 10

Or

The students of the local college have organized a campaign on ‘Say on to Plastic’ in your town. Prepare a report in 100 – 125 words to be published in an English daily.       10

Ans:

SECTION – C (Grammar: 20 Marks)

5. Change the form of the narration in the following sentences: 2x2=4

a) Alexander said to Porus, “How do you desire to be treated?” He answered, “Like a king.”

Ans: Alexander asked Porus How you desired to be treated. He answered that he desired to be treated like a king.

b) The boys exclaimed in joy that they had all passed the test and that they would celebrate their success the next day.

Ans: The boys said, "Hurrah! we have all passed the test. ‘’we shall all celebrate our success tomorrow".

6. Change the voice of any three of the following sentences:        1x3=3

a) The nurse is looking after this little girl.

Ans: This little girl is being looked after by the nurse.

b) Morning shows the day.

Ans: The day is showed by morning. Or It is said that morning shows the day.

c) The glass has not been broken by anybody.

Ans: Nobody has broken the glass.

d) What causes an earthquake?

Ans: By what an earthquake is. caused?

e) The ground has to be cleared by us.

Ans: We have to clean the ground.

f) The Governor gave him a reward.

Ans: A reward was given to him by the Governor.

7. Rewrite any five of the following sentences using the verbs given in brackets in their correct tense forms: 1x5=5

a) My brother (practise) law these days.

Ans: Practices

b) The patient (die) before the doctor reached.

Ans: had died

c) You (sleep) when I entered the room.

Ans: were sleeping

d) She (come) here the day after tomorrow.

Ans: will come

e) They (win) the match.

Ans: won

f) We (visit) the Taj Mahal last year.

Ans: visited

8. Rewrite any four of the following sentences filling in the blanks with appropriate prepositions: 1x4=4

a) The ship is sailing _______ the shore.

Ans: towards

b) Cut the rope _______ a knife.

Ans: with

c) I am taller than you _______ two inches.

Ans: by

d) There was a bridge _______ the river.

Ans: over

e) We depend _______ you.

Ans: on

f) He begged _­­­­___ help from me.

Ans: for

g) I do not believe _______ his honesty.

Ans: in

9. Rewrite any four of the following sentences as directed:            1x4=4

a) Why waste time in this fruitless occupation? (Make in assertive)

Ans: I should not waste time in this fruitless occupation.

b) It is often difficult to speak the truth. (Make it negative without changing the meaning)

Ans: It is often not easy to speak the truth.

c) Being ill, he could not attend school. (Make it a compound sentence)

Ans: He was ill so that he could not attend school.

d) On seeing the lion, he ran away. (Make it a complex sentence)

Ans: As soon as he saw the lion he ran away.

e) The students who are good do their homework regularly. (Make it a simple sentence)

Ans: Good students do their homework regularly.

f) Atul is the best boy in the class. (Change it into positive degree)

Ans: No other boy in the class is as good as Atul.

SECTION – D (Text books: 45 Marks)

10. Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow:

a)    “Now we will count to twelve

And we will all keep still.

Fit once on the face of the Earth

Let’s not speak in any language,

Let’s stop for one second,

And not move our arms so much.”

Question:

1. How long does the poet want to stay still?       1

Ans. The poet wants to stay still until everyone counts to twelve.

2. Why does he ask us to keep still and not use any language?      2

Ans. There are only twelve-hour signs on the clock to measure hours. Therefore, he asks us to count until the clock measures those hours.

3. What does the poet mean by ‘not move our arms so much’?   1

Ans: Ans. The poet means that we should not involve in any physical activity.

Or

b)    “Sometimes I feel myself I can hardly bear

The thought of so much childish longing in vain,

The sadness that lurks near the open window there,

That waits all day in almost open prayer

For the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car.”

Questions:

1. What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to? Why is it ‘in vain’?  1+1=2

Ans. The poet thinks that the people who are running the roadside stand suffer from a childish longing. The childish longing the poet refers to in ‘A Roadside Stand’ is the simple desire of the roadside stand sellers to sell their products. They wait beside the open window the whole day and pray for customers to turn up. This childish longing is in vain as nobody passing by buys from their stand.

2. Who waits near the open window?     1

Ans: The people who are running the roadside stand waits near the open window.

3. What does the person waiting near the open window pray for?              1

Ans: The person waiting near the open window pray for customers to turn up.

11. Answer any three of the following questions in 30 – 40 words:           2x3=6

a) What is the message that Keats wants to convey through “A Thing of Beauty”?

Ans. The poem, 'A Thing of Beauty' leaves with the message that a thing of beauty is a joy forever. The memories of a beautiful thing continue to gladden our hearts and inspire us in the journey of life. A beautiful thing will never fade away, but its loveliness will increase with time. Despite the burdens, troubles and sufferings in life, a thing of beauty will uplift and inspire us to lead and love life.

b) What do you young sprinting trees signify in the poem, “My Mother at Sixty-Six”?

Ans. The poet was driving a car with her mother. When she looked at the trees, they appeared to be 'sprinting because the car was speeding past in the opposite direction. The 'young trees' represented life in contrast to her mother's approaching death. It signifies a zeal and enthusiasm for life.

c) Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’ in the poem, “My Mother at Sixty-Six”?

Ans. The poet compares her mother's face to a late winter's moon. Just as a 'late winter's moon' looks colourless and dull because of mist and fog, the poet's mother's face looks pale and lacks shine due to old age. Moreover, winter is the last season, and old age is the last phase of life.

d) What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem “Keeping Quiet”?

Ans. The sadness that Neruda talks about in ‘Keeping Quiet’ is the sorrow of not understanding ourselves. We go about life rather mechanically without knowing what we like or what we want to do. We are immensely busy in achieving materialistic things which ultimately leads to sadness. We can understand ourselves only if we stop all our actives for moments and do some quiet introspection.

e) What is ‘in the news’ as mentioned in the poem “A Roadside Stand”?

Ans. It is in the news that the pitiful kin are to be bought out and gathered in mercifully. They would be settled in villages next to the theatre and the store. Their places will be taken over by the rich and the cunning people. The villagers ‘won’t have to think for themselves anymore’. The greedy and cruel exploiters will dominate them.

15. Answer any one of the following question in 125 – 150 words:           7x1=7

a) Compare and contrast the stories of Zitkala-Sa and Bama.

Ans. Two women Zitkala-Sa and Bama, both from marginalised communities look back on their childhood days and reflect on their relationship with mainstream culture. Zitkala is a Native American born in the late 19th century whereas Bama is a contemporary Tamil Dalit writer.  Zitkala-Sa is a victim of racial discrimination. and Bama has witnessed caste discrimination

Zitkala-Sa was a young Native American in a boarding school. People from her community grew their hair and kept long, thick hair. It was a matter of pride for them to keep long hair. Only mourners wore short hair and cowards had shingled hair. Unskilled warriors who were captured had their hair shingled by the enemy. Regardless of her feelings or opinion in the matter, she was hunted down like an animal, when she had concealed herself to protect her hair. She was dragged out from her hiding place, under the bed and forcibly carried downstairs and tied up in a chair, after which her hair was cut off. She loses her spirit when one of her thick braids is cut off.

Bama saw the landlord practise untouchability against an important elderly person from her community. The man had been asked to bring vadais, and he was carrying it in such a way that his hands did not touch the package. He was holding the package by its string. Bama was too young to understand that what she saw was an act of discrimination. She found it funny and told her brother about what she had seen. Her brother was not amused and enlightened her about the discrimination against them because they were Dalits and the others thought that they would be polluted if they touched them. On hearing this, Bama is deeply sad and also angered at this distinction. She follows her brother's advice to study hard and learn all that she could to progress in life to overcome the disadvantages of being born in a particular community.

 Both the stories are narrated in the first person, and we feel the anguish experienced by the writers as they faced discrimination.

Or

b) Give an elaborate account of the celebration associated with Uruka, the important part of Magh Bihu.

Ans. Uruka is celebrated on the eve of Bihu. Women make preparations for the next day with chira, pita, laru, curd etc. There are works to be done like fuel to be gathered, fish to be caught from ponds or streams and meat to be got. The tribal women prepare undistilled rice beer, which in winter requires four to five days to mature. Temple, like structures have to be built in the fields. These are made with green bamboo, dried banana leaves and hay. They are temple shaped and called meji. The hut-like structure is called Bhelaghar. Cowherds make use of these bhelaghars at night, warming themselves by a fire and using the vegetables stolen from villagers' gardens, along with the eatables that are given to them. Uruka feasting may be enjoyed with family or community. The day after the evening feast, a family member ties thin strips of bamboo, jute or hay around fruit trees at the crack of dawn.  After this, they call out to the dogs and offer them rice. Women clean the house and the cooking utensils. Everybody takes a purifying bath and puts on clean clothes. Men and children go to the mejis and bhelaghars to offer eatables to Agni, the fire god. After this, chanting the name of God, the structures are set on fire, with the flames giving warmth to the people shivering from the cold. Brahmins or elderly persons put ash marks on the forehead of people and bless them.  The half-burnt bamboo sticks are scattered in the fields and pieces are also thrown near the fruit trees. It is believed that this increases the fertility of the fields and gardens. After the mejis and bhelaghars are burnt, a hymn singing session is held to the accompaniment of kettle drums and cymbals. Chira, pita and curd are consumed for lunch instead of the usual rice and curry. There are other special preparations also made for the occasion.

16. Answer any four of the following questions in 30 – 40 words:  2x4=8

a) How did the hundredth tiger take its revenge on the tiger king?

The king was killed by the wooden toy tiger, the hundredth tiger. An unskilled carving left tiny wooden slivers on the toy. One quill pierced the Maharaja’s right hand, causing a severe infection that spread across his arm. Surgeons failed to save him, and he died. Thus, the hundredth tiger took its final revenge.

b) Why did the messenger come to Dr. Sadao?

Ans: The messenger had come to Dr Sadao’s house to inform him that the old General was in pain again and had to be attended to. When Hana first saw the uniformed messenger, she got frightened, for she thought that he had come to arrest her husband for harbouring an enemy in their house.

c) How did Mr. Lamb try to give courage and confidence to Derry?

Ans. To remove Derry's baseless fears, Mr. Lamb tells him a story about a man who was afraid of everything in the world. He was afraid that things would go wrong, and the worst would happen. He locked himself up in his room to be safe. A picture hanging on the wall fell on his head and killed him. Derry is amused at this story and laughs.

d) Why did it take Bama to reach home in 30 minutes instead of 10 minutes?

Ans: The bazaar, on the way home, was always buzzing with activity. The snake charmer, street plays, puppet shows, and stunt performance were a few interesting things going on there. Bama used to love all these things. Due to this reason, it took Bama thirty minutes to cover a ten-minute distance.

e) How did Annan explain the elder man’s action to Bama?

Ans. Annan explained to Bama that the elderly man wasn’t being funny when he carried the packet by the string. He did it as people believed that they were upper castes and the touch of Dalits would pollute them. Hence he had to carry the package without touching it.

f) What are the different sports held on the occasion of Magh Bihu or Maghar Domahi?

Ans.  An interesting feature of Magh Bihu is the conduct of sports like wrestling, racing, jumping, buffalo fighting and egg fighting. In earlier times, it was customary to have martial games like sword play and javelin throw. Young people used to practise earnestly for the events, weeks ahead.

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