12th Class PSEB General English Final Board Paper Feb-March 2023 with Solution

Model Test Paper
Class : 12th
Subject : English
Time Allowed : 3hrs
M.M: 80
Section-A
(Reading Comprehension) (16 Marks)
1. a) Read the passage given below and answer the question that follow: (10×1=10)
People often curse poverty as a great evil, and it seems to be an accepted belief that if people only had plenty of money, they would be happy and useful and get more out of life. But the reality is that while palaces give a comfortable life, peace and contentment dwell in cottages. I always pity the sons and daughters of rich parents who are attended by servants and governesses. It is because I know how sweet and happy and pure the home of honest poverty is and how loving and united the members of poor families are in common interests. It is for these reasons that so many strong, eminent and self-reliant men have always sprung from poor families.
Q1.What do the people often think about the poverty?
(a) It is a curse and great evil.
(b) It is a boon of God.
(c) It is a self-created act.
(d) It is a social evil.
Ans: (a) It is a curse and great evil.
Q2.Who are happy according to accepted belief ?
(a) People who have no money.
(b) People who have plenty of money.
(c) People who have a higher education.
(d) People who have no higher education.
Ans: (a) People who have no money.
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Q3. What does the home of poverty provide us?
(a) A life of prosperity.
(b) A sweet, happy and pure home.
(c) A dirty, bad and disturbed life.
(d) A life of dissatisfaction.
Ans: (b) A sweet, happy and pure home.
Q4.Whose members are loving and united ?
(a) Members of poor families.
(b) Members of rich families.
(c) Members of tribal families.
(d) Members of royal families.
Ans: (a) Members of poor families.

Q5. Whose plus points are highlighted in the passage ?
(a) The rich.
(b) The noble,
(c) The honoured.
(d) The poor.
Ans: (d) The poor.
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Q6.Who are attended by servants and governesses?
(a) The kings of the world.
(b) The members of the poor families.
(c) The sons and daughters of rich parents.
(d) None of the above.
Ans: (b) The sons and daughters of rich parents.
7.People do not curse poverty as a great evil (True/False)
Ans: False
8.what is people belief about Money?
Ans:it seems to be an accepted belief that if people only had plenty of money, they would be happy and useful and get more out of life.
9. how ____________________ and __________ the members of poor families are in common interests.
Ans. Loving, United
10. On Whom the writer feel pity?
Ans: The Writer feel pity the sons and daughters of rich parents who are attended by servants and governesses.
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b) Read the following passage and answer the questions given below: (6×1=6)
Health and hygiene go hand in hand. Health refers to a state of sound mind and physically fit body, free from any form of sickness, disorder or ailment. Hygiene refers to the good practices that prevent disease and leads to good health through cleanliness, proper sewage disposal, balanced and nutritious food, regular exericse, proper sleep, pure and fresh air and supply of safe drinking water. The proverb, ‘Health is Wealth’ is truly said of all things in the world.Good health is the most valuable that one can possess. Money is undoubtedly a prized possession, but can it provide pleasure to a ruined health ? As body and mind are closely related, the mind can never be sound and cheerful without sound health. An unhealthy man may have intelligence, merit and wealth but he cannot put them to use and reap their benefits. We must, therefore, adopt proper hygienic measures to preserve and maintain good health. Too much work or exercise, eating or drinking are injurious to health. A regulated life coupled with clear and pure mind makes life worth living. Content by www.thepunjabiclass.com and youtube channel punjabiclass
1.Choose the factors that refer to health:
(a) sound mind
(b) physically fit body
(c) freedom from sickness
(d) drunkenness
Ans: (a) sound mind
(b) physically fit body
(c) freedom from sickness
2. Life can be worth living through:
(a) smoking and drinking
(b) taking drugs
(c) regulated life
(d) healthy body.
Ans: (c) regulated life
(d) healthy body.
3.Which is most valuable thing that one can possess ?
Ans: Good health is the most valuable thing.
4. How can we preserve and maintain good health ?
Ans: We can preserve and maintain good health by adopting proper hygienic measures.
5. Drinking and smoking are injurious ………….. health and ruinous ………….. our economy.
Ans: to, for
6. Match the words under column A with their meanings under column B:
A B
Injurious to prevent from
Preserve harmful for
Benefical to
Ans.
A B
Injurious harmful for
Preserve to prevent from
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Section-B
(Writing Skills, Grammar & Translation) (26 Marks)
2.Precis Writing: Write a Precis of the Following paragraph in your words and give a suitable Title:
English is a language of international commerce it is the language of diplomacy, and it contains many a rich literary treasure, it gives us an introduction to western thought and culture. For a few of us, therefore, knowledge of English is necessary. They can carry on the departments of national commerce and international thought and science. That would be the legitimate use of English whereas today English has usurped the dearest place in our hearts and dethroned our mother-tongues. It is wrong and unnatural due to our unequal relations with Englishmen. The highest development of the Indian mind must be possible without a knowledge of English. It is doing violence to the manhood and specially the womanhood of India to encourage our boys and girls to think that an entry into the best society is impossible without a knowledge of English. It is too humiliating a thought to be bearable. To get rid of the infatuation for English is one of the essentials of Swaraj.
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Ans. PRECIS:
A knowledge of English is necessary. It is a language of national and international trade and diplomacy. It opens the doors of literature, western thought, culture and science. But it should not be given undue importance. India can make progress without English. It is really shameful and foolish to consider a knowledge of English as the highest sign of culture.
Heading : The Place of English
Words of the Original Passage = 178
Words of the Precis = 59

3. Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper complaining against the use of loudspeakers at night.
OR
Write a letter/application to the Postmaster of your town for the change of address.

Write a letter/application to the Postmaster of your town for the change of address.
452,Partap Nagar,
Patiala.
Feb 07, 20….
To
The Postmaster,
Central Town,
Patiala.
Sir,
I want to bring to your kind notice that I have shifted my residence from 201 Mohan Nager, to 452,Partap Nagar,
I had to shift my belongings in a hurry. I could not inform my friends and relatives. It is possible that some of my letters might be written at the previous address. It is, therefore, requested that my letters may kindly be redirected on my new address.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Kultar Singh
OR
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Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper complaining against the use of loudspeakers at night.
785,Central Town,
Ludhiana.
Feb 1, 20….
To
The Editor,
The Tribune,
Chandigarh.
Sir,
I shall be’thankful to you if you publish this letter in your esteemed paper.
The loudspeaker, like most of the inventions of science, is both a blessing and a curse. It is useful at a public meeting. Its use as a handy instrument for commercial propaganda can be tolerated during the day. But its use at night is intolerable. It causes a lot of inconvenience to the sick people. They cannot relax peacefully.
Some people and institutions use the loudspeaker at night as well as in the early hours of the morning. Their noise makes it difficult for one to study or to do any serious work in one’s home. The examinations are fast approaching. It will be greatly appreciated if the use of loudspeakers is banned after 8.30 p.m.
Thanking you,
Yours truly,
Mohinder Partap SIngh
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4.Attempt any one of the following.
Explaining Newspaper Headlines:
SENIOR IAS. OFFICER SACKED FOR NON-PERFORMANCE
OR
Write an e-mail to your friend informing him that you are visiting him next month.
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SENIOR IAS. OFFICER SACKED FOR NON-PERFORMANCE
Ans. ACCORDING TO A PRESS TRUST OF INDIA REPORT, A SENIOR I.A.S. OFFICER HAS BEEN SACKED FROM SERVICE BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DUE TO NON-PERFORMANCE.
OR

Write an e-mail to your friend informing him that you are visiting him next month.

5.(A)Translate the following sentences into Punjabi/Hindi.(any two) 2 × 1 = 2
i. She forgot her purse at home.
ii. Don’t kill animals.
iii. It was pitch dark outside.
i.ਉਹ ਆਪਣਾ ਪਰਸ ਘਰ ਹੀ ਭੁੱਲ ਗਈ ਸੀ।
ii.ਜਾਨਵਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਨਾ ਮਾਰੋ।
iii.ਉਹ ਆਪ ਪਰਸ ਘਰ ਹੀ ਭੁੱਲ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ।
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(B)Translate the following sentences into English.(any two) 2 × 1 = 2
i. ਕੀ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਰਾਏ ਦੇ ਮਕਾਨ ਵਿਚ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਹੋ ? / क्या आप किराए िे मिान मेंरहते हो?
ii. ਗਰੀਬ ਦਾ ਮਜ਼ਾਕ ਨਾ ਉਡਾਉ । /गरीब िा मजाि ना उडाओ।
iii. ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਫੁੱਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਸੇਜ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ । /वह टेडी खीर है।
1.Do you live in a rented house?
ii. Don’t make fun of the poor
iii. Life is not a bouquet of flowers

6. Do as directed (Grammer): (10)
a) Fill in the Blanks with Suitable Determiners:
i. Albany is the capital of _________ New York State. (The/a)
Ans.the
2._________________ apple a day keeps the doctor away. (An/is)
Ans. An
3.____________were drowned (All/Many)
Ans. All
b) Fill in the blanks with (Infinitives, Gerunds and Participles):
i) ………… (hear) a noise, I turned round. (Fill up the blank with a participle)
Ans: Hearing a noise, I turned round.
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ii) ………… (toil) is the lot of mankind. (Fill up the blank with an infinitive)
Ans: To toil or toiling is the lot of mankind.
c) i) he is so slow that he can’t catch her. (use ‘too’)
HE is too Slow that he can’t catch her.
ii) These Fruits are too Cheap to be good (Remove ‘too’)
These Fruits are very Cheap to be good
d) Change the Voice:
i) The old man takes the snuff.
The snuff is taken by the old man.
ii) Does she know you ?
Are you known to her ?
e) CHange the Narration:
i) Ram says to me, “I am going home.”
Ram tells me that he is going home.
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Section-C
(Literature Text Book) (38 Marks)
7.Objective type Questions: 10 × 1 = 10
i) Why was Hassan not noticed by the teacher in the class?
Ans: The teacher did not notice Hassan because he was rarely present.
ii) What introduced Dr. Barnard to the sufferings of the children ?
Ans: He came to know the sufferings of children by his brother’s birth with an abnormal heart.
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iii) Philip became famous by playing one of these marches :
(i) The Cariappa March
(ii) The Washington Post March
(iii) The Manekshaw March.
Ans (ii) The Washington Post March.
iv) The setting up of the Cellular Jail took place in 1920 (True/False)
Ans. False
v) How old was Helen Keller when her autobiography was published?
Ans. 22 Years Old
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vi) The name of the Sultan in the lesson ‘On Giving Advice’ was :
(a) Omar Khayyam
(b) Saddam Hussain
(c) Mahmoud
(d) Fanney Khan
Ans: (c) Mahmoud
vii) What was the name of the bandaged girl ?
Ans: Millie.
viii) Karam Singh’s village was three miles from TaranTaran. True/False
Ans. False
ix) Who was the owner of ‘The Modern Frame Works’ ?
Ans: Datta was its owner
x) Which day is the most difficult for children ? (The School for Sympathy)
Ans: The blind day is the most difficult for children.
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8. a) Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow: (4)
(Attempt any one poem)
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth
i) Name the poet and the poem.
Ans.The name of the poet is Robert Frost and the name of the poem is “The Road Not Taken’
ii) What did the poet see in front of him ?
Ans. He saw that two roads diverged in front of him.
iii) What is the poet sorry about ?
Ans. He is sorry that he could not travel on both the roads.
iv) What is the symbolic meaning of two different paths in the woods ?
Ans. The one path is for the ordinary people. The other less travelled path is for the extraordinary people.
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OR
He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.
When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the ‘nay’ in your own mind.
Nor do you withhold the ‘yes’.
i) Name the poem and its poet.
Ans. The name of the poem is ‘On Friendship and its poet is Kahlil Gibran.
ii) What is the most important thing that one can give to a friend ?
Ans. Love is the most important thing which we can give to a friend.
iii) What do we earn in return when we shower our friend with love ?
Ans. When we shower our friend with love, he also responds.
iv) How is a friend our fireside ?
Ans. By showing sympathy, our friend acts as our fireside.
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b) Give the central idea of one of the poems: 1 × 3 = 3
i) Once upon a Time
ii) On Friendship

Once upon a Time Central Ideas
This poem is a criticism of modern life. The poet satirises the modern man’s hypocrisy and insincerity. His actions do not reflect his feelings. They are a mere pose. He can laugh without being happy. He can shake his right hand with you while picking your pocket with his left hand. He says ‘good-bye’ when he means good riddance’. There are no feelings of love and sincerity in the heart of the modern man. In good old days people were sincere, affectionate and virtuous. The poet glorifies the past simplicity and sincerity in man’s behaviour.
OR
On Friendship Cental Idea
This poem tells us about friendship by praising its virtues and advantages. A friend is a God’s gift to us. A friend is a God’s way of meeting our requirements. He supports us at all times. He shows us sympathy whenever we need it. A friend is free to agree or disagree with us on any point. We do not have to declare our love for our friend. He can read our thoughts even if we do not express them. We can open our heart to a friend and a friend can share our joys and sorrows. When our friend is away from us, we remember him for his best quality. Friendship enables us to strengthen our spiritual bond.Content by www.thepunjabiclass.com and youtube channel punjabiclass

9.Answer the following questions in about 20 to 30 words. (any three) 3 × 2 = 6
1. Why was Hassan not noticed by the teacher in the class? During which days would Hassan show up in the class? ( Hassan’s Attendance Problem)
Ans. Hassan was not noticed by the teacher in the class because he was hardly ever present in the class.
2. What was the millionaire’s trick in borrowing the money? (Thinking out of the Box: Lateral Thinking)
Ans. The millionaire borrowed the loan as he wanted to park his Ferrari car safe for two weeks.
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3. What were the good qualities of the conductor? (On Saying Please)
Ans. The conductor was a very cheerful and good natured man. He was full of patience and never lost his temper.
4. What was the mode of torturing the brave fighters by the Britishers? (Gadhari Babas in Kalapani Jail)
Ans. They were forced to work at the oil mill and whipped in public. They were also kept in dirty cells.
5. Where did the narrator drive the two boys? What made the narrator follow the boys? (Two Gentlemen of Verona)
Ans. He drove them to a village, Poleta which was 30 kms from Verona. The narrator wanted to see whom they were visiting.

10. Answer any two of the following questions in 20 to 30 words: (2 × 2 = 4)
1.What does the author tell about Miss Beam? (The School for Sympathy)
Ans. The author tells us that Miss Beam was a middle-aged, authoritative kindly and understanding woman.
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2.Why did Bholi refuse to marry Bishamber? (Bholi)
Ans. Bholi refused to marry Bishamber because he was a mean, greedy and coward person as her husband.
3. Who were Mann Singh and Karam Singh? Where did Mann Singh go when he got a few days’ leave? (The Bull Beneath the Earth)
Ans. Mann Singh and Karam Singh were two friends.They had worked in the same Regimental Centre. After that they were serving together in a battalion on the Burma front.Karam Singh had joined up earlier and was now a Havildar and Mann Singh had just got to Naik’s rank. Mann Singh went to Karam Singh’s village, Thathi Khara, in Amritsar when he got a few days leave.

11.Answer any one of the following questions in 60 to 70 words: 3
1. What is the theme of the lesson, ‘The Story of My Life’?
or
Draw a brief character sketch of John Philip Sousa.(The March King)

1. What is the theme of the lesson, ‘The Story of My Life’?
Ans. This lesson is based on the theme that even the blind and the deaf can lead a fuller and more adventurous life. A gifted person, even if he is handicapped, can make a worthwhile contribution to society and to the world. Helen Keller was such a person. Despite being blind and deaf she had a remarkable gift for communication. A teacher named Anne Sullivan came to teach her and to reveal to her the mystery of language.Her teacher began to teach her to communicate by spelling words into her hand. She wrote her autobiography ‘The Story of My Life’. Before her education she was like a ship shut in thick fog. Her teacher’s efforts and her own willingness to learn revealed to her the mystery of language. Her life proves the strength of the proverb that the wind and the weather are always on the side of the ablest navigator.
OR
Draw a brief character sketch of John Philip Sousa.(The March King)
Ans. John Philip Sousa was a young boy. His father worked in the brass section of the United States Marine Band. The capital city of Washington (D.C.) was full of bands. Philip loved them. He wanted to become a musician. At the age of seven, he joined a school of music. He liked his studies very much. He learned to play violin. He began to play very well.
He loved to play baseball also. . He was chosen to play violin solo for the annual evening concert of his school. He borrowed a large size shirt from the wife of his music teacher. The wife of the music teacher fitted it on Philip with the help of pins.
The big shirt was pulled loose when the performance. was going on. He ran away from the stage. He was sent to a bakery for three days. He did not like this work. Then again he went to his music teacher. He developed his skill in playing on the violin. Once a circus band leader wanted to take him with him. He offered him a good job in a circus.His father got him recruited as a trainee in the Marine Band. He rose to be the leader of the band. He composed many marches. He became the March King. He became very famous by composing The Washington Post March.
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12.Answer any one of the following questions in 60 to 70 words: 3
1. Justify the title of the story, ‘A Chameleon’.
or
Give a brief character sketch of Chandu. (The Barber’s Trade Union)

Justify the title of the story, ‘A Chameleon’.
Ans.The title of a story should be appropriate. It should throw light on the main events of the story and capture its theme. Chameleon is the title of the story. The Superintendent of Police represents the title. He changes his opinion from time to time.He is walking across the market square. A goldsmith is bitten by a dog. He makes a complaint to the Superintendent of Police. He listens to him attentively. The Superintendent of Police threatens to teach a lesson to those who allow their dogs to run all over the place. He even says that stray dogs must be throttled. He seems to be serious in redressing the complaint of Hryukin.He wants to know the name of the owner of the dog. Soon he comes to know that General Zhigalov is the owner of the dog. This makes him nervous. He starts snubbing Hryukin. He questions him how a tall and heavy man like him was bitten by a small and weak looking dog.It is decided to send the dog to the General. Then the General’s cook comes on the spot. He says that the dog belongs to the General’s brother. He takes away the dog. Obviously the complaint of Hryukin is forgotten by the chameleon of a Superintendent of Police. The title is quite apt.Content by www.thepunjabiclass.com and youtube channel punjabiclass
OR
Give a brief character sketch of Chandu. (The Barber’s Trade Union)
Ans.Chandu is the barber boy of the narrator’s village. He is the main character of the story. He is a close friend of the narrator. The narrator calls him one of the makers of modern India. He organises barbers into a union.He stops going to people’s homes to give them a haircut or shave beards. He refuses to dance to the tune of upper-caste people. Chandu is the narrator’s senior. He takes lead in all matters. He is very fond of his boyish mischiefs.He likes catching wasps. Then he takes out the poison from their tails. He makes them fly by tying their legs with a thread. The narrator considers him the embodiment of perfection. He is an expert at making kites of various designs. Despite his skill in other matters, he is a duffer in learning. He is a member of a low caste. Upper caste people often abused him and insulted him. They did not like the narrator to mix with him.Chandu is self-respecting. He did not like to be insulted by the upper-caste people. He decided to teach them a lesson. He bought a cycle and started shaving people in the town. He set up a barber’s shop. He organised some barbers in villages into a union.They stopped going to people’s homes for haircutting and shaving. They forced the people to come to their shops. We cannot help admiring Chandu for his skill of enterprise.
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