Class 12 English (Core) Exam Today’s Term 2 Question Paper & Answer Key

English (Core) (Class 12) Term 2 Question Paper 2022

1. Read the passage given below :

1. Very often, we do not take the first step towards a good cause because we say to ourselves, "The task is so big. What can I do alone ?" So nothing gets done. There is much talk about environmental protection, air pollution and saving our forests. Do we really care? If we do, here are a few things we can do to make our surroundings more pleasant.

2. It is good to adopt a two-uses-attitude! By putting an article to a second use, we are giving it a longer lease of life and using up less raw material from nature. One of the worst things we do is the abuse of paper. The clean sides of envelopes can be used to write small notes, lists and reminders around the house. The more paper we use, the more trees will have to be cut down. For the same reason, we should avoid the use of paper napkins or paper plates. Cloth napkins are just as good, for they can be washed and used over and over again.

3. Another area which needs the most urgent attention is effective garbage disposal. People who are conscious about it follow rules and laws strictly. As a result, their neighbourhoods are clean and beautiful. Similarly, each one of us can contribute to a cleaner environment.All kitchen waste should be collected separately. Those of you who have green fingers can turn this into valuable manure. Dig a pit and put the klitchen waste into it, When the pit is a little over half full, cover it up with mud. Let nature do the rest, Within three or six months,\we will have a good garden manure. It can also be done as a community project by digging a large pit in the colony). Do take help of all the members, for nothing succeeds like co-operation.

4. A lot of people don't care about the environment because they don't understand the adverse effect that society has on it. It is important to convince people to care about the environment. The first step would be to convince people to change by providing simple alternative solutions and ways' of doing things. The internet is a powerful tool and a group on social media of like-minded people can be formed. People can share environmental stories and issues, as well as pool in solutions and alternatives to educate one another. With the current state that our planet is in, it is imperative that people actively care about the environment and most importantly to act now.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer ANY EIGHT questions from the nine given below :

(i) Why don't we take the first step towards a good cause ?

Ans: We do not take the first step towards a good cause because we generally feel that the task is too big and we cannot do anything alone. This way nothing gets done.

(ii) What is a two-uses-attitude ?

Ans : This means putting an article to a second use giving it a longer lease of life by utilising less material from nature.

(iii) What can we do to avoid the abuse of paper ? (any two points)

Ans: We can use the clean sides of any used paper like the clean sides of an envelope can be used to write small notes, lists and reminders around the house.

(iv) What is the result of an effective way of garbage disposal ?

Ans: An effective garbage disposal ensures a cleaner neighbourhood and a cleaner environment.

(v) What procedure can one adopt for kitchen waste ?

Ans: All the kitchen waste should be collected separately. Those who have green fingers can turn the kitchen waste into manure. They can dig a pit and put kitchen waste into it. Then when it is half full put some mud over it and let nature do the rest.

(vi) How can making of garden manure be done as community project ?

Ans : The people of an area can covert make green manure into a community project by digging an making large pit in the colony and then throwing kitchen waste into it covering it with mud collectively after it is half full.

(vii) How long does it take to make good garden manure ?

Ans : It takes 3-6 months to make good garden manure

(viii)Select a suitable word from the passage which means — being concerned or interested. (Para 3)

Ans : The word from para 3 can be attention

(ix) Pick out the word from the passage which means — completely necessary ? (Para 4)

Ans :Imperative

2. Read the passage below :

1. Our history makes it evident that the Indian Plastics Industry made a vigorous beginning in 1957 but it took more than 30 years for it to pervade Indian lifestyles. In 1979, 'the market for plastics' was just being seeded by the state-owned Indian Petro-Chemicals and it was only in 1994 that plastic soft drink bottles became a visible source of annoyance.

2. In the same year, people in other cities were concerned about the state of public sanitation and also urged regulatory bodies to ban the production, distribution and use of plastic bags. However the challenge was greater than it appeared at first.

3. The massive generation of plastic waste in India is due to rapid urbanisation, spread of retail chains, plastic packaging from grocery to food and vegetable products, to consumer items and cosmetics. The projected high growth rates of GDP and continuing rapid urbanisation suggest that India's trajectory of plastic consumption and plastic waste is likely to increase.

4. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report of 2018, India stands among few other countries like France, Mongolia and several African countries that have initiated total or partial national-level bans on plastics in their jurisdictions. On World Environment Day in 2018, India vowed to phase out single-use plastics by 2022, which gave a much needed impetus to bring this change.

5. In this context, thereafter ten states (Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu) are currently sending their collected waste to cement plants for co-processing, twelve other states/UTs are using plastic waste for polymer bitumen road construction and still four other states are using the plastic waste for waste-to-energy plants and oil production. A world of greater possibilities has now opened up to initiate appropriate and concrete actions to build up the necessary institutions and systems before oceans turn, irreversibly into a thin soup of plastic.

6. However there is no one single masterstroke to counter the challenges witnessed by the staggering plastic waste management in the country. The time is now to formulate robust and inclusive National Action Plans and while doing so, the country will establish greater transparency to combat the plastic jeopardy in a more sustainable and holistic way.

Based on your understanding of the passage answer ANY SIX out of the seven questions given below :

i. What does the writer mean by 'visible source of annoyance' ?

Ans: The writer means that only in 1994 the plastic bottles could be seen in such numbers that it became annoying for the common man. Earlier it was not much of a nuisance.

ii. Why did people demand a ban on plastics ?

Ans: People were concerned about public sanitation which is why they demanded a ban on plastics.

iii. What created a demand for plastics in India ?

Ans: Rapid urbanization, the spread of retail chains, plastic packaging from grocery to food and vegetable products to consumer items and cosmetics.

iv. With reference to the graph write one conclusion that can be drawn about the production of plastics in 2019 (approximately).

Ans: It suggests that India’s trajectory of plastic production was increasing.

What accelerated the plastic waste in India ?

v. What does the upward trend of the graph indicate ?

Ans : India's trajectory of plastic consumption and waste would increase.

How are certain states in India recycling plastic waste, productively ?

vi. What does the line, oceans turning 'irreversibly into a thin soup 1 of plastic', suggest ?

Ans : It means that there is a lot of plastic floating in the oceans. 

vii. What step must be taken to combat the challenges of plastic waste management ? What will be its impact ?

Ans : Ten states of India are sending their plastic collected waste to cement plants for co-processing, 12 other states are using plastic waste for polymer bitumen road construction and others use it for waste to energy plants and oil production.

Its impact would be seen on oceans with less plastic waste and would help combat plastic jeopardy in a sustainable & holistic way.

SECTION B — WRITING

3. Mr. and Mrs. Agarwal of Pushp Farms, Kolkata, are hosting a party on the 3 occasion of the twenty-first birthday of their daughter, Vinita. Write a letter of invitation to Sonakshi, their niece, giving details of the date, time and venue in about 50 words.

4. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below : 4A. You are Chitra/Chetan Deshpande, residing at Akash Nagar, Agra. You 5 come across the following classified advertisement in the newspaper. Write a letter, in about 120-150 words, applying for the position of a computer teacher at Sunrise Global School, Agra.

SITUATION VACANT WANTED a qualified computer teacher for Sunrise Global School, Agra. Applicant must be post graduate in Computer Science with minimum 3 years of work experience. Mention additional skills and interests. Apply with full particulars within a week to the Principal, Sunrise Global School, Agra.

4B. You are Sunil/Megha, School Leader of Sudheer Public School, 5 Chennai. On the completion of 25 years of meritorious service to the cause of education, your school celebrated its Silver Jubilee with great pomp and show. The celebrations lasted three days and in the true tradition of the school, each day was devoted to a noble cause of service. Special attention was paid to Children With Special Needs, Old Age Homes and Orphanages. Students shared experiences of voluntary service and the Theatre Club put up short skits highlighting social concerns. Write a report in 120-150 words about the event to be published in your school magazine.

SECTION C — LITERATURE

5. Attempt ANY FIVE of the six questions given below within 40 words each :

i. The iron master accuses the peddler of not being quite honest. What does the peddler say to justify the situation ? ii. Gandhi effectively managed to redress the problems of the indigo sharecroppers with the Lieutenant Governor. What did he achieve ?

iii. Explain the irony at the end of the poem, 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers'.

Ans: Irony: It is ironical that Aunt Jennifer's creations- the tigers will continue to pace and prance freely, while Aunt herself will remain terrified even after death, ringed by the ordeals she was controlled by in her married life.

iv. After mother Skunk and Roger Skunk return home, she hugs him before he sleeps. What does this show about mother Skunk ? v. How did Mr. Lamb's conversation and company change Derry's desire to isolate himself from the world ? vi. How did Evans manage to smear himself with blood ? What effect did it have on the officers ?

6. Answer ANY TWO of the following in about 120-150 words each :

i. In Edla's dealing with the peddler, she was compassionate and generous. Discuss with reference to the story 'The Rattrap'. ii. Gandhi not only alleviated the economic conditions of the 4 Champaran people but also their social and cultural background. Justify. iii. Justify the title of the lesson 'On The Face Of It'.