HSC Arts (English Medium) 12th Standard Board Exam - Maharashtra State Board Important Questions for English

Look at the following web chart and write a short paragraph based on it in about 120 words. Suggest a suitable title:

(A) Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:
   Chronic floods during the monsoon, on average, affect more than 30 million Indians annually Ironically, 60% of India's farmland, 66% of its livestock and its entire forest area depend on rains for survival.
   According to a recently released Central Water Commission (CWC) report, on an average, 7·21 million hectares (roughly 72,000 sq. km.) go under floodwater. This water typically ravages 3·78 million hectares of agricultural land, damaging crops worth Rs. 1, 118 crores annually.
   Heavy rains and floods account for nearly 1,700 lives lost annually. Apart from this, I ·25 lakh houses are annually damaged by torrential rains that also wipe out nearly 96,000 livestock.
   Floods are the most recurrent natural calamity, hitting India almost every year. According to the CWC's report on financial aspects of flood control, anti-sea erosion and drainage projects, it is not possible to provide absolute protection instantly to all flood-prone areas. It says that such an attempt will neither be practical nor economically viable.
   The CWC's analysis of floods in India from 1953 to 2011 shows a marginal decline in flood-affected areas over the years, the data shows 1977 1978 and 1979 were the worst-hit. The 1977 floods killed over 11,000 people, six-time the average for the 59 years, between 1953 and 2011. In terms of area and population affected, the floods of 1978 were the most destructive.
  In terms off the financial loss, recent floods have been far more destructive. The total loss of crops, houses and public utilities in 2009 was Rs. 32541 crores, the highest for any year.

Question
(1) What is the above extract about?

(2) How do floods adversely affect India?

(3) Why is it not possible to provide absolute protection to all flood-prone areas?

(4) How would you help the flood-affected people?

(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :
(i) The floods of 1978 were the most destructive.
(Change the sentence into the 'positive degree'.)
(ii) Floods are the most recurrent natural calamity hitting India almost every year.
(Make it a complex sentence.)
(iii) Floods have been far more destructive.
(Rewrite the sentence using the Simple Present tense.)

(6) Give the meanings of:
(i) entire
(ii) calamity

(B) Write a brief summary of the above extract with the help of the points given below and suggest a suitable title.
Floods - natural, recurrent calamity in India - destroy life and property - no absolute protection - neither practical nor economically viable- floods in 1977 and 1978. 

(A) Read the following extract and answer the questions given below :
Oil is one of the world's major sources of energy. We depend on it as fuel for heating, transport, and generation of power.
For centuries, animal and vegetable oils have been used for cooking and as a source of artificial light. But it is mineral oil which meets most of the world's needs today.
Crude mineral oil comes out of the earth as a thick brown or black liquid with a strong smell. It is a complex mixture of many different substances, each with its own individual qualities. Most of them are combinations of hydrogen and carbon in varying proportions. Such hydrocarbons are also found in other forms such as bitumen, asphalt and natural gas. Mineral oil originates from the carcasses of tiny animals and from plants that live in the sea. Over millions of years, these dead creatures form large deposits under the sea bed and ocean currents cover them with a blanket of sand and silt. As this material hardens, it becomes sedimentary rock and effectively shuts out the oxygen so preventing the complete decomposition of the marine deposits underneath. The layers of sedimentary rock become thicker and heavier. Their pressure produces heat, which transforms the tiny carcasses into crude oil in a process that is still going on today.
The earth's crust is split into a few hu·ge continental plates which move continuously rather like rafts on a sluggish tide. Geologists call this rnoven1ent as 'continental drift'.

(1) What does the extract ·tell us about?

(2) In which form does crude mineral oil come out of the earth and from what does it originate?

(3) How is 'continental drift' formed?

(4) According to you, how can we stop the excessive use of energy?

(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :
(i) Oil is one of the world's major sources of energy.
(Rewrite it as a negative sentence without changing its meaning.)

(ii) As this material hardens, it becomes sedimentary rock.
(Make it a compound sentence.)

(iii) Geologists call this movement 'con·tinental drift'.
(Frame a 'Wh-question' to get the underlined part as an answer.)

(6) Give the antonyms from the extract for :
(i) artificial
(ii) lighter

(B) Write·a brief summary of the above extract with the help of the points given below and suggest a suitable title.
Oil as a source of energy - our dependence - types of oil -mineral oil origin of crude oil formation of crude oil-farming of sedimentary rocks - continental drift

Do as directed :

He wanted to become _____ artist and live in ____ Himalayas.
(Fill in the blanks with the appropriate articles.)

Do as directed :

 She was able to talk ____ the group______ her experience.
(Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.)

Do as directed:

"Why are you crying?" said the woman to a little boy.
"I want a balloon," he said.
(Change it into Indirect Speech.)

Fill in the blank with appropriate article
J.R.D. Tata was an amazing personality. He always helped _______ poor in the country.

Do as directed :
They stood_______ silence as a mark honour to her._______
(Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.)

Do as directed :
 ''Where are you going?'' he asked. ''Pune, Sir, my husband is starting a company called Infosys and I'm shifting to Pune.''
(Change it into Indirect speech.)

Do as directed:
Rewrite the following sentence using the appropriate prepositions :
One of the things that distinguishes man....... other animals is the power........... speech.

Do as directed:
Change the following into indirect speech:
Mother said, “Sunita, what did you buy from the market?” She said, “I bought a dictionary.”

Do as directed :

 When earthquake strikes, world trembles.
(Insert appropriate articles wherever necessary and rewrite it.)

Do as directed : 

I spent my holiday _______ some friends ________ a wooden house.
(Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions.)

Do as directed :

Radha said to the teacher, “I feel very happy to help my mother at home.”
(Change it into indirect speech.)

Read the following extract carefully and present the information in the form of notes with the help of the given clues :
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was the first Vice President and second President of India.
He was a teacher, a philosopher and 'an author. He had introduced the thinking of Western idealist philosophers like Plato, Plontinus, Bergson into Indian thought.
He was born on 5th of September, 1888 in a poor Brahmin family. As his father could not afford his education expenses, Radhakrishnan supported most of his education
through scholarships. He completed his B.A. and M.A. with majors in philosophy. He went on to become a professor of philosophy. He showed that Indian Philosophy, once translated into standard academic jargon, is worthy of being called philosophy by Western standards.
He thus, placed Indian Philosophy on world map.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan had established a strong relationship with the Soviet Union when he w Is appointed as the ambassador to the Soviet Union.
He has been honoured with many awards for his achievements nationally and internationally. He was honoured with the Bharat Ratna in 1954. He is also acknowledged with the Templeton Prize, Peace Prize of German Book Trade, Order of Merit and many other honours.
Title : Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Birth : 5th September, 1888
Qualifications : B.A. ___________
Introduced thinking of : _________,_________and ____ into Indian thought.
Work : Translated_____________ into standard____________
Ambassador : __________________________________
Honours : National___________
                International Order of Merit

Letter Writing :
Write a letter of application in response to the following advertisement with the help of the given C. V. (Resume):                 

C. V. (Resume)

Name :Aruna Anil Shinde
Address : Bl-104, Rose Parade, S. B. Road, Nagpur.
Educational Qualifications :

Other qualifications : Successfully completed
Computer Diploma from NIIT, Nagpur 2014.
Work Experience : Worked as the Purchase Officer in
Login Private Ltd., Nagpur.
Interest/Hobbies : Reading, music, swimming, chess.
Languages Known: English, Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati.

Write a letter to the Editor of a Newspaper drawing attention to the noise pollution in your locality. Suggest some solutions.

Write a short tourist's leaflet about any Hill Station that you know with the help of
the following points :
• How to reach there
• Accommodation facilities
• What to see
• Shopping attractions
• Anything special about the place.

Imagine that your college arranged a Cleanliness Drive in which your Principal, social activist, the local MLA, doctors, teachers and students participated on a large scale. The event was a grand success as it made people aware of cleanliness and social hygiene. Prepare a short report for your college magazine with the help of the following points :
Venue, chief guddest, inauguration, unique participation, and conclusion.

Read the following tree diagram about 'Morphemes' and write a short paragraph on it.