Students of class 12 English should refer to MCQs Class 12 English The Interview with answers provided here which is an important chapter in Class 12 English NCERT textbook. These Multiple Choice Questions have been prepared based on the latest CBSE and NCERT syllabus for Class 12 English. The following MCQs can help you to practice and get better marks in the upcoming class 12 english examination

Question. What does the poet compare the colour of walls with?
A) rotten vegetables
B) sour cream
C) rotten fruits
D) stale chapatis

Question. What does the poet compare in the poem?
A) generation gaps
B) rich (haves) poor children (have nots)
C) old age and childhood
D) the young and old

Question. What do Catacombs signify ?
A) confinement to the slums, the maps being irrelevant
B) importance of the school
C) death
D) relevance of the map hanging on the wall of the classroom

Question. What does the poet portray in the poem
A) young minds
B) questions of children
C) the plight of young children in the slum
D) playfulness of the children

Question. What theme did the poet concentrate on in the poem?
A) theme of insecurities
B) themes of social injustice and class inequalities
C) theme of children and their happiness
D) none

Question. What do the words “ Their future is painted with fog” convey ?
A) no love and care
B) no hope of improvement
C) no warmth
D) no hard work

Question. What kind of life do the children living in slums have?
A) hopeless and full of struggle
B) full of care and warmth
C) full of love
D) all of these

Question. Which among the following children is not described in the poem,
“An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum”?
A) A dreamy boy.
B) A boy with an inherited disease.
C) A boy whose skin is as white as paper.
D) A girl overburdened with stress.

Question. How has the attitude of the rich towards the poor been highlighted by Spender.
A) They are the ones responsible for the suffering of the poor.
B) They want to use the poor people for their own benefits.
C) They are eager to share resources but without strategies.
D) They have no place for the poor in their heart.

Question. Knowledge is power. What deprives the slum children from getting good knowledge?
A) Their ill health.
B) Unavailability of resources.
C) Cramped atmosphere.
D) Neglect by authorities.

Question. Who is not to be held responsible for the upliftment of the children of the elementary school in the slum?
A) Politicians.
B) Inspectors.
C) Governors.
D) Government officials.

Question. What are the poetic devices used in the poem?
A) alliteration and simile
B) synecdoche and irony
C) metaphor and imagery
D) all of these

Question. What is ironical about the wall paintings hanging and donations in the classroom?
A) set up in gloomy set up
B) completely opposite to the needs of the children in the classroom
C) set up in very clean environment
D) set up in happy environment

Question. What do the faces of children in the slum areas reflect?
A)their aspiration
B) their energy
C) happiness
D) sadness and lack of enthusiasm

Question. This poem expresses Spender’s ideological position on __________
A) Stopping donations of beautiful things to slum classroom.
B) Giving treatment to ailing school children.
C) Creating pollution free slums.
D) Government’s apathy to poor slum dwellers.

Question. The word ‘reciting’ in “reciting a father’s gnarled disease, His lesson” is a pun because __________
A) It expresses the boy’s inclination towards his father’s disease as well as his lesson.
B) It expresses the boy’s immunity to his father’s disease and his effort in studies.
C) It expresses the boy’s inability to cope with the present situation.
D) It expresses the idea of rote learning and not quality education.

Question. The movement of the slum children has been described as ‘slyly’ because ___________
A) They are too shy and don’t mix up with others.
B) They live like rodents in their cramped space.
C) They have become thieves as they are deprived of various facilities.
D) They keep hiding from the world’s eyes.

Question. The tall girl with her head weighed down means the girl ___________
A) Has a disease of the neck.
B) Is ill and exhausteD)
C) Is looking untidy with uncombed hair.
D) Is ashamed of her poverty.

Question. Which of the following issues has the poet not highlighted in the poem, “An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum”
A) Good education is a must for development.
B) Slum children are deprived of opportunities and good health.
C) Concerned officials should come forward to change the life of these children.
D) Social inequalities are created by the politicians.

Question. Which of the following statements is closest to Stephen Spender’s opinion?
A) Rich and poor alike should have the privilege of God’s natural gifts.
B) Poor people suffer because of the malice of the rich.
C) Slum children have no future and therefore should accept their fate.
D) A nation’s future is built in the classrooms.

Question. What would the children break?
A) Buildings
B) Hutments
C) The barriers which separate them from the world outside.
D) The photo of Shakespeare.

Question. What does the map represent?
A) World of the rich and powerful.
B) World of the destitute.
C) World of the slum school children.
D) World of impoverished people.

Question. What does white and green leaves signify?
A) Pages of books and the nature
B) Trees which have white and green leaves
C) Dry leaves and fresh leaves
D) A book which has white and green pages

Question. What does ‘gusty waves’ suggest in the poem?
A) a wind that disturbs everything
B) disturbing situations
C) opportunities and developments of the modern world
D) environment in the slum

Question. Why is the image of ‘rootless weeds’ used?
A) to indicate the children’s malnourished body
B) to indicate their uncertain future
C) to show their lack of education
D) to show their poverty

Question. Identify the literary device in ‘whose language is the sun’.
A) simile
B) metonymy
C) alliteration
D) metaphor

Question. On what note does the poem end?
A) Disillusionment
B) Hope
C) Sadness
D) Frustration

Question. What image does the poet use to highlight the depressed look of the children?
A) Far away from the sea shore
B) Far away from the sea waves
C) Far away from the boring waves
D) Far away from the energetic waves

Question. What does he want us to do for the poor and malnourished children of the slum?
A) Free them from the limitations of the slum
B) Help them live a life of carefree childhood
C) Provide them job opportunities outside slum
D) Give them inspiring books to read and enjoy

Question. Who has written the poem ‘An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum’
A) Stephen Spender
B) Robert Frost
C) Pablo Neruda
D) John Keats

Question. What do the governor, inspector and visitor in the poem depict?
A) Higher officials.
B) Government officials.
C) Political people.
D) Powerful and influential people.

Question. Why are children compared to rootless weed?
A) They have no home.
B) They are unwanted in the society.
C) They are thrown into school.
D) They are thrown to misery.

True/False Questions

Question. People have donated different charts and images which have been put upon on the walls

Question. They can comprehend the pictures

Question. They desire for love and acceptance forces them to do crimes like stealing

Question. The children are skinny

Question. Shakespeare’s head is bald and resembles the rising sun

Question. The students are not trapped in the slum

Question. They are far away from the bright light of knowledge

Question. The poet describes the conditions of the students of an elementary school

Question. The faces of the children are dull

Question. The walls of the classroom are shiny and clean

Question. Spender exposes the gross neglect of the children of a particular deprived section of the society in the world. (T/F)

Question. The plight of children resulted due to class inequalities. (T/F) Evaluation 

Question. There is a tone of depression and dejection throughout the poem. (T/F)

Question. The poet clearly draws distinction between two worlds- the world of haves and the world of have nots. (T/F)

Question. The sour cream colour walls are significant as the children looked dirty and dim out of neglect. (T/F)

Question. Efforts to better the lives of the slum children have been wasted because of their own ignorance. (T/F)

Question. The world map has been stained by boldly depicting the location of the slum children. (T/F)

Question. The poet is of the opinion that barriers like social injustice, economic inequalities, and the poverty that mar the progress of the slum children cannot be broken. (T/F)

Question. The white and green leaves mentioned in the poem represent education and progress. (T/F)

Question. Tyrolese valley is mentioned in the poem entitled ‘Keeping Quiet’. T/F

Question. The poet calls the portrait of Shakespeare wicked because it is meaningless for children. T/F

Question. History is written by those whose language has the warmth and energy of the star. T/F

Question. The sun is given as a symbol of freedom and strength that comes through knowledge. (T/F)

Question. The poet describes that all the pictures have no meaning to these impoverished children. T/F

Question. Repetition has been used in ‘Far Far From gusty waves. T/F

Assertion And Reasoning Question

Question. Assertion. Their world is limited to the window of the classroom.
Reason. They are not allowed to go outside the classroom.
A) A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

Question. Assertion. The sweet and young boy at the back of the classroom is dreaming of squirrels playing in a tree room.
Reason. The dull and monotonous atmosphere in the classroom is unable to arrest his attention.
A) A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

Question. Assertion. The beautiful world with the sun, ships, love and stars tempt the slum children to steal.
Reason. The children are not taught moral lesson.
A) A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

Question. Assertion A) The life of the children was marked by lack of opportunities.
Reason(R) In a fog our visibility is heavily compromised, and things look hazy.
A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, but R is false.
D) A is false, but R is true.

Question. Assertion A) William Shakespeare was a bad person.
Reason(R) He presented a glimpse of the world which was not the slum.
A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, but R is false.
D) A is false, but R is true.

Question. Assertion A) The children were malnourisheD)
Reason(R) Their bones were visible as they were skinny.
A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, but R is false.
D) A is false, but R is true.

Question. Assertion A) Maps were of no use to them.
Reason(R) Maps would help them find a way out of the slum.
A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, but R is false.
D) A is false, but R is true.

Question. Assertion A) The poet dreams of a world of equity and equality for the slum children.
Reason(R) The poet was a socialist who believed in socio-economic equality.
A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, but R is false.
D) A is false, but R is true.

Question. Assertion A) We must liberate the children from the slum.
Reason(R) We don’t want the future to be based on exploitation and inequality.
A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, but R is false.
D) A is false, but R is true.

Question. Assertion.. The tall girl sits with her head weighed down.
Reason.. She is unwell and tireD)
A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

Question. Assertion. The paper-seeming boy is on a diet.
Reason.. He suffers from malnutrition.
A)Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

Question. Assertion.. The slum children do not get meaningful education.
Reason.. They are on a long holiday.
A) A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

Question. Assertion.. Shakespeare paints a beautiful and colourful picture of the worlD)
Reason.. He is called wicked as slum children are deprived of that life.
A) A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

Question. Assertion.. The slum children have bad eyesight and lack vision.
Reason.. They wear spectacles of steel
A) A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

Question. Assertion. The slum children’s’ lives can change.
Reason. The governor, inspector, visitor should give equal opportunity as the town children.
A) A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

Question. A- The slum children’s bodies are compared to industrial waste materials.
R- Severe malnutrition and hunger have severely affected their body and health.
A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, but R is false.
D) A is false, but R is true.

Question. A- The classroom in the slum fails to get the children’s attention.
R- There is a squirrel’s room on the tree which greatly distracts the children.
A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, but R is false.
D) A is false, but R is true.

Question. A- A lead sky envelops the atmosphere of the slums blocking the sunlight.
R- Slums are cramped and hence pollution is more in the place.
A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, but R is false.
D) A is false, but R is true.

Question. A- The slum children are deprived of any childhood joy.
R- Strict academic resume has overburdened the children.
A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, but R is false.
A is false, but R is true.

Question. A- Poverty is the main culprit for the suffering of the children.
R- Children can learn only when they are economically secureD)
A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, but R is false.
D) A is false, but R is true.

Question. Assertion. The slum children want to get right kind of education.
Reason. The right kind of education would bring happiness, warmth and prosperity in their life.
A) Both Assertion and reason are true and reason is correct explanation of Assertion.
B) Assertion and reason both are true but reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion.
C) Assertion is true, reason is false.
D) Assertion is false, reason is true.

Question. Assertion. ‘All their future’s painted with a fog.’
Reason. The fog blocks their future
A) A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

Question. A- The future of the children in the elementary school classroom is dim.
R- They live in cramped atmosphere with little sunlight.
A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A)
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true, but R is false.
D) A is false, but R is true.

Question. A- The world map has no relevance to the lives of the children.
R- The map symbolize the progression of civilization that is in contrast to the children.
A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A)
C) A is true, but R is false.
D) A is false, but R is true.

Question. Assertion. The pictures and maps are meaningless to the slum children.
Reason. The map does include their world of narrow lanes.
A) Both Assertion and reason are true and reason is correct explanation of Assertion.
B) Assertion and reason both are true but reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion.
C) Assertion is true, reason is false.
D) Assertion is false, reason is true.

Question. Assertion. The life of slum children are pathetiC)
Reason. The slum children are leading a lavish life.
A) Both Assertion and reason are true and reason is correct explanation of Assertion.
B) Assertion and reason both are true but reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion.
C) Assertion is true, reason is false.
D) Assertion is false, reason is true.

Question. Assertion. Governor, inspector and visitor must come forward to uplift the condition of these children
Reason. Education without breaking the shackles of poverty is meaningless.
A) A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true

Question. Assertion. The children of the slum are unable to see the future.
Reason. They lack vision and dream
A) A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
C) A is true but R is false
D) A is false but R is true