Please refer to Sample Paper Class 12 English Term 2 Set A with solutions provided below. We have provided CBSE Sample Papers for Class 12 English as per the latest paper pattern and examination guidelines for Standard 12 English issued by CBSE for the current academic year. The below provided Sample Guess paper will help you to practice and understand what type of questions can be expected in the Class 12 English exam.

CBSE Sample Paper Class 12 English for Term 2 Set A

Section A – Reading 

1. Read the following passage.

(1) A fisherman, enfeebled with age, could no longer go out to sea, so he began fishing in the river. Every morning he would go down to the river and sit there fishing the whole day long. In the evening he would sell whatever he had caught, buy food for himself and go home. It was a hard life for an old man. One hot afternoon while he was trying to keep awake and bemoaning his fate, a large bird with silvery feathers alighted on a rock near him. It was Kaha, the heavenly bird. ‘Have you no one to care for you, grandpa?’ asked the bird. ‘Not a soul’. ‘You should not be doing such work at your age, ‘ said the bird. ‘From now on I will bring you a big fish every evening. You can sell it and live in comfort’. True to her word, the bird began to drop a large fish at his doorstep every evening. All that the fisherman had to do was take it to the market and sell it. As big fish were in great demand, he was soon rolling in money. He bought a cottage near the sea, with a garden around it and engaged a servant to cook for him. His wife had died some years earlier. He had decided to marry again and began to look for a suitable woman.

(2) One day he heard the royal courtier make an announcement. ‘Our king has news of a great bird called Kaha,’ said the courtier. ‘Whoever can give information about this bird and help catch it, will be rewarded with half the gold in the royal treasury and half the kingdom !’ The fisherman was sorely tempted by the reward. Half the kingdom would make him a prince !

(3) ‘Why does the king want the bird ?’ he asked. ‘He has lost his sight,’ explained the courtier. ‘A wise man has advised him to bathe his eyes with the blood of Kaha. Do you know where can she be found ?’ ‘No…I mean …no, no…’ Torn between greed and his sense of gratitude to the bird, the fisherman could not give a coherent reply. The courtier, sensing that he knew something about the bird, informed the king. The king had him brought to the palace.

(4) ‘If you have information about the bird, tell me,’ urged the king. ‘I will reward you handsomely and if you help catch her, I will personally crown you king of half my domain’. ‘I will get the bird for you,’ cried the fisherman, suddenly making up his mind. ‘But Kaha is strong. I will need help’. The king sent a dozen soldiers with him. That evening when the bird came with the fish, the fisherman called out to her to wait. ‘You drop the fish and go and I never get a chance to thank you for all that you’ve\ done for me,’ he said. ‘Today I have laid out a feast for you inside. Please alight and come in’. Kaha was reluctant to accept the invitation but the fisherman pleaded so earnestly that she finally gave in and alighted. The moment she was on the ground, the fisherman grabbed one of her legs and shouted to the soldiers hiding in his house to come out. They rushed to his aid but their combined effort could not keep Kaha down.

(5) She rose into the air with the fisherman still clinging onto her leg. By the time he realized he was being carried away, the fisherman was too high in the air to let go. He hung on grimly and neither he nor Kaha were ever seen again.

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

Question. Why was the king desperately looking for Kaha, the bird?
Answer.The king was blind and required Kaha’s blood for his eyes.

Question. Why did the bird volunteer to bring fish for the old man ?
Answer. The bird took pity on the old man and wanted to help him.

Question. What led the courtier to sense that the fisherman might know something about Kaha ?
Answer. The fisherman fumbled when asked about Kaha.

Question. Briefly describe Kaha, the bird.
Answer. Kaha was a very considerate bird. The blood of Kaha was precious. Kaha was a strong bird.

Question. Whom did the king send with the fisherman to catch Kaha?
Answer. The king sent his soldiers with the fisherman to catch Kaha.

Question. Why did the fisherman stammer when asked if he knew about the bird?
Answer. He was conflicted between the king’s reward and his gratitude towards the bird.

Question. What does the phrase ‘rolling in money’ in the passage refer to?
Answer. To have a large amount of money.

Question. Torn between greed and his sense of gratitude to the bird, the fisherman could not give a coherent reply.What can be substituted for the underlined word?
Answer. lucid and logical

Question. Rewrite the given sentence by replacing the underlined phrases/ word from lines 1-10.
Four men got down the bus and rushed towards a nearby house.
Answer. Four men alighted the bus and rushed towards a nearby house.

2. Read the following passage.

(1) Andy Dehart is a shark expert and TV presenter who lives in the United States of America. He has had a lifelong interest in sharks and is always trying to look for ways to educate the public about them. Many people think that sharks have little or no intelligence, but Andy points out that recent studies have shown that many shark species possess powerful problem-solving abilities and social skills. “Sharks do not want to attack humans,” he asserts. “There is no shark species that eats humans as part of its regular diet. In most shark attack cases, sharks leave after realising that it has mistakenly bitten a human and not its intended prey.”

(2) In Andy’s opinion, all shark fishing should be stopped until the shark populations have had time to grow again. We then need to do a better job of managing the fishing of sharks. However, even if the direct fishing of sharks is stopped, many will still be killed when they are caught up in the nets of boats fishing for other species of fish.

(3) When Andy was a boy, his father worked for a national oceanic organisation, and Andy travelled with him all over the Caribbean. He grew up by the coast and he has been connected with the sea for as long as he can remember. He also lived near one of the best aquariums in America. Andy then went on to build a career working with sharks in an aquarium environment. More recently, he has been involved with television and the making of programmes about the sharks.

(4) Andy and his wife had their first child two years ago. They were amused and amazed to see what
extent their work with animals has proved to be useful in bringing up their daughter. They know
how to observe her behaviour and teach her how to do things by rewarding her.

(5) Andy loves sharks and is very passionate about their survival and protection. He feels extremely lucky to have had opportunities working at the National Aquarium and the television station which presents the Nature Channel. He never wastes a moment in either place that could be spent educating people about sharks. He does admit that it is probably not possible for everyone to love sharks as he does. However, he does hope to persuade people personally or through the media to respect sharks and the critical role they play in our environment. His main objective is to keep spreading awareness that sharks are not dangerous man-eaters but essential creatures in our oceans, as they provide ecological balance and help to control other species.

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

Question. How can it be proved that many shark species are intelligent?
Answer. Many shark species problem solving and social skills, thus proving they are intelligent.

Question. Why does Andy believe that sharks only attack humans by mistake?
Answer. They don’t eat humans as a part of their diet. They leave after realising that it has mistakenly bit humans. Human is not its intended prey.

Question. How did Andy’s work help him when bringing up his daughter?
Answer. Andy knew how to teach her to do things by rewarding her.

Question. According to the graph, how many sharks were caught in 1990?
Answer. 700,000 sharks were caught in 1990.

Question. How does Andy hope to educate people about sharks?
Answer. Through his work at the National Aquarium. Through the media. Through the Nature Challenge.

Question. In the graph given, over the period of five decades, how much increase do we find in the number of sharks caught?
Answer. 560,000

Question.Even after the ascending trend, in which year the number of sharks caught remained the same?
Answer. It was in the year 1970 that the number of sharks caught remained the same.

Section B – Writing

Question 3. You are Dhruv / Deepa. Your father, Shri Dheeraj Garg of Gurugram wants you to draft an invitation to be sent to friends and relatives on the occasion of your elder sister’s marriage. Prepare the invitation giving necessary details in not more than 50 words. 
Answer.

Question 4. Attempt ANY ONE from (A) and (B) given below.
(A) A programme on ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ was organized in your school on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. Posters were prepared and pasted in the colony near your school. A procession was taken out. School premises and its surroundings were cleaned by the students. Public was advised to make this mission successful. Write a report on the programme in 120-150 words. You are Srinivasan/ Latha. 

OR

(B) You have read an advertisement in the newspaper for the post of a Software Engineer in Alex Software. You believe that you have the requisite qualifications, experience and you are innovative.Write an application in about 150 words for this post emphasizing your strong points. Also enclose your resume for the same. You are Sourav/Shikha of 14, Mall Road, Chandigarh. 
Answer.
A) Swachh Bharat Mission – A cleanliness Drive in School
— By Latha
Ranchi, Oct 2, 20XX
Our school organized a cleanliness drive under the Swachh Bharat Mission on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. The main purpose of this programme was to create awareness among the students regarding cleanliness and the benefits. All the students of class 8 to 12 participated in the programme with great zeal and zest. Posters were prepared by class 8 and 9 and were posted in nearby colonies. School premises and its surroundings were cleaned by the students of 10th class. A procession, was taken out at 10 a.m. under the guidance of our teacher. During the procession, the groups of teachers and the students of class 11 and 12 advised the public to make this mission successful, especially to those who were consuming pan masala and other tobacco produce in the public places. They also advised people who were littering here and there throwing waste in gutter. After two hours, again all the students assembled in the school premises where our Principal delivered a speech on the importance of sanitation and cleanliness. All the students were very happy to participate in the programme as it could change the face of our city as well as our country.

OR
(B) 14, Mall Road
Chandigarh
14 March, 20xx
The Director
Alex Software
Pune
Sub: Application for the post of Software Engineer
Dear Sir,
With reference to the advertisement in ‘Pune Times’, dated 12 March, 20xx for the post of Software Engineer, I hereby offer my candidature for the same. I believe that my skills and qualifications match your requirements. I have worked as a software engineer at HCL Technologies for 2 years.My area of specialty is User Interface and coding. I have been appreciated for my efficiency by my previous employers. If given the opportunity, I am sure I will be able to prove my capabilities to you as well.
The enclosed C.V. lists my qualifications and details of my experience. I am looking for a challenging and responsible position where I can show my result–oriented skills.
I shall be pleased to present myself for the interview as and when required.
Thanking you.
Yours sincerely,
Sourav

Section C – Literature

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

Question. Despite his philosophical insights, the vagabond fails to resist temptations. What would you attribute this to? Explain with reference to any instance from the text.
Answer.Man cannot live alone. In every field of life, he needs the help of someone or the other. However, there are a few people who do not live to socialize with others. They stay away from their fellow beings. They shirk the company of their friends and become recluses. They are overpowered by negative feelings. The themes of human loneliness and the need to have someone to share one’s joys and sorrows with, runs throughout the story. To begin with, the reader’s attention is drawn to the peddler who is lonely and in his loneliness, he makes rattraps and is left to his own meditation. When he knocks at the cottage, the crofter welcomes him and entertains him. It is because the crofter is lonely. He wants someone to talk to. He finds in peddler, a good companion and tells him a lot about himself and his cow, even though the peddler is a complete stranger to him.

Question. Why did Gandhi ji not accept C. F. Andrews’ help during the Champaran Movement?
Answer.Mr. Charles Freer Andrews was an Englishman and Gandhi ji did not want his help. He did not believe in seeking help from him. Since, the cause was good, he believed that their victory was certain. He wanted that the lawyers must not take any help from an Englishman as their fight was against the English. That’s why Gandhi ji wanted the lawyers to be self-reliant.

Question. How can we say that Jack is a dominant male?
Answer.Jack is a loving father. He used to tell stories to his daughter, Jo. Now the little Jo has grown a bit older. She has grown very inquisitive and also asks many questions. But Jack, instead of answering his daughter’s questions, always tries to keep his end up. In the Roger Skunk story, Jo says that the mommy was not at all justified in hitting the wizard. However, instead of giving any suitable answer to his daughter, he says that mommy should be respected. Thus, we can say that Jack is a dominant male.

Question. Do you think Derry’s mother is protective of him? Justify your opinion with textual evidence.
Answer.Derry’s mother is given little characterization in the play, but she seems simultaneously overprotective and not understanding of her son. She contributes to his isolation by keeping him home because of his facial injury, and treats him with a sense of pity that robs him of dignity and treating him like a perpetually helpless victim. In the play, Derry’s mother forbids him from returning to Mr. Lamb’s house, but Derry leaves anyway, finally asserting himself in a positive way.

Question. What picture of male chauvinism (tyranny) do we find in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’?
Answer.Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers portrays the suppression of women in a male–dominated society. Aunt Jennifer is burdened by the ‘massive weight of the uncle’s wedding band’ and she is also scared of him. The poem shows lack of freedom as Aunt Jennifer was forced to live in accordance with the rules laid down by her husband, though she was not happy.

Question. How do beautiful things helps us to live a happy life?
Answer. Beautiful things are a source of eternal joy which provide peaceful sleep and mental peace, uplift our gloomy souls, provide hope, health, happiness, contentment and comfort. These things provide an experience of divine feeling.

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

Question. With respect to the events in the story, ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy’, who would you support ,Wizard or Mommy? Justify your choice.
Answer.The story ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy?” could have two endings – one which has been originally told by Jack and the other which Jo wanted the story to end like. I approve of the mature and realistic one narrated by Jack that the mother skunk hit the wizard on the head and forced him to restore the original smell to the skunk. Every species of animals has its special features. She wanted Roger Skunk to smell the way a little skunk should have. It should not carry the deceptive and borrowed smell of the roses. Roger Skunk is agreed to go with her because he loved his mommy more than he loved all the other little animals. She knew what was right. The mother’s point was proved right. When the wizard restored the original foul smell to Roger Skunk, the other little animals got used to the way he was and did not mind it at all. Of course, it took them sometime. Jack did not agree with Joanne’s remark that she was a ‘stupid’ mother. On the other hand, we find her a caring and loving mother. When Roger Skunk was in bed, mommy skunk embraced him and said he smelled like her little baby skunk again and she loved him very much. Thus, Jack’s version brings out the mother’s love, care and concern for her little baby.

Question. What made the peddler finally change his ways?
Answer.The world had never been kind to the peddler. It made the peddler a petty thief. However, the Ironmaster’s daughter proved to be an angel in his life. When her father came to know that the peddler was not one of his regimental acquaintances, he ordered him to leave his house immediately. Now, his daughter came to his rescue. She said that it was none of the peddler’s mistake. As a result, her father gave in. She treated the peddler as if he were a real captain. Her kindness and sympathy completely transformed the peddler. While leaving the Ironmaster’s house, he left a small packet having a small rattrap, three wrinkled ten-kronor notes and a letter. In his letter he wrote, “Since you have been nice to me all day long, I want to be nice to you, in return. You can give the money to the old man on the roadside. The rattrap is a Christmas present from a rat who would have been caught in the world’s rattrap if he had not been raised to a captain.”

Question. Imagine that Aunt Jennifer read the poem that Adrienne Rich wrote about her. After much contemplation, she decided to write a letter to her husband expressing her feelings and thoughts.Write the letter as Aunt Jennifer.
Answer.
12, Davidson County
23 January 20XX
Dear Richard,
I want to tell you that I love you very much. I know that you equally reciprocate this feeling. However, due to the society in which we have been brought up, I have been a target of male chauvinism. Though unknowingly to you, I have been afraid of you. Right after marriage, a girl has to adjust to the new house. In that situation, when she is burdened with the rules and regulations, she gets under-confident. Same happened with me. I had been afraid to tell you this earlier but Adrienne Rich’s poem gave me the courage to share the truth with you. As now I am nearing my death-bed, I want to let you know that I have loved and cherished every moment of life that I have spent with you, yet in some corner of my mind, I have been afraid lest any of my words or activities should anger you. Hope you will take this in good spirits.
With love
Jennifer.