Unseen Passage For Class 12 English With Answers Pdf

MCQ Questions Class 12

Unseen Passage for Class 12

Read the passage given below :

Millions of tons of small waste from plastic bags, bottles and clothes in the world’s oceans present a serious threat to human health and marine environment. This is the stark warning issued by the U.N. in a report on the most dangerous environmental problems facing the world today. Global plastic production has increased considerably in recent years, nearly by 38%.
A poor waste management means when we have finished with our take away containers, cigarette butts and party balloons, they are worn down into trillion of even smaller particles by the waves. Therefore, there is a growing presence of these micro plastics in the world’s oceans.
It was estimated in 2010 that millions of tons of plastic was washed into the seas and has since shown up in the stomachs of whales, plankton and other marine life. Richard Thompson, professor of marine biology has said that in laboratory experiments, there is proof that micro plastic can cause harm to organisms.
More than a quarter of all fish now contain plastic, according to a recent study which analysed the guts of fish sold in California.
Scientists fear that chemicals in plastics and chemicals which attach themselves to plastic in natural environment could cause poisoning and many disorders in marine life if consumed in huge quantities.
Even humans could be adversely affected by the plastic. People could even be breathing in plastic micro particles suspended in the air with the risk of harmful effect on the lungs similar to car fumes.
Boyance Slat, a Dutch student has developed a technology that could shift dangerous plastic particles out of the ocean and sell them for profit or recycling. Richard Thompson recommended that people avoid using products with micro beads and to make sure they dispose of all plastic products in an appropriate way by recycling if possible.

Answer the following questions briefly :

Question. The warning issued by the U.N. is …………

Answer

that millions of small wastes from plastic bags, bottles and clothes in the world’s oceans present a serious threat to human health and marine environment.

Question. The scientists fear that …………

Answer

the chemicals in plastics and those which attach themselves to plastic in natural environment could cause poisoning and many disorders in marine life if consumed in huge quantities.

Question.………… is the single most harmful effect of plastic micro particle on humans.

Answer

breathing plastic micro particles suspended in the air.

Question. Richard Thompson recommended that people should use products with micro beads and make sure they dispose of all plastic products in an appropriate way by recycling if possible.

Answer

False

Identify the meaning of each of the words given below with the help of options that follow :

Question. Stark :
(a) serious
(b) violent
(c) unpleasant
(d) angry

Answer

A

Question. Huge :
(a) impressive
(b) large
(c) constant
(d) standard

Answer

B

Question. Micro :
(a) mechanical
(b) dangerous
(c) very small
(d) tough

Answer

C

Question. Adversely :
(a) negatively
(b) clearly
(c) poorly
(d) surely

Answer

A

Class 12 English Unseen Passage

1. Man’s growth from barbarism into civilization is supposed to be the theme of history but sometimes, looking at great stretches of history, it is difficult to believe that this ideal has made such progress or that we are very much civilized or advanced. There is enough of want of cooperation today, of one country or people selfishly attacking or oppressing another, of one man exploiting another.

2. It is well to remember that man in many ways has not made very great progress from other animals. It may be that in certain ways some animals are superior to him. Still we look down upon the insects as almost the lowest of living things, and yet the tiny bees and ants have learnt the art of cooperation and of sacrifice for the common good far better than man.

3. If mutual cooperation and sacrifice for the good of society are the test of civilization we may say that the bees and ants are in this respect superior to man. In one of our old Sanskrit books there is a verse which may be translated as follows: For family, sacrifice the individual, for community, the family, for the country, the community, and for the soul, the whole world.

4. What a soul is, few of us can know or tell, and each one of us can interpret it in a different way, but the lesson this Sanskrit Verse teaches us is the same lesson of cooperation and sacrifice for the larger good. We in India had forgotten this sovereign path of real greatness for many a day.

5. But again we seem to have glimpses of it and all the country is astir. How wonderful it is to see men and women, and boys and girls, smilingly going ahead in India’s cause and caring about any pain or suffering ! Well, may they smile and be glad for the joy of serving a great cause is also great. They will also be fortunate enough to get the joy of sacrifice.

Question. What is really the theme of history?
(i) The rise and fall of empires.
(ii) Man’s moral and spiritual development.
(iii) Man’s search for truth.
(iv) The process of man becoming civilized.

Answer

(ii) Man’s moral and spiritual development.

Question. What is the basic reason of exploitation of one man by another?
(i) The weakness of some people and the strength of the others
(ii) Lack of civilisation
(iii) Man’s beastly nature
(iv) Lack of education

Answer

(ii) Lack of civilisation

Question. In what respects are some animals superior to man?
(i) Physical strength
(ii) Having no worries in their lives
(iii) Having greater instinct for cooperation and sacrifice
(iv) Not oppressing or exploiting one another.

Answer

(iii) Having greater instinct for cooperation and sacrifice

Question. What does the soul signify?
(i) A divine essence in all of us.
(ii) Different things for different people
(iii) Self-righteousness
(iv) The element of life

Answer

(ii) Different things for different people

Question. What lesson does the Sanskrit Verse in question teach us?
(i) To inculcate spirit of cooperation and selfsacrifice for the large good of the society.
(ii) To behave well with one another.
(iii) To help each other in difficulties.
(iv) To work constantly.

Answer

(i) To inculcate spirit of cooperation and selfsacrifice for the large good of the society.

Question. We say that man is not yet civilized because –
(i) there are colossal disparities between the rich and the poor.
(ii) most of us are illiterate.
(iii) we ill-behave with one another.
(iv) most of us oppress and exploit others and lack the spirit of cooperation.

Answer

(iv) most of us oppress and exploit others and lack the spirit of cooperation.

Question. We should not look down upon the insects as almost the lowest of living things because –
(i) they are of immense use to mankind.
(ii) they can cause harm to us out of proportion to their size.
(iii) they have a sense of sacrifice and cooperation.
(iv) small size does not necessarily make anything low.

Answer

(iii) they have a sense of sacrifice and cooperation.

Question. What does the expression ‘larger good’ mean?
(i) Great good of oneself
(ii) A lot of good
(iii)Very excellent
(iv) Good of the society

Answer

(iv) Good of the society

Question. What does the sentence ‘All the country is astir’mean in the passage ?
(i) The whole country is up in revolt.
(ii) A wave of zeal and vivacity, vigour and dynamism is perceptible in the whole country.
(iii) There is an upsurge of political and economic fervour in the whole country.
(iv) The whole country is flooded with lofty ideas and thoughts.

Answer

(iii) There is an upsurge of political and economic fervour in the whole country.

Question. How can we be truly civilised?
(i) By getting more and more wealth and power
(ii) By reading more and more books
(iii) by subjugating backward nations and educating their citizens
(iv) By developing qualities of mutual help, cooperation and self-sacrifice

Answer

(iv) By developing qualities of mutual help, cooperation and self-sacrifice

Class 12 English Unseen Passage

1. As the virus began to spread around the world, some Indians began to return home, to relative safety. When Kerala registered India’s first COVID-19 case on 30th January, 2020 (IDFC Institute, 2020), the state was prepared. Four days before registering its first case, Government of Kerala (GoK) had already released novel corona virus-specific guidelines that established case definitions, screening and sampling protocol, hospital preparedness and surveillance.

2. Over the weeks that followed, a series of comprehensive measures were rolled out. The rapid screening and quarantining of patients and isolation of their contacts delayed the transmission from imported cases for up to 40 days, until Kerala witnessed its first cluster outbreak in the district of Pathanamthitta. A total of 14 confirmed cases were registered over the two days that followed.

3. Given the early spread of the virus in Kerala, it is commendable that the state had two consecutive days of zero new cases over the 100- day period from the day it registered the first case of COVID-19. Given its relatively efficient public health care systems, backed by strong socio-economic foundation and the experience of previously handling the Nipah virus in 2018, the State was able to act swiftly. Kerala prepared itself to address the pandemic as early as January. The State followed the time-tested strategy of case identification, isolation, contact tracing and vulnerability mapping in containing the virus.

4. Kerala’s public healthcare system is decentralized with facilities at the state, district, sub-district, panchayat, and ward level. The field-level staff including health inspectors, ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) workers.

5. Coordination at the middle level was largely done by the District Collectors who worked in close coordination with the District Medical Officers and the district-level heads of the police. One of the flagship measures adopted by the State was the development of COVID First Line Treatment Centers and COVID-19 Care Centers. 

6. Local testing labs, district-wise allocations and, later, walk-in sample kiosks, allowed Kerala to quickly scale up testing capacities and, over time, conduct mass screenings and serological tests.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any five out of the seven questions by choosing the correct option.   

Question. The purpose of the above passage is to show that the …………… . Choose the correct option.
(a) Spread of any virus can be controlled with proper preventive measures
(b) State of Kerala has always been the best at handling virus outbreaks
(c) Handling of any epidemic is almost impossible, regardless of any measures
(d) State of Kerala was the only state to have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic

Answer

 (a)

Question. Select the option that is true for the two statements given below.     
(1) When faced with the problem of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kerala was quick to act.
(2) Kerala’s experience with similar virus outbreak had the state prepared.
(a) (1) is the result of (2)
(b) (1) is the reason for (2)
(c) (1) is independent of (2)
(d) (1) contradicts (2)

Answer

(a)

Question. Select the option that gives the correct meaning of the following statement.   
“Kerala’s public healthcare system is decentralised with facilities at the state, district, sub-district, panchayat and ward level.”
(a) It’s not just the state that is responsible but every level.
(b) The state is solely responsible for the healthcare system.
(c) The Centre is solely responsible for the healthcare system.
(d) None of the above

Answer

 (a)

Question. According to the passage, for how many days there was no case of corona virus in Kerala after the first case was registered?    
(a) For 100 days
(b) For two days
(c) For two weeks
(d) For 40 days

Answer

(b)

Question. Select the option listing the steps taken by the Kerala Government to contain the spread of the virus.     
(1) Rapid screening of the patients
(2) Sending away the infected people
(3) Quarantining the patients
(4) Isolation of the patients
(5) Immediate elimination of the infected people
(a) 1, 2 and 5
(b) 2 and 4
(c) 2, 3 and 5
(d) 1, 3 and 4

Answer

(d)

Question. Who did the District Collectors work with in coordination?      
(a) Other District Collectors
(b) ASHA Workers
(c) District Medical Officers
(d) Health Inspectors

Answer

(c)

Question. The passage suggests that ………… allowed Kerala to conduct mass screenings and tests. Select the correct option. 
(a) Local testing labs
(b) District-wise allocations
(c) Walk-in simple kiosks
(d) All of the above

Answer

(d)

Unseen Passage for Class 12

1. Nuclear power in India delivers a total capacity of 6.7GW, contributing to just under 2% of the country’s electricity supply. India’s nuclear plants are controlled by Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), a state-owned corporation which was founded in 1987. India boasts a fleet of seven nuclear power plants, as of November 2020.

2. Kudankulan Nuclear Power Plant, located in Tamil Nadu, is the highest-capacity nuclear plant in India, with a total of 2,000MW currently installed with a further 2,000MW under construction. It is the only nuclear plant in India that uses Pressurised Water Reactors (PWR) rather than BoilingWater Reactors (BHWR) or Pressurised Heavy-Water Reactors (PHWR).

3. Presently, India has 22 operating nuclear power reactors, with an installed capacity of 6780MegaWatt electric (MWe). Among these eighteen reactors are Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and four are Light Water Reactors (LWRs).

4. The nuclear energy programme in India was launched around the time of independence under the leadership of Homi J Bhabha. Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is being manufactured by the Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), a wholly owned Enterprise of the Government of India under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

5. The Government of India is further set to increase the country’s nuclear power generation capacity with plans to commission more nuclear plants.

6. The move will help India substantially increase its share of non-fossil fuel in total energy mix in sync with its pledges under the Paris Agreement. Though India’s share of installed capacity of non-fossil fuel-based electricity generation has already reached nearly 39% of its total power generation capacity against its existing target of 40% by 2030, the step towards nuclear energy would help it upgrade its climate action goal.

7. The government has granted for ten new reactors, as well as an administrative approval and financial sanction for ten Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRS).

8. The new reactors are expected to increase India’s nuclear power generation capacity to 22,480MW by 2031. Highest priority will be given to safety in all aspects of nuclear plant development, including sitting, design, construction, commissioning and operation. The government also plans to build more nuclear power plants in the future.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any five out of the seven questions by choosing the correct option.    

Question. The purpose of increasing India’s nuclear power generation capacity is to ………… . Choose the correct option.       
(a) Generate more fossil fuel energy
(b) Decrease the amount of non-fossil fuel energy
(c) Generate more clean energy
(d) Build nuclear weapons at a faster speed

Answer

(c)

Question. Select the option that is true for the two statements given below.         
(1) India’s climate action goal can be upgraded by its steps towards clear energy.
(2) India has reached nearly 39% of its total power generation capacity.
(a) (1) is the result of (2)
(b) (1) is the reason for (2)
(c) (1) is independent of (2)
(d) (1) contradicts (2)

Answer

(c)

Question. According to given passage, what is the current capacity of the highest-capacity nuclear plant in India?      
(a) 4000 MW
(b) 2000 MW
(c) 6780 MW
(d) 22480 MW

Answer

(b)

Question. According to the research, Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor is being constructed by ……….. .   
(a) The UN
(b) The Union Minister for Atomic Energy
(c) NPCIL
(d) BHAVINI

Answer

(d)

Question. Select the option listing the aspects of development that will be given highest priority.     
(1) sitting (2) designing
(3) constructing (4) commissioning
(5) operating
(a) 1, 3 and 4
(b) 2, 4 and 5
(c) 1, 2 and 4
(d) All of these

Answer

 (d)

Question. The nuclear energy programme in India was launched by       
(a) The Government of India
(b) Dr. Jitendra Singh
(c) Homi J Bhabha
(d) Department of Atomic Energy

Answer

 (c)

Choose the correct option to answer the following.
Question. According to the above passage, how much does nuclear power contribute to the country’s electricity supply?        
(a) About half of the supply.
(b) All of the country’s electricity supply comes from nuclear power.
(c) About 2% of the supply.
(d) None of the above

Answer

(c)

Unseen Passage for Class 12 with Answers

1. The political system always dominates the entire social scene, and hence those who wield political power are generally able to control all the different social sub-systems and manipulate them to their own advantage. The social groups in power, therefore, have always manipulated the education systems, especially when these happen to depend upon the State for their very existence, to strengthen and perpetuate their own privileged position. But herein lies a contradiction. For the very realization of their selfish ends, the social groups in power are compelled to extend the benefits of these educational systems to the underprivileged groups also. The inevitable task is generally performed with three precautions abundantly taken care of:

• The privileged groups continue to be the principal beneficiaries of the educational system, dominate the higher stages of education or the hardcore of prestigious and quality institutions or the most useful of courses, so as to safeguard their dominant position of leadership in all walks of life;

• The system is so operated that underprivileged groups can utilize it only marginally in real terms and the bulk of them become either dropouts or push-outs and get reconciled to their own inferior status in society; and

• The few from the weaker sections that survive and succeed in spite of all the handicaps are generally co-opted within the system to prevent dissatisfaction.

2. But education is essentially a liberating force so that, as time passes some under-privileged groups do manage to become aware of the reality, the number of the educated persons soon becomes too large to be fully co-opted, and many able individuals among them strive to organize and liberate the weak and the underprivileged. The resultant awareness of the people, combined with suitable organization necessary leads to an adjustment in the social structure and to an increase in vertical mobility so that new groups begin to share power.

3. Eventually, other social changes also follow and the traditional, in-egalitarian and hierarchical social structure tends to be replaced by another which is more modern, less hierarchical and more egalitarian. The educational system, therefore, is never politically neutral, and it always performs three functions simultaneously via, it helps the privileged to dominate, domesticates the underprivileged to their own status in society, and also tends to liberate the oppressed. Which of these functions shall dominate and to what extent, depends mostly on one crucial factor, via, the quality and quantity of the political education which the system provides or upon its ‘political content’.

4. The developments in Indian society, polity and education during the past 175 years should be viewed against the background of this broad philosophy. From very ancient times, the Indian society has always been elitist and power, wealth and education were mostly confined to the upper castes of the society. What is important to note is that the system has an infinite capacity to adjust or to absorb and, for that very reason, it is extremely resistant to any radical transformation. The social system continued to exist almost unchanged until the British administrators began to lay the foundation of the modern system of education.

Question. The Indian society has always been
(i) insensitive to the needs of elite groups
(ii) less hierarchical
(iii) politically neutral
(iv) none of these

Answer

(iv) none of these

Question. How does education work for ameliorating the lot of the underprivileged classes?
(i) It helps the underprivileged people to dominate others
(ii) It helps them to achieve higher goals in life
(iii)Some educated persons from this class organise and liberate the weak people
(iv) It encourages them to domesticate the privileged people

Answer

(iii) Some educated persons from this class organise and liberate the weak people

Question. Which of the following statements is not true in the context of the passage?
(i) The privileged groups try to deprive, the ‘have nots’ of the real benefits of education.
(ii) The educational system is never politically biased.
(iii) The educational system tends to enlighten the minds of the underprivileged.
(iv) The privileged class depends upon the Government for their survival.

Answer

(ii) The educational system is never politically biased.

Question. In the context of the passage, which of the following statements is true regarding those who control political power?
(i) They Facilitate the upward mobility of the underprivileged classes.
(ii) They try to establish a just social order.
(iii) They Facilitate the upward mobility of the privileged classes.
(iv) They try to control all the different social subsystems.

Answer

(iv) They try to control all the different social subsystems.

Question. According to the passage, sharing of power by new groups is an outcome of
(i) increase in the vertical mobility of the underprivileged groups
(ii) a liberal democratic approach of the privileged class
(iii) the total replacement of the traditional social structure by a modern one
(iv) a politically neutral educational system

Answer

(i) increase in the vertical mobility of the underprivileged groups

Question. According to the passage, why do the majority of underprivileged groups become drop-outs?
(i) They constantly suffer from the feeling of inferiority
(ii) They do not possess the required intellectual potential to survive in the educational system.
(iii) The system is so manipulated that they cannot utilise it meaningfully
(iv) The privileged groups continue to be the major beneficiaries of the system

Answer

(iii) The system is so manipulated that they cannot utilise it meaningfully

Question. According to the passage, the social groups in power have manipulated the educational system because
(i) they wanted to make it politically neutral
(ii) they wanted to changes through the system
(iii) they wanted to preserve their special status
(iv) None of these

Answer

(iii) they wanted to preserve their special status

Question. The Indian social system is resistant to the major changes because
(i) it is basically elitist.
(ii) it can absorb social changes without changing its basic framework.
(iii) it is extremely traditional and conservative.
(iv) power, wealth and education are mostly confined to the upper classes

Answer

(ii) it can absorb social changes without changing its basic framework.

Question. According to the passage, social groups in power extend the benefits of education to the underprivileged groups because
(i) they want to achieve their selfish objectives.
(ii) they want to create an egalitarian society.
(iii) they have realized that the growth of a nation depends upon the spread of education.
(iv) they want to abdicate their dominant position of leadership in all walks of life.

Answer

(i) they want to achieve their selfish objectives.

Comprehensions for Class 12 English with Solutions

1. The e-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, have the potential to turn a growing problem into a developmental opportunity. With almost halfa- year to go before the rules take effect, there is enough time to create the necessary infrastructure for collection, dismantling, and recycling of electronic waste. The focus must be on sincere and efficient implementation. Only decisive action can reduce the pollution and health costs associated with India’s hazardous waste recycling industry. If India can achieve a transformation, it will be creating a whole new employment sector that provides good wages and working conditions for tens of thousands. The legacy response of the States to even the basic law on urban waste, the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, has been one of indifference, many cities continue to simply burn the garbage or dump it in lakes. With the emphasis now on segregation of waste at source and recovery of materials, it should be feasible to implement both sets rules efficiently. A welcome feature of the new e-waste rules is the emphasis on extended producer responsibility. In other words, producers must take responsibility for the disposal of end-of-life products. For the provision to work, they must ensure that consumers who sell scrap get some form of financial incentive.

2. The e-waste rules, which derive from those pertaining to hazardous waste, are scheduled to come into force on May 1, 2012. Sound as they are, the task of scientifically disposing a few hundred thousand tonnes of trash electronics annually depends heavily on a system of oversight by State Pollution Control Boards (PCBs). Unfortunately, most PCBs remain unaccountable and often lack the resources for active enforcement. It must be pointed out that, although agencies handling e-waste must obtain environmental clearances and be authorized and registered by the PCBs even under the Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Trans boundary Movement) Rules, 2008, there has been little practical impact. Over 95 per cent of electronic waste is collected and recycled by the informal sector. The way forward is for the PCBs to be made accountable for enforcement of the e-waste rules, and the levy of penalties under environmental laws. Clearly, the first order priority is to create a system that will absorb the 80000-strong workforce in the informal sector into the proposed scheme for scientific recycling. Facilities must be created to upgrade the skills of these workers through training and their occupational health must be ensured.

3. Recycling of e-waste is one of the biggest challenges today. In such a time, when globalization and information technology are growing at a pace which could only be imagined few years back, e-waste and its hazards have become more prominent over a period of time and should be given immediate attention.

Question. What, according to the passage, is important now for e-waste management?
(i) Making rules
(ii) Reviewing rules
(iii)Implementing rules
(iv) Amending rules

Answer

(iii) Implementing rules

Question. Which of the following can be one of the byproducts of effective e-waste management?
(i) India can guide other countries in doing so
(ii) It will promote international understanding
(iii)It will promote national integration
(iv) It will create a new employment sector

Answer

(iv) It will create a new employment sector

Question. Which of the following rules has not been indicated in the passage?
(i) e-waste Rules, 2011
(ii) Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules
(iii) Hazardous Wastes Rules, 2008
(iv) Pollution Check Rules

Answer

(iv) Pollution Check Rules

Question. Both sets of rules’ is being referred to which of the following?
(i) Solid wastes and Hazardous waste
(ii) e-waste and Hazardous waste
(iii)Solid waste and e-waste
(iv) e-waste and e-production

Answer

(iv) e-waste and e-production

Question. e-waste rules have been derived from those pertaining to
(i) Hazardous waste
(ii) PC waste
(iii)Computer-waste
(iv) Municipal solid waste

Answer

(i) Hazardous waste

Question. Which of the following will help implement ‘both sets of rules’?
(i) Employment opportunities
(ii) International collaboration
(iii)Financial Incentive
(iv) Segregation of waste at source

Answer

(iv) Segregation of waste at source

Question. e-waste Rules came into force from
(i) 2009
(ii) 2010
(iii)2011
(iv) 2012

Answer

(iv) 2012

Question. Which of the following best explains the meaning of the phrase- ‘which could only be imagined few years back’, as used in the passage?
(i) It was doomed
(ii) It took us few years
(iii)It took us back by few years
(iv) None of these

Answer

(iv) None of these

Question. Which of the following is true in the context of the passage?
(i) No city dumps its waste in lakes
(ii) Some cities burn garbage
(iii)PCBs have adequate resources for active enforcement
(iv) e-waste was a much bigger challenge in the past

Answer

(ii) Some cities burn garbage

Question. Which of the following is not true in the context of the passage?
(i) Some form of financial incentive is recommended for the producers
(ii) Some financial incentive is recommended for the consumers
(iii)e-waste will be a few hundred thousand tonnes
(iv) The agencies handling e-waste have to obtain environmental clearances

Answer

(i) Some form of financial incentive is recommended for the producers

Question. Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning of the word printed in bold, as used in the passage
CLEARANCE
(i) cleaning
(ii) permission
(iii)sale
(iv) remedy

Answer

(ii) permission

Question. Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning of the word printed in bold, as used in the passage
TURN
(i) throw
(ii) chance
(iii)send
(iv) transform

Answer

(iv) transform

Question. Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning of the word printed in bold, as used in the passage
POTENTIAL
(i) intelligence
(ii) aptitude
(iii)possibility
(iv) portion

Answer

(iii) possibility

Question. Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning of the word printed in bold, as used in the passage
FEASIBLE
(i) unattended
(ii) physical
(iii)practical
(iv) unviable

Answer

(iv) unviable

Question. Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning of the word printed in bold, as used in the passage
INDIFFERENCE
(i) interest
(ii) difference
(iii)ignorance
(iv) insignificance

Answer

(i) interest

Unseen Discursive Passage Class 12 English

Discursive Passage Read the passage carefully:

Go, Get Yourself a Hobby

1. Do you have a hobby ? Is there anything that you are passionate about ? Something creative that you really like doing, or are deeply involved with ? Something that grips you, makes you forget all else — even makes you forget to eat or sleep ? No, I am not talking about your job or your daily chores.

2. By developing a parallel line, other than that of your job, and following it like crazy, you energise your life. It will keep you going even when all other activities have stopped.

3. It did not make much sense to me until I ran into a retired officer turned passionate writer. Let’s call him Mr. X.

4. What was amazing was his appearance. He looked 10 years younger than his self-proclaimed 75 — dark grey hair, tall and robust. Well-preserved, as some would say. ‘‘I don’t want to take much of your time, but just wanted to show you my work,’’ he said. In his bag, he was carrying dozens of books that he had written after retirement. Short stories and novels in his mother tongue and in English, for children and adults.

5. Mr. X retired after putting in 30 years of service. But he did not retire from life. No way. ‘‘In fact, I lead a much busier life now — writing.’’ ‘‘So writing is your hobby ?’’ I asked him. ‘‘No, it is my only interest. While I was working, I did not have enough time to write. But now I work 10 – 12 hours a day writing, writing, writing.’’

6. ‘‘Why ? Is that the way you support yourself ?’’ ‘‘No, my writings don’t pay me financially, but they fulfil me otherwise,’’ he said. Mr. X lives on his savings, but he relies on his passion to take care of his mental and physical wellbeing. In fact, such is the energy and sense of satisfaction and contentment that he draws from his writing that he has managed to survive many upheavals in life. Thanks to his passion, retirement never became a sad phase of life for him; instead, it gave him a new lease of life, an opportunity to do that which he missed out on or had no time for earlier.

7. And his level of commitment was impressive. He does not want publicity nor is he interested in advertising himself. ‘‘It will take me away from my writing and pull me into the world of Internet. I would rather follow my passion,’’ he says. Gathering his books, he was soon ready to leave — eager to go back to his passion. He left me with the motivation to seek one, too. Thank you Mr. X.

On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer any four of the following questions in 30 – 40 words each :

Question.  According to the passage, what is a hobby ?
Answer: A hobby , accordding to the passage is something creative me really likes to as or something me is passionate about or deeply involved with .

Question.  Was writing his livelihood ? Why/Why not ?
Answer: writing was not his livilihood . Mr. x sought to use writing as a means to fulfill himself rather than use it as financial support. He relies on writing to take care of his mental and physical well being and is content with living solety on his savings .

Question.  How did the retirement phase become a happy phase of his life ?
Answer: His pursuit of his passion gave him fulfillment and helped him to survive many upheavals in life . It gave him a now lease of life , or opportunity to do that which he misted out on or had no time for earlier . And so , retirement became a happy phase of his life .

Question.  Why was Mr. X not interested in seeking publicity?
Answer: Mr. X  believed that publicity would take him away from his curiting and pull him into the world of the internet he did not wish for this to happy happen and preferred to follow his passion instead Thus , he was not interested in seeking publicity.

Unseen Passages for Class 12 English

1. India has already commissioned two nuclear power stations, one at Tarapur and the other at Rana Pratap Sagar. Each one has the installed capacity of producing 420 M. W. of electricity. Two other stations, one at Narora and the other at Kalpakkam, are operational. This energy will be able to meet the power shortage throughout the country. lf industries work at their full capacity, production will be higher and so per capita income will increase and inflation will be neutralised.

2. With the help of controlled nuclear explosions, artificial dams can be made. In fact for building a dam there should be two huge mountain walls enclosing a deep valley just near the course of a river. These conditions are not available at all the places. So with the help of controlled nuclear explosions mountains can be blown up. This can also help in laying roads in the mountainous areas. In fact, some of the borders of India have mountainous terrain and the movement of the army is quite difficult. So even for the sake of national security it is necessary to have roads in those areas.

3. With the help of radiation the shelf life of vegetables and fruits can be increased. In the tropical countries like India, it is necessary that the perishable fruit stuffs are preserved for a long time. Radiation can check the sprouting of onions and potatoes which are much in demand in foreign countries. Similarly fruits like bananas and mangoes which have much export potential can be preserved for a very long time. The texture and taste of the fruit do not undergo any change.

4. Nuclear technology can also be harnessed for medical purposes. It is said that radioactive iodine is used for detecting the disease of the thyroid glands. Similarly, India has been able to prepare, with the help of UN experts, radiated vaccine which can immunise sheep from lungworm disease, which used to take a heavy toll of sheep every year.

5. Properly processed nuclear fuel is also used for artificial satellites in space. Weather satellites can predict cyclones and the rainfall with extreme accuracy. Communication satellites can help in conveying the message to very long distances. In a huge country like India, communication satellites are necessary.

6. Radiation is also used for preparing the mutant seeds. Many varieties of rice and some cereals have been prepared at Tarapur laboratory. This will increase our agricultural production and help India to become economically better off. So for India it is necessary to make peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any five out of the seven questions by choosing the correct option.

Questions. India is building nuclear power stations to …………. .   
(a) become rich
(b) become self-reliant
(c) increase industrial production
(d) help the poor

Answer

 (c)

Questions. Controlled nuclear explosions can be used to blow up ……….. .    
(a) roads
(b) dams
(c) mountains
(d) seas

Answer

(c)

Questions. In the line, “…has already commissioned”, the word ‘Commissioned’ DOES NOT refer to     
(a) be opened or established
(b) create something new
(c) a rank conferred by a commission
(d) bring (something newly produced) into working condition

Answer

(b)

Questions. Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the uses of nuclear energy.    
1. Creation of artificial dams
2. Development of space theories
3. Increasing shelf life of food
4. Mutation of different flowers
5. Medical facilities
6. Weather predictions
(a) 1,3 and 6
(b) 2,4 and 5
(c) 1,3,5 and 6
(d) Only 5

Answer

(c)

Questions. Select the option that is true for the two statements given below.    
1. With the help of controlled nuclear explosions, artificial doms can be made.
2. With the help of radiation the shelf life of vegetables and fruits can be increased.
(a) (1) is the result of (2)
(b) (1) is the reason for (2)
(c) (1) is independent of (2)
(d) (1) is true (2) is false

Answer

(c)

Questions. Radiation is helpful in ………… .   
(a) growing vegetables
(b) growing fruits
(c) growing onions
(d) preserving fruits

Answer

(d)

Questions. Which of the following is the use of weather satellite?    
(a) Predicting average temperature 
(b) Predicting rainfall and cyclones with accuracy
(c) Predicting heat waves
(d) Predicting ozone gaps

Answer

(b)

Solved Unseen Passages for English Class 12

1. The term ‘child labour’ is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity and that is harmful to physical and mental development. It refers to work that: – ismentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and/or – interferes with a child’s ability to attend and participate in school fully by obliging them to leave school prematurely or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work.

2. There are many inter-linked factors contributing to the prevalence of child labour. Child labour is both a cause and consequence of poverty. Household poverty forces children into the labour market to earn money. Some perform child labour to supplement family income while many also are in it for survival. They miss out on an opportunity to gain an education, further perpetuating household poverty across generations, slowing the economic growth and social development. Child labour impedes children from gaining the skills and education they need to have opportunities of decent work as an adult. Inequality, lack of educational opportunities, slow demographic transition, traditions and cultural expectations all contribute to the persistence of child labour in India. Age, sex, ethnicity, caste and deprivation affect the type and intensity of work that children perform.

3. Child labour remains a persistent problem in the world today. The latest global estimates indicate that 160 million children – 63 million girls and 97 million boys – were in child labour globally at the beginning of 2020, accounting for almost 1 in 10 of all children worldwide. Seventy-nine million children – nearly half of all those in child labour – were in hazardous work that directly endangers their health, safety and moral development.

4. Global progress against child labour has stagnated since 2016. The percentage of children in child labour remained unchanged over the four-year period while the absolute number of children in child labour increased by over 8 million. Similarly, the percentage of children in hazardous work was almost unchanged but rose in absolute terms by 6.5 million children.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any five out of the seven questions by choosing the correct option.

Questions. The purpose of the passage is to highlight ………… .      
Choose the correct option.
(a) The issue of child labour
(b) The reasons behind child labour
(c) The increase in the number of child labourers in the past four years
(d) The decrease in the number of child labourers in the past four years

Answer

(a)

Questions. Select the option that is true for the two statements given below.       
(1) Poverty forces children into the labour market.
(2) Child labour perpetuates poverty across generations.
(a) (1) is the result of (2)
(b) (1) is the reason for (2)
(c) (1) is independent of (2)
(d) (1) contradicts (2)

Answer

(b)

Questions. Select the option that gives the correct meaning of the following statement.     
“Global progress against child labour has stagnated since 2016.”
(a) The fight against the evil of child labour has increased.
(b) The fight against the evil of child labour has decreased.
(c) The fight against the evil of child labour has stopped altogether.
(d) None of the above

Answer

 (c)

Questions. According to the data provided in the above passage, ……………. engaged in labour are in hazardous work.     
(a) Almost half of all children
(b) Almost all of children
(c) 10% of all children
(d) None of the above

Answer

(a)

Questions. Select the option listing the severe effects of child labour.      
(1) Impedes their education
(2) Inequality
(3) Poverty
(4) Slow demographic transition
(5) Hinders skill development
(a) 1, 4 and 5
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 5
(d) All of these

Answer

(d)

Questions. What does child labour do to a young minds?    
(a) It makes them retarded.
(b) It hinders them from participating in school.
(c) It causes mental illness in children.
(d) It makes them violent and aggressive.

Answer

(b)

Questions. This passage gives the definition of ‘child labour’ suggesting that it deprives children of their childhood and affects their ………. .   
Select the correct option.
(a) Potential and their dignity
(b) Harmful physical and mental growth
(c) Hard work and thus, market value
(d) Mental concentration for any future jobs.

Answer

 (a)

 Unseen Passage Class 12 English Pdf

I. As we speed our way from Guwahati towards Sualkuchi, vivid images of colourful silk mekhela chadars flood my mind. This is my second visit to Sualkuchi. Sualkuchi is endearingly referred to as the Manchester of the East. Situated on the northern banks of the Brahmaputra, it is famous for its centuries-old heritage of weaving. When I reach Sualkuchi, I can hear the rhythmic click-clack of the traditional throw-shuttle loom.

II. Here, weaving is not just a tradition handed down by generations, but a way of life and a labour of love. The majority of the families have hand operated looms, which they call ‘taatxaal’. “I’ve been weaving for more than 25 years now; I still love the craft,” says Binita Roy, a weaver working here. As I ask Binita about the different designs used in the silk garments, I’m amazed at the sheer beauty of the motifs. A popular design used in mekhela chadars is the ‘kinkhaap’. It is believed that this design has been used since the days of the Ahom kings and consists of two front-facing lions. Other popular designs include those inspired by Assamese jewellery like the ‘gaamkharu’ (a wrist band) or ‘joonbiri’ (a half moon-shaped pendant) and the kaziranga design inspired by the wildlife at Kaziranga National Park. These days, colored silk threads are bought from South India as it is not commercially viable to dye the silks before weaving here.

III. Assam’s flora and fauna often sneak into itsmekhela chadars.Creepers are woven into borders, peacocks prance about the chadars, and delicate, geometric flowers dot the bodies of the mekhelas. Occasionally, pots and lions too make an appearance. The more I learn about the tedious procedure of weaving, the more my respect for the craft grows.

IV. There are mekhela chadars in different colours: red, blue, green, purple and blue as well as white, beige, black and grey. The ‘paat’ silk mekhela chadars have intricate designs made out of golden silk threads or guna all over. In some of them, different coloured threads are also used.

V. The white ‘paat’ silk, warm ‘eri’ and the golden ‘muga’ silk threads are made into exquisite chadars, saris, shawls, dress materials, rihas and ‘gamochas’. The ‘paat’ fabric is often described as one that dries in the shade and hides in a fist. The crisp, bright, gold ‘muga’ silk, exclusive to Assam, is of superior quality and very costly. Mekhela chadars made from ‘muga’ are gracefully draped by dancers during Rongali Bihu, the traditional festival of Assam. ‘Muga’, the golden silk of Assam, was given the Geographical Indication status in 2007 and the GI logo in 2014.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of ten questions by choosing the correct option.

Question. The ‘gaamkharu’ and the ‘joonbiri’ designs have been inspired by               
(a)- The Kaziranga National Park
(b)- The Assamese jewellery
(c)- The traditional Rangali Bihu festival
(d) The Ahom kings

Answer

(b)

Question. Onomatopoeia refers to the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named.         
From the options given below, choose a word that is an example of onamotopoeia.
(a) Click – clack
(b) Creepers
(c) Throw shuttle
(d) White paat

Answer

(a)

Question. Select the option that lists central idea of paragraph V.     
(a) Muga, the golden silk of Assam.
(b) Assam’s floura and fauna depicted in the mekehla chadars.
(c) The famous golden tea of Assam.
(d) Mekhela chadars- the identity of Sualkuchi in Assam.

Answer

(a)

Question. What is the relationship between 1 and 2?                
(1) ……… paat silk mekhela chadars have intricate designs made out of golden silk threads.      
(2) …… different coloured threads are also used.
(a) (2) is the reason for (1)
(b) (1) repeats the problems mentioned in (2).
(c) (1) sets the stage for (2).
(d) (2) elaborates the problem described in (1).

Answer

(c)

Question. Select the option that lists what we can conclude from the text.             
(1) Weaving is a part of life and a tradition in sualkichi.
(2) It is very expensive to make mekhela chadars in Assam.
(3) Many plant and animal lives are risked while making mekhela chadars.
(4) The silk used in weaving and the art itself are parts of Assam’s cultural heritage and thus, deserve proper recognition.
(a) (1) and (4) are true
(b) (3) and (4) are true
(c) (1), (2) and (4) are true
(d) (1), (3) and (4) are true

Answer

(a)

Question. Which of the following statements is not substantiated in paragraph IV?        
(a) The paat silk mekhela chadars have intricate designs made from different colors of silk threads.
(b) The silk chadars are made only of limited colors like golden, red, green and blue because of their maximum liking by the customers.
(c) The mekhela chadars are made in all different types of colors.
(d) The paat silk mekhela chadars have complex designs made out of golden silk threads.

Answer

(b)

Question. The writer’s question to Binita, about knowing about the different designs, was intended to 
(a) Criticize her creativity and lack of abilities.
(b) Make the process of creating designs sound simple.
(c) Encourage Binita to join a textile design course.
(d) Showcase her expertise in creating designs.

Answer

(d)

Question. Select the option that suitably completes the given dialogue as per the context in paragraph II.     
Writer: Since how long have you been creating these beautiful designs?
Binita: Do you like these designs? (1) ……………
Writer: What about these coloured silk threads?
Binita: (2) ………………….. We cannot make them here.
(a) (1) I am in love with these designs too. (2) We export these threads.
(b) (1) I do not like weaving but to earn our bread we have to do it. (2) We buy it from South India.
(c) (1) I am in love with them for the past 25 years now. (2) We buy it from Kerala.
(d) (1) I am in love with these threads for the past 25 years now. (2) We buy it from Rajasthan.

Answer

(c)

Question. The reason why the coloured silk threads are still bought from South India is that         
(a) It is not commercially viable to dye the silks before weaving, in the area.
(b) The colored silk threads are found to be more expensive in South India.
(c) Dying silk threads is a very cumbersome and inexpensive process in Assam.
(d) It is nearly impossible to make the silk threads due to lack of facilities in Assam.

Answer

(a)

Question. The statement “The more I learn about the tedious procedure of weaving, the more my respect for the craft grows” means that       
(a) The writer appreciates the hard work of the weavers who do the dull and boring work of weaving the craft with perfection.
(b) The writer does not appreciate the hard work of the weavers but respects them a lot for their creativity.
(c) The writer says that the weaving work is very slow so he does not like this work.
(d) The writer respects the craft as weaving is a very creative and interesting work.

Answer

(a)

Unseen Passage for Class 12

I. Family is one of the few universal and permanent institutions of mankind. In every society and at every stage of development we found some sort of family. As a result, we found different types of family all over the world. But in India we found a peculiar family system which deserves special attention. The family in India does not consist only of husband, wife and their children but also of uncles, aunts, cousins and grandsons.

II. This system is called joint family or extended family system. This joint family system is a peculiar characteristic of the Indian social life. Usually, a son after marriage does not separate himself from the parents but continues to live under the same roof, eating food cooked at one hearth, participating in common worship and holding property in common with every person’s share in it.

III. All the members of joint family keep their earnings in a common fund out of which family expenses are met. Accordingly, Indian Joint family system is like a socialistic community in which every member earns according to their capacity and receives according to their needs. This family is formed on the basis of close blood relationships. It normally consists of members of three to four generations.

IV. In other words, joint family is a collection of more than one primary family on the basis of close blood ties and common residences. All the members are bound by mutual obligations and have a common ancestor. It consists of an individual, his wife and married sons, their children and unmarried daughter, his brother and his parents. But to have a clear understanding of the meaning of joint family, we must have to analyse its definitions given by different sociologists.

V. Some of these definitions are as follows:
(1) According to Smt. Iravati Karve, “A joint family is a group of people who generally live under one roof, who eat food cooked at one hearth, who hold property in common and who participate in common worship and are related to each other as some particular type of Kindred.”
(2) According to K.M. Kapadia, “Joint family is a group formed not only of a couple and their children but also of other relations either from father’s side or from mother’s side depending on whether the joint family is patrilineal or matrilineal.” Thus, we conclude that the joint family comprises of a large number of members which has greater generation depth and who are related to one another by property, income, household and mutual rights and obligations.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of ten questions by choosing the correct option.

Question. Which of the following statement/statements is not true in the context of the passage?       
(A) Indian Joint family system is like a connected system in which every member earns according to their capacity and receives according to their needs.
(B) The joint family is an extension of the nuclear family (parents and dependent children).
(C) Non-earning members have as much share as the earning members in the joint family system due to the common funds.
(D) The entire members in the joint family system are not bound by mutual obligations and are free to take their independent decisions.
(a) Only (A)
(b) Both (A) and (B)
(c) Both (A) and (C)
(d) Only (D)

Answer

(d)

Question. Select the option that suitably completes the given dialogue as per the context in paragraph II.       
Father We all have started planning for your marriage?
Son Have you finalised the girl? (1) ………….
Father Your uncle and I have visited the girl’s family also.
Son (2) …………… Let me assist you in the further planning.
(a) (1) As I have also finalised someone else for me. (2). We can plan for next year then.
(b) (1) Or you are waiting for my consent for the same? (2) Oh! Hope they are very rich.
(c) (1) How can I help? (2) Hope she is modern and fashionable like me.
(d) (1) I’m sure she would be the best fit for our family. (2) Oh! That’s great then.

Answer

(d)

Question. Select the option that lists what we can conclude from the passage.         
(1) The family in India does not consist only of husband, wife and their children but also of uncles, aunts and cousins and grandsons.
(2) The joint family is based on close blood relationships and kinship.
(3) One of the main advantages of a joint family system is the strong bonding it creates among siblings and other members of the family.
(4) The food is cooked in different firesides but eaten at a common place with all the heads in the leading roles.
(a) (1) and (2) are true
(b) (1), (2) and (3) are true
(c) (2) and (4) are true
(d) (1), (3) and (4) are true

Answer

(b)

Question. Which board can be chosen as displaying the title of the above passage?     
Option (1) Global Joint Family System
Option (2) Members of Joint Family
Option (3) Indian Joint Family
Option (4) Types of families in India
(a) Option (1)
(b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3)
(d) Option (4)

Answer

(c)

Question. Simile is a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind.     
From the given options, choose a simile example that appears in the above passage.
(a) “normally consists of members of three”
(b) “is a group of people who generally live”
(c) “related to one another by property”
(d) “family system is like a socialistic community”

Answer

(d)

Question. Select the option that states the meaning of the statement- “But in India we found a peculiar family system which deserve special attention” as given in the passage.       
(a) Families do not exist in isolation and family dynamics are often best interpreted in the context of their societal and cultural background globally.
(b) Indian families are considered classically as large, collectivistic joint families harboring three or more generations, together.
(c) The cultures of Western Europe and North America with their complex, stratified societies, where independence and differences are emphasised, are said to be individualistic.
(d) The socio-cultural milieu of India is undergoing change at a tremendous pace, leaving fundamental alterations in family structure in its wake.

Answer

(b)

Question. What is the relationship between (1) and (2)? 
(1) …… we found a peculiar family system which deserves special attention.
(2) ……… joint family is a collection of more than one primary family.
(a) (1) sets the stage for (2)
(b) (1) repeats the situation described in (2)
(c) (2) is the reason for (2)
(d) (2) elaborates the problem described in (1)

Answer

(a)

Question. Select the option that correctly lists the feelings of the writer with reference to the definition of the Indian family system in the passage.           
1. Pessimistic 2. Acceptance
3. Affectionate 4. Infuriated
5. Disgust
(a) 1 and 4
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 3 and 5
(d) 1 and 3

Answer

(b)

Question. Which quote summarises the writer’s feelings in the best manner about the joint family system?     
(a) When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching, they are your family. –Jim Butcher
(b) Joint Family : Divided by property but united by heart. – Harshita Ashwani
(c) Nobody has ever before asked the nuclear family to live all by itself in a box the way we do. –Margaret Mead
(d) Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city. –George Burns

Answer

(b)

Question. The writer mentions ‘This family is formed on the basis of close blood relationships.’     
Pick the option that closely gives the meaning of the statement.
(a) The joint family members are a coherent group who follow the same culture and ties of blood.
(b) The child who cares for the parents usually receives the house in addition to his or her own share of land and moveable property in joint families.
(c) An extended family can also be called a complex family, joint family, or multi-generational family.
(d) With globalisation and increasing urbanisation, people have become more individualistic and consider family secondary.

Answer

(a)

Solved Unseen Passages for Class 12

1 I have received so much love and affection from the Indian people that nothing that I can do can repay even a small fraction of it, and indeed there can be no repayment of so precious a thing as affection. Many have been admired, some have been revered1, but the affection of all the classes of the Indian people has come to me in such an abundant measure that I have been overwhelmed by it. I can only express the hope that in the remaining years I may live, I shall not be unworthy of my people and their affection.

2 To my innumerable comrades and colleagues, I owe an even deeper debt of gratitude. We have been joint partners in great undertakings and have shared the triumphs and sorrows which inevitably2 accompany them.

3 I wish to declare with all earnestness that I do not want any religious ceremonies performed for me after my death. I do not believe in any such ceremonies and to submit to them, even as a matter of form would be hypocrisy and an attempt to delude3 ourselves and others.

4 When I die, I should like my body to be cremated. If I die in a foreign country, my body should be cremated there and my ashes sent to Allahabad.

5 A small handful of these ashes should be thrown into the Ganga and the major portion of them disposed of in the manner indicated below. No part of these ashes should be retained or preserved.

6 My desire to have a handful of my ashes thrown into the Ganga at Allahabad has no religious significance, so far as I am concerned. I have no religious sentiment in the matter. I have been attached to the Ganga and the Jamna rivers in Allahabad ever since my childhood and, as I have grown older, this attachment has also grown. I have watched their varying moods as the seasons changed, and have often thought of the history and myth and tradition and song and story that have become attached to them through the long ages and become part of their flowing waters.

7 The Ganga especially is the river of India, beloved of her people, around which are intertwined4 her racial memories, her hopes and fears, her songs of triumphs and her victories and her defeats. She has been a symbol of India’s age-long culture and civilization, ever-changing, ever-flowing, and yet ever the same Ganga. She reminds me of the snow-covered peaks and deep valleys of the Himalayas which I have loved so much, and of the rich and vast plains below where my life and work have been cast.

8 Smiling and dancing in the morning sunlight, and dark and gloomy and full of mystery as the evening shadows fall, a narrow, slow and graceful stream in winter, and a vast roaring thing during the monsoon, broad-bosomed almost as the sea, and with something of the sea’s power to destroy, the Ganga has been to me a symbol and a memory of the past of India, running into the present, and flowing on to the great ocean of the future. And though I have discarded5 much of past tradition and custom, and am anxious that India should rid herself of all shackles6 that bind and constrain her and divide her people, and suppress vast numbers of them and prevent the free development of the body and spirit; though I seek all this, yet I do not wish to cut myself off from the past completely. I am proud of that great inheritance that has been and is ours and I am conscious that I, too, like all of us, am a link in the unbroken chain which goes back to the dawn of history in the immemorial past of India. That chain I would not break, for I treasure it and seek inspiration from it. And as a witness of this desire of mine and as my last homage to India’s cultural inheritance, I am making this request that a handful of my ashes be thrown into the Ganga at Allahabad to be carried to the great ocean that washes India’s shores.

9 The major portion of my ashes should, however, be disposed of otherwise. I want these to be carried high up into the air in an aeroplane and scattered from that height over the fields where the peasants of India toil, so that they might mingle with the dust and soil of India and become an indistinguishable part of India. (Jawaharlal Nehru)

Answer each of the questions given below by choosing the most appropriate option :

Question. Nehru admits having received from the Indian people …………..
(a) their love.
(b) their affection.
(c) both (a) and (b).
(d) many precious things.

Answer

C

Question. What does Nehru say about his comrades and colleagues ?
(a) He owes them a great debt.
(b) He feels grateful to them.
(c) He praises them unduly highly.
(d) He would be ready to become their partner.

Answer

B

Question. What does he want to be done after his death ?
(a) He wants to be cremated.
(b) His ashes should be sent to Allababad.
(c) His ashes should be thrown in the Ganga.
(d) All of the three.

Answer

C

Question. Nehru has been attached to the Ganga …………..
(a) from the time he entered boyhood.
(b) since his childhood.
(c) since he became a young man.
(d) because of its vastness.

Answer

B

Question. The major portion of his ashes …………..
(a) should be scattered over the fields.
(b) should be preserved.
(c) was to be taken to all the oceans.
(d) was to be sent to foreign countries.

Answer

A

Answer the following questions briefly :

Question. What does Nehru say about the love and affection of the Indian people ?
Answer : He says that it came to him in abundance and he just cannot repay even its small fraction.

Question. What is his desire in the remaining years of his life ?
Answer : He hopes and wants to succeed in not becoming unworthy of the love and affection he has received.

Question. What does he say about the religious ceremonies after his death ?
Answer : He says that he does not believe in such things and so, none of them should be performed after his death.

Question. What does he say about his death in a foreign country ?
Answer : In such a case, he wants to be cremated there itself, but his ashes should be sent to Allahabad.

Question. What does he say about his attachment to the Ganga ?
Answer : He says that he has been attached to the river since his childhood and this attachment has grown as he has grown older.

Question. What chain does Nehru not want to break ?
Answer : It is the unbroken chain of the great inheritance which Nehru wants to treasure and keep it intact.

Question. Pick out the words/phrases from the passage which are similar in meaning to the following :
(a) plentiful (Para 1)
(b) spread (Para 9)
Answer : (a) abundant.
(b) scattered.

Unseen Passage for Class 12 with questions and answers

1 In every country, the poorer classes make a far larger section than the well-to-do. Then, which countries in particular may be named as poor ? It is where the means of livelihood are the fewest and even those are often blocked. Where the have-nots1 can aspire to a better life, hope itself is a real asset.

2 It is not enough to say there is a shortage of funds in our country; worse, there is a shortage of hope. We cast all the blame on fate. It does not strike us that the remedy is in our own hands. That is why it is better to instil hope in the heart than to offer alms.

3 Man loses his true stature2 when he fails to unite fully with his fellows. We know that a child dreads3 ghosts only when he is alone. This is the lone person’s fear of his own weakness. Most of our fears are replicas4 of this fear of ghosts.

4 There is the fear of poverty. It can be countered if we stand and act in a group. It is only by combining that man has achieved all that is worthwhile in life — knowledge, faith, power, wealth.

5 Behind the poverty of our country is the fact that we keep ourselves segregated5, trying to bear all our heavy burdens by ourselves. In Europe, when the steam engine came, many handicraft workers were thrown out of employment but the people of Europe think for one another in a crisis. The realization began to grow that the combined efforts of the people could be their strength and their capital. This union leading to prosperity has been an ever-widening path in Europe and I do not see a better path anywhere else.

6 I have to visit a small village once in a while. I stand on a verandah, and see field after field stretching away for miles. This land is cultivated by many farmers, some of whom own two bighas, some four and some even ten. The first noticeable fact is that only a few cultivators have the requisite6 number of bullocks, while others have too few or too many. Ploughing may start at the right time or it may be late — that has to depend on the farmer’s resources. Further, much of the labour of the bullocks is wasted as the direction of the plough changes frequently because of the twisted boundary lines of the plots. If each cultivator did not regard his small holding as an independent unit, if all adjoining strips were reckoned7 as one, fewer ploughshares and bullocks could do the tilling and much wasteful labour would be eliminated. There would again be a great saving of energy and expense if, after harvest, the farmers collectively stored and marketed their product.

7 He who can do the largest measure of work in the shortest span of time wins out. That is why men employ tools, which make one pair of hands equal to five or even ten. The savage who scratches the earth with his bare hands has to accept defeat from the man with the plough. Man worked with his small tools until the advent of modern machinery driven by steam and electricity. These small tools acknowledged defeat from the big machines, as bare hands had yielded to the hands 
equipped with tools.

8 These machines, it is true, can be put to work only over large tracts of land, and considerable funds are needed for their procurement8 and use. But if, therefore, we give up all hope saying that our peasantry cannot afford them, it will simply mean inviting ruin. In the present age of mechanization, our men must accept the machine.

9 He who is lacking in hope must perish. No one can save him by offering alms or some other help. He must be made to realize that what is not possible for a single individual will be possible when fifty unite in a group. A farmer can hardly do good business with a small surplus of a seer of milk, but if a hundred men collect all their spare milk, they can produce and sell ghee after they have bought a butter-churning machine. In Europe, this is a common practice. People in Denmark and other small countries have combined and by the proper marketing of butter, cheese and cream, they have eliminated poverty from their lives. This combination of many people to earn a living is known in Europe as the co-operative system. It is by this system that our country can be rescued from its age-long poverty and stagnation9.

Answer each of the questions given below by choosing the most appropriate option :

Question. When does man lose his stature ?
(a) When he sees shortage of funds.
(b) When there is a loss of hope.
(c) When he falls sick.
(d) When he fails to unite with his fellows.

Answer

D

Question. How can we overcome the fear of poverty ?
(a) By standing up determinedly.
(b) By acting as a group.
(c) Both (a) and (b).
(d) By acquiring wealth unfairly.

Answer

C

Question. The thing of value to man in life is …………..
(a) knowldge.
(b) power.
(c) faith.
(d) all of the three.

Answer

D

Question. What is the good thing with the people of Europe ?
(a) They think of one another in a crisis.
(b) They use steam engines.
(c) They encourage handicraft.
(d) They are far-sighted.

Answer

A

Question. What has been termed as ‘common practice’ of Europe ?
(a) Working as a cooperative.
(b) Looking for the arms build-up.
(c) Adhering to the principle of ‘going alone’.
(d) Selling surplus milk.

Answer

A

Answer the following questions briefly :

Question. Which countries can be justifiably called as poor ?
Answer : Those countries can be called poor where there are very few means of livelihood and even those are blocked.

Question. What has been said about the shortage in our country ?
Answer : There may be a shortage of funds in our country. But even greater is the shortage of hope.

Question. How can the fear of poverty be countered ?
Answer : It can be countered by acting in a group. Only by combining, we can achieve knowledge, faith, power and wealth.

Question. Why do men use tools ?
Answer : Men use tools to do a large measure of work in a short span of time.

Question. What fact is responsible for the poverty of our country ?
Answer : The fact responsible for the poverty of our country is that we keep ourselves aloof. We try to bear our heavy burdens by ourselves.

Question. What is meant by the co-operative system ?
Answer : The combination of many people to earn a living is called the co-operative system.

Question. Pick out the words/phrases from the passage which are similar in meaning to the following :
(a) occasionally (Para 6)
(b) scarcely (Para 9)
Answer : (a) once in a while.
(b) hardly.

Unseen Passage For Class 12 English With Answers Pdf