SOLVED SELECTION TEST PAPER – 2023

 

SOLVED SELECTION TEST PAPER – 2023

SUBJECT: ENGLISH

(WEST GARO HILLS REGION)

7. Reference to the context:

a) “Hold you noise…. Church porch.

Ans: These words are an extract from the story ‘Great Expectations’ written by Charles Dickens.

       i.          The convict said these above words to Pip.

      ii.          The convict said the above words because he felt disturbed by Pip’s loud cry.

    iii.          The convict has escaped from prison and was hiding in the graveyard.

b) “Why is it…. Frightened to death.”

Ans: These words are an extract from the story ‘The Demon With the Matted Hair’, an Indian tale retold by Claire Horburgh.

i.                 The demon asked the above question to the Prince.

ii.                The demon asked this question to the Prince when he found that the Prince did not show any fear or nervousness even after he had lost all his weapons and his whole body was entangled and suspended in the demon’s matted hair.

iii.              The Prince replied that he had a ‘thunderbolt’ in his belly that could explode and kill the demon if he devoured him. By ‘thunderbolt’ the Prince meant the power of knowledge.

c) His three listeners…. Eagerly.

Ans: These words are an extract from the story ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ written by W.W. Jacob.

i. ‘His’ referred to here is Sergeant-Major Morris.

ii. The three listeners are Mr. White, Mrs. White and Herbert White.

iii. Sergeant-Major Morris was telling them about the monkey’s paw, and when Mrs. White enquired further about it, Major Morris replied shortly that it was just bit of a magic. The above words were mentioned in this context.

d) “Didn’t I put…. Worth millions.”

Ans: These words are an extract from the play ‘Fourteen’ written by Alice Gerstenberg.

i.                 The speaker of the above line is Mrs. Horace Pringle.

ii.                Mrs. Horace Pringle is speaking the above words to her daughter, Elaine.

iii.              Mrs. Pringle is telling Elaine of her efforts in putting the millionaire businessman, Oliver Farnsworth just next to her daughter while arranging the sitting positions at her dinner party. She wants Elaine to impress Oliver and make him fall in love with her so that Mrs. Pringle can get both of them married.

 

e) “But I am responsible…. aboard of her.”

Ans: These words are an extract from the story ‘Powder and Arms’ written by R.L. Stevenson.

i.                 Captain Smollett is responsible for everything on board the ship.

ii.                Captain Smollett fears a mutiny.

iii.              The phrase ‘every man jack’ means each and every person.

 

 

 

9. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words:

a) King Brahmadatta invited the Brahmans on the baby’s name day to read the lucky marks on the baby’s skin and foretell his future.

b) The three wishes made by Mr. White were two hundred pounds to pay off the mortgage of the house, bring Herbert back alive from the grave and send back Herbert to the grave.

          The consequences of these wishes are tragic. The family loses their son, and the implication is that Herbert returns in a horrifying and unnatural state, prompting Mr. White to use the third wish to put an end to the nightmare.

c) Harper cancelled the dinner party at the last moment because he was called away to the bedside of a friend who was very ill. As a mark of apology, he sent flowers for Mrs. Pringle.

d) Romeo was banished from Verona because he had killed Tybalt, who was Juliet's cousin. Romeo killed Tybalt to avenge the murder of his friend, Mercutio, who was challenged to a duel and later killed by Tybalt.

e) As Jim was examining the swivel, Captain Smollett shouted at him calling him a “ship’s boy”. He then told Jim ordered Jim to go with the cook and help him in his kitchen work. He thinks about Jim a mere “ship’s boy”.

10. Answer the following questions in 80-100 words:

a) In the story "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs, Herbert White dies in a tragic and mysterious manner. He was a young man who lived with his parents, and his death was the result of a wish made using the magical monkey's paw. Herbert's father, Mr. White, used the paw to wish for two hundred pounds, and shortly after, Herbert was killed in a gruesome industrial accident in the ‘Maw and Meggins’ where he worked. He died after he was caught in the machinery. The wish granted the family the money they desired, but it came at the terrible cost of their son's life, illustrating the dark consequences of meddling with supernatural forces and fate.

 

b) Friar Lawrence proposed a plan where Juliet would consent to marry Count Paris. Then, on the night before the wedding she must drink a sleeping potion that would make her appear dead. She would be laid to rest in the Capulet tomb and by then the Friar would inform Romeo in Mantua about the plan. Romeo would arrive and take Juliet away.

          However, the Friar’s plan did not go as expected. The messenger, whom the Friar had sent to inform Romeo of Juliet’s feigned death, could not reach on time. So, Romeo was devastated by the news of Juliet’s death and so rushed to see Juliet for the last time for he had brought with him poison and after seeing Juliet he drank the poison and died. In this way, the Friar’s plan went wrong.

c) When the demon first met the Prince, he thought that he would make a nice meal out of the latter. The Prince, at first, shot the Demon with a poisoned arrow which stuck in the matted hair of the Demon. Then the Prince fired shot after shot till he had shot away fifty arrows, and they all stuck in the Demon’s hair. The Demon snapped them all and threw them down at his feet. The Prince drew his thirty-three inches sword and struck the Demon with it, but the sword too got stuck in the Demon’s hair. The Prince then struck the Demon with his club and spear, but both the weapons got stuck in the Demon’s hair. Having lost all his weapons, the Prince still continued his fight with his body. He hit the Demon with his right and left hand and feet, and finally, he butted the Demon with his head. However, those got stuck in the Demon’s hair. The Prince was now hanging suspended in the Demon’s long and matted hair.

          Even after the Prince had failed in his attack, he still refused to surrender and remained undaunted. This shocked the demon and he asked the Prince what made him fearless. The Prince replied that in his belly there was a thunderbolt which would tear the demon into pieces if he ate him. Thus, being frightened of death, the demon set the Prince free.

 

 

(POETRY SECTION)

12. Reference to the context:

a) “Sometimes there…. Transient all”

i) The word “transient‟ means to last for only a short time. It also implies something which quickly comes to an end.

ii) In the poem, ‘Life’, the poet says that the “clouds of gloom” are transient in life.

iii) Clouds of gloom” refers to the sorrowful and adverse times in our lives. According to the poet, there are both happy and adverse times in our lives, but both are temporary in nature. We must keep in mind that if happiness is short-lived, so is sorrow.

b) Alone she cuts and binds the grains.

i) ‘She’ here refers to the solitary reaper.

ii) She is in the paddy field.

iii) She is cutting and binding grass while singing to herself.

c) “Searching my heart…I find to be.”

i) The poet is in the city amid lights and noises.

ii) The poet is fed up of the din of the city life and longs for the sea. She feels exasperated and trapped amidst great buildings, and is confused with lights.

iii) The reason for the poet’s sorrow is that she is unable to go to the sea which is her innermost desire and is trapped in the city.

d) “A man severe…view.”

i) The ‘man’ referred to here is the village schoolmaster.

ii) The village schoolmaster is severe and stern in order to maintain discipline among students.

iii) He taught his little school in a small village.

13. Answer the following questions in 80-100 words:

a) "The Gift of India," a poem by Sarojini Naidu, is both a celebration and a proclamation for Mother India's martyred sons. It celebrates their selfless sacrifice in the fight for freedom, portraying them as noble and valiant. It lauds their willingness to give their lives as a precious gift to the nation. At the same time, it proclaims the profound impact of their sacrifice, as their blood sanctifies the land and inspires the living to continue the struggle for independence. The poem serves as a tribute to the fallen heroes while also exhorting future generations to honor their legacy and uphold the ideals of freedom.

b) The poet longs to hear the loud and the soft sounds of the sea waves which she considers to be very soothing to her ears. She also wishes to hear the “green piles” making sound and the sea gulls flying. The poet wishes to see the agile movement of the barrels and the “black sticks” which are used as fence to set trap for fish. The poet also longs to see the ‘mussels’ crusting the wrecked and decaying body of the ship. The poet wants to hear the “shanties” and the “fog bells” ringing. She expresses a deep desire to spend all day long in that place and ‘hold’ and ‘handle’ ‘shells’, ‘anchors’ and ‘ships’ again.

c) The schoolmaster was not only much admired and respected by his students but was evidently also looked up to by the village residents. Everyone seemed to have praise for his great knowledge. It was a known fact in the village that he could write, do mathematics, and predict weather patterns and tides. It was also assumed that he was an accurate surveyor who could determine borders easily. It is apparent that he could also debate intelligently and be involved in discussions with the village parson, a person who was greatly respected by his parishioners. The teacher seemed to be a fierce opponent in such discourse, for he would continue arguing a point even after he had already lost the dispute. The master would use difficult words and emotive language to sound convincing and impress the poorly educated village folk. People in this rural community were in awe that the teacher could know so much. They could not understand how his small head could contain so much knowledge. This was the most remarkable thing about the schoolmaster.

OLIVER TWIST

15. Reference to the context:

a) “Now you have…. To help you?”

i) Mr. Brownlow spoke the above quoted words to Nancy.

ii) Nancy shared all the secret information about the meeting between Fagin and Monks with Mr. Brownlow and Rose. She also gave the physical description of Monks and informed them about the public-house which he frequently visited.

iii) When Bill Sikes reached home, he found Nancy lying half-dressed on the bed. Nancy became immediately alert when she saw Bill’s face fuming with rage. Sikes seized her by the throat and dragged her to the middle of the room. Nancy tried to resist him with the strength of mortal fear and asked him the reason for his outburst in which he told her that he had just come from Fagin’s house and that she was being watched when she met her friends at the London Bridge. Everything she spoke was heard by Charley Bates. Nancy pleaded Bill not to kill her, but despite her pleas, Bill took out his gun and hit her with it. Nancy staggered and fell, nearly blinded by the blood which flowed from her head. She then said her last prayer for mercy before Bill struck her repeatedly with a heavy club till she died.

b) “Being more careful…. called it success.”

i) Nancy said the above words to Rose.

ii) The speaker listened to the conversation of Monks.

iii) The proofs of Oliver’s identity that lay at the bottom of the river were a locket and a ring.

iv) ‘They’ here are Monks and Fagin. They said it was a success because Monks had got his younger brother, Oliver’s money safely with him now. Since the only identity of Oliver was destroyed by Monks, there was now no risk in getting the share of the money which Oliver’s father had left for them.

c) “Meanwhile Oliver… by a cry.”

i) Oliver was on his way to the stall because Mr. Grimwig did not trust Oliver and thought that he might be deceiving Mr. Brownlow. When Mr. Brownlow sent Oliver to the bookstall with some books to be returned and some money that he owes, Mr. Grimwig believed that Oliver would make off with the money and the books and go back to his old friends, the thieves. However, Mr. Brownlow had faith that Oliver would return and so the two gentlemen waited to see who was right.

ii) He met Nancy on his way to the stall.

iii) While on his way to the bookstall, Oliver was startled by a cry and suddenly a pair of arms were flung tightly around his neck. The young woman was Nancy who had pretended Oliver to be her young brother. She made a big scene, and told those who were watching that Oliver had run away from his parents to join a gang of thieves. When Oliver tried to call for help and shouted that they were taking him against his will, no one believed him. Seeing that all the passers-by had turned against him, Nancy and Sikes were able to drag Oliver away. The three of them walked for a long time till they reached and stopped outside an empty shop in a mean and dirty street. Sikes and Nancy took Oliver to a dilapidated house which was opened by a boy in a candle. He was led down a flight of stairs, across a deserted kitchen and was pushed into a low room which seemed to have been built in a small backyard.

 

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