Half-Yearly Assessment — September 2026
Class – 12 | Subject: English Core Time: 90 Minutes | Max. Marks: 40
Section A (Reading Skill)
1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct options given. (5 Marks)
Man is a social animal. Like any other animal, he needs food and the basic necessities of life for his existence. Like other living beings, he has biological and physiological needs. He may obtain his food directly from nature or through various means, such as earning, begging, working hard, or even stealing. Until he has satisfied his basic needs, he continues to seek their fulfilment.
However, there is a major difference between an animal and a human being. Nature has endowed man with certain qualities that make him unique. While an animal obtains its food and becomes satisfied and relaxed, a human being strives to fulfil his mental, intellectual, and spiritual needs. God has gifted man a beautiful mind that is extremely creative. This quality enables him to explore new possibilities and express his creativity, making his world more fascinating and remarkable. Hence, the history of art, literature, science, and philosophy reflects his immense desire to evolve and move forward towards the modern society of today. Can a man progress by himself? The answer is no. Man is a part of society, so he cannot progress all alone.
A man has to face many challenges in his life, and life poses many problems on his path to progress. Therefore, as an intellectual being, he should face all these challenges and respect the beautiful creativity of nature and God.
PART I: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
(i) What does man need like other animals? (a) food and basic livelihood (b) biological and physiological needs (c) both (a) and (b) (d) spiritual needs
- Answer: (c) both (a) and (b)
(ii) What does he do to get his food? (a) gets it from nature (b) gets it by working hard (c) gets it by stealing or begging (d) all of the above
- Answer: (d) all of the above
(iii) What should man do to show his respect for nature and God? (a) He should respect nature and God. (b) He should face all the challenges of life. (c) He should say prayers. (d) Both (a) and (b)
- Answer (d) Both (a) and (b)
PART II: OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS
(iv) What does man do until he has satisfied his basic needs?
- Answer: Until he has satisfied his basic needs, he continues to seek their fulfilment through various means such as earning, working hard, begging, or stealing.
(v) What is the exclusive quality of man's mind?
- Answer: Man's mind is exceptionally creative, allowing him to explore new possibilities, express creativity, and satisfy his mental, intellectual, and spiritual needs.
2. Read the following passage carefully, make notes on it using headings and sub-headings, and also apply a suitable title. (5 Marks)
Paper wastage is a direct loss of trees. If we continue wasting paper at the same rate, we shall need more and more trees. The use of paper is related to almost all fields of our day-to-day activities. We need a printout for every type of receipt. We need printouts for our notes and for different types of billing. We often insist on writing everything on paper. Usually, it is seen that all such and other printouts are taken on only one side of the page. Even Ph.D. theses are often printed on one side only. Most court decisions are also printed on one side of the paper. Therefore, if both sides of a sheet of paper are used in all the above cases and others, 50% of paper can be saved.
Moreover, paper that has already been used for one document and needs to be kept in the records can be used for another purpose from the other side. One side can be used for one type of assignment and the other side for another. Printouts that are needed only once can be reused for rough work, corrections, or other purposes. Therefore, we must say, "Save Trees, Save Paper, Save Earth."
Title: Save Trees, Save Paper, Save Earth
Notes:
- Impact of Paper Wastage
- 1.1 Direct loss of trees
- 1.2 Increased demand for cutting down trees
- Everyday Uses of Paper
- 2.1 Receipts, notes, and billing printouts
- 2.2 Ph.D. theses and court decisions
- Methods to Save Paper (Up to 50%)
- 3.1 Print/write on both sides of sheets
- 3.2 Reuse single-side printed pages for rough work/corrections
- 3.3 Use blank side for secondary document records
Key to Abbreviations:
- Doc. – Document
- Prnts. – Printouts
- % – Percentage
Section B — Writing Skills (5 Marks)
3. Attempt any one of the following:
Option 1: Job Application with Bio-data
C/5, Patel Nagar, Udhampur
29 September 2026
The Manager Fine Prints Pvt. Ltd., Sector 18, Jammu
Subject: Application for the post of Accountant
Sir/Madam,
In response to your advertisement in the newspaper for the post of Accountant in your esteemed organization, I hereby offer my candidature for the same. I possess the requisite educational qualifications and work experience. My detailed bio-data is enclosed herewith for your kind consideration.
If given an opportunity, I assure you that I will discharge my duties to the best of my abilities.
Yours faithfully, Arun Bhasin
BIO-DATA
- Name: Arun Bhasin
- Father's Name: Shri R. K. Bhasin
- Address: C/5, Patel Nagar, Udhampur
- Date of Birth: 12th August 1998
- Educational Qualifications:
- B.Com from Jammu University (78%)
- M.Com from Jammu University (74%)
- Work Experience: 3 years as Junior Accountant at ABC Enterprises, Jammu
- Languages Known: English, Hindi, Dogri
- Contact No.: 98XXXXXXXX
Option 2: Notice (Inter-House Debate Competition)
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GOVT. SR. SEC. SCHOOL, BARN
NOTICE
29 September 2026
INTER-HOUSE DEBATE COMPETITION
This is to inform all students that our school is organizing an Inter-House
Debate Competition as per the details given below:
• Date : 5th October 2026
• Time : 10:00 AM
• Venue : School Auditorium
• Topic : "Digital Technology: A Boon or a Bane?"
• Classes Eligible: 6th to 12th
Interested students should submit their names to their respective house
captains or the undersigned by 3rd October 2026.
Mrs. Sunita Mehta
Debate Coordinator
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Section C — Grammar (6 Marks)
4. Attempt any six of the following:
(A) Fill in the blanks with suitable articles wherever necessary:
(i) The moon looks beautiful tonight. (ii) I read an interesting book yesterday.
- (b) an
(B) Fill in the blanks with suitable modals by choosing from the given options:
(iii) He works hard so that he may pass. (Note: Standard grammar uses "may" for purpose clauses following "so that"; options provided on paper include "will" or "may") (iv) Could you lend me your pen for a moment?
- (b) Could
(C) Change the narration:
(v) The teacher said to the students, "Complete your homework before coming to class."
- Answer: The teacher instructed (or asked) the students to complete their homework before coming to class.
(D) Change the voice:
(vi) People speak English all over the world.
- Answer: English is spoken all over the world (by people).
(E) Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs given in brackets:
(vii) She was cooking (or had cooked) dinner when I came home. (cook) (viii) He goes to the office every day by car. (go)
- Correct Option: (a) goes
Section D — Literature (14 Marks)
5. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. (Attempt any one) (1 × 5 = 5 Marks)
Extract Option 1: A Roadside Stand
"The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead, Or if ever aside a moment, then out of sorts At having the landscape marred with the artless paint Of signs that with N turned wrong and S turned wrong Offered for sale wild berries in wooden quarts..."
(i) What did the polished traffic pass by? (a) A village school (b) A deserted house (c) A ruined fort (d) A roadside stand
- Answer: (d) A roadside stand
(ii) How did the passing motorists feel when they looked aside for a moment? (a) Irritated (b) Overjoyed (c) Excited (d) Tense
- Answer: (a) Irritated (out of sorts)
(iii) How did the 'artless paint' affect the landscape? (a) It increased its attraction. (b) It spoiled its beauty. (c) It made it complicated. (d) It added brightness.
- Answer: (b) It spoiled its beauty.
(iv) What was offered for sale there? (a) Wooden quarts (b) Golden squash (c) Silver warts (d) Wild berries
- Answer: (d) Wild berries
(v) Name the poem and the poet.
- Answer:
- Poem: A Roadside Stand
- Poet: Robert Frost
Extract Option 2: Lost Spring
"My acquaintance with the barefoot ragpickers leads me to Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it, metaphorically. Those who live here are squatters who came from Bangladesh back in 1971. Saheb's family is among them. Seemapuri was then a wilderness. It still is, but is no longer empty. In the structures of mud, with roofs of tin and tarpaulin, devoid of sewage, drainage or running water, live 10,000 ragpickers."
(i) From which chapter have these lines been taken? (a) Deep Water (b) Indigo (c) Lost Spring (d) The Rattrap
Answer: (c) Lost Spring
(ii) Who is the author of these lines? (a) Alphonse Daudet (b) Anees Jung (c) Selma Lagerlöf (d) Pearl S. Buck
Answer: (b) Anees Jung
(iii) Which place is situated on the periphery of Delhi according to the passage? (a) Delhi (b) Dhaka (c) Bangladesh (d) Seemapuri
Answer: (d) Seemapuri
(iv) Where did the squatters come from? (a) Delhi (b) Mumbai (c) Bangladesh (d) Seemapuri
Answer: (c) Bangladesh
(v) How many ragpickers live in Seemapuri? (a) 5,000 (b) 10,000 (c) 15,000 (d) 20,000
Answer: (b) 10,000
6. Answer the following question in about 100 words: (5 Marks)
Question: Who was the poor peddler? Why did he think that the whole world was a rat trap? (The Rattrap)
Answer: The poor peddler was a vagabond who went around selling small wire rattraps he made himself from gathered scrap materials. Because his business was not profitable, he had to resort to both begging and petty thievery to survive.
One day, while wandering alone, a philosophical thought struck him: the entire world was nothing but a giant rattrap. He realized that land, seas, cities, clothes, food, and shelter were all mere baits set to tempt human beings, just as cheese and pork are used to lure rats into a trap. As soon as someone yielded to temptation and touched the bait, the trap closed in on them, depriving them of their freedom.