SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER
ENGLISH CORE (Code No. 301)
CLASS-XII-(2024-25)
Time allowed: 3 Hrs. Maximum Marks: 80
General Instructions
Read the following instructions very carefully and strictly follow them:
i. This question paper has 13 questions. All questions are compulsory.
ii. This question paper contains three sections:
Section A: Reading Skills,
Section B: Creative Writing Skills
Section C: Literature.
iii. Attempt all questions based on specific instructions for each part. Write the correct question
number and part thereof in your answer sheet.
iv. Separate instructions are given with each question/part, wherever necessary.
v. Adhere to the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
SECTION A
READING SKILLS (22 marks)
1. Read the following passage carefully:
12
(1) In a room filled with people, each face illuminated by the soft glow of their smartphones,
moments drift away like autumn leaves in the wind. The constant hum of notifications fills the
air, punctuating conversations like an incessant drumbeat. Every vibration or ping sends
fingers flying to screens, a response ingrained by years of digital conditioning. The once-
reliable tick-tock of analog timepieces has been overshadowed by the constant flicker of
notifications on the wrist watch, blurring the boundaries between the virtual and the real.
(2) Anxiety gnaws at the edges of consciousness when the phone is out of reach, a phantom
limb syndrome that leaves us feeling incomplete without our digital appendage. The fear of
missing out permeates every moment spent away from the screen, driving us to constantly
check for updates and notifications.
(3) Thumbs move with the speed and precision of skillful pianists, tapping out messages and
scrolling through feeds with practiced ease. Yet amidst the flurry of activity, the true rhythm
of life remains unheard, drowned out by the dissonance of digital noise. The weight of
constant connectivity forms a hunch upon our shoulders, a physical manifestation of the
burden we carry in an age of information overload. Our minds are perpetually on high alert,
scanning for the next wave of excitement that comes with each like, share, or comment.
(4) And yet, for all our efforts to stay connected, we find ourselves increasingly isolated in a sea
of digital faces. Genuine connections are fleeting, drowned out by the constant clamour for
attention. In the pursuit of digital validation, we sacrifice the wealth of lived experience,
trading meaningful moments for fleeting glimpses of connection. The true essence of life lies
not in the pixels on a screen, but in the depth of human connection and the richness of
shared experiences
1
, (5) As we navigate this brave new world of constant connectivity, let us not forget the value of
presence and the beauty of being fully engaged in the moments that matter most. For in the
end, it is not the number of likes or followers that defines us, but the depth of our
connections and the richness of our experiences that truly matter.
Created for Academic Usage / 421 words
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
I. According to paragraph 1, what effect do smartphone notifications have on the 1
people in the room?
II. How does the author use the metaphor of 'autumn leaves in the wind' to interpret the 1
passing of time in the setting described?
III Read and complete the following sentence suitably. 1
The phrase ‘a phantom limb syndrome that leaves us feeling incomplete without our
digital appendage’ suggests that just as an amputee might feel pain in a limb they no
longer have, individuals can feel a sense of loss or incompleteness when they are
separated from their digital devices.
Choose the correct response from the two options to complete the sentence.
The concern this analogy points towards is about ______________.
A. a deep (psychological) dependence on technology for a sense of wholeness or
connection
B. excessive physical damage that can be caused due to constant use of digital
devices
IV Complete the following suitably with ONE advantage, with reference to paragraph 2.
Designating specific hours each day to intentionally avoid checking digital devices 1
can help __________________.
V Why does the writer refer to digital noise as 'dissonance' in paragraph 3? 1
Because-
A. It creates a jarring and chaotic environment that disrupts focus.
B. It contributes to a sense of overload, overwhelming the senses.
C. It interferes with our ability to engage with meaningful aspects of our life.
D. It induces stress by interrupting with regular updates about the device.
VI. Provide ONE textual evidence with reference to paragraph 3, to prove the following: 1
The need to be perpetually engaged with digital notifications manifests in the body.
VII. In the line, ‘Yet amidst the flurry of activity, the true rhythm of life remains 2
unheard…,’ what does the phrase 'true rhythm of life’ refer to? (Paragraphs 3-4)
VIII Complete the analogy with ONE word from paragraph 4. 1
whisper: quietly: _______: loudly
A. validation
B. fleeting
C. essence
D. clamour
2
ENGLISH CORE (Code No. 301)
CLASS-XII-(2024-25)
Time allowed: 3 Hrs. Maximum Marks: 80
General Instructions
Read the following instructions very carefully and strictly follow them:
i. This question paper has 13 questions. All questions are compulsory.
ii. This question paper contains three sections:
Section A: Reading Skills,
Section B: Creative Writing Skills
Section C: Literature.
iii. Attempt all questions based on specific instructions for each part. Write the correct question
number and part thereof in your answer sheet.
iv. Separate instructions are given with each question/part, wherever necessary.
v. Adhere to the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
SECTION A
READING SKILLS (22 marks)
1. Read the following passage carefully:
12
(1) In a room filled with people, each face illuminated by the soft glow of their smartphones,
moments drift away like autumn leaves in the wind. The constant hum of notifications fills the
air, punctuating conversations like an incessant drumbeat. Every vibration or ping sends
fingers flying to screens, a response ingrained by years of digital conditioning. The once-
reliable tick-tock of analog timepieces has been overshadowed by the constant flicker of
notifications on the wrist watch, blurring the boundaries between the virtual and the real.
(2) Anxiety gnaws at the edges of consciousness when the phone is out of reach, a phantom
limb syndrome that leaves us feeling incomplete without our digital appendage. The fear of
missing out permeates every moment spent away from the screen, driving us to constantly
check for updates and notifications.
(3) Thumbs move with the speed and precision of skillful pianists, tapping out messages and
scrolling through feeds with practiced ease. Yet amidst the flurry of activity, the true rhythm
of life remains unheard, drowned out by the dissonance of digital noise. The weight of
constant connectivity forms a hunch upon our shoulders, a physical manifestation of the
burden we carry in an age of information overload. Our minds are perpetually on high alert,
scanning for the next wave of excitement that comes with each like, share, or comment.
(4) And yet, for all our efforts to stay connected, we find ourselves increasingly isolated in a sea
of digital faces. Genuine connections are fleeting, drowned out by the constant clamour for
attention. In the pursuit of digital validation, we sacrifice the wealth of lived experience,
trading meaningful moments for fleeting glimpses of connection. The true essence of life lies
not in the pixels on a screen, but in the depth of human connection and the richness of
shared experiences
1
, (5) As we navigate this brave new world of constant connectivity, let us not forget the value of
presence and the beauty of being fully engaged in the moments that matter most. For in the
end, it is not the number of likes or followers that defines us, but the depth of our
connections and the richness of our experiences that truly matter.
Created for Academic Usage / 421 words
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
I. According to paragraph 1, what effect do smartphone notifications have on the 1
people in the room?
II. How does the author use the metaphor of 'autumn leaves in the wind' to interpret the 1
passing of time in the setting described?
III Read and complete the following sentence suitably. 1
The phrase ‘a phantom limb syndrome that leaves us feeling incomplete without our
digital appendage’ suggests that just as an amputee might feel pain in a limb they no
longer have, individuals can feel a sense of loss or incompleteness when they are
separated from their digital devices.
Choose the correct response from the two options to complete the sentence.
The concern this analogy points towards is about ______________.
A. a deep (psychological) dependence on technology for a sense of wholeness or
connection
B. excessive physical damage that can be caused due to constant use of digital
devices
IV Complete the following suitably with ONE advantage, with reference to paragraph 2.
Designating specific hours each day to intentionally avoid checking digital devices 1
can help __________________.
V Why does the writer refer to digital noise as 'dissonance' in paragraph 3? 1
Because-
A. It creates a jarring and chaotic environment that disrupts focus.
B. It contributes to a sense of overload, overwhelming the senses.
C. It interferes with our ability to engage with meaningful aspects of our life.
D. It induces stress by interrupting with regular updates about the device.
VI. Provide ONE textual evidence with reference to paragraph 3, to prove the following: 1
The need to be perpetually engaged with digital notifications manifests in the body.
VII. In the line, ‘Yet amidst the flurry of activity, the true rhythm of life remains 2
unheard…,’ what does the phrase 'true rhythm of life’ refer to? (Paragraphs 3-4)
VIII Complete the analogy with ONE word from paragraph 4. 1
whisper: quietly: _______: loudly
A. validation
B. fleeting
C. essence
D. clamour
2
