Class 12 Compulsory English Question:2080 (Set D) (For Regular Students)

Sub. Code: 0041'D'

NEB-GRADE XII 2080 (2023)

Compulsory English New Course (For regular students only)

Candidates are required to give their answers in their own words as far as practicable. The figures in the margin indicate full marks.
Time: 3 hrs.

Full Marks: 75

Attempt all questions

Group 'A'

1. Read the following text and complete the tasks that follow: 15 

For centuries, time was measured by the position of the Sun with use of sundials. Noon was recognised when the Sun was the highest in the sky, and cities would set their clock by this apparent solar time, even though some cities would often be on a slightly different time. Daylight saving Time (DST), sometimes called summer time, was instituted to make better use of daylight. Thus, clocks are set forward one hour in the spring to move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening and then set back one hour in the fall to return to normal daylight.

Benjamin Franklin first conceived the idea of daylight saving during his tenure as an American delegate in Paris in 1984 and wrote about it extensively in his essay, "An Economical Project." It is said that Franklin awoke early one morning and was surprised to see the sunlight at such an hour. Always the economist, Franklin believed the practice of moving the time could save on the use of candlelight, as candles were expensive at the time.

In England, builder William Willett (1957-1915) became a strong supporter for Daylight Saving Time upon noticing blinds of many houses were closed on an early sunny morning. Willett believed everyone, including himself, would appreciate longer hours of light in the evenings. In 1909, Sir Robert Pearce introduced a bill in the House of Commons to make it obligatory to adjust the clocks. A bill was drafted and introduced into Parliament several times but met with great opposition, mostly from farmers. Eventually, in 1925, it was decided that summer time should begin on the day following the third Saturday in April and close after the first Saturday in October.

The U.S. congress passed the standard Time Act of 1918 to establish standard time and preserve and set Daylight saving Time across the continent. This act also devised five time Zones throughout United States: Eastern, central, Mountain, Pacific, and Alaska. The first time zone was set on "the mean astronomical time of the seventy-fifth degree of longitude west from Greenwich" (England). In 1919, this act was cancelled.

President Roosevelt established year-round Daylight saving Time (also called War Time) from 1942-1945. However, after this period, each state adopted its own DST, which proved to be disconcerting to television and radio broadcasting and transportation. In 1996, President Lyndon Johnson created the Department of Transportation and signed the Uniform Time Act. As a result, the Department of transportation was given the responsibility for the time laws. During the oil embargo and energy crisis of the 1970s, President Richard Nixon extended DST through the Daylight Saving Time Energy Act of 1973 to conserve energy further. This law was modified in 1986, and Daylight Saving Time was reset to begin on the first Sunday in April (to spring ahead) and end on the last Sunday in October (to fall back).

A. Complete the following sentences using the words highlighted in the text. Two of those words are not necessary. 5x1-5
a. Attendance at school is........ .
b. Some people believe that the universe was........by a big explosion. 

c. Everyone knows that he made a mistake. So, his guilt is...... to everyone.
d. God is often......of as male.
e. The committee finally......his suggestions.
B. Read the text again and write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information given in the text. FALSE if the statement contradicts the information given in the text. NOT GIVEN if there is no information in the text. 5x1-5
a. People often say summer time for Daylight Saving Time. 

b. Benjamin Franklin wrote the essay 'An Economical Project'.
c. Sir Robert Pearce passed the bill in 1909.
d. The U.S. Congress passed the Standard Time Act in 1919.
e. President Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act. 

C. Read the text again and answer the following questions in ONE SENTENCE each.5x1-5

a. What does DST stand for?

b. Why does Franklin think it was a good idea to move the time? Give a reason.
c. What decision was made in 1925 ?
d. Why do you think DST was called War Time during 1940s ? Give your opinion. 

e. What is the purpose of this text?

2. Write short answers to the following questions in about 75 words each. 5x2-10
a) Why did the writer go back home after twenty years? (My Old Home) 

b) According to the author, what are the different things that Nepal has given to the West? (The Half Closed Eyes of the Buddha and.......
OR
Why was the author biased towards science? (On Libraries) 

c) Whom does the poet call 'poor creature' and why? Give reasons. (Every Morning I Wake)

d) What makes the author conclude that morality, art, spirituality and creativity 
are universal human abilities embedded in our DNA? Give your opinion. (Humility)

OR
Do you agree with the author that wisdom is more important than knowledge? Why, why not? Give reasons. (Knowledge and Wisdom) 

e) What role does the 'letter' have in the play 'A Matter of Husbands? 

3. Write long answers to the following questions in about 150 words each. 2x5=10 

a) As the chief of a local government unit of your country, what would you do to address the feelings of the women like Julia de Burgos? Explain. (I was My own Route) 

b) Do you think it was the right step that Monsieur Durand took at the end of the play? Why, why not? Justify your opinion. (Facing Death) 

OR
Recall Runtu's case in the Chinese society. Also decide whether the living conditions of average Nepali people at present are getting better or worsening. Now, explain your position with examples. (My Old Home) 

4. Summarise the following text in about 150 words. Write only the ideas of the original text but do not include your own opinions, interpretations, deductions or comments. 7

Anuradha Koirala was born on 14 April 1949. She was born as the first child to colonel Pratap singh Gurung and Laxmi Gurung. She belonged to an educated family and, therefore, pursued her education at St. Joseph convent school. She says, mother and sister in her school motivated her to do social work and regards Mother Teresa as her huge inspiration. She spent her 20 years teaching in schools in Kathmandu.

Ms. Koirala was married at a very young age. But, her relationship did not work well as she suffered from domestic abuse from her husband. She believed the domestic abuse was the sole reason she had to miscarry her baby there times she felt hopeless and tortured each time. So, she left her husband. She had nowhere to go. The only place where a woman, in that situation, thinks to go is "Maiti". But unfortunately, some women are even thrown out from Maiti. That's when Anuradha felt a need for an organisation that would support and shelter those women. It was April 1993, Anuradha Koirala started "Maiti Nepal" in a small house in Kathmandu with her own savings. "Maiti Nepal" refers to "Mother's home", with an aim of empowering women and protecting them from domestic violence and trafficking. Maiti Nepal was born. Koirala, with her own income, initially started up the organization and helped eight women, who were victims of domestic violence, open their own shop and be independent. The network grew and UNICEF decided to support the organisation. This is how Maiti Nepal grew from small house organization to multi-branch organization. Maiti Nepal now has various branches and a wide range of services. Its vision is to create a society free of sexual and other types of exploitation against children and women. It has been actively working on making their vision come true. It is conducting various activities including social awareness, counselling, participation, skill development, women empowerment, etc. It protects girls form being trafficked and also rescues trafficked girls from brothels in India. After rescuing them, as they are not accepted in their own dogmatic society, Maiti Nepal shelters them, counsels them, and, gives them new life.

Koirala says, her organisation has been giving an impact on society and she is happy to bring some change in the society from her side. She also says her happiest day will be when Maiti Nepal ceases its existence as it will be the day, society will be free from human trafficking and domestic violence.

Anuradha Koirala has been awarded 38 National and International awards for her contribution to the society. Some of the best awards she received include Best Social Worker of the Year Award in 1998, Prabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu Medal (Nepal) in 1999, Trishakti Patta Award in 2002, The Courage of Conscience Award from the peace Abbey Foundation in 2006, German UNIFEM prize in 2007, Queen Sofia Silver Medal Award in 2007, CNN Hero Award in 2010, Mother Teresa Award in 2014 and Padma Shree Award in April 2017.

5. Your school/college has allocated some money for purchasing sports goods. Being the General Secretary of the sports club in your school/college, write a letter in about 180 words to Ekta Books and Stationery, Thapathali, Kathmandu, requesting them to supply their trade catalogue. You may mention the items you intend to buy and ask for a discount on the catalogue prices. 8

6. Suppose you are the General Manager of Udayapur Cement Factory. Issue a press release in about 300 words on behalf of the factory about the delay in the product of highest quality cement. 10

7. Do as instructed within the brackets and rewrite the sentences. 10 

a) This year the whole winter season was dry. There was very.......... (more/ many/few/little) rain. (Choose appropriate word and rewrite the sentence.)
b) The Principal along with other experts.......... (has/have/was/were) present at the meeting (Rewrite the sentence using correct verb from the brackets) 

c) We got wet in the rain. We had an umbrella. (Join the sentences using appropriate connective)
d) People............ think it is interesting but I think it is pathetic. (Use one of the verbs-are/might/could/should to complete the sentence.) 

e) The experts go for a walk on Saturdays. (Use often in appropriate place.)
f) Health care in Nepal is not as .....as it is abroad. (Use 'expensive' appropriately to fill in the blank)
g) "You must not ignore your study", said the class teacher to the student. (Change it into indirect speech) 

h) Parents gave children a bar of chocolate. (Change it into passive voice)
i) These leaders have great respect................ the academicians of the country. (Use since/for/to/by to fill in the blanks.) 

j) This is the house. The house belongs to my uncle. (Join the sentences using on of the appropriate relative pronouns who/whom/where/which).

8. Choose and copy the correct answers. 5x1-5
a) The beauty of nature must be praised by all. Here the word beauty is a.... .
(i) a noun
(ii) adjective
(iii) adverb
(iv) verb

b) Which one of the following words does not take the prefix 'un'?
(i) satisfy 

(ii) cultured
(iii) attended 

(iv) civilized

c) Which of the following words has correct spelling?
i) writing 

(ii) puting
(iii) comming 

(iv) runing

d) The antonym of 'deficient' is
i) faulty 

(ii) short
(iii) perfect
(iv) scarce

e) Which of the following words has same vowel sound?
i) sew, so
(ii) cat, men

(iii) kite, rate
(iv) pan, pen