English · Sample Paper 3

General instructions

Section A · Reading

1. Question 112 marks

   Read the passage and answer the questions.

   1. On a winter morning in many north Indian cities, the air turns grey and thick. Schools close, flights are delayed and hospitals fill with people struggling to breathe. Air pollution is now one of the leading causes of early death in the country, yet for many people it feels like the weather — something that simply happens.

   2. The sources are many. Vehicle exhaust, dust from construction, smoke from factories and the burning of crop stubble in neighbouring states all add tiny particles to the air. The most dangerous are PM2.5 — particles so small that they slip deep into the lungs and even into the bloodstream. In still, cold air, these particles are trapped close to the ground for days.

   3. Children are especially at risk. They breathe faster than adults and spend more time outdoors. Studies have linked long exposure to polluted air with weaker lung growth, asthma and even lower scores in school tests.

   4. Solutions exist, but they need many people to act together. Cities have introduced cleaner fuels for buses, stricter rules for construction sites and early warnings when pollution levels rise. Farmers have been offered machines that turn stubble into fertiliser instead of burning it. Ordinary citizens can help too, by using public transport, avoiding the burning of leaves and garbage, and checking the air quality index before planning outdoor activities.

   5. Clean air, experts argue, should not be a luxury. It is a basic need, as essential as clean water — and like clean water, it must be protected by everyone.

   (i) What happens in north Indian cities on polluted winter mornings? (1 mark)

   (ii) Why do many people treat air pollution 'like the weather'? (1 mark)

   (iii) Name any two sources of air pollution mentioned. (1 mark)

   (iv) Why is PM2.5 especially dangerous? (1 mark)

   (v) Why does pollution stay close to the ground in winter? (1 mark)

   (vi) Give two reasons why children are more at risk. (1 mark)

   (vii) Name two steps taken by cities. (1 mark)

   (viii) What alternative to burning stubble has been offered to farmers? (1 mark)

   (ix) Suggest two things citizens can do. (1 mark)

   (x) Find a word in paragraph 2 that means 'caught and unable to escape'. (1 mark)

   (xi) Choose the best title: (a) Winter in the City (b) Every Breath Counts (c) Farmers and Machines (d) School Holidays (1 mark)

   (xii) Explain 'Clean air should not be a luxury'. (1 mark)

2. Question 210 marks

   Read the passage and answer the questions.

   A college surveyed 800 students on how they use their smartphones on a typical weekday. On average, students spent 5 hours on their phones. Of this time, 35% went on social media, 25% on videos and entertainment, 20% on messaging, 12% on study-related apps and 8% on games.

   Students who spent more than 6 hours a day reported sleeping 1.5 hours less than those who spent under 3 hours. When the college started a 'digital wellness week' with phone-free study hours and outdoor activities, average phone use fell to 3.5 hours, and 60% of participants said they felt more focused.

   (i) How many students took part in the survey? (1 mark)

   (ii) What was the average daily phone use? (1 mark)

   (iii) Which activity took the largest share of time? (1 mark)

   (iv) How many minutes a day did students spend on study-related apps on average? (1 mark)

   (v) What was the difference in sleep between heavy and light users? (1 mark)

   (vi) What was the 'digital wellness week'? (1 mark)

   (vii) By how many hours did average phone use fall? (1 mark)

   (viii) What percentage of participants felt more focused? (1 mark)

   (ix) What share of time went on games? (1 mark)

   (x) What conclusion can be drawn from the survey? (1 mark)

Section B · Writing

1. Question 34 marks

   You are the cultural secretary of St. Mary's School, Shimla. Write a notice in about 50 words inviting students to audition for the school choir.

2. OR

   Question 34 marks

   Draft a classified advertisement in about 50 words for the 'Lost and Found' column of a newspaper about a lost laptop bag.

3. Question 44 marks

   Design a poster in about 50 words on 'Say No to Drugs' for a school awareness campaign.

4. Question 55 marks

   You are Ananya/Aarav of 56 MG Road, Pune. Write a letter in 120–150 words to the editor of a national daily about the problem of overcrowded public buses during peak hours.

5. OR

   Question 55 marks

   You are Kiran/Karan of 12 Civil Lines, Nagpur. Write a letter in 120–150 words to the manager of a sports goods shop placing an order for equipment for your school.

6. Question 65 marks

   Write a speech in 120–150 words for the morning assembly on 'Kindness is a strength, not a weakness'.

Section C · Literature

1. Question 76 marks

   Read the summary and answer the questions.

   In 'A Photograph', Shirley Toulson describes an old photograph of her mother, aged about twelve, on a beach holiday with her two cousins. Years later, her mother would laugh at the snapshot, remembering the dresses they wore. Now the mother has been dead for nearly as many years as the girl in the photo had lived, and the poet finds that the silence of her loss has no words.

   (i) What does the photograph show? (1 mark)

   (ii) How old was the mother in the picture? (1 mark)

   (iii) Why did the mother laugh at the photograph? (1 mark)

   (iv) What has changed since then? (1 mark)

   (v) What feeling does the poet express at the end? (1 mark)

   (vi) What theme does the poem deal with? (1 mark)

2. OR

   Question 76 marks

   Read the summary and answer the questions.

   In 'Father to Son', Elizabeth Jennings presents a father who feels that he does not know his grown-up son, although they have lived in the same house for years. He wants to build a relationship again, but they speak different languages of the heart. He is ready to accept the son's ways and forgive, if only the son will come back to him with love.

   (i) What is the father's main complaint? (1 mark)

   (ii) Why is the situation surprising? (1 mark)

   (iii) What does the father want? (1 mark)

   (iv) What does 'different languages' suggest? (1 mark)

   (v) What is the father willing to do? (1 mark)

   (vi) What theme does the poem explore? (1 mark)

3. Question 82 marks

   Describe the grandmother's appearance in 'The Portrait of a Lady'.

4. Question 92 marks

   How is the rain like music, according to Whitman?

5. Question 102 marks

   How did the family react to Mrs Pearson's changed behaviour?

6. Question 112 marks

   How does the goldfinch's arrival change the laburnum tree?

7. OR

   Question 112 marks

   What does the poet of 'Childhood' realise about adults?

8. Question 122 marks

   Why was a melon made the king of the city?

9. Question 134 marks

   Why does the author call the Earth an 'ailing planet'? Answer in 80–100 words.

10. Question 144 marks

    Why did Howard Carter damage Tutankhamun's mummy? Answer in 80–100 words.

11. OR

    Question 144 marks

    What difficulties did the author face on the way to Mount Kailash? Answer in 80–100 words.

12. Question 154 marks

    How does the story show the Garoghlanian family's honesty? Answer in 80–100 words.

13. Question 166 marks

    Describe how the narrator and his crew survived the storm in 'We're Not Afraid to Die'. Answer in 120–150 words.

14. Question 176 marks

    'Things that had been familiar once lost their value in strange surroundings.' Discuss with reference to 'The Address'. Answer in 120–150 words.

15. OR

    Question 176 marks

    How did Andrew Manson save the baby's life in 'Birth'? What does it show about him? Answer in 120–150 words.