Guess Paper - 2010
Class- XII
Subject – ENGLISH CORE
Q1. Read the following passage carefully : 12
1. I was more than a little mystified to see a vacancy for a teacher advertised in the local press some time ago, specifying among other eligibility requirements that the applicant must be ‘articulate’. Is it a sign of the times that teachers are no longer the great talkers they used to be ?
2. Probably, the new breed of recruits already manifest an alarming degree of inarticulateness in a profession which, like that of politicians or DJs, calls for strong vocal chords and much glibness. Usually, one takes it for granted that teachers talk and their pupils follow suit, so that the younger generation masters effective speaking skills while they are about it.
3. Apparently, language learning is not as simple as that, when one does not have the opportunity to speak out in class, to try out new vocabulary and syntax and to develop one's confidence at the same time.
4. "Now I've got to take another person with me whenever I go to the hospital or to my children's school. Though I have a.13' for English, I am not so fluent in my speech. But what I lack most of all is the confidence to keep up a conversation with strangers for more than five minutes at a time," she explained. Except for some group recitation, she had not been called upon to read aloud or answer a question orally.
5. As she is from an affluent family, this young woman is content being a full-time housewife. She has a teacher's qualification but shies away from employment. Effective speaking skills encompass the whole spectrum of the curriculum at all levels and should involve every single student in the school. Unless regular checks are made through internal supervision and grades allotted for speech in the terminal report, it is not possible to ensure adequate speech training for all students.
6. Encouraging youngsters to participate in the learning experience by talking freely and without any fear of being put down helps to strengthen their personality. This has a carry-over effect on their future employment prospects.
7. Current trends in technology and contemporary lifestyles have created the need for young people to be smart, independent, resourceful and career-oriented. The ability to speak one or two international languages is a definite plus point.. The minimum one can expect from an educated person seeking employment in a specific labour market is that he or she speak one language which is currently viable there.
8. Every age prescribes specific linguistic skills as being relevant for socio-economic purposes. For instance, public speaking was considered essential in a limited way in ancient Greece for those who were the masters. In Rome, the training was extended to a larger group from whom the leaders were selected. In feudal times, the landed aristocracy was privileged to receive an education. With the Industrial Revolution, most of the workers needed only a smattering of language to follow instructions to run the machines.
9. Today, individuals who have good verbal skills are in great demand in trade and commerce, the media, schools and colleges, scientific projects, communication sector, etc. Though public speaking is necessary in certain areas, what is even more useful in day-to-day business is a polished conversational style that gets the message across lucidly.
10. Unless teachers themselves are articulate enough to act as role models and give youngsters the opportunity to speak out and guide them to be creative, eloquent and rational in their speech, education will tend to lag behind modern demands.
11. Inspectors in the UK recently blacklisted a primary school in Brixton, London, and recommended that it should be closed down because a little girl who was a pupil there had not talked in class for three years. The teachers had not detected the problem. The parents removed her from the school and have yet to find out whether she is normal or not.
12. A broad-based speech programme which stresses the acquisition of verbal skills by providing training in pronunciation, intonation, vocabulary, public speaking and also some reading aloud will be timely and fit the bill. In the present context, the school that wanted `articulate' teachers was being realistic after all.
(a) On the basis of your reading the passage, complete the following information : 9
(i) Why was it mystifying to see a vacancy for a teacher's post.? 2
(ii) What according to the author are the essentials for developing language skills ? Mention three. 3
(iii) How can we strengthen children's personality ? Mention any two ways. 2
(iv) How has the need for communicative skills changed over a period of time ? 2
(b) Find words from the passage which mean the same as the ones given below: 3
(i) bewildered (para1)
(ii) new member (para2)
(iii) at the same time (para7)
Q2. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: 08 marks
Cosmetic surgery is the latest beauty mantra in India , as more and more people want to look young and feel good. Be it a crooked nose, cleft lip or excessive body flab, cosmetic surgery can correct it all. Moreover, in the last decade , the popularity of medical tourism has soared among people in developed nations due to the elevated cost of healthcare in their own countries. A career as a cosmetic surgeon entails years of training and developing exceptional skill. However, once established, clients will flow in. Cosmetic surgery entails specialization in a wide variety of arenas such as rhinoplasty (nose job), abdominalplasty (tummy tuck), otoplasty (ear surgery), chin, cheek, and liposuction. The level of education is expanding in the field of medical science, and the demand for cosmetic surgeons in India is at an all time high. Cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is a fine tuned branch of medicine and requires intensive training. After an MBBS degree ,students would have to pursue a three-year Masters in Surgery (MS) degree and decide upon their area of specialization. The MS degree involves a house job, a junior residency and a senior residency for one year each. Students then have to give a dissertation for approval to the university, after which they can sit for the MS examinations. Aspiring cosmetic surgeons need to specialize in plastic and reconstructive surgery, also known as MCh degree. Another option after MBBS is the Diploma National Board DNB), which is parallel to the conventional medical system and offers various specialization options including plastic and cosmetic surgery. The basic requirement of a cosmetic surgeon is an elevated sense of aesthetics and beauty. A sense and perception for the perfection of the human anatomy is vital in cosmetic surgery.
During their practising years, students must aim to train under renowned surgeons in the field, and soak up as much as possible from their expertise. Being an apprentice to a good surgeon will not only give you the much required exposure to the reality of the cosmetic operations but will also build your confidence and client base. The practising years are crucial because in cosmetic surgery, perfect results are essential. Medical science is not a stagnant field, and hence one must also keep abreast of the latest in the field of cosmetic surgery.
The biggest profit for a truly dedicated cosmetic surgeon is the beautiful result of his work and the client’s satisfaction. After training under reputed cosmetic surgeons, one can either seek employment in a hospital as a full time surgeon or open up a private clinic, or do both. If you are good, people will come to you. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising for a cosmetic surgeon. (460words)
a) Make notes on the passage given above in any format using recognizable abbreviations. Give a suitable title to the passage. 5
b) Write a summary based on the notes you have made in about 80 words. 3
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