CBSE Class 12 English Unseen Passages with Answers

We have provided here Unseen Passage for Class 12 with answers pdf. All Unseen Passages for class 12 below have been provided with solutions. Unseen comprehensions are really important as they carry lot of marks in exams. Students should go through the passages and the questions. Also refer to the solutions provided below by our teachers. All passages for English have been designed based on the latest syllabus and examination pattern issued by CBSE, NCERT and KVS

Unseen Passage for Class 12 with answers

Question. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :

(1) Maharana Pratap ruled over Mewar only for 25 years. However, he accomplished so much grandeur during his reign that his glory surpassed the boundaries of countries and time turning him into an immortal personality. He along with his kingdom became a synonym for valour, sacrifice and patriotism. Mewar had been a leading Rajput kingdom even before Maharana Pratap occupied the throne. Kings of Mewar, with the cooperation of their nobles and subjects, had established such traditions in the kingdom, as augmented their magnificence despite the hurdles of having a smaller area under their command and less population. There did come a few thorny occasions when the flag of the kingdom seemed sliding down. Their flag once again heaved high in the sky thanks to the gallantry and brilliance of the people of Mewar.

(2) The destiny of Mewar was good in the sense that barring a few kings, most of the rulers were competent and patriotic. This glorious tradition of the kingdom almost continued for 1500 years since its establishment, right from the reign of Bappa Rawal. In fact only 60 years before Maharana Pratap, Rana Sanga drove the kingdom to the pinnacle of fame. His reputation went beyond Rajasthan and reached Delhi. Two generations before him, Rana Kumbha had given a new stature to the kingdom through victories and developmental work. During his reign, literature and art also progressed extraordinarily. Rana himself was inclined towards writing and his works are read with reverence even today. The ambience of his kingdom was conducive to the creation of high quality work of art and literature. These accomplishments were the outcome of a longstanding tradition sustained by several generations.

(3) The life of the people of Mewar must have been peaceful and prosperous during the long span of time; otherwise such extraordinary accomplishment in these fields would not have been possible. This is reflected in their art and literature as well as their loving nature. They compensate for lack of admirable physique by their firm but pleasant nature. The ambience of Mewar remains lovely thanks to the cheerful and liberal character of its people.

(4) One may observe astonishing pieces of workmanship not only in the forts and palaces of Mewar but also a seat of art and culture. Amidst aggression and bloodshed, literature and in public utility buildings. Ruins of many structures which are still standing tall in their grandeur are testimony to the fact that Mewar was not only the land of the brave but also a seat of art and culture. Amidst aggression and bloodshed, literature and art flourished and creative pursuits of literature and artists did not suffer. Imagine, how glorious the period must have been when the Vijaya Stambha which is the sample of our great ancient architecture even today, was constructed. In the same fort, Kirti Stambha is standing high, reflecting how liberal the then administration was which allowed people from other communities and kingdoms to come and carry out construction work. It is useless to indulge in the debate whether the Vijaya Stambha was constructed first or the Kirti Stambha. The fact is that both the capitals are standing side by side and reveal the proximity between the king and the subjects of Mewar.

(5) The cycle of time does not remain the same. Whereas the reign of Rana Sanga was crucial in raising the kingdom to the acme of glory, it also proved to be his nemesis. History took a turn. The fortune of Mewar-the land of the brave, started waning. Rana tried to save the day with his acumen which was running against the stream and the glorious traditions for sometime.

On the basis of your understanding of the above passage answer each of the questions given below with the help of the options that follows :

(a) Maharana Pratap became immortal because :
(i) he ruled Mewar for 25 years.
(ii) he added a lot grandeur to Mewar.
(iii) of his valour, sacrifice and patriotism.
(iv) both (ii) and (iii)

(b) Difficulties in the way of Mewar were :
(i) lack of cooperation of the nobility.
(ii) ancient traditions of the kingdom.
(iii) its small area and small population.
(iv) the poverty of the subjects.

(c) During thorny occasions :
(i) the flag of Mewar seemed to be lowered.
(ii) the flag of Mewar was hoisted high.
(iii) the people of Mewar showed gallantry.
(iv) most of the rulers heaved a sigh of relief.

(d) Mewar was lucky because :
(i) all of its rulers were competent.
(ii) most of its people were competent.
(iii) most of its rulers were competent.
(iv) only a few of its people were incompetent.

Answer the following questions briefly :

(e) Who is the earliest king of Mewar mentioned in the passage ?
Answer: Bappa Rawal was the earliest King of Mewar as mentioned in the passage.

(f) What was Rana Kumbha’s contribution to the glory of Mewar ?
Answer: Rana Kumbha gave a new stature to the kingdom through victories and developmental work. During his reign, literature and art also progressed extraordinarily.

(g) What does the writer find worth admiration in the people of Mewar ?
Answer: According to the writer, the pleasant, loving and the cheerful nature of the people of Mewar is worth admiration.

(h) How could art and literature flourish in Mewar ?
Answer: The art and literature could flourish in Mewar as it was the land of brave, and the peaceful and prosperous life of people there made it possible.

(i) How did the rulers show that they cared for their subjects ?
Answer: The rulers were very liberal and allowed people from other communities and kingdoms to come and carry out construction work.

(j) What does the erection of Vijaya Stambha and Kirti Stambha in the same fort signify ?
Answer: The erection of Vijaya Stambha and Kirti Stambha in the same fort signifies the closeness between the King and the subjects of Mewar.

(k) Find words from the passage which mean the same as each of the following :
(i) surprising (para 4)
Answer: Astonishing

(ii) evidence (para 4)
Answer: Testimony

Unseen Passage for Class 12 with answers : Question. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow: 

(1) Too many parents these days can’t say no. As a result, they find themselves raising children who respond greedily to the advertisements aimed right at them. Even getting what they want doesn’t satisfy some kids; they only want more. Now, a growing number of psychologists, educators and parents think it’s time to stop the madness and start teaching kids about what’s really important: values like hard work, contentment, honesty and compassion. The struggle to set limits has never been tougher and the stakes have never been higher. One recent study of adults who were overindulged as children, paints a discouraging picture of their future: when given too much too soon, they grow up to be adults who have difficulty coping with life’s disappointments. They also have distorted sense of entitlement that gets in the way of success in the work place and in relationships.

(2) Psychologists say that parents who overindulge their kids, set them up to be more vulnerable to future anxiety and depression. Today’s parents themselves raised on values of thrift and selfsacrifice, grew up in a culture where no was a household word. Today’s kids want much more, partly because there is so much more to want. The oldest members of this generation were born in the late 1980s, just as PCs and video games were making their assault on the family room. They think of MP3 players and flat screen TV as essential utilities, and they have developed strategies to get them. One survey of teenagers found that when they crave for something new, most expect to ask nine times before their parents give in. By every measure, parents are shelling out record amounts. In the heat of this buying blitz, even parents who desperately need to say no find themselves reaching for their credit cards.

(3) Today’s parents aren’t equipped to deal with the problem. Many of them, raised in the 1960s and 70s, swore they’d act differently from their parents and have closer relationships with their own children. Many even wear the same designer clothes as their kids and listen to the same music. And they work more hours; at the end of a long week, it’s tempting to buy peace with ‘yes’ and not mar precious family time with conflict. Anxiety about the future is another factor. How do well intentioned parents say no to all the sports gear and arts and language lessons they believe will help their kids thrive in an increasingly competitive world? Experts agree: too much love won’t spoil a child. Too few limits will.

(4) What parents need to find, is a balance between the advantages of an affluent society and the critical life lessons that come from waiting, saving and working hard to achieve goals. That search for balance has to start early. Children need limits on their behaviour because they feel better and more secure when they live within a secured structure. Older children learn self-control by watching how others, especially parents act. Learning how to overcome challenges is essential to becoming a successful adult. Few parents ask kids to do chores. They think their kids are already overburdened by social and academic pressures. Every individual can be of service to others, and life has meaning beyond one’s own immediate happiness. That means parents eager to teach values have to take a long, hard look at their own.

(a) Answer the following :

(i) What values do parents and teachers want children to learn?
Answer: Teachers and parents want children to learn values like hard work, contentment, honesty and compassion.

(ii) What are the results of giving the children too much too soon?
Answer: When children are given too much too soon, they grow up to be adults who have difficulty coping with life’s disappointments. Such children may develop a distorted sense of entitlement that hampers their success in the work place and in relationships.

(iii) Why do today’s children want more ?
Answer: Today’s children want more because nowadays there is so much more to want. Moreover, they consider luxurious items as essential utilities.

(iv) What is the balance which the parents need to have in today’s world?
Answer: In today’s world, parents need to strike a balance between the advantages of an affluent society and the critical life lessons that come from waiting, saving and working hard to achieve goals.

(v) What is the necessity to set limits for children? 
Answer: There is a need to set limits for children because they feel better and more secure when they live within a secured structure.

(b) Pick out words from the passage that mean the same as the following :

(i) a feeling of satisfaction (para 1)
Answer: Contentment 

(ii) valuable (para 3)
Answer: Precious

(iii) important (para 4)
Answer: Essential

Question. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow : 

(1) While there is no denying that the world loves a winner, it is important that you recognize the signs of stress in your behaviour and be healthy enough to enjoy your success. Stress can strike anytime, in a fashion that may leave you unaware of its presence in your life. While a certain amount of pressure is necessary for performance, it is important to be able to recognise your individual limit. For instance, there are some individuals who accept competition in a healthy fashion. There are others who collapse into weeping wrecks before an exam or on comparing marks- sheets and finding that their friend has scored better.

(2) Stress is a body reaction to any demands or changes in its internal and external environment. Whenever there is a change in the external environment, such as temperature, pollutants, humidity and working conditions, it leads to stress. In these days of competition, when a person makes up his mind to surpass what has been achieved by others, leading to an imbalance between demands and resources, it causes psycho-social stress. It is a part and parcel of everyday life.

(3) Stress has a different meaning, depending on the stage of life you are in. The loss of a toy or a reprimand from the parents might create a stress shock in a child. An adolescent who fails an examination may feel as if everything has been lost and life has no further meaning. In an adult the loss of his or her companion, job or professional failure may appear as if there is nothing more to be achieved.

(4) Such signs appear in the attitude and behaviour of the individual, as muscle tension in various parts of the body, palpitation and high blood pressure, indigestion and hyper- acidity. Ultimately the result is self-destructive behaviour, such as eating and drinking too much, smoking excessively, relying on tranquilizers. There are other signs of stress, such as trembling, shaking, nervous blinking, dryness of throat and mouth and difficulty in swallowing.

(5) The professional under stress behaves as if he is a perfectionist. It leads to depression, lethargy and weakness. Periodic mood shifts also indicate the stress status of the students, executives and professionals.

(6) In a study sponsored by World Health Organization and carried out by Harvard School of Public Health, the global burden of diseases and injury indicated that stress diseases and accidents are going to be the major killers in 2020.

(7) The heart disease and depression—both stress diseases—are going to rank first and second in 2020. Road traffic accidents are going to be the third largest killers. These accidents are also an indicator of psycho-social stress in a fast moving society. Other stress like ulcers, hypertensions and sleeplessness have assumed epidemic proportions in modern societies.

(8) A person under stress reacts in different ways and the common ones are flight, fight and flee depending upon the nature of the stress and capabilities of the person. The three responses can be elegantly chosen to cope with the stress so that stress does not damage the system and become distress.

(9) When a stress crosses the limit, peculiar to an individual, it lowers his performance capacity. Frequent crossings of the limit may result in chronic fatigue in which a person feels lethargic, disinterested and is not easily motivated to achieve anything. This may make the person mentally undecided, confused and accident prone as well. Sudden exposure to unnerving stress may also result in a loss of memory. Diet, massage, food supplements, herbal medicines, hobbies, relaxation techniques and dance movements are excellent stress busters.

(a) (i) What is stress? What factors lead to stress?
Answer: Stress is a reaction of the body to any demands or changes in its internal and external environment. Factors, such as imbalance between demands and resources, change in temperature, pollutants, humidity and working conditions lead to stress

(ii) What are the signs by which a person can know that he is under stress?
Answer: The various signs that can be observed :
(a) change in the attitude and behaviour
(b) muscle tension
(c) palpitation, high blood pressure, indigestion and hyperacidity
(d) depression, lethargy, weakness to work

(iii) What are the different diseases a person gets due to stress ? 
Answer: The different diseases caused by stress are :
(a) heart diseases
(b) neurological depression
(c) ulcers
(d) hypertension
(e) insomnia
(f ) injuries due to accidents

(iv) Give any two examples of stress busters. 
Answer: (a) Relaxation techniques
(b) Hobbies

(v) How does a person react under stress ? 
Answer: A person under stress reacts in different ways. The common ones are flight, fight and flee depending on the nature of the stress and capabilities of the person.

(b) Which words in the above passage mean the same as the following :

(i) fall down (para 1)
Answer: Collapse 

(ii) rebuke (para 3)
Answer: Reprimand

(iii) inactive (para 9)
Answer: Lethargic

Unseen Passage for Class 12 with answers

Question. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :

(1) The word ‘depressed’ in common usage means sad, frustrated, fed up, bored up and pessimistic. The mood of a depressed person is much lower at his or her best moments than the mood of the normal person at his or her worst. Depression is a state of mind, it is specifically a mental disorder characterised by a lowering of the individual’s vitality, his mood, desires, hopes, aspirations and of his self-esteem.

(2) Depression arising out of environmental factors is called reactive depression whereas depression arising out of some biochemical changes in the brain is called endogenous depression. If depression is mild or moderate and if the individual is in touch with his surroundings it is known as neurotic depression. If the individual is severely disturbed and is not able to comprehend what is happening around, such a state is called psychotic- depression.

(3) Old age is one of the stages of human development, where a person attains wisdom, maturity, social and economic stability with social recognition and emotional fulfilment. Generally, societies show a great respect and consideration for the aged. In ancient times old people were considered as the guiding stars in Indian families, since they were symbols of tradition, respect, wisdom and experience. In primitive, ancient and medieval cultures, old persons had a recognized social role. They were of great value because they could impart knowledge and skill to youngsters. The old people were considered as repositories of wisdom and traditions and were not perceived as problems.

(4) At present, social structures and values are undergoing transformation from traditional to modern. There is a rapid stride in urbanization and industrialization leading to the breaking up of joint families and property. This has ultimately weakened the traditional families, social position and status of the aged in the family. From time to time changes in the institutions of marriage and family have diminished the control of parents over their children. It has increased the freedom of children and they view the aged as a useless and non-productive entity. Modernization has eventually led to the degradation of their status and authority. Consequently the integrity of the family and the existence of the elderly as an integral part of the family are being uprooted. The importance of their functional positions thus declines and consequently their authority and much of the respect and prestige that they enjoyed earlier get faded. These changes generally bring about depression in older people.

(5) As old age advances events at home may also contribute more to their problems. The ‘empty nest’ feeling arising as a result of the grown up children leaving the home, daughters departing as a result of wedlock and sons leaving station in pursuit of higher education or jobs may make the aged more lonely. The loneliness also arises because of premature loss of spouse. This would deprive the person of a long standing emotional bond that had provided plenty of emotional succour and security. The loss wherever it might occur in the later years leaves the individual terribly lonely and at the mercy of the sons and daughters-in-law. Added to these the increasing gap and interactional stress and strain in the family may leave the elderly without peace of mind. The elderly as a result of these developments feel marginalised, alienated and left out of the main stream. The foregoing are the common problems faced by most of the elderly. These either directly or indirectly lead to a state of depression and make ageing for many an unwanted and unpleasant event to be abhorred.

(6) Usually the mild depression which is caused due to environmental factors is temporary. The person reconciles within a short time and tries to forget the loss. Kind words, and timely support of friends, relatives and family members help one recover from depression.

(a) (i) What does ‘depressed’ mean in common usage?
Answer: ‘Depressed’ in common usage means sad, frustrated, fed up, bored and pessimistic.

(ii) What is reactive depression?
Answer: Reactive depression is that which arises out of environmental factors.

(iii) What was the status of the old people in ancient India?
Answer: In ancient India, old people were considered as repositories of wisdom and traditions.

(iv) What are the causes for disintegration of joint family system? 
Answer: The causes for disintegration of joint family system are transformation of social structures and values from traditional to modern and rapid stride in urbanisation and industrialisation.

(v) How does one recover from mild depression?
Answer: For one to recover from mild depression, kind words and timely support of friends, relatives and family members often help.

(b) Pick out the words from the passage that mean the same as the following : 

(i) decreased (para 4)
Answer: Diminished 

(ii) to feel that they do not belong to a group (para 5)
Answer: Alienated

(iii) a husband or wife (para 5)
Answer: Spouse

Question. Read the passage given below : 

(1) Suspense was over when my high school results finally came out. But I was upset. I had not done as well as I had expected. My Father tried to console me. “Why are you worried? You have done very well my dear.” “No, I have not Baba,” I protested, controlling my tears, and wondering if I had disappointed him. “It does not really matter,” he assured me. “Do you know what I got when I finished high school?” I looked into Baba’s face and waited for the answer to his own question. “You know,” he told me “I have never told you this. I got just a third division. But, look at me, I have done quite well.” Baba got a third division! I was almost in shock, but the thought of my having done a lot better than that made me realize that I had no reason to complain. I certainly felt better ! “Everything is under control!” said Baba, smiling. That was his favourite phrase. Posted in Kolkata, my father was then a senior official in the Indian Railway Service, and an expert in goods traffic operations. He was soon to become a director with the Railway Board. By the time he retired in 1981, he was general manager of the Central Railways. By the time Baba passed away in November 2000, his name had found place in several hearts as well. He was open, easy to know, and full of life. We were extremely close, but I had so much more to learn about him from many things I came to know after his death.

(2) In September 2000, he was in hospital for treatment of cancer and given just two months to live. When he found out, his reaction was an extremely rational one. He asked me to fetch files from his cupboard, so that he could explain the details of my mother’s pension. He also dictated his will from his hospital bed. “Everything is under control!” After Baba’s death, Satish, our old family retainer, was inconsolable. We tried to cheer him up. “Your Baba had scolded me only once in all these year!” he cried. Satish pointed to the watch on his left hand. “I had been coning late for work and everyone in the family was complaining about it,” said Satish. “Then, one day, your Baba gave me this watch and told me, ‘Now that you have a watch, you can’t be late”’. That was the scolding Satish received. On the fourth day after Baba’s death, my sister and I had to perform a ceremony. Since several relatives were expected, we decided to order lunch from a caterer in our locality, reputed for his home cooked food. But, when we went to pay to owner, we got a surprise. He refused to accept any money! “When I wanted to start my catering business, it was your father who lent me money,” he told us. It seems Baba never asked for it back. Now, after four or five years, the caterer wanted to repay that debt. Of course, we made him accept the full payment for the fine food and service. “It was Baba’s gift and it ought to remain so,” I told him.

(3) Some days later, there was yet another piece of information as we were preparing for the main ceremony. Vikram, my brother drove me to the local market. On recognizing our car, the parking assistant, in his twenties, came running towards us and asked why he had not seen its owner for long. We had to break the news to him and to our utter surprise, he started crying. We were really surprised by this reaction from a stranger – until the man told us that Baba used to pay his daughter’s school fees and buy her books. It seems, it was on my father’s advice that had even started sending the child to school. More than three years after Baba’s death, as we were 

looking into Baba’s personal things, we came across an old file with Baba’s certificates and I found among them, his high school diploma from 1937, the one he told me about 30 years earlier, about the third division that had made no difference in his life or career. It had made me see beyond mere marks and first classes as the main road to success. But there was one more fact. Baba had actually got a first division, a rare achievement in his day. Today, years after his passing, when I think of Baba, I see a man who was able to sympathise with others so easily and touch their lives in such a special way.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate options.

(a) Why was the narrator in tears when her school results came out ?
(i) She did better than she expected.
(ii) She did not do as expected.
(iii) Her Baba had not done well.
(iv) Her Baba had done better than her.

(b) On knowing the result, how did the narrator’s father react ?
(i) He scolded her.
(ii) He beat her.
(iii) He consoled her.
(iv) He made fun of her.

(c) Why did the narrator say that she had nothing to complain ?
(i) She had done better than her father.
(ii) She had done as well as her father.
(iii) She had topped in her school.
(iv) She had not worked hard at all.

(d) Choose the option that is not correct.
(i) Baba was a senior official in the Indian Railway Service.
(ii) Baba was to become a director with the Railway Board.
(iii) Baba was the general manager of the Central Railways.
(iv) Baba had got a third division in high school.

Answer the following :

(a) Why did the narrator’s sick father want her to fetch files from his cupboard?
Answer: The narrator’s sick father wanted her to fetch files from the cupboard because he wanted to explain the details of her mother’s pension.

(b) Why did Baba buy Satish a watch?
Answer: Satish used to come late about which everyone in the family was complaining, so Baba bought him a watch.

(c) Why did the caterer not want to take money from the narrator?
Answer: The caterer did not want to take money from the narrator because narrator’s father had lend him some money to start his business and never asked it back.

(d) Why were the narrator and her brother surprised on meeting the parking assistant?
Answer: The narrator  and her brother were surprised on meeting the parking assistant because Baba used to pay his daughter’s school fee and bought her books, also Baba advised him to send his daughter to school.

(e) Today years after his passing away what has the narrator realized about her Baba?
Answer: After years of his passing, today, when the narrator thinks of Baba, she sees a man who was able to sympathise with others and touched their lives in a very special way.

(f ) What was the story that Baba had invented on the day the narrator’s results were published?
Answer: When the narrator was disappointed with her result, her baba fabricated a story telling her that he got a third division and still did well in his life and consoled her.

(g) Find words from the passage that mean the same as the following :

(i) tension/anxiety (para 1)
Answer: Worried

(ii) servant (para 2)
Answer: Retainer

Unseen Passage for Class 12 with answers

Question. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :

(1) We sit in the last row, bumped about but free of stares. The bus rolls out of the dull crossroads of the city, and we are soon in open countryside, with fields of sunflowers as far as the eye can see, their heads all facing us. Where there is no water, the land reverts to desert. While still on level ground we see in the distance the tall range of the Mount Bogda, abrupt like a shining prism laid horizontally on the desert surface, it is over 5,000 meters high, and the peaks are under permanent snow, in powerful contrast to the flat desert all around. Heaven Lake lies part of the way up this range, about 2,000 metres above sea-level, at the foot of one of the higher snow-peaks.

(2) As the bus climbs, the sky, brilliant before, grows overcast. I have brought nothing warm to wear: it is all down at the hotel in Urumqi. Rain begins to fall. The man behind me is eating overpoweringly smelly goat’s cheese. The bus window leaks inhospitably but reveals a beautiful view. We have passed quickly from desert through arable land to pasture, and the ground is now green with grass, the slopes dark with pine. A few cattle drink at a clear stream flowing past moss-covered stones; it is a Constable landscape. The stream changes into a white torrent, and as we climb higher I wish more and more that I had brought with me something warmer than the pair of shorts that have served me so well in the desert. The Stream (which, we are told, rises in Heaven Lake) disappears, and we continue our slow ascent. About noon, we arrive at Heaven Lake, and look for a place to stay at the foot, which is the resort area. We get a room in a small cottage, and I am happy to note that there are thick quilts on the beds.

(3) Standing outside the cottage we survey our surroundings. Heaven Lake is long, sardine- shaped and fed by snowmelt from a stream at its head. The lake is an intense blue, surrounded on all sides by green mountain walls, dotted with distant sheep. At the head of the lake, beyond the delta of the inflowing stream, is a massive snow-capped peak which dominates the vista; it is part of a series of peak that culminate, a little out of view, in Mount Bogda itself.

(4) For those who live in the resort there is a small mess-hall by the shore. We eat here sometimes, and sometimes buy food from the vendors outside, who sell kabab and naan until the last buses leave. The kababs, cooked on skewers over charcoal braziers, are particularly good; highly spiced and well-done. Horse’s milk is available too from the local Kazakh herdsmen, but I decline this. I am so affected by the cold that Mr. Cao, the relaxed young man who runs the mess, lends me a spare pair of trousers, several sizes too large but more than comfortable. Once I am warm again, I feel a pre-dinner spurt of energy – dinner will be long in coming – and I ask him whether the lake is good for swimming in.

(5) “Swimming?” Mr. Cao says. “You aren’t thinking of swimming, are you?”

(6) “I thought I might,” I confess. “What’s the water like?”

(7) He doesn’t answer me immediately, turning instead to examine some receipts with exaggerated interest. Mr. Cao, with great off- handedness, addresses the air. “People are often drowned here,” he says. After a pause, he continues. “When was the last one?” This question is directed at the cook, who is preparing a tray of mantou (squat white steamed bread rolls), and who now appears, wiping his doughy hand across his forehead. “Was it the Beijing athlete?” asks Mr. Cao.

On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, complete the statements given below with the help of options that follow:

(a) One benefit of sitting in the last row of the bus was that :
(i) the narrator enjoyed the bumps.
(ii) no one stared at him.
(iii) he could see the sunflowers.
(iv) he avoided the dullness of the city.

(b) The narrator was travelling to :
(i) Mount Bogda
(ii) Heaven Lake
(iii) a 2000 metre high snow peak
(iv) Urumqi

(c) On reaching the destination the narrator felt relieved because :
(i) he had got away from the desert.
(ii) a difficult journey had come to an end.
(iii) he could watch the snow peak.
(iv) there were thick quilts on the bed.

(d) Mount Bogda is compared to :
(i) a horizontal desert surface
(ii) a shining prism
(iii) a Constable landscape
(iv) the overcast sky

Answer the following question briefly :

(e) Which two things in the bus made the narrator feel uncomfortable ?
Answer: The two things in the bus, which made the narrator feel uncomfortable were the inhospitably leaking window and the over-powering smell of goat cheese being eaten by the man behind him.

(f ) What made the scene look like a Constable landscape?
Answer: The ground green with grass, the slopes dark with pine, few cattle drinking at a clear stream flowing past moss-covered stones; it all made the scene look like a Constable landscape.

(g) What did he regret as the bus climbed higher?
Answer: As the bus climbed higher, the narrator regretted not having something warmer to wear.

(h) Why did the narrator like to buy food from outside?
Answer: The narrator liked to buy food from outside because they sold highly spiced kababs, cooked nicely on charcoal braziers, with naan.

(i) What is ironic about the pair of trousers lent by Mr. Cao?
Answer: The pair of pants, which Mr. Cao sent for the narrator were several sizes too large but more than comfortable.

(J) Why did Mr. Cao not like the narrator to swim in the lake?
Answer: Mr. Cao did not like the narrator to swim in the lake because there had been incidents of people drowning in it.

(k) Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following :
(i) sellers (para 4)
Answer: Vendor

(ii) increased (para 7)
Answer: Exaggerated

Unseen Passage for Class 12 with answers

Question. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow : 

(1) Air pollution is an issue which concerns us all alike. One can willingly choose or reject a food, a drink or a life comfort, but unfortunately there is little choice for the air we breathe. All, what is there in the air is inhaled by one and all living in those surroundings.

(2) Air pollutant is defined as a substance, which is present while normally it is not there or present in an amount exceeding the normal concentrations. It could either be gaseous or a particulate matter. The important and harmful polluting gases are carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ozone and oxides of sulphur and nitrogen. The common particulate pollutants are the dusts of various inorganic or organic origins. Although we often talk of the outdoor air pollution caused by industrial and vehicular exhausts, the indoor pollution may prove to be as or a more important cause of health problems.

(3) Recognition of air pollution is relatively recent. It is not uncommon to experience a feeling of ‘suffocation’ in a closed environment. It is often ascribed to the lack of oxygen. Fortunately, however, the composition of air is remarkably constant all over the world. There is about 79 per cent nitrogen and 21 per cent oxygen in the air—the other gases forming a very small fraction. It is true that carbon dioxide exhaled out of lungs may accumulate in a closed and over-crowded place. But such an increase is usually small and temporary unless the room is really air-tight. Exposure to poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide may occur in a closed room, heated by burning coal inside. This may also prove to be fatal.

(4) What is more common in a poorly ventilated home is a vague constellation of symptoms described as the sick-building syndrome. It is characterized by a general feeling of malaise, headache, dizziness and irritation of mucous membranes. It may also be accompanied by nausea, itching, aches, pains and depression. Sick-building syndrome is getting commoner in big cities with the small houses, which are generallyover-furnished. Some of the important pollutants whose indoor concentrations exceed those of the outdoors include gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and organic substances like spores, formaldehydes, hydrocarbon aerosols and allergens. The sources are attributed to a variety of construction materials, insulations, furnishings, adhesives, cosmetics, house dusts, fungi and other indoor products.

(5) By-products of fuel combustion are important in houses with indoor kitchens. It is not only the burning of dried dung and fuelwood which is responsible, but also kerosene and liquid petroleum gas. Oxides of both nitrogen and sulphur are released from their combustion.

(6) Smoking of tobacco in the closed environment is an important source of indoor pollution. It may not be high quantitatively, but significantly hazardous for health. It is because of the fact that there are over 3000 chemical constituents in tobacco smoke, which have been identified. These are harmful for human health.

(7) Micro-organisms and allergens are of special significance in the causation and spread of diseases. Most of the infective illnesses may involve more persons of a family living in common indoor environment. These include viral and bacterial diseases like tuberculosis.

(8) Besides infections, allergic and hypersensi- tivity disorders are spreading fast. Although asthma is the most common form of respiratory allergic disorders, pneumonias are not uncommon, but more persistent and serious. These are attributed to exposures to allergens from various fungi, molds, hay and other organic materials. Indoor air ventilation systems, coolers, air-conditioners, dampness, decay, pet animals, production or handling of the causative items are responsible for these hypersensitivity-diseases.

(9) Obviously, the spectrum of pollution is very wide and our options are limited. Indoor pollution may be handled relatively easily by an individual. Moreover, the good work must start from one’s own house.

(Extracted from The Tribune)

(a) (i) What is an air pollutant ?
Answer: An air pollutant is a substance, which is present while normally it is not there or present in the atmosphere in an amount exceeding normal concentration.

(ii) In what forms are the air pollutants present?
Answer: Air pollutants can either be gaseous (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, etc.) or it can be in the form of particulate matter (dusts of various inorganic or organic origins).

(iii) Why do we feel suffocated in a closed environment?
Answer: A feeling of suffocation occurs due to lack of oxygen.

(iv) What is sick building syndrome? How is it increasing?
Answer: Sick-Building Syndrome is a group of symptoms, such as general feeling of malaise, headache, dizziness and irritation of mucous membranes, which come accompanied by nausea, itching aches, pains and depression.
Sick-Building Syndrome is increasing because of small, poorly ventilated and over furnished houses.

(v) How is indoor smoking very hazardous? 
Answer: Indoor smoking is the main source of indoor pollution as there are over 3000 chemical constituents in tobacco smoke, which are harmful for human health.

(vi) How can one overcome the dangers of indoor air pollution?
Answer: We can overcome the dangers of indoor air pollution by ensuring proper ventilation in our house. This way we will be able to get rid of increased concentrations of oxides of nitrogen and sulphur, carbon monoxide and other indoor pollutants. Care should also be taken to isolate persons suffering from viral and bacterial diseases.

(b) Find the words form the above passage which mean the same as the following :

 (i) giddiness (para 4)
Answer: Nausea

(ii) constant (para 8)
Answer: Persistent

(iii) humidity (para 8)
Answer: Dampness

Unseen Passage for Class 12 with answers

Question. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow : 

(1) Today’s woman is a highly self-directed person, alive to the sense of her dignity and the importance of her functions in the private domestic domain and the public domain of the world of work. Women are rational in approach, careful in handling situations and want to do things as best as possible. The Fourth World Conference of Women held in Beijing in September 1995 had emphasised that no enduring solution of society’s most threatening social, economic and political problems could be found without the participation and empowerment of the women. The 1995 World Summit for Social Development had also emphasised the pivotal role of women in eradicating poverty and mending the social fabric.

(2) The Constitution of India had conferred on women equal rights and opportunities — political, social, educational and of employment—with men. Because of oppressive traditions, superstitions, exploitation and corruption, a majority of women are not allowed to enjoy the rights and opportunities, bestowed on them. One of the major reasons for this state of affairs is the lack of literacy and awareness among women. Education is the main instrument through which we can narrow down the prevailing inequality and accelerate the process of economic and political change in the status of women.

(3) The role of women in a society is very important. Women’s education is the key to a better life in the future. A recent World Bank study says that educating girls is not a charity, it is good economics and if developing nations are to eradicate poverty, they must educate the girls. The report says that the economic and social returns on investment in education of the girls considerably affect the human development index of the nation. Society would progress only if the status of women is respected and the presence of an educated woman in the family would ensure education of the family itself. Education and empowerment of women are closely related.

(4) Women’s education has not received due care and attention from the planners and policy makers. The National Commission for Women has rightly pointed out that even after 50 years of independence, women continue to be treated as the single largest group of backward citizens of India. The role of women in overall development has not been fully understood nor has it been given its full weight in the struggle to eliminate poverty, hunger, injustice and inequality at the national level. Even when we are at the threshold of the 21st century, our society still discriminates against women in matters of their rights and privileges and prevents them from participating in the process of national and societal progress. Various Committees and Commissions have been constituted before and after the independence to evaluate the progress in women’s education and to suggest ways and means to enhance the status of women. The female literacy rate has gone up in the 20th century from 0.6 per cent in 1901 to 39.29 per cent in 1991 but India still possesses the largest number of illiterate women in the world. The female literacy index for the year 1991 shows that there are eight states which fall below the national average. The most populous states of the country, UP, MP, Bihar and Rajasthan fall in the category of most backward states as far as female literacy is concerned.

(5) The prevailing cultural norms of gender behaviour and the perceived domestic and reproductive role of women tend to affect the education of girls. Negative attitude towards sending girls to schools, restrictions on their mobility, early marriage, poverty and illiteracy of parents affect the girl’s participation in education.

(6) Women’s political empowerment got a big boost with the Panchayati Raj Act of 1993 which gave them 30 per cent reservation in Village Panchayats, Block Samities and Zila Parishads throughout the country. The National Commission for Women was also set up in 1992 to act as a lobby for Women’s issues.

(7) The educational system is the only institution, which can counteract the deep foundations of inequality of sexes that are built in the minds of people through the socialization process. Education is the most important instrument of human resource development. Educational system should be used to revolutionise the traditional attitudes and inculcate new values of equality.

(a) (i) Mention any two attributes of a modern woman.
Answer: (a) Highly self-directed person and alive to the sense of her dignity.
(b) Women are rational in approach careful in handling situations and want to do things as best as possible.

(ii) Why are women’s participation and empowerment considered necessary?
Answer: Women’s participation and empowerment are considered necessary because no enduring solution of society’s most threatening social, economic and political problems like eradicating poverty, etc. could be solved without women.

(iii) Which factors adversely affect the education of girls ?
Answer: (a) Deep foundation of inequality of sexes.
(b) Early marriage, poverty, etc.
(c) Negative attitude towards sending girls to schools.
(d) Oppressive traditions, superstitions, exploitation and corruption. (give any two)

(iv) What benefits did the women get with the enactment of the Panchayati Raj Act of 1993?
Answer: It gave them 30 per cent reservation in Village Panchayats, Block Samities and Zila Parishads throughout the country.

(v) By what process can we remove the sense of inequality of sexes from the minds of the people?
Answer: With the help of education the sense of inequality of the sexes can be removed from the minds of the people.

(b) Pick out words from the passage which mean the same as each of the following:

(i) cruel and unfair (para 2)
Answer: Oppressive

(ii) remove (para 3)
Answer: Eradicate

(iii) full of people (para 4)
Answer: Populous

Question. Read the passage given below carefully:

(1) For four days, I walked through the narrow lanes of the old city, enjoying the romance of being in a city where history still lives — in its cobblestone streets and in its people riding asses, carrying vine leaves and palm as they once did during the time of Christ.

(2) This is Jerusalem, home to the sacred sites of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. This is the place that houses the church of the Holy Sepulchre, the place where Jesus was finally laid to rest. This is also the site of Christ’s crucifixion, burial and resurrection.

(3) Built by the Roman Emperor Constantine at the site of an earlier temple to Aphrodite, it is the most venerated Christian shrine in the world. And justifiably so. Here, within the church, are the last five stations of the cross, the 10th station where Jesus was stripped of his clothes, the 11th where he was nailed to the cross, the 12th where he died on the cross, the 13th where the body was removed from the cross, and the 14th, his tomb.

(4) For all this weighty tradition, the approach and entrance to the church is non-descript. You have to ask for directions. Even to the devout Christian pilgrims walking along the Via Dolorosa—the Way of Sorrows—first nine stations look clueless. Then a courtyard appears, hemmed in by other buildings and a doorway to one side. This leads to a vast area of huge stone architecture.

(5) Immediately inside the entrance is your first stop. It’s the stone of anointing: this is the place, according to Greek tradition, where Christ was removed from the cross. The Roman Catholics, however, believe it to be the spot where Jesus’ body was prepared for burial by Joseph.

(6) What happened next ? Jesus was buried. He was taken to a place outside the city of Jerusalem where other graves existed and there, he was buried in a cave. However, all that is long gone, destroyed by continued attacks and rebuilding; what remains is the massive—and impressive — Rotunda (a round building with a dome) that Emperor Constantine built. Under this, and right in the centre of the Rotunda, is the structure that contains the Holy Sepulchre.

(7) “How do you know that this is Jesus’ tomb?” I asked one of the pilgrims standing next to me. He was clueless, more interested, like the rest of them, in the novelty of it all and in photographing it, than in its history or tradition.

(8) At the start of the first century, the place was a disused quarry outside the city walls. According to the gospels, Jesus’ crucifixion occurred ‘at a place outside the city walls with graves nearby’. Archaeologists have discovered tombs from that era, so the site is compatible with the biblical period.

(9) The structure at the site is a marble tomb built over the original burial chamber. It has two rooms, and you enter four at a time into the first of these, the Chapel of the Angel. Here the angel is supposed to have sat on a stone to recount Christ’s resurrection. A low door made of white marble, partly worn away by pilgrims’ hands, leads to a smaller chamber inside. This is the ‘room of the tomb’, the place where Jesus was buried.

(10) We entered in single file. On my right was a large marble slab that covered the original rock bench on which the body of Jesus was laid. A woman knelt and prayed. Her eyes were wet with tears. She pressed her face against the slab to hide them, but it only made it worse.

On the basis of your understanding of this passage answer the following questions with the help of given options:

(a) How does Jerusalem still retain the charm of ancient era ?
(i) There are narrow lanes.
(ii) Roads are paved with cobblestones.
(iii) People can be seen riding asses.
(iv) All of the above

(b) Holy Sepulchre is sacred to .
(i) Christianity
(ii) Islam
(iii) Judaism
(iv) Both (i) and (iii)

(c) Why does one have to constantly ask for directions to the church ?
(i) Its lanes are narrow.
(ii) Entrance to the church is non-descript.
(iii) People are not tourist-friendly.
(iv) Everyone is lost in enjoying the romance of the place.

(d) Where was Jesus buried ?
(i) In a cave
(ii) At a place outside the city
(iii) In the Holy Sepulchre
(iv) Both (i) and (ii)

Answer the following questions briefly :

(e) What is the Greek belief about the ‘stone of anointing’ ?
Answer: According to the Greek belief, the ‘stone of anointing’ is a place where Christ was removed from the cross.

(f ) Why did Emperor Constantine build the Rotunda ?
Answer: Emperor Constantine built Rotunda to safeguard the Holy Sepulchre and the remaining structure around it.

(g) What is the general attitude of the pilgrims ?
Answer: Pilgrims have a very casual attitude and are completely unaware of the history or tradition. They are more into taking pictures and appreciating the novelty of the church.

(h) How is the site compatible with the biblical period ?
Answer: According to the gospels, Jesus’ crucifixion occurred at a place outside the city walls with graves nearby and as the archaeologist have discovered tombs from the biblical era hence, the site is compatible.

(i) Why did the pilgrims enter the room of the tomb in a single file ?
Answer: Room of the tomb is a very small place, hence, the pilgrims entered in a single file.

(j) Why did ‘a woman’ try to hide her tears ?
Answer: The women knelt down to pray at the large marble slab, and felt overwhelmed as Jesus was buried there.

(k) Find words from the passage which mean the same as :

(i) A large grave (para 3)
Answer: Tomb

(ii) Having no interesting features/dull (para 4)
Answer: Non-descript

Question. Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow :

(1) As dusk falls the neon lights of the jewellery shops in Bowbazaar come alive but the lights have no effect on the face of Mahadeo Yadav who is seated on the footrest of his rickshaw that is parked by the road, feeling very sad. he is sitting on his feet, hugging his knees to keep himself warm in the biting cold, so weakened and lifeless as if he had been dead for days without anyone noticing.

(2) Who would after all notice a rickshaw puller, to check whether he is breathing or not ? Yet when the same rickshaw puller goes about his work pulling his rickshaw like a horse, he becomes the most noticed man in Calcutta. He makes a great subject for photographers, writers and film-makers. He is the symbol of poor Calcutta. Many a famous actor has pulled the rickshaw in films set in the city.

(3) Calcutta is said to have about 6000 rickshaw pullers running on its roads, running mostly in its old neighbourhoods. They have something in common apart from their poverty. All of them come from the country side. All of them wear the lungi to work, perhaps for better movement. Almost all of them are elderly; I am yet to see a young man hand pulling a rickshaw. It can be a sad sight to watch a man almost as old as your father struggling his way through the roads dressed only in a vest and a lungi and often barefoot. 

(4) Mahadeo Yadav, the rickshaw puller is in his seventies and has been pulling the same rickshaw in and around Bowbazaar for fifty years. For him, fifty years, half a century is not an achievement, but merely the time that has passed ever since he came to Calcutta to earn a living.

(5) He lives all alone in Calcutta, in a room in a nearby lane, paying a monthly rent of fifty rupees. He is out with his rickshaw between three in the afternoon and ten at night, sometimes earning sixty or seventy rupees a day and sometimes nothing. Every month without fail he sends ` 300 to his wife back home, and once every year visits her. “I will pull the rickshaw as long as I can”, he says, “this is my only source of livelihood. These days I tire easily. Sometimes my feet hurt and sometimes my back. But do I have a choice?” He answers all my questions without looking at me even once, but continued to stare ahead blankly, his arms folded around his knees. I take a good look at his rickshaw : the two – the rickshaw and the rickshaw puller – make quite a pair.

Choose the correct alternatives from the options given below :

(a) A rickshaw puller is noticed only when he
(i) acts in a film.
(ii) becomes a subject for photographers.
(iii) sits all alone.
(iv) is old and tired.

(b) Pick out the statement which is not true.
(i) Most rickshaw pullers are old.
(ii) The rickshaw puller earn very little.
(iii) Many renowned actors are rickshaw pullers.
(iv) They are neglected by people.

Answer the following questions :

(a) Why does Yadav “stare ahead blankly”?
Answer: Yadav has no choice except for pulling rickshaw to earn his livelihood. So he stares ahead blankly with folded arms around his knees.

(b) Why are rickshaw pullers known as the icons of poor Calcutta ?
Answer: The rickshaw pullers go about their work pulling their rickshaws like horses. They make a great subject for photographers, writers and film- makers as the symbol of poor Calcutta.

(c) Which instance tells you that Yadav loved his family ?
Answer: Every month without fail, Yadav used to send `300 to his wife back home and once in every year visit her too.

(d) Where does Yadav stay ?
Answer: He lives in a room in a nearly lane, paying a rent of fifty rupees.

(e) What comparison does the writer draw between the rickshaw and its puller ?
Answer: The rickshaw and the rickshaw puller make quite a pair. The writer concludes that both are interdependent on each other.

(f ) What do the rickshaw pullers have in common ?
Answer: Apart from poverty, they all come from the country side. They all wear lungi and almost all of them are elderly.

(g) Pick out words from the passage that mean the following :

(a) Well-known (para 2)
Answer: Famous

(b) income (para 5)
Answer: Earning

You can refer to more Class 12 English notes on our website. Also refer to Sample Papers for Class 12 English