HSC English questions Bank solutions 2021
SECTION I: PROSE
1.Read the extract and complete the activities given below: (12)
Punctually at midday he opened his bag and spread out his professional equipment,
which consisted of a dozen cowrie shells, a square piece of cloth with obscure mystic
charts on it, a notebook, and a bundle of Palmyra writing. His forehead was
resplendent (glorious) with sacred ash and vermilion, and his eyes sparkled with a
sharp abnormal gleam (shine) which was really an outcome of a continual searching
look for customers, but which his simple clients took to be a prophetic light and felt
comforted. The power of his eyes was considerably enhanced by their position placed
as they were between the painted forehead and the dark whiskers (mustaches) which
streamed down his cheeks: even a half-wit’s eyes would sparkle in such a setting. To
crown the effect he wound a saffron-coloured turban around his head. This colour
scheme never failed. People were attracted to him as bees are attracted to cosmos or
dahlia stalks. He sat under the boughs of a spreading tamarind tree which flanked a
path running through the Town Hall Park. It was a remarkable place in many ways. A
surging crowd was always moving up and down this narrow road from morning till
night. A variety of trades and occupations was represented all along its way :
medicine sellers, sellers of stolen hardware and junk, magicians, and above all, an
auctioneer of cheap cloth, who created enough din all day to attract the whole town.
Next to him in vociferousness came a vendor of fried groundnut, who gave his ware a
fancy name each day, calling it “Bombay Ice Cream” one day and on the next “Delhi
Almond,” and on the third “Raja’s Delicacy,” and so on and so forth, and people
flocked to him. A considerable portion of this crowd dallied before the astrologer too.
The astrologer transacted his business by the light of a flare which crackled and
smoked up above the groundnut heap nearby. Half the enchantment of the place was
due to the fact that it did not have the benefit of municipal lighting. The place was lit
up by shop lights. One or two had hissing gaslights, some had naked flares stuck on
poles, some were lit up by old cycle lamps, and one or two, like the astrologer,
managed without lights of their own. It was a bewildering crisscross of light rays and
moving shadows. This suited the astrologer very well, for the simple reason that he
had not in the least intended to be an astrologer when he began life; and he knew no
more of what was going to happen to others than he knew what was going to happen
to himself next minute. He was as much a stranger to the stars as were his innocent
customers. Yet he said things which pleased and astonished everyone: that was more a
matter of study, practice, and shrewd guesswork. All the same, it was as much an
honest man’s labour as any other, and he deserved the wages he carried home at the
end of a day.
A1. State if the given statements are True or False. (2)
i. The astrologer used to have the preparation of his business in quite professional way.
ii. The physical appearance of the astrologer hardly created an impact on the customers.
iii. The place was busy with a variety of occupations.
iv. The astrologer’s style of handling the business lies in his skills.
Ans : i. The astrologer used to have the preparation of his business in quite professional way. True
ii. The physical appearance of the astrologer hardly created an impact on the customers. False
iii. The place was busy with a variety of occupations. True
iv. The astrologer’s style of handling the business lies in his skills. True
A2. Complete the given web. (2)
1. Opened his bag and spread out professional equipment
2. Wound a saffron coloured turban around his head
3. Sat under the boughs of a spreading tamarind tree
4. Transacted his business of astrology
(Note : Draw a web chart and write these points in it.)
A3. The astrologer was a shrewd judge of a character. Explain with some details from the
extract. (2)
Ans : He was punctual in his work. Though he did not intend to be an astrologer, he used professional equipment for astrology. He dressed as an astrologer and chose appropriate place for the transaction . He accepted that study, practice and shrewd guesswork helped him to please and astonish his customers.
A4. We need to understand even the smallest details of the business in order to succeed.
Write your views. (2)
Ans :
A5. Do as directed. (2)
1) It was a remarkable place in many ways.
(Choose correct alternative to rewrite the given sentence as an exclamatory
sentence)
i. It was a remarkable place in many ways!
ii. How a remarkable place in many ways it was!
iii. What a remarkable place in many ways it was!
iv. What remarkable in many ways the place it was!
2) He spread out his professional equipment, which consisted of a dozen cowrie
shells.
(Choose correct alternative to rewrite the given sentence as a compound
sentence)
i. He spread out his professional equipment but it consisted of a dozen cowrie
shells.
ii. He spread out his professional equipment and it consisted of a dozen cowrie shells.
iii. He spread out his professional equipment that it consisted of a dozen cowrie
shells.
iv. He spread out his professional equipment and it had consisted of a dozen cowrie shells.
A6. Find the synonyms for the following words from the passage. (2)
a. Confusing b. hanging around c. difficult to understand d. magical effect 2
a. Confusing – bewildering
b. hanging around – dallied
c. difficult to understand – obscure
d. magical effect – enchantment
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