Friday, March 22, 2013

ISC English 2 Question Paper 2013 Text

ENGLISH 

Paper - 2 

(Prescribed Textbooks)

(Three hours)

(Candidates are allowed additional 15 minutes for only reading the paper. They must NOT start writing during this time.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Answer one question from Section A and four questions from Section B. In Section B choose questions on at least three textbooks which may include EITHER Shakespeare's Macbeth OR Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion.

Note: You are required to select questions on one play only,

EITHER Macbeth OR Pygmalion in Sections A and B.

The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [Jo
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SECTION A
 (Answer one question)

Macbeth - Shakespeare

Question 1

Choose two of~the passages (a) to (c) and answer briefly the questions that follow

(a) Duncan        :     Whence cam 'st thou, worthy thane?

     Ross            :                                      From Fife, great king,                                   
                               Where the Norwegian banners flout the sky                                  
                               And fan our people cold.            
                               Norway himself, with terrible numbers,
                               Assisted by that most disloyal traitor,                                  
                               The Thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict,                                   
                               Till that Bellona's bridegroom, lapp'd in proof,                                   
                               Confronted him with self- comparisons,                                   
                               Point against point, rebellious arm 'gainst arm,                                   
                               Curbing his lavish spirit. And to conclude,                                   
                               The victory fell on us

      Duncan        :     Great happiness!



      Ross        : That now Sweno,
                       The Norway's king, craves composition.

             
(i) Where are Duncan and Ross? Who else has accompanied Ross here?

(ii) What other information does Ross go on to give about the King of

Norway?

(iii) Explain the lines:

        "Till that Bellona's bridegroom, lapp'd in proof,
          Confronted him with self-comparisons".

   (iv) What instructions does Duncan give Ross?

   (v) How had the traitor Macdonald been dealt with earlier?

   (vi) Give the meaning of the following words in the context of the passage:
      Flout; lavish; composition


(b) Knock within
 
     Macbeth          :    Whence is that knocking?
                                  How is't with me, when every noise appals me?
                                  What hands are here? Ha they pluck out mine eyes.
                                  Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
                                  Clean from my hand? No: this my hand will rather
                                  The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red.

Enter Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth    :   My hands are of your colour, but I shame
                              To wear a heart so white.


(i) Where are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth? Who is responsible for the knocking?

(ii) From where has Lady Macbeth just returned? Why had she gone there?

(iii) Explain the lines:   "My hands are of your colour, but I shame
                                   To wear a heart so white".
(iv) How does Lady Macbeth later dismiss Macbeth's fears about his hands?

(v) What instructions does she give Macbeth at the end of the scene?

(vi) Give the meanings of the following words in the context of the passage:
      appals; multitudinous; incarnadine;

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2



(c) Malcom               :  He's worth more sorrow,                              
                                   And that I'll spend for him.

      Siward                :  He's worth no more;                              
                                   They say he parted well and paid hip score,
                                   And so God be with him. Here comes newer comfort.

Enter Macduff, with Macbeth's head
 
      Macduff               : Hail,King,forso thou art. Behold where stands                              
                                   Th'usurper's cursed head. The time is free.
                                   I see thee compassed with thy kingdom's pearl,
                                   That speak my salutation in their minds;
                                   Whose voices I desire aloud with mine.
                                   Hail, King of Scotland.
                             
All                           :  Hail, King of Scotland.

[Flourish]

Malcolm                  :  We shall not spend a large expense of time
                                  Before we reckon with your several loves
                                  And make us even with you.

(i) Where are Siward, Macduff and Malcolm? Whose death is being discussed by Siward?

(ii) What does Siward mean when he says "he parted well"?

(iii) Explain the lines:

                      "I see thee compass'd with thy kingdom's pearls
                       That speak my salutation in their minds"

(iv) Which announcements does Malcolm proceed to make in his speech that .                                         [2         follows?

(v) Give any two qualities of Malcolm that are revealed by his words in the extract.

(vi) Give the meanings of the following words in the context of the passage.:

                     Score; reckon; several

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3


Pygmalion—George Bernard Shaw


Question 2

Choose two of the passages (a) to (c) and answer briefly the questions that follow:

(a) Higgins          :   Would you like to go over any of it again?

Pickering ( rising and coming to the fireplace where he plants himself with his back to
 the fire)              :  No, thank you: not now. I'm quite done up for this morning,

Higgins                : (Following him, and standing beside him on his left)
                            Tired of listening to sounds?

Pickering             : Yes. It's a fearful strain. I rather fancied myself because I
                             can pronounce twenty-four distinct vowel sounds, but your
                             hundred and thirty beat me. I cant hear a bit of difference
                             between most of them.

Higgins                 :  (chuckling, and going over to the piano to eat sweets) Oh,
                               that comes with practice. You hear no difference at first;
                               but you keep on listening, and presently you find theyre all
                               as different as A from B. [Mrs. Pearce looks in: she is
                               Higgins' housekeeper] Whats the matter?

Mrs. Pearce         :  [hesitating, evidently perplexed] A young woman asks to
                               see you, sir.

Higgins                 :  A young woman! What does she want?

(i) Where are Higgins and Pickering? Where had the two met the previous day?

(ii) What reason has the young woman given Mrs. Pearce for her visit?

(iii) What is Mrs. Pearce's first assessment of the young woman? Why does she entertain her?

(iv) What plans does Higgins make for the visitor before he has even seen her?

(v) How does his opinion change on seeing the young woman?

(vi) What assessment can one make of the early relationship between Pickering and Higgins on the basis of the above interaction?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4

(b) Mrs.Higgins          :  Oh! dont they? Small talk indeed! What about your
                                     large talk? Really, dear, you mustnt stay.

Higgins                      :    I must. Ive a job for you. A phonetic job.

Mrs. Higgins              : No use, dear. I'm sorry; but I cant get round your vowels;
                                   and though I like to get pretty postcards in your patent
                                   shorthand, I always have to read the copies in ordinary
                                   writing you so thoughtfully send me.

Higgins                      : Well, this lent a phonetic job.

Mrs. Higgins              : You said it was.

Higgins                      : Not your part of it. Ive picked up a girl.

(i) Where is Mrs. Higgins? Why has Higgins come to see her?

(ii) What is Mrs. Higgins' first response on seeing her son?

(iii) Why doesn't she want her son to stay?

(iv) How does Mrs. Higgins interpret Higgins' comment, "Ive picked up a girl"?

(v) What reasons does Higgins go on to give his mother for not marrying a young girl?

(vi) How does he convince his mother that Eliza is a good student?

(c) Higgins          : I wonder where the devil my slippers are!

Eliza looks at him darkly, then rises suddenly and leaves the room.
Higgins yawns again, and resumes his song
Pickering returns, with the contents of the letter-box in his hand.

Pickering             : Only circulars, and this coroneted billet-doux for you. [He
                             throws the circulars into the fender, and posts himself on the
                             hearthrug, with his back to the grate]                                                  

Higgins               : [glancing at the billet-doux] Money-lender. [He throws the
                            letter after the circulars]
Eliza returns with a pair of large down-at-heel slippers. She places them on the carpet before Higgins, and sits as before without a word.

Higgins               : [Yawning again] Oh Lord! What an evening! What a crew!
                            What a silly tomfoolery! [He raises his shoe to unlace it, and
                            catches sight of the slippers. He stops unlacing and looks at
                            them as if they had appeared there of their own accords.] Oh!
                            Theyre there, are they?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5

Pickering               : [Stretching himself]  Well, I feel a bit tired. It's been a long
                              day. The garden party, a direr party, and the receptions
                              Rather too much of a good thing. But youve won your bet,
                              Higgins. Eliza did the trick and something to spare, oh?

Higgins                 : [fervently] Thank God it's over!

(i) Where are the speakers? From where have they just rehired?

(ii) Why did Eliza look at Higgins "darkly"?
                                          
(iii) Which "evening" is Higgins referring to? How had Higgins behaved at the;                                      {2        event?

(iv) Who had issued the bet? What were the terms of the bet?

(v) What had led Higgins to accept the bet?

(vi) What effect does Higgins' exclamation "Thank God it's over" have on Eliza?
      Why do you fleet she reacts in this manner?

                                               SECTION B

(Answer four questions on at least three textbooks which may include EITHER Macbeth OR Pygmalion.)

Macbeth  -  Shakespeare

Question 3

Give a vivid account of die scene in which Macbeth murders Duncan (Act II,Scene ii)
How does Shakespeare create the atmosphere of fear and tension in theme?

Question 4

Describe with examples from the pay, the character and importance of:
(a) Macduff
(b) Malcolm

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6


Pygmalion—George Bernard Shaw


Question 5

In Act V of the play, Eliza proves to be a match for, Higgins. Give an account of the
conversation and show how she gets the better of him.

Question 6

Eliza decides to marry Freddy at the end of the play. Do you feel her decision is correct? Give reasons for your answer.


The Mayor of Casterbridge  - Thomas Hardy

Question 7

With specific reference to the text, show how Farfrae was more 'A Man of Character' than
Henchard.

Question 8

Describe briefly how Henchard makes a fool of himself in front Royalty. Do you think
he deserved to be treated more kindly? Why?

Question 9

In what way was Joshua Jopp instrumental in ruining Lucetta's life? Refer to relevant
 incidents in the novel.

Footprints (A Collection of Essays)—Edited by Stephen DaCosta

Question 10

What are Mahatma Gandhi's views on the independence and necessity of prayer in our lives?
What is his advice to the readers?

Question 11

In his essay 'Awakening of Women', what does K. M, Panikkar write about the status of
Indian women in the past? How did Gandhiji's movement for the emancipation of
women help them?


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7


Question 12
Referring closely to the essay, Environmental Crisis describe how conservative is:
(a) Linked to economic development.
(b) Focused on biological diversity.


Hues - An Anthology of Short Stories 

Question 13

The Rattrap presents the belief that essential goodness in a human being can be awakened
through love and understanding. Discus the truth of the statement with close reference to
the story.

Question 14

Referring closely to the account provided in Talking of Space: Report on Planet Three,
show how the writer presents the earth as it must be seen from the perspective of Martians.
What message does the account hold out for mankind?

Question 15

Analyse the character of the boss in Mansfield's The Fly as revealed by his treatment of others.
How far do you sympathies with his character?

Starlight

Question 16

What observation does Keats males about the permanence of the art and the relevance of
beauty in human life, in his poem Ode on a Grecian Urn?

Question 17

Referring closely to the poem Tintern Abbey, describe the poet's thoughts on nature when
he revisits the place after five years.

Question 18

Referring closely to the poem, The Old Woman, describe how the poet's encounter with
the old woman makes him aware of the decay in modern civilization.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8


No comments:

Post a Comment