CBSE Class 12 English Unseen Passages Set A

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 :

Question: 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)
Answer: b

Question: 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.
Answer: c

Question: 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.
Answer: a

Question: 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: c

Answer the following questions briefly :

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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

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:

Question: 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.
Answer: b

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

Question: 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.
Answer: d

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

Answer the following question briefly :

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

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

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

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

(ii) increased (para 7)
Answer: Exaggerated

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:

Question: 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
Answer: d

Question: Holy Sepulchre is sacred to .
(i) Christianity
(ii) Islam
(iii) Judaism
(iv) Both (i) and (iii)
Answer: a

Question: 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.
Answer: b

Question: 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: d

Answer the following questions briefly :

Question: 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.

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

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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 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.

Question: 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.
Answer: b

Question: 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.
Answer: c

Question: 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.
Answer: a

Question: 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: b

Answer the following :

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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

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 :

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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.

Question: 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