CBSE Class 12 English Sample Paper 2018 Set C

SECTION- A (READING) 

1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follow: 

My recent visit to Hampi in Karnataka was a memorable experience. Instead of first viewing the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire from ground level, I climbed up the Matanga HiII,the highest point in the area, for a bird's eye view, a little before sunrise. Encased in nature's amphitheatre, the view was really breathtaking. The mellow rays of the morning sun revealed the vastness and architectural grandeur of Hampi's extensive ruins and imposing temples. The symmetrical plain, an elevation of the Thiruvengala temple that lay at the bottom of the hill on which I stood, the imposing spires of Virupaksha shrine as they caught the golden rays of the sun, the river Tungabhadra meandering through rocky terrain with its bank donning the emerald green of rice fields, fleshy bananas, coconut and sugarcane plantation-all combine to give life and a throbbing liveliness to the ruins. The surrounding hills and rocky outcrops gave to this city a sense of impregnability which is why this site was chosen by the kings for the capital. This landscape, so tough and defiant to hosti1e forces spreads out to the horizon. If only they could speak? Yes, they would most poignantly describe a whole way of life and polity. Even in its ruins, Hampi overwhelms one with its epic dimensions. The opulence and grandeur of this great city during its prime becomes very obvious despite the centuries. The Persian ambassador, Abdur Razzak who visited Hampi in the 15th century had this to say in his chronicles: "The city is such that the eye has not see and the ear of intelligence has never been informed that there existed any thing to equal it in the whole world."

Hampi, founded in the 14th century as the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, lies in the Deccan heartland in the state of Karnataka and can be reached in seven hours by car from Bengaluru. Enthusiastically described as a 'testament to a global wonder', its ruins spread over an area of about 26 square kilometers protected by the river Tungabhadra in the north and by rocky granite ridges on the three other sides. Its very location as a capital is testimony to the military shrewdness of its founders. With its countless herds of monkeys which wander freely in this region, many believe that is was once the legendary kingdom of Kishkindha, celebrated place in the epic, Ramayana.

According to historians, the Sangamas were the first ruling dynasty of the Vijayanagar kingdom which was vastly extended by the Telugu princes Harihara and Bukka in the 14th century. It reached its zenith of glory a hundred years later under Krishna Deva Raya during whose time, Hampi, the city of Victory, fllourished. For 230 years the kingdom witnessed glorious times as a mighty empire, famed for its opulence and culture, until 1565 when it was destroyed by the combined forces of the Deccan Sultanates.

Hampi is so vast and varied in its attractions that it would take at least a week for one to see them all at leisure. But, to one in a hurry the Ham pi Panorama must begin with a visit to the Virupaksha temple, the tutelary deity of the Vijayanagar Kings.It rises majestically at the

end of the 700-metrelong chariot street, once the site of a celebrated bazaar. Then there are the ruins of the palaces of the noblemen which were probably occupied by the Vijayanagar aristocracy. Though badly mutilate, the huge free-standing monolithic sculpture of Narasimha, 6, 7 metres high, and sculpted in AD 1528 on the order of Krishna Deva Raya, is a remarkable piece.

The most impressive of temples at Hampi is the one dedicated to Vithala. Its exquisitely carved pillars and images are a tribute to the skill of Vijayanagar craftsmen who seem to have handled granite as though it a was clay. The main pavilion with its 56 pillars, each carved out of single granite block is a structural unit. When struck, some of these give out musical notes as though from different percussion instruments. In the courtyard of this temple, there is a magnificent stone chariot minus its superstructure. It houses the mythical eagle, Garuda. The elaborately carved chariot has huge stone wheels that can be rotated, testifYing to the skill of the ancient craftsmen.

Probably, the most photogenic building at Hampi is the lotus Mahal-graceful two- storeyed pavilion, a synthesis of the Hindu and Islamic styles of architecture. Not far from this place are the Elephant Stables-a row of eleven chambers which once housed the magnificent beasts. Close by is a watch tower, one of the several at Hampi.

The imperial city of Hampi is a town planner's dream. The south bank of the Tungabhadra was the sacred centre with many temples along the bank of the south of this one can see the fortified 'urban' or 'royal' area in which are located the remains of places, noblemen's quarters, watch towers and some more shrines.

1.1 Choose the correct option : (3 Marks)

(a) What structures were built on the south bank of the river ?

(i) Many hotels (ii) Many schools

(iii) Many temples

(b) What gives life the ruins ?

(i) The river Tungabhadra

(iii) The Yamuna

(iv)Many houses

(ii) The river Tapti

(iv) The Ganges

(c) Why was author's visit to Kamataka a memorable experience ?

(i) It was his first visit

(ii) It was his last visit

(iii) He happened to see many interesting places

(iv) He happened to see the ruins of Hampi.

1.2 On the basis of your reading answer the following questions :

(i) When was the city of Hampi founded and by whom ?(5 Marks)

(ii) Give reasons why Hampi is described as a 'testament to a global wonder.'

(iii) Why cannot one see Hampi at one go ?

(iv) What is significant about the temple of Vithala?

(v) What makes Hampi a photographer's delight ?

1.3 Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following :

(a) Lavishness (para 3)

(b) Colossal (para 4)

(c) Lordly (para 7)

(3 Marks)

2. Read the passage given and answer the question that follow : 

1. Unlike lndia, a student in US is not eligible for admission to postgraduate study, unless he has completed four years of undergraduate study. This criterion holds true for any foreign national too. For Indian students seeking to study in the US this is a problem. Majority of bachelor's degree courses here are of three years duration, except the professional courses like engineering and medicine. So the advice is to put in an extra year of study.

2. As in undergraduate study, the admission process begins 18 months prior to getting enrolled in a university. While applying for a postgraduate course one has to keep in mind the high degree of improbability of securing a master's level admission in a field that is remotely connected to the undergraduate field of study. Those who do choose such an option, must clear some minimum prerequisites in the opted major. 

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