HSC English March 2014 Board Paper Maharashtra
Section A
(Reading Skills, Grammar, Vocabulary, Note – making and Summary)
Q1. A. Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:
Today, at 29, Michael has discovered the power of another good idea that has helped him rise in just a few years from teen to tycoon. He has become the fourth largest manufacturer of personal computers in America and the youngest man ever to head Fortune 500 Corporation.
Growing up in Houston, Texas, Michael And his two brothers were imbued by their parents, Alexander and Lorraine - he an orthodontist, she a stockbroker- with the desire to learn and the drive to work hard. Even so, stories about the middle boy began to be told early.
Like the time a saleswoman came asking to speak to "Mr. Michael Dell' about his getting a high school equivalency diploma. Moments later, eight-year-old Michael was explaining that he thought it might be a good idea to get high School out of the way.
A few years later Michael had another good idea, to trade stamps by advertising in stamp magazines. With the $2000 he made, he bought his first personal computer. Then he took it apart to figure out how it worked.
In high school Michael had a job selling newspaper subscriptions. Newlyweds, he figured, were the best prospects, so he hired friends to copy the names and addresses of recent recipients of marriage licences. These he entered into his computer, then sent a personalized letter offering each couple a free two - week subscription.
This time Dell made $ 18000 and bought an expensive BMW car. The car salesman was flabbergasted when the 17 year old paid cash.
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Questions.:
1. What detail does the writer give about Dell’s family in the extract? (1)
Ans. Michael Dell had two brothers. His daddy name is Alexander and his mother’s name is Lorraine. He is an orthodontist and she a stockbroker.
(2) How did Dell succeed in earning $ 2000? (2)
Ans. Michael Dell succeed in earning $ 2000 by doing trade in stamps by advertising in stamp magazines.
(3) Why was the car salesman flabbergasted? (2)
Ans. When a 17 year old paid cash of $ 18,000 to buy an expensive BMW car the car salesman was flabbergasted.
(4) What do you think you can learn from Dell’s story? (2)
Ans. Dell’s story giving inspiration to me. I think I may think in different way to get success in my life. We also can think of better ideas and take effort to realize that idea into reality.
(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed: (3)
(i) “He has discovered the power of another good idea.” [Rewrite it beginning with “The power of another good idea ....”]
Ans. “The power of another good idea has been discovered by him.”
(ii) “If you think you have a good idea, try it.” [Use ‘Unless’ ]
Ans. Unless you think you have a good idea, don’t try it.
(iii) “This time Dell made $ 18,000 and bought an expensive BMW car.” [Make it a simple sentence]
Ans. Making $ 18,000 this time, Dell bought an expensive BMW car.
(6) Find out the words from the extract which mean: (1)
(i) filled with a quality = imbued
(ii) understand.= to figure out.
B. Grammar: Do as directed: (4)
(i) My friends is ________ able translator and ________ impartial editor as well. [Rewrite it using appropriate articles]
Ans. My friends is an able translator and an impartial editor as well.
(ii) I was __________ my regular walk through the forest ___________ 9 a.m. [Fill in the blanks with proper prepositions]
Ans. I was on my regular walk through the forest at 9 a.m.
(iii) I whispered to him hesitantly. “Could you stay here for a day?” Gandhiji said. “It is very difficult.” [Change it into indirect speech.]
Ans. Whispering hesitantly I asked him if he could stay there for a day. Gandhiji replied that it was very difficult.
Q2. A. Read the following extract and answer the questions given below. (11)
I grew up in India in which telephones were both rare and virtually useless. When I left India in 1975 to go to the US for graduate studies, we had perhaps, 600 million residents in the country and just two million landline telephones. Having a telephone was a rare privilege: if you weren’t an important government official, or a doctor, or a journalist, you might languish in a long waiting list and never receive a phone.
Telephone were such a rarity (after all, 90% of population had access to a telephone line) that elected members of Parliament had amongst their privileges the right to allocate 15 telephone connections to whomever they deemed worthy.
And if you did have a phone, it wasn’t necessarily a blessing. I spent my high school years in Calcutta, and I remember that if you picked up your phone, you had no guarantee you would reach the number you had dialled. Sometimes you were connected to someone else’s ongoing conversation, and they had no idea you were able to hear them; there was even a technical term for it, the ‘cross - connection’ (appropriately, since these were connections that made us very cross). If you wanted to call another city, say Delhi, you had to book a ‘trunk call’ in the morning and then sit by the telephone all day waiting for it to come through; or you could pay eight times the going rate for a ‘lightning call’ = but even lightning struck slowly in India those days, so it only took half an hour instead of the usual three or four or more to be connected.
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Questions:
(1) Why were telephones a rarity before 1975? (1)
Ans. Majority of the population had no access to a telephone before 1975 thus telephones were a rarity before 1975.
(2) What special rights did elected members of Parliament use to have? (2)
Ans. The elected representative of Parliament had the right to allocate 15 telephone connections to whomever they think worthy.
(3) How did the author differentiate between a ‘trunk call’ and a ‘lightning call’? (2)
Ans. One could book a ‘trunk call’ in the morning and then wait for hours for it to come through. Or otherwise one could pay eight times the current rate for a ‘lightning call’ and get connected in half an hour.
(4) Do you think the cellphone has made us global? How? (2)
Ans. Yes the cellphone has made us global because now we can communicate with anyone in the world in realtime. It has almost removed the distance barriers between any two persons in the world.
(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed. (3)
(i) You could pay eight times the going rate for a ‘lighting call’. (Rewrite it using modal auxiliary showing compulsion)
Ans. You must pay eight times the going rate for a ‘lightning call’.
(ii) I spent my high school years in Calcutta. [Rewrite it using past perfect tense]
Ans. I had spent my high school years in Calcutta.
(iii) Telephones were a rarity. [Make it a rhetorical question]
Ans. Weren’t telephone a rarity?
(6) Match the words in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’. (1)
Column A
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Column B
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(i) Privilege
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(i) means to reach or get
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(ii) Access
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(ii) remedy
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(iii) special right
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Ans.
Column A
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Column B
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(i) Privilege
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(iii) special right
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(ii) Access
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(i) means to reach or get
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Q2. B. Note Making: [4 marks]
Read the following extract carefully and make the notes with the help of the clues given below:
Naturally occurring platinum and platinum - rich alloys have been known for a long time. The Spaniards named the metal ‘platina’ or little silver, when they first encountered it in Colombia. The platinum group metals are rhodium, ruthenium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum. Of these, platinum is the most important. These metals are very similar in many ways and are extremely rare.
On an average, there is only a gramme of ruthenium in each tonne of the rock and barely a gramme of rhodium in over a 1000 tonnes of rock! Platinum’s wear and tarnish resistance characteristics are well suited for making fine jewellery. Other distinctive properties include - resistance to chemical attack, excellent high temperature characteristics and stable electrical properties. These metals are uniquely durable and can be used extremely efficiently - meaning that a very little goes a very long way. When recycled, over 96 percent can be recovered. The platinum group metals - or PGMS - plays an important role in our everyday life, for they are used in so many things from fountain pens to aircraft turbines. In fact, one in four of the goods manufactured today either contain one or the other of these metals. The catalytic converter - a pollution control device - is the largest application of platinum group metals.
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Title: Platinum Group of Metals.
First encountered:
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___________ in Columbia.
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Platinum group metals include:
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________________________ iridium and ______________
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Nature:
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Similar in many ways, extremely rare.
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Availability:
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____________________________________________________barely a gramme of rhodium _________________
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Distinctive Properties:
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______________________
resistant to chemical attack
durable, long lasting
______________________
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Platinum group metals used in :
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________________________________________________
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Ans.
Title: Platinum Group of Metals.
First encountered:
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The Spaniards named the metal ‘platina’ or little silver, when they first encountered it in Columbia
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Platinum group metals include:
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rhodium, ruthenium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum
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Nature:
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Similar in many ways, extremely rare.
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Availability:
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only a gramme of ruthenium in each tonne of the rock and barely a gramme of rhodium in over a 1000 tonnes of rock!
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Distinctive Properties:
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Wear and tarnish resistance
resistant to chemical attack
durable, long lasting
When recycled, over 96 percent can be recovered.
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Platinum group metals used in :
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Fountain pens, air craft turbines, catalytic concerter a pollution control device.
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Q3. (A) Read the following extract and answer the questions given below: (11)
We often hear this statement that “many of our young people spend more time before their T.V. sets, than they do in their classrooms or with their textbooks. “A bit exaggerated though it may sound, it is nearly true and our teenagers are being considerably influenced by the electronic media, particularly the T.V. The television has become the single most powerful influence in the lives of many of our youngsters today. Too often this happens to us much before we realise it ourselves.
I am in no way trying to deny the many advantages of T.V. or minimise its manifold contributions to our world. On the other hand, I consider T.V. as one of the greatest scientific achievements of our times, bringing people closer than ever before.
Television’s use of the modern satellite technology brings today even the remotest regions of the world to us in seconds, making the world a small (global) village. As we know, television also provides us with a fuller and more impressive coverage of current events than any other media.
The T.V. does serve. In addition, as medium of education as well as entertainment. Besides, helping us to learn subjects taught in schools, college in greater depth, it enables us (National Geographic, Discovery channel etc.) to see and appreciate from close quarters (without having to go there, which is very expensive or even impossible for most of us) the wonders of God’s creation in any part of the world.
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Questions:
1. What does the passage tell us about? (1)
Ans. The passage explains us about the merits and demerits of Television. It also emphasise on the powerful influence of T.V. on youngsters.
2. Write at least two advantages of T.V. from the passage. (2)
Ans. Television’s use of the modern satellite technology made this entire world into a global village. It also sharpens our mind with the day to day current updates.
3. What other purpose does the T.V. serve in addition to education and entertainment? (2)
Ans. Apart from education and entertainment, The T.V. serves as medium of education as well as entertainment. Besides, helping us to learn subjects taught in schools, college in greater depth, it enables us to see and appreciate from close quarters the wonders of God’s creation in any part of the world.
4. Do you agree with the statement that many of our young people spend more time with their T.V. set? Justify your answer. (2)
Ans. Yes, I do agree with the statement that many of our young people spend more time before their T.V. sets because of the following reasons.
- Almost every home has a T.V. set.
- Almost full control on T.V. as well as on Remote control is there in the hand of children & young people.
- It relaxes us from various tiny things & routine work.
5. Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:
(i) Our young people spend more time before their T.V. set than in their classrooms. (1) (Rewrite it using positive degree)
Ans. Our young people do not spend as much time in their classrooms as before their T.V. set.
(ii) The T.V. does serve as medium of education as well as an entertainment. (1) (Rewrite it using ‘not only ......... but also’)
Ans. The T.V. does serve not only as a medium of education but also as an entertainment.
(iii) I consider T.V. as one of the greatest scientific achievements of our times. (1) (Rewrite it using the noun form of the underlined word.)
Ans. It is my consideration that T.V. is one of the greatest scientific achievements of our times.
6. Find out the synonyms of the following words from the extract. (1)
(i) refuse = deny.
(ii) an activity designed to give pleasure = entertainment.
B. Summary:
Write a summary of the above extract with the help of the following points and suggest a suitable title: (4)
Clues: T.V. - Misunderstanding - influence on youngsters - advantages - other benefits.
Ans.
‘The Greater Influence of Television on Youngsters’
The passage explains us about the merits and demerits of Television. It also emphasise on the powerful influence of T.V. on youngsters. Television’s use of the modern satellite technology made this entire world into a global village. It also sharpens our mind with the day to day current updates. Apart from education and entertainment, The T.V. serves as medium of education as well as entertainment. Besides, helping us to learn subjects taught in schools, college in greater depth, it enables us to see and appreciate from close quarters the wonders of God’s creation in any part of the world. We do agree with the statement that many of our young people spend more time before their T.V. sets because of the following reasons.
Almost every home has a T.V. set. Almost full control on T.V. as well as on Remote control is there in the hand of children & young people. It relaxes us from various tiny things & routine work.
Section B: Poetry
Q4. (A) Read the following extract and answer the questions given below: (4)
All dawns pass
leaving them in the dark.
They do not fear death,
they died long ago.
Old women once
were continents.
They had deep woods in them,
lakes, mountains, volcanoes even,
even raging gulfs.
When the earth was in heat
they melted, shrank,
leaving only their maps.
You can fold them
and keep them handy :
who knows, they might help you find
your way home.
Questions:
1. What do ‘maps’ symbolize? (1)
Ans. Maps symbolize the experience of old women.
2. Do you feel that you should look after your grandparents? Why? (1)
Ans. Yes, I feel that Myself, and my parents should take care of my grandparents, because they have cared for us, they loved us and they had given us the proper guiding in life through their vast experience and knowledge.
3. Name and explain the figure of speech in the following line.
“All dawns pass leaving them in the dark” (1)
Ans. Antithesis: Two opposite ideas of ‘get lowered’ and ‘raise’ are brought together for poetic effect.
4. What examples of geographical imagery are mentioned in the poem? (1)
Ans. The examples of geographical imagery mentioned in the poem are continents, deep woods, lakes, mountains, volcanoes, gulfs and the earth. They are used in this extract suggests that, the old woman have a wide variety of knowledge with experience and they are the storehouses of information gathered from their experiences over the years.
(B) Read the following extract and answer the questions given below: (4)
Is it the sword? Ask the red dust.
Of empires passed away;
The blood had turned their stones to rust,
Their glory to decay.
And is it pride? Ah, that bright crown
Has seemed to nations sweet;
But God has struck its luster down
In ashes at his feet.
Questions:
(1) What is the ultimate result of pride? (1)
Ans. The ultimate result of pride is that it will turn into ashes.
(2) Do you think war victories really turn ‘glory to decay’ Why? (1)
Ans. Yes I think war victories really turn ‘glory to decay’ because, they are the victories won through blood - shed. This pride and blood - shed turn their glory to decay.
(3) Pick out the rhyming pairs of words in the second stanza. (1)
Ans. crown - down, sweet - feet.
(4) What message does the above extract convey? (1)
Ans. The above extract conveys the fact that the war victories really turn ‘glory to decay’ because, they are the victories won through blood - shed. This pride and blood - shed turn their glory to decay.
Section - C
[Rapid Reading and Composition)
Q. 5. A. Read the following extract carefully. (4 marks)
I was walking around the camp, around the barracks, near the barbed wire fence where the guards could not easily see. I was alone.
On the other side of the fence. I spotted someone: a little girl with light, almost luminous curls. She was half hidden behind a birch tree. I glanced around to make sure no one saw me. I called to her softly in German, “Do you have something to eat? She didn’t understand.
I inches closer to the fence and repeated the question in Polish. She stepped forward. I was thin and gaunt, with rags wrapped around my feet, but the girl looked unafraid. In her eyes I saw life. She pulled an apple from her woolen jacket and threw it over the fence. I grabbed the fruit and, as I started to run away, I heard her say faintly, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I returned to the same spot by the fence at the same time every day. She was always there with something for me to eat - a hunk of bread or better yet, an apple.
We didn’t dare speak of linger. To be caught would mean death for us, both. I didn’t know anything about her. Just a kind farm girl, except that she understood Polish.
What was her name? Why was she risking her life for me?
Imagine that you are the author’s brother Sam and rewrite it.
You may begin with: “Hello, I am Sam. My brother was walking around the camp .......”
Ans. “Hello, I am Sam. My brother was walking around the camp, around the barracks, near the barbed wire fence where the guards could not easily seen by anyone. He was alone. He saw a little girl with light, almost luminous curls. She was half-hidden behind a birch tree. He glanced around to make sure no one saw him. He asked her softly in German that if she had something to eat. But unfortunately she hadn’t understood.
He inched closer to eh fence and repeated the question in Polish. She stepped forward. He was thin and gaunt, with rags wrapped around his feet, but the girl looked unafraid. In her eyes he saw his life. She pulled an apple from her woolen jacket and threw it over the fence. I grabbed the fruit and, as I started to run away, he heard her promise faintly that she would see him tomorrow.
He returned to the same spot by the fence at the time every day. She was always there with something for him to eat - a hunk of bread or better yet, an apple.
We didn’t dare speak. To be caught would mean death for us, both. He didn’t know anything about her. Just a kind farm girl,except that she understood Polish.
What was her name? Why she risking her life for him?
(B) Read the following extract carefully: (4)
George : (contemptuously) I wasn’t afraid of the bulldog.
Tom : No, maybe you weren’t; but I’m not sure that the savage beast hasn’t torn
off a bit of young Alfie’s suit, and if he has there won’t half be a row! (Alfie fidgets nervously at the mention of his damaged suit)
Tom : (down R.C.) How much money have we collected?
Ginger : (crossing C. to George) let’s have a look under the light.
(after counting coppers, with the aid of George’s torch) Eight pence half penny.
Tom : (in a tone of disgust) only eight pence half penny – between four of us – after yelling our heads off all the evening! Crikey! Money’s a bit tight round these parts, isn’t it?
George: I told you it was too early for carol‐singing. It’s too soon after Guy Fawke’s day.
(Faint distant scream off R.)
Tom : (startled) What was that?
George: What was what?
Tom : That noise – it sounded like a scream.
George: Nonsense.
Alfie : (L) Let’s go home.
George: You chaps do get scared easily. It wouldn’t do for you to be in the club that Bert Williams and I are running. We go out looking for adventures like this.
Ginger: Club? I thought it was a gang.
George: Gangs are getting too common. We have turned ours into a club – “The Do and Dare Club” we call it and no one in it must ever show a sign of fear.
Tom : I shouldn’t think you’d have many members. Why, everybody’s afraid of something – if it’s not one thing, it’s bound to be another.
George: (in a very superior tone) Ours isn’t a club for kids; it’s for daring young fellows keen on adventure.
Convert the extract into a short continuous write‐up in about 120 words.
You may begin with: ”George wasn’t afraid of the bull‐dog....”
Ans. George wasn’t afraid of the bull - dog. George replied that he was not afraid of bulldogs. Tom recalled him that he bull dog may have torn Alfie’s new suit and once Alfie notices it, he is sure to pick up a fight. Alfie examines his sult.
Tom asked how much money they had collected. Ginger counted the pennies and announced that they had just Eight pence halfpenny. After knowing their financial position Tom was very upset, as it was a very less amount to collect after having sung all evening. Well, George told him, it was too early for carol - singing, quickly after Fawkes day was over. Suddenly to heard a loud scream, but George just passed it off as nonsense. Lastly Alfie suggested that all go home. So they left the empty house. George felt that his companions were too scared and unfit to be in the club - ‘The Do and Dare Club’ which was meant for daring young fellows keen on adventure and not fearful kids.
OR
(B) Read the following extract carefully:
How happy that daisy was! No one had the least idea. The bird kissed it with its beak, sang to it and then rose again up to the blue sky. It was certainly more than a quarter of an hour before the daisy recovered its sense. Half‐ashamed, yet glad at heart, it looked over to the other flowers in the garden, surely that had witnessed its pleasure and the honour that had been done to it; they understood its joy. But the tulips stood more stiffly than ever, their faces were pointed and red, because they were vexed. The peonies were sulky; it was well that they could not speak; otherwise they would have given the daisy a good lecture. The little flower could very well see that they were ill at ease and pitied them sincerely.
Extend the extract by adding in imaginary paragraph of your own in about 120 words.
Ans. The joy filled daisy through how cruel it was. It would not allow the other flowers to share her joy. She had an experience like this before also but this one was really an encouraging one. Now the daisy had got so much experience from her act. While the other flowers felt wonder about the calm act of daisy. So now the daisy had understood the value of humble and thankful to everyone. Because of this understanding she enjoys the blessing of nature and accept all that ups and downs comes in her life juncture.
SECTION – D (Writing Skills)
Q.6 (A) Letter Writing:
Write any ONE of the following letters: (4M)
(1) Write an application in response to the advertisement using information given in the CV Provided.
CV (Curriculum Vitae)
Name : Saurabh Akolkar
Address : 25, Parth Society, M. G. Road, Aurangabad – 431001
Age : 24 years
Nationality : Indian
Experience: Working as a Computer Operator at ‘Wonder Travels,’ Mumbai.
Academic Achievements:
Sr.
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Exams. Passed
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University / Boards
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Years of Passing
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Percentages
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1.
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B.Com
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Mumbai
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March - 2010
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64%
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2.
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MSCIT
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MKCL
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2011
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82%
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3.
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Diploma in information technology
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MKCL
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2012
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90%
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(2) Write a letter to the manager of your local bus depot pointing out that there are very few buses on your route in the morning and these are invariably late, thereby causing inconvenience to many junior college students and other passengers.
Request him to solve the problem.
(B) Write on any ONE of the following items as directed: (4M)
(1) Write a short tourist leaflet on any hill station you know with the help of the following points:
(i) How to reach there?
(ii) Where to stay?
(iii) What to see?
(iv) Shopping attractions.
(v) Add your own points.
OR
(2) Read the following intro and write a headline, a date‐line and a short continuing paragraph (Any one)
(i) Intro: The All Mumbai Doctors’ Union has announced a one day token strike on 25th February to protest against beating of a Residential Medical Officer (RMO) at KEM Hospital.
OR
(ii) Intro : Santacruz police have arrested three people in a case of cheating. The accused are ex - employees of a parle based fitness centre called Yogpower Studio.
OR
C) Write on any ONE of the items as directed: (4M)
(1) Read the following graph regarding ‘High Awareness but Little Action’ about organ donation. Write a paragraph based on it in about 120 words:
(2) View – Counter –view:
Prepare a paragraph to be used for the Counter –View Section on the following topic (about 120 words)
‘Study says homework does not help students score better grades.’
Q.7 (A) Framing Interview Questions: (4M)
Imagines you are going to interview some important personality. prepare a set of 8‐10 questions/ focusing on his/ her social behavior and the activities he/she carries out.
(B) Speech Writing: (3M)
Write a short speech to be delivered in your college on Tree Conversation on the occasion of ‘The World Earth Day.’ with the help of the following points (about 100 words):
(1) Air, water and noise pollution.
(2) Depletion of natural resources.
(3) Trees prevent soil erosion
(4) Live in harmony with nature.