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HSC MARCH 2015 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:

The special school did Chaitanya a lot of good. He was now a much more confident person, adored by his teachers, his friends and his school staff. His speech improved and expression became clearer. His social manners became laudable.

Academically, he was still lagging behind the expected standard of learning but it was okey. He started developing an all- around interest in craft, art, music, dancing and sports.

 Early in 1997-98, when he returned from state level inter- school sports, he had two prizes to his credit and a silver medal. He had won his laurels in athletic events and the silver medal in a running race.

When I saw the prizes and read the citation Chaitanya had received, I was stupefied, in total disbelief, then- hugged him, kissed him and cried unabashedly to my heart’s content. That day, I cried for the first time out of joy and a sense of being vindicated. Without practice he had competed with approximately 1,800 children drawn from various schools all over the state. He was subsequently selected for the marathon race, but he could not participate due to a healthy problem.” May be next year, he would”, I assured myself. And I, as his proud mother, would proudly chronicle his future achievements and success to inspire other mothers of the world.

Looking back at my own life, I feel that it is the spirit with which we can accept our life gracefully is what matters ultimately; and it is love which nourishes us. 

Questions.:

1. What does the extract focus on? (1)

2. How  Chaitanya’s mother react when she saw the prizes? (2)

3. What were Chaitanya’s achievements in sports? (2)

4. How can you help a special child like Chaitanya? (2)

5. Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:

(i) When I saw the prizes, I was stupefied. (1)

(Rewrite the sentence using ‘No sooner…… than’)

(ii) He was still lagging behind the expected standard of learning, but it was okay. (1)

(Rewrite the sentence using ‘Although’)

(iii) He started developing an all – round interest in craft and sports. (1)

(Rewrite the sentence using infinitive form of the word underlined)


6.  Find out the words / phrases from the extract which mean: (1)

(i) to take part in

(ii) surprised.

B. Grammar: Do as directed: (4)

1. One of ________ most common causes of malnutrition is ________________ unhealthy lifestyle. [Fill in the blanks with appropriate articles] (1)

2. The police ___________ Monday arrested five men ____________ cheating city businessmen. [Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions] (1)

3. “How did you enjoy your college picnic?” said Mohini to Meena.
“It was wonderful. I can never forget it.”  [Change it into indirect speech] (2)

Q2. A. Read the following extract and answer the questions given below. (11)
Once upon a time the animals decided they must do something heroic to meet the problems of a “new world” so they organized a school. They had adopted an activity  curriculum consisting of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects. 


The duck was excellent in swimming. In fact, better than his instructor. But he made only passing grades in flying and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had  to stay after school and also drop swimming in order to practice running. This was kept up until his webbed feet were badly worn and he was only average in swimming. 


But average was acceptable in school so nobody worried about that, except the duck. 
The rabbit started at the top of the class in running but had a nervous breakdown because of so much makeup work in swimming. The squirrel was excellent in climbing until he developed frustration in the flying class where his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of the treetop down. He also developed a “charlie horse” from overexertion and then got a C in climbing and D in running. 
The eagle was a problem child and was disciplined severely. In the climbing class, he beat all the others to the top of the tree but insisted on using his own way to get there.



Questions:

1. What were the special features of animal school? (1)

2. Why was the duck, an excellent swimmer, average in swimming? (2)

3. Why was the experience of the squirrel miserable? (2)

4. What efforts will you take to score good marks in your examination? (2)

5. Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed.
(i) The duck was excellent in swimming. (1)
(Frame a Wh – type question to get the underlined part as an answer)

(ii) The duck was better than his instructor. (1)
(Change the sentence into positive degree)

(iii) The squirrel was excellent in climbing. (1)
(Mention the function of the underlined gerund.

6. Match the words in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’ (1)
A
B
(i) valedictorian
(a) feeling of annoyance
(ii) frustration
(b) dunce

(c) school topper

(d) validity

(B) Note – Making. (4)
Read the following extract and complete the tree – diagram given below:
The brief, bright streaks of light in the night sky are known as meteors. Those fall all the way to the ground are called meteorites. Meteorites can be divided into three broad categories: iron, stony – iron and stony.

Iron meteorites are mostly made of metals nickel and iron. They are not very common. Nearly 50,000 years ago, an iron meteorite, Canyon Diablo, which created a crater a nearly a mile wide and 6 feet deep, known as Meteor Crater, was found in Arizona.

Stony – iron meteorites rarely land on our planet. They are made of iron – nickel alloy mixed with non – metallic matter similar to the outer layers of the earth. Such a meteorite weighing more than one and a half tons was found in Huckitta, Australia in 1924.

There are three sub – types of stony meteorites. The first is the chondrites which make up 86 percent of meteorites. Carbonaceous chondrites are another rare type of stony meteorites. The most famous of these fell in Murchison, Australia in 1969. It contains evidence that life on earth did not begin here. The last type, the anchondrites are also rare. Scientists say that such matter was once part of Mars and our own moon.
 

Q3. (A) Read the following extract and answer the questions given below: (11)

Dairy farming is a major livehood followed by many households in rural areas. This includes rearing milk cattle - cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep. There is a shortage of milk in the country as consumption in both urban and rural areas has risen sharply.



Dairying is an important source of subsidiary income to marginal farmers and agricultural labours. They play a very important role in milk production of the country. In 1986 - 87, about 73 percent of rural households owned livestock. According to the National Sample Survey of 1993 - 94, livestock sector prodices regular employment to about 9.8 million persons in principal status and 8.6 million in subsidiary status, shich constitute about 5 percent of the total work force.



The Manure from animals provides a good source of organic matter for improving soil fertility and crop yields. The gas obtained by processing dung is used as a fuel for domestic purposes and also for running engines to draw water from wells. The surplus fodder and agricultural by - products are gainfully utilized for feeding the animals. Since agriculrue is mostly seasonal, there is a possibility of finding employment throughout the year for many persons through dairy farming.


The milk processing inductry is a small one. Only 10 percent of all the milk produced is delivered to some 400 dairy plants. A specific Indian phenomenon is the unorganized secor of milkmen and vendors, which handles around 65 - 70 percent of the national milk production. They collect milk from local producers and sell it in both urban and non - urban areas.

Questions:
1. What is the main theme of the extract? (1)
2. How is dairy farming beneficial for farmers besides getting milk? (2)
3. What information does the National Sample Survey of 1993 - 94 provide? (2)
4. How, according to you, can dairy farming improve the financial condition of farmers? (2)
5. Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:
(i) The gobar gas obtained by processing dung is used as fuel. (1)
(Rewrite the sentence begining with 'People…………')
(ii) The consumption of milk in both urban and rural areas has risen sharply.  (1)
(Rewrite the sentence using the past perfect tense)
(iii) The milk processing inductry is a small one. (1)
(Make is a complex sentence)

6. Form the antonyms of the following words by adding perfixes. (1)

(i) fertility

(ii) possibility

B. Summary:
Write a summary of the above extract with the help of the following points and suggest a suitable title: (4)

Dairy forming - major livelihood - income and employment source - uses of dung - uses of surplus fodder - role or unorganised sector.