THE INDIAN SCHOOL
CLASS XI (2021-22)
WORKSHEET - ENGLISH CORE (301)
REVISION
1. Read the passage given below.
1. Happiness is not something far away and unattainable. Happiness does not depend on
circumstances or objects. It is an inseparable part of our consciousness, of our essence, but
hidden and covered from sight by our thoughts, desires and worries. We all seek happiness
but few, very few, indeed, get it. We are unhappy partly because we desire much more than
what we can hope to attain. Our countless desires are hard to be satisfied. And that is what
makes us so sad in life. The secret of happiness lies in the simplification of life. Simple living
encourages high thinking. It leads to contentment. Contentment gives us inner wealth, the
wealth of the mind and of the soul.
2. A contented man devotes himself to virtues; a man can feel true happiness. I do not mean
that for simplification of life, a man should become an ascetic. The happiness of a sadhu is of
a negative kind. I want a positive kind of happiness. For this, I must live in the midst of life
and faithfully carry out my responsibilities to my home and my country. But all this should
be done in the spirit of selfless service.
3. A man, who wants to lead a happy life, should also make others happy. In making others
happy he will taste real and lasting happiness. There is a kind of joy in serving others with
virtuous motives, in sacrificing what one has for the good of others. An act of goodness is in
itself an act of happiness. The secret of perfect happiness lies in renunciation.
4. Wealth may give us joy for a while and fame may provide us with fleeting excitement. But
they cannot give us permanent happiness. Kings have everything to make them happy and yet
they feel unhappy. It is because they do not practise renunciation. There is a sense of joy in
doing one’s work honestly and efficiently. A research worker feels joy in research and a
journalist in writing. In doing one’s duty sincerely, one feels peace of mind which is an
important essence of happiness. It is only by cultivating the spirit of renunciation, self-
sacrifice, contentment and science work that one can really be happy. The strings of
misfortune spare none but they will not cow such a person.
5. Happiness is like the sun, it is often hidden by the clouds of thoughts, worries and desires.
We have to scatter and dissolve them to experience happiness. You don’t have to create
happiness. All you have to do is calm your mind because when there is a quiet mind and
inner peace, there is happiness.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions:
1. We are unhappy partly because we have ________________.
(a) no inner strength
(b) lost moral and spiritual values
(c) countless, unfulfilled desires
(d) extremely complicated lives
2. According to the passage, the essence of happiness lies in______.
(a) worldly desires
(b) doing one’s duty sincerely
(c) avoiding all unfortunate events
(d) adopting a simple lifestyle
3. Which of the following is the correct chain of things, as mentioned in the passage, leading
to happiness?
(a) contentment, high thinking, simple living, inner wealth
(b) simple living, high thinking, inner wealth, contentment
(c) high thinking, simple living, inner wealth, contentment
(d) simple living, high thinking, contentment, inner wealth
4. What does a contented man do?
(a) He assimilates the basic virtues of life.
(b) He faces boldly the adversities of life.
(c) He encounters the strings of misfortunes.
(d) He gives up bad habits effortlessly.
5. What according to the passage, is a positive kind of happiness?
(a) Keeping one’s motives and feelings under control.
(b) Love for life and country.
(c) Leading a simple life of an ascetic.
(d) Carrying out all worldly activities in the spirit of selfless service.
6. A man who wants to live a happy life should______.
(a) make others happy
(b) master the art of renunciation
(c) pursue wealth and fame
(d) inculcate the virtues of life
7. Which of the following is OPPOSITE in meaning to the word ‘fleeting’ as used in the
passage?
(a) permanent
(b) passing
(c) fast
(d) momentary
8. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE in the context of the passage?
(a) One feels peace of mind in doing one’s duty sincerely.
(b) Renunciation is the result of perfect happiness.
(c) Multiplicity of desires make us unhappy.
(d) Making others happy makes one happy.
9. The phrase “cow a person” refers to get someone:
(a) spare
(b) conquer
(c) scare
(d) provoke
10. Which of the following statements is TRUE in the context of the passage?
(a) Human beings seldom seek happiness.
(b) Doing one’s work sincerely hardly makes one happy.
(c) Peace of mind is a tangent to happiness.
(d) Simple life is like a life of an ascetic.
11. Select the option that makes the correct use of “unattainable”, as used in the passage, to
fill in the blank space.
(a) __________ development implies a long-term perspective.
(b) Keep goals small so they are more easily __________.
(c) Diabetes is __________ but not curable.
(d) Some economists think that 100% employment in India is an ____________ goal.
12. Choose the option that best captures the central idea of the passage from the given quotes.
(1)"Life is about creating and living experiences that are worth sharing." - Steve Jobs
(2) "Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein
(3) “Happiness is not something readymade; it comes from your own actions.” - Dalai Lama
(4) "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." -
Paulo Coelho
(a) Option (1)
(b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3)
(d) Option (4)
