NURTURE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

(Affiliated to CBSE New Delhi)

HALF YEARLY EXAMINATION
Session (2024-25)
Class: XI Subject: English Core (301)
Time: 3 Hrs M.M 80
General Instructions:
[Link] question paper has 11 questions. All questions are compulsory.
2. The Question Paper contains THREE sections-Section A :READING, Section B: WRITING and
Section C : LITERATURE.
3. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part. Write the correct question
number and part thereof in your answer sheet.
[Link] instructions are given with each question/part, wherever necessary.
5. Adhere to the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

Section A: Reading (26 Marks)

Q1 Read the passage and on the basis of your understanding of the passage answer the
questions given below:

Just a few years ago, we witnessed how a national project, the India-based Neutrino Observatory
(INO), which is to study fundamental particles called neutrinos, was subject to a barrage of questions
from environmentalists, politicians and others ever since it was cleared. The project, which involves
the construction of an underground laboratory, was initially to be located in the Nilgiris but later, on
grounds that it was too close to a tiger habitat, was moved to a cavern under a rocky mountain in the
Bodi West Hills region of Theni district, about 110 Kilometres West of Madurai in Tamil Nadu.

The already much-delayed and important physics project needs to be explained.

India has been among the pioneers in neutrino research, the first of such laboratories having been
established in the 1960s. We led neutrino research when our physicists used a gold mine at Kolar in
Karnataka to set-up what was then the world’s deepest underground laboratory. This was called the
Kolar Gold Field Lab. In 1965, it enabled researchers to detect atmospheric neutrinos. In 1992, when
the mine became uneconomical, the laboratory was shut down. With that, we lost our advantage in
understanding the most mysterious particle in the universe. INO may reclaim this advantage and our
global leadership.

Most of the advanced countries are already working vigorously in neutrino science with dedicated
labs. These include the United States, Russia, France, Italy, China, Japan and South Korea. India is set
to not only join this league, but also become a key player in global efforts in neutrino science. The
Magnetised Iron Calorimeter (ICAL) being set-up at INO will be among the largest ever in the world,
weighing over 50000 tonnes.

Neutrinos, first proposed by Swiss Scientist Wolfgang Pauli in 1930, are the second most widely
occurring particle in the universe, only second to photons, the particle which makes up light. In fact,
neutrinos are so abundant among us that every second, there are more than 100 trillion of them
passing right through each of us – we never even notice them.
 This is the reason why INO needs to be built deep into the Earth — 1300 metres into the Earth. At
this depth, it would be able to keep itself away from all the trillions of neutrinos produced in the
atmosphere and which would otherwise choke an over-the-ground neutrino detector. Neutrinos
have been in the universe literally since forever, being almost 14 billion years old — as much as the
universe itself.

From experiments so far, we know that neutrinos have a tiny mass, but the ordering of the neutrino
mass states is not known and is one of the key questions that remain unanswered till today. This is a
major challenge INO will set to resolve, thus completing our picture of the neutrino.

Neutrinos are very important for our scientific progress and technological growth for three reasons.
First, they are abundant. Second, they have very feeble mass and no charge and hence can travel
through planets, stars, rocks and human bodies without any interaction. In fact, a beam of trillions of
neutrinos can travel thousands of kilometres through a rock before an interaction with a single atom
of the rock and the neutrino occurs. Third, they hide within them a vast pool of knowledge and could
open up new vistas in the fields of astronomy and astrophysics, communication and even in medical
imaging, through the detector spin-offs. While this should be a moment of joy, there is also some
skepticism, partly arising due to the fact that the neutrino, though so abundant, is a silent stranger to
most people.

(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it using

headings and subheadings. Use recognisable abbreviations wherever necessary (minimum 4). Supply
an appropriate title to it. (5)

(b) Write a summary of the above passage in about 80 words. (3)

Q2. Read the passage and on the basis of your understanding of the passage answer the questions
given below:
A pacifist at heart and an inventor by nature, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel invented dynamite.
He was sure his creation would help bring about the end of war. “When two armies of equal
strength can annihilate each other in an instant”, he once wrote, “then all civilised nations will
retreat and disband their troops”. Things didn’t quite go according to plan.
The invention that he thought would end all wars was seen by many others as an extremely
deadly product. In 1888, when Alfred’s brother Ludwig died, a French newspaper mistakenly ran
an obituary for Alfred which called him the “merchant of death”. Not wanting to go down in
history with such a horrible epitaph, Nobel created a will that soon shocked his relatives and
established the now famous Nobel prizes.
According to his will, Alfred Nobel’s enormous fortune was to be used to establish prizes to
award those who had done their best to benefit mankind in the field of physics, chemistry,
medicine, literature and peace. The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901, five years after
Nobel’s death. Nobel initially donated 35 million Swedish Kronor (about $225 million today); the
prizes come from the fortune’s annual interest.
The Nobel Laureates are announced at the beginning of October each year. A couple of months
later, on 10th December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, they receive their prize from
the Swedish King – a Nobel Diploma, a medal and 10 million Swedish crowns per prize. All Nobel
prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, except for the Nobel Peace Prize which is awarded in
Oslo, Norway.
Each award is decided by separate institutions which form assemblies to select the actual prize
recipients. Some prizes (medicine) require Nobel assembly members to remain active in their
fields, while others (literature) appoint members for life. The Peace prize is actually decided by
 five members of the Norwegian Parliament. Nobel Prize winners must be living; there are no
posthumous awards. Each year, the Nobel committees distribute nomination forms to an
undisclosed number of recipients – past winners, prominent institutions, respected members of
the field – who are allowed to choose as many nominees as they want. Self-nomination is not
permitted. The winner is decided by a
simple majority vote.
2.1 On the basis of your reading of the
above passage, answer the following
questions by choosing the correct option.
(i) Alfred Nobel invented dynamite with an
aim of…………..
(a) enabling wars (b) without
any intention
(c) ending wars (d) cannot
be said
(ii) What does the phrase “merchant of
death” imply?
(a) A person who is a reason for deaths
(b) A person who kills others (c)
A person who sells death
(d) A person who sells arms
(iii) The synonym of ‘annihilate’ in the first
paragraph, is ………..
(a) destroy (b) aid (c) nullify
(d) protect
(iv) The word……… in the first paragraph, is
a synonym of word ‘disperse’.
(a) disband (b) retreat
(c) announce (d) shock
2.2 On the basis of your reading of the given passage, answer the following questions briefly.
(a) Was Alfred right in inventing dynamite ? Why or why not?
. (b) What is the compulsory condition for Nobel Prize winners?
(c) How is the fairness of these awards ensured?
(d) What was the intention behind establishing the Nobel prizes?
(e) What is the requisite condition for Nobel assembly members?
Q [Link] the passage given below.
I. Over the last five years, more companies have been actively looking for intern profiles,
according to a 2018-19 survey by an online internship and training platform. This survey
reveals that India had 80% more internship applications — with 2.2 million applications
received in 2018 compared to 1.27 million in the year before. The trend was partly due to more
industries looking to have fresh minds and ideas on existing projects for better productivity.
What was originally seen as a western concept, getting an internship before plunging into the
job market, is fast gaining momentum at Indian workplaces.
II. According to the survey data, India’s National Capital Region has been the top provider of
internships, with a total of 35% internship opportunities, followed by
Mumbai and Bengaluru at 20% Management and 15%,
Others 46.5%
respectively. This includes Engineering 14.9%
9.9%
opportunities in startups, MNCs and even
government entities. The Design & architecture survey also revealed popular fields
to find internships in (Fig 7.9% Media 1). There has been growing
awareness among the 20.8% students about the intern profiles
sought by hiring companies that often look for people with real-time experience in
management than B- school masters.
III. The stipend has been an important factor influencing the choice of internships. The survey
data reveals that the average stipend offered to interns was recorded as ₹7000 while the
maximum stipend went up to ₹85,000. According to statistics, a greater number of people
considered virtual internships than in-office internships. Virtual internships got three times more
applications than in-office, since a large chunk of students were the ones already enrolled in
various courses, or preferred working from home.
IV. Internship portals have sprung up in the last three to four years and many of them already
report healthy traffic per month. Reports suggest that on an average, an internship portal
company has around 200,000-plus students and some 8,000 companies registered on it. It gets
around two lakh visits online every month. The Managing Director of a leading executive search
firm says that though these web platforms are working as an effective bridge between the
industry and students, most established companies are still reluctant to take too many interns
on board for obvious reasons.
3.1 Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions by choosing the
correct option.
i) Select the correct inference with reference to the following:
Over the last five years, more companies have been actively looking for intern profiles…
A. The past five years have seen active applications by interns to several companies.
B. The activity for intern profiling by the companies has reached a gradual downslide over the
past five years.
C. There were lesser companies searching for intern profiles earlier, as compared to those in
the recent five years.
D. Several companies have initiated intern profiling five times a year in the recent past.

ii) Select the central idea of the paragraph likely to precede paragraph I.
A. Process of registering for internships B. Knowing more about internships
C. Dos and Don’ts for an internship interview D. Startups and internships

iii) Select the option that displays the true statement with reference to Fig 1.
A. Internships for Engineering and Management are the top two favourites.
B. Design & Architecture internships are significantly more popular than Others.
C. Internships for Media and Others have nearly equal popularity percentage.
D. Management internships’ popularity is more than twice that for Media

iv)Based on your reading of paragraphs II-III, select the appropriate counter- argument to the
given argument.
Argument: I don’t think you’ll be considered for an internship just because you’ve been the
student editor and Head of Student Council.

A. I think I have a fair chance because I’m applying for a virtual position than an in office one.
B. I have real-time experience in managing a team and many companies consider
it more meritorious than a degree in Management.
C. I know that my stipend might be on the lower side but I think that it’s a good ‘earn while you
learn’ opportunity.
D. Lot of metro-cities have a good percentage of positions open and I think I should definitely
take a chance.

v) Select the option that displays the correct cause-effect relationship

vi) The survey statistics mention the average stipend, indicating that
A. 50% interns were offered ₹85,000.
B. ₹7,000 was the lowest and ₹85,000 was the highest.
C. most interns were offered around ₹7,000.
D. No intern was offered more than ₹7,000.

vii) The phrase ‘healthy traffic’ refers to the

A. updates from portals about health and road safety.
B. statistics about adherence to traffic rules by the portals.
C. sizeable number of visitors to the portal per month.
D. monthly data about the health of internship applicants.

viii) Read the two statements given below and select the option that suitably explains them.
(1) Established companies are reluctant to take too many interns on board.
(2) Probability of interns leaving the company for a variety of reasons, is high.

A. (1) is the problem and (2) is the solution for (1).

B. (1) is false but (2) correctly explains (1).
C. (1) summarises (2).
D. (1) is true and (2) is the reason for (1)

Section B – Grammar & Creative Writing Skills (23 Marks)

Grammar (7)
Q.4 Fill in blanks with the appropriate option given below. (ANY FOUR)
(1/2×4=2)
The Chinese ………………….. (do / does / has / have) not celebrate their New Year on
January 1 like people in many parts of the world …………………. (do / does/ did). In 2022,
the Chinese Year …………………….. (begun / begin / began) on February 1. The Chinese
New Year is the most important celebration in China and people often take weeks of
holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.
Chinese months are based on the lunar calendar. Each month ……………………. (begin /
begins / began / begun) on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally
…………………… (start / are starting / have started) on the first day of the month and
continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest.

Q.5 Rearrange the following words or phrases to make meaningful sentences.

(1×3=3)
 a. is/as/known/Jaipur/Pink City.
b. in the/are/buildings/city/in pink colour/painted/most of the
c. have made/ a popular/it /its/historical buildings/destination/ tourist.
Q6. Transform the following sentences into complex sentences.(ANY TWO)
(1×2=2)
a. blinded by a dust storm, they lost their way.
b. deceived by his friends, he lost all hope.
c. we could not figure out the meaning of his words.

Creative Writing Skills (16 Marks)

Q.7 A leading export company is holding a vacancy for the post of Personal
Assistant(PA). Being the HR manager of the company write an advertisement
seeking a suitable candidate for the post. Create all the necessary details
required for the advertisement to be published in ‘The Times of India’.You
are Kishore/Kalpana, HR manager of the company.
(3)
OR
You want to sell your newly built flat. Draft a suitable advertisement in not
more than 50 words to be inserted in the classified columns of ‘The Hindu’
giving all necessary details. You are Niranjan, 247, J.P. Nagar, Lakhimpur, Assam,
9406XXXXXX .

Q.8 Design a poster for your school library on the value of books and good reading
habits. You may use slogans.(3)
OR
Design a poster to launch ‘Tree Plantation Campaign’ in the area surrounding your
school.

Q.9 You are Ashok, studying in class XI-B. You have been asked by your Principal to
speak in the morning assembly on ‘The Importance of English.’ Draft the speech in
120-150 words. (5)

OR

Peer pressure is useful for the development of an individual. If there is no

peer pressure at all then there would be no goal or aim to succeed. Write a
speech on the topic -‘Is Peer Pressure Beneficial or Not?’to be delivered in
the morning assembly.(120-150 words)

Q.10 ‘Online smart classes are the future of education system‘. Write a debate in
120- 150 words either for or against the motion. You are Shreeya/Shyam of Modern
Public School, Jaipur. (5)

OR
Career Counsellor is the best person to guide you in the choice of a career Write a
debate in 120- 150 words either for or against the motion. You are Rehana/Rohan of
Gulmohar Public School, Jaipur

Section – C Literature. (31 marks)

Q9. Read the extracts and answer the questions that follow : 3
a) (A) Then sleek as a lizard, and alert, and abrupt,
She enters the thickness, and a machine starts up
Of chitterings and a tremor of wings, and trilling
The whole tree trembles and thrills.
i. Identify the poetic device used in the first line?
ii. What does ‘machine’ refer to in the extract?
iii. Find a word from the extract which is the synonym of ‘warble’

b) Read the extract given below and answer any two of the questions that follow. 3
“All three stood still to smile through their hair
At the uncle with the camera. A sweet face,
My mother’s, that was before I was born.
And the sea, which appears to have changed less,
Washed their terribly transient feet.”
i. What does the poet mean by ‘smile through their hair’?
ii. Which poetic device has been used in ‘transient feet’?
iii. Find a word from the extract which means “lasting only for a short time”?

c) Read the extract given below and answer any two of the questions that follow 4
“Good morning, son of my friends, he said. What is the name of your horse? My
Heart, my cousin Mourad said in Armenian. A lovely name, John Byro said, for a
lovely horse. I could swear it is the horse that was stolen from me many weeks
ago. May I look into his mouth? Of course, Mourad said. The farmer looked into
the mouth of the horse. Tooth for tooth, he said. I would swear it is my horse if I
didn't know your parents. The fame of your family for honesty is well known to
me. Yet the horse is the twin of my horse. A suspicious man would believe his
eyes instead of his heart.
i. ‘May I look into his mouth?’ What is the context of this statement?
ii. What was special in the mouth of the horse?
iii. How could Byro not doubt the boys?
iv. Write the synonym of ‘wary’ from the extract.

Q10. Answer any TWO of the following questions in about 40-50 words. 2x3 6
a) The poet talks about a particular cardboard. How is it special to her?
b) Why does the poet feel nostalgic in the poem ‘A Photograph’?
c) “I didn’t want to worry you when you were trying to save us all.” Said sue.
What has happened to her? Explain briefly.

Q11. Answer any ONE of the following questions in about 30-40 words. 1x3 3
a) Describe the ride of Aram and Mourad when they went out together for the
first time..
b) Why do you think the boys return the horse because they were conscience-
stricken or because they were afraid?
Q12. Answer any ONE of the following in 120-150 words: 6
a) Gradually the author and the grandmother saw less of each other and their
friendship was broken. Was the distancing deliberate or due to the demands
of the situation?
b) The children braved the situation more maturely than their years. Elucidate
the above statement supporting it with evidences from the text.

Q13. Answer any ONE of the following 120-150 words: 6

a) “We had been famous for our honesty for something like eleven centuries,” the
narrator describes his family in these words. Do you think it is possible to remain
honest in modern times? Comment.

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