Comprehension
Sometimes I feel myself I can hardly bear
The thought of so much childish longing in vain,
The sadness that lurks near the open window there,
That waits all day in almost open prayer.
For the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car,
Of all the thousand selfish cars that pass,
Just one to inquire what a farmer’s prices are
And one did stop, but only to plow up grass
In using the yard to back and turn around;
And another to ask the way to where it was bound;
(A Roadside Stand)
The sadness that lurks near the open window there,
That waits all day in almost open prayer.
For the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car,
Of all the thousand selfish cars that pass,
Just one to inquire what a farmer’s prices are
And one did stop, but only to plow up grass
In using the yard to back and turn around;
And another to ask the way to where it was bound;
(A Roadside Stand)
Question: 1
Select the option that has the same literary device as in ‘The sadness that lurks near the open window there’.
Select the option that has the same literary device as in ‘The sadness that lurks near the open window there’.
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The literary device in the given line is personification. Similarly, in option (B), “Art” is personified as washing away dust.
Updated On: Jan 31, 2025
- Lucy moved across the room like a warship sailing into battle.
- Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
- The water-wraith was shrieking.
- The pen is mightier than the sword.
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The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
The literary device in the given line is personification, where non-human entities are attributed with human emotions or characteristics. Similarly, in (C), “The water-wraith was shrieking” uses personification.
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Question: 2
They prayed for the stopping of a car. When one car finally stopped, it brought ...... to the people of the roadside stand.
They prayed for the stopping of a car. When one car finally stopped, it brought ...... to the people of the roadside stand.
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The car stopped not to buy anything but to use the yard to turn around, disappointing the people.
Updated On: Jan 31, 2025
- Help
- Happiness
- Disappointment
- Cash flow
% Correct answer {Correct Answer:} (C) Disappointment
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The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
The car that stopped did not bring any financial relief to the roadside stand. Instead, it used the area merely to turn around or inquire about unrelated matters, leaving the people disappointed.
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Question: 3
Explain one inference that can be drawn from the line, “ldots childish longing in vain”.
Explain one inference that can be drawn from the line, “ldots childish longing in vain”.
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Focus on how rural people’s aspirations are contrasted with the indifference of urban travelers.
Updated On: Jan 31, 2025
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Solution and Explanation
The line reflects the unfulfilled desires and innocent expectations of the rural people who long for support and recognition but are ignored by the city-dwellers.
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Question: 4
Complete the sentence appropriately.
{The emotion of the poet reflected in the above extract is .......}
Complete the sentence appropriately.
{The emotion of the poet reflected in the above extract is .......}
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The poet feels helpless seeing the plight of rural people, who are ignored despite their efforts.
Updated On: Jan 31, 2025
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Solution and Explanation
The poet expresses sympathy for the plight of the rural people who suffer due to the selfishness of urban society.
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Question: 5
The expression ‘selfish car’ suggests that .......
The expression ‘selfish car’ suggests that .......
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Focus on the contrast between the rural people’s needs and the city-dwellers’ selfish behavior.
Updated On: Jan 31, 2025
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Solution and Explanation
The term “selfish car” symbolizes the insensitivity of travelers who prioritize their convenience over acknowledging or helping the people at the roadside stand.
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Question: 6
Based on the rhyme scheme evident in the last two lines of the extract, which word would rhyme with the last line?
Based on the rhyme scheme evident in the last two lines of the extract, which word would rhyme with the last line?
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The rhyme scheme pairs “bound” with “sound” in the last two lines.
Updated On: Jan 31, 2025
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Solution and Explanation
The rhyme scheme in the last two lines suggests that the word “sound” matches phonetically with the last line.
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Top Questions on Reading Comprehension
The Last Lesson
Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
I heard M. Hamel say to me, “I won’t scold you, little Franz: you must feel bad enough, see how it is! Everyday we have said to ourselves, Bah! I’ve plenty of time. I’ll learn it tomorrow. And now you see where we’ve come out. Ah, that’s the great trouble with Alsace; she puts off learning till tomorrow. Now those fellows out there will have the right to say to you, ‘How is it; you pretend to be Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own language?’ But, you are not the worst, poor little Franz. We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with.”
(The Last Lesson)
- CBSE CLASS XII - 2024
- English Core
- Reading Comprehension
Memories of Childhood
Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
I did not open my mouth to answer. Then the steps were quickened, and the voices became excited. The sounds came nearer and nearer. Women and girls entered the room. I held my breath and watched them open closet doors and peep behind large trunks. Someone threw up the curtains, and the room was filled with sudden light. What caused them to stoop and look under the bed, I do not know. I remember being dragged out, though I resisted by kicking and scratching wildly. In spite of myself, I was carried downstairs and tied fast in a chair.
(Memories of Childhood)
- CBSE CLASS XII - 2024
- English Core
- Reading Comprehension
The little old house was out with a little new shed
in front at the edge of the road where the traffic sped.
A roadside stand that too pathetically pled
It would not be fair to say for a dole of bread.
But for some of the money, the cash, whose flow supports
The flower of cities from sinking and withering faint.(A Roadside Stand)
- CBSE CLASS XII - 2024
- English Core
- Reading Comprehension
- Read the following passage carefully:
(1) We’re all familiar with the usual reasons workers cite for wanting to stay away even after lockdowns have long ended: flexible schedules, not having to commute, and of course, increased productivity. However, productivity isn’t the only reason people want to stay away from the office. We recently surveyed 1,000 remote workers to find out what’s really keeping them tied to their work-from-home lives.
(2) The findings include: 72% want to be able to take a nap or exercise during the day. Nearly three out of four remote workers surveyed stated that the ability to take a nap or workout during the workday was one of the reasons they wanted to stay home. Though these activities may very well increase worker productivity, there’s no doubt that a nap on the kitchen couch would be frowned upon in the office.
(3) 73% want to be able to watch TV while they work. Three out of four respondents again say that being able to entertain themselves with TV, podcasts, music, or other media is one of the reasons they want to keep their work-from-home lifestyle.
(4) 62% cite concerns about their appearance. Well over half of respondents stated that they are concerned about their co-workers seeing them in-person again after such a long time apart. Whether it’s weight loss or gain, not having the right clothes, or another concern about appearance, most would rather not have to worry about the way they look to their co-workers outside a Zoom call.
(5) When asked to choose the reason that most affects their desire to keep working from home, predictable answers like caring for children and lack of a commute were still the most common number one reasons. 14% of respondents stated that working remotely was so important to them, that they would not go back to work in-person even if their employers required it.- CBSE CLASS XII - 2024
- English Core
- Reading Comprehension
- Read the following passage carefully:
(1) What do we typically do when we find our children doing something we don’t approve of? We become reactive parents. Often, we pepper our reactions with lectures. When it doesn’t work and predictably so; we end up screaming and dole out a punishment. And our children react with anger, resentment or ‘can’t-be-bothered’ attitude.
(2) Buddhist Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh put it beautifully when he described how each child has both negative seeds- of anger, despair, hatred, fear and violence- and wholesome seeds- of love, happiness, compassion and forgiveness. According to him, what will blossom depends on the seeds we nurture.
(3) A parenting and educational approach that’s gaining a large following internationally, called the Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) by Howard Glasser, is very much in keeping with this Zen approach. The three main aspects of this approach are:- Refuse to energize negativity.
- Relentlessly energize their positives.
- Reset: Do not react negatively and stay calm when the child does something wrong.
(4) While on a mission to cut the negative, the parent looks for every opportunity to energize the positive in the child. This is done through persistently appreciating the goodness in the child in the smallest of ways: You were really generous about sharing your pizza with your sister; I appreciate the hard work you have put in your project; It takes courage to stand up to a bully. If you observe, the appreciation is not about saying “excellent”, “amazing” or “good”, which is really an empty praise and does not speak much to the child. Qualifying a praise, on the other hand, gives the child direction and she/he begins to understand what qualities, values and strengths are appreciated. These are also necessary ingredients of life skills and success.
(5) This approach is not merely about noticing when the child is being good, it is about recognizing the child’s worth at every step. It’s about aligning his energy in believing that he has great qualities, which are being identified and validated by the parents at every step. He realizes that there is no point choosing negativity, as there are no pay-offs to it, and is validated building his worth instead.- CBSE CLASS XII - 2024
- English Core
- Reading Comprehension
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Franz from {The Last Lesson and the peddler from {The Rattrap} demonstrate the importance of learning from one’s mistakes and rising up to evolve as a better person.
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What inference is drawn about Sadao’s state of mind from the above line?
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