General Instructions:
- The Question Paper contains THREE sections:
- SECTION A: Reading Skills (20 Marks)
- SECTION B: Grammar and Creative Writing Skills (20 Marks)
- SECTION C: Literature Textbook and Supplementary Reading Text (40 Marks)
- Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
- Adhere strictly to the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
(1) In an era dominated by instant digital gratification, the deliberate cultivation of culinary slow culture—the conscious preparation and appreciation of unhurried, whole-food gastronomy—has emerged as a vital psychological anchor. The modern urban lifestyle has normalized hyper-processed, grab-and-go convenience foods. While industrial meal prep saves immediate minutes, it systematically severs humanity’s emotional and sensory connection to agriculture, culinary heritage, and mindful eating.
(2) Nutritional psychologists observe that preparing fresh meals by hand engages multi-sensory feedback loops that regulate mental health. The tactile chopping of fresh herbs, the aromatic alchemy of sautéing spices, and the patient monitoring of simmering broths activate parasympathetic nervous responses, significantly reducing ambient anxiety. Conversely, the passive consumption of ultra-processed foods consumed while scrolling screens encourages rapid swallowing without satiety awareness, causing chronic metabolic fatigue.
(3) The societal repercussions of culinary fast culture extend into the fabric of communal life. Traditional dining tables were once the epicenter of intergenerational storytelling, active debate, and familial bonding. When families abandon shared kitchens in favour of isolated, app-delivered meal trays consumed behind bedroom doors, domestic conversational intimacy collapses. Reclaiming communal cooking transforms kitchens into creative sanctuaries where empathy and collaboration are naturally practiced.
(4) Embracing slow food does not require extravagant gourmet ingredients or hours of daily labor; it requires mindful presence. Dedicating a few evenings each week to cook unprocessed meals from scratch, sourcing seasonal produce from local agrarian markets, and sitting together over shared dinner tables re-establishes a wholesome relationship with our bodies and our communities.
(i) What primary consequence of hyper-processed convenience food is identified in paragraph 1? [1]
(ii) Complete the sentence appropriately: [1]
According to nutritional psychologists, engaging in tactile, hands-on cooking benefits mental health by ______________________.
(iii) Explain how the decline of shared family dining harms communal life based on paragraph 3. (Answer in about 40 words) [2]
(iv) Select the option that conveys the closest meaning of the word ‘alchemy’ as used in paragraph 2: [1]
(v) Why does eating while scrolling digital screens lead to chronic metabolic fatigue? [1]
(vi) State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE: [1]
Adopting a slow food philosophy necessitates purchasing expensive, luxury ingredients every day.
(vii) List two practical lifestyle actions mentioned in paragraph 4 that help restore mindful eating. [2]
(viii) Choose the most suitable title for the passage: [1]
(1) A 2026 international educational survey evaluated the environmental literacy and campus sustainability initiatives across 90 secondary schools in five ecological zones. The comprehensive audit evaluated student-led rooftop solar arrays, zero-waste composting systems, native biodiversity gardens, and integrated ecological modules in the school curriculum.
(2) The quantitative assessment revealed that schools with active student-managed organic micro-farms and composting pits achieved a 74% reduction in daily municipal wet-waste generation. Furthermore, students participating directly in soil microbiology experiments and local seed-saving showed a 38% higher comprehension score in national biological sciences examinations compared to peers taught exclusively through theoretical textbooks.
(3) The study also tracked behavioral spillover into local communities. In districts where schools conducted monthly student-led clean energy workshops for neighborhood residents, household rooftop solar adoption increased by 52%, compared to only 16% in areas with no school outreach. Environmental researchers concluded that transforming school campuses into living sustainability laboratories creates an active generation of scientifically literate ecological stewards.
(i) What percentage reduction in wet-waste output was achieved by schools operating student-managed micro-farms and compost pits? [1]
(ii) What academic benefit was observed among students directly involved in hands-on soil microbiology and seed-saving? [1]
(iii) How did student-led clean energy workshops impact residential community practices? (Answer in 20–30 words) [2]
(iv) Contrast the household rooftop solar adoption rate in outreach-supported districts with that in unsupported neighborhoods. [2]
(v) Complete the sentence by choosing the correct option: [1]
The central takeaway of the educational survey emphasizes that school campuses should function as ________.
(a) strictly theoretical examination centers
(b) living sustainability laboratories for hands-on ecological learning
(c) commercial agricultural production facilities
(d) fully digitized spaces devoid of natural outdoor interaction
(vi) Name two specific sustainability features audited across participating school campuses mentioned in paragraph 1. [1]
(vii) State one key reason why hands-on outdoor science modules improve long-term conceptual retention. [1]
(viii) Select the word from paragraph 3 that means ‘individuals entrusted with the responsible care and management of resources’: [1]
(i) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option:
The international federation of geologists ________ (has published / have published / are publishing) a landmark atlas detailing underwater tectonic ridges.
(ii) Read the conversation between a sports journalist and a track athlete. Report the athlete’s statement correctly:
Journalist: How do you maintain peak endurance during international tournaments?
Athlete: I follow a structured plant-based nutrition plan and practice breathing drills.
The journalist asked the athlete how he maintained peak endurance during international tournaments. The athlete replied that ______________________.
(iii) Select the correct modal verb to complete the laboratory safety protocol:
All researchers ________ (must / may / might) wear heat-resistant gloves while handling autoclaved glassware.
(iv) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the line from a municipal transit board:
“A extensive network of air-conditioned electric feeder buses are operating across the central ring road.”
| Option No. | Error | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| (a) | A | An |
| (b) | are | is |
| (c) | operating | operated |
| (d) | across | along |
(v) Fill in the blank with the correct form of the word in brackets:
By the time the rescue helicopters landed in the flooded delta, the disaster relief volunteers ________ (already set up) emergency medical tents.
(vi) Fill in the blank with the appropriate determiner:
There was ________ (much / many / few / several) excitement among the young botanists when the rare orchid bloomed in the conservatory.
(vii) Report the conversation between an environmental auditor and a factory manager:
Auditor: Have you installed the automated wastewater treatment monitors?
Manager: Yes, we activated the real-time sensor network last Friday.
The auditor enquired if the manager had installed the automated wastewater treatment monitors. The manager affirmed and stated that ______________________.
(viii) Identify the error in the sentence from a wildlife publication and supply the correction:
“The preservation of natural wetland ecosystems protect urban settlements from seasonal flash floods.”
Use the format: Error | Correction
(ix) Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb:
The panel of environmental adjudicators ________ (has announced / have announced / are announcing) its final verdict regarding the coastal construction project.
(x) Fill in the blank with the correct modal verb:
Subscribers ________ (need not / must not / cannot) re-verify their identity documents if their digital biometric profile is already active.
(xi) Complete the slogan for river conservation using the correct verb form:
Keep rivers unpolluted today, and nature ________ (sustains / sustained / sustaining) generations tomorrow.
(xii) Identify the error and supply the correction for this public library advisory:
“Every student borrowers are requested to return all digital audiobooks within fourteen days.”
Use the format: Error | Correction
(A) You are Divyansh/Divya, a resident of 34, Shanti Kunj, Haridwar. The pedestrian walkways and cycling tracks in your city sector are continuously encroached upon by illegal hawker stalls and commercial building materials, forcing school children and elderly walkers onto high-speed vehicular roads. Write a formal letter in 100–120 words to the Chief Executive Officer of the City Municipal Corporation, urging the immediate removal of illegal encroachments, restoration of dedicated footpaths, and regular enforcement by civic marshals.
(B) You are Reyansh/Ridhima, the President of the Renewable Energy and Innovation Club at St. Mark’s Senior Secondary School, Bhopal. Write a formal letter of inquiry in 100–120 words to the Sales Director of M/s GreenGrid Technologies, New Delhi, inquiring about the cost, technical specifications, warranty terms, and installation timeline for a rooftop 15 kW grid-tied solar photovoltaic system and smart net-metering monitors for your school’s green laboratory.
(A) The horizontal bar graph below illustrates the daily water footprint required to produce one kilogram of various agricultural and animal food items (Bovine Meat: 15,400 litres, Mutton/Lamb: 10,400 litres, White Rice/Paddy: 2,500 litres, Wheat Grain: 1,800 litres, Chickpeas/Lentils: 900 litres, Seasonal Vegetables: 320 litres). Write an analytical paragraph in 100–120 words evaluating the data, comparing the environmental strain of livestock farming versus plant proteins, and discussing dietary strategies for freshwater conservation.
(B) A survey conducted among 500 urban high school students evaluated their primary study methods for mastering complex conceptual topics (Interactive Video Simulations: 44%, Collaborative Study Circles: 28%, Handwritten Synthesis Notes: 18%, AI-generated Flashcards: 10%). Write an analytical paragraph in 100–120 words summarizing the key trends, comparing visual-interactive learning with active self-testing, and drawing a balanced educational conclusion.
(A) “We“`html
(1) In an interconnected world undergoing rapid technological evolution, the preservation of community seed libraries and open-source agricultural knowledge has emerged as a cornerstone of ecological resilience. As global climate shifts introduce erratic monsoon patterns, prolonged thermal anomalies, and novel pathogen vectors, industrial monocultures struggle to adapt. Standardized crop varieties, bred exclusively for uniformity under controlled laboratory inputs, lack the adaptive genetic diversity inherent in ancestral landraces cultivated over centuries by regional agrarian societies. (2) Agronomists emphasize that the twentieth-century consolidation of the global seed industry led to the rapid erosion of regional crop biodiversity. When smallholder cultivators transition exclusively to patented commercial hybrids, they surrender their traditional capacity for seasonal seed selection. Consequently, localized plant strains equipped with innate drought tolerance, salinity resistance, and natural pest deterrence vanish from agrarian ecosystems, leaving human food systems vulnerable to catastrophic harvests during severe climatic stress. (3) Decentralized seed-saving initiatives operate as vital repositories of community sovereignty and ecological security. In these community-managed seed banks, cultivators deposit, multiply, and exchange native open-pollinated varieties without commercial transaction barriers. This collective stewardship not only ensures affordable agricultural inputs for marginalized farming households but also keeps alive the rich cultural heritage, culinary traditions, and linguistic knowledge systems deeply rooted in local farming practices. (4) Reintegrating heritage crops into modern supply chains provides a viable pathway toward sustainable planetary health. Urban consumers increasingly recognize the dense nutritional profiles and resilient qualities of indigenous grains such as millets, wild rice, and drought-hardy pulses. Supporting participatory plant breeding programs and seed sanctuaries ensures that the collective genetic heritage of humanity remains accessible, resilient, and sovereign for generations to come. (i) What major risk of commercial monoculture farming is highlighted in paragraph 1? [1] (ii) Complete the sentence appropriately: [1] (iii) Explain how decentralized seed banks foster both ecological resilience and cultural preservation. (Answer in about 40 words based on paragraph 3) [2] (iv) Select the option that conveys the closest meaning of the word ‘inherent’ as used in paragraph 1: [1] (v) Why are native landraces considered superior to laboratory-designed hybrids during climatic stress? [1] (vi) State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE: [1] (vii) List two environmental benefits of cultivating heritage grains mentioned in paragraphs 2 and 4. [2] (viii) Choose the most suitable title for the passage: [1] (1) A 2026 international urban mobility study conducted across 45 developing and developed metropolitan centers assessed the environmental and economic outcomes of expanding municipal dedicated bus rapid transit (BRT) and non-motorized transport (NMT) corridors. The research tracked commuter transit habits, air quality indexes, and municipal expenditure patterns over a three-year implementation timeline. (2) The empirical data revealed that cities dedicating at least 25% of existing road space to segregated bus and bicycle lanes achieved an average 36% reduction in vehicular carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter ($PM_{2.5}$) emissions within the first 18 months. Furthermore, daily commuter travel times decreased by 28% for transit passengers, while urban traffic collision rates involving pedestrians dropped by 44% due to dedicated grade-separated crosswalks. (3) The study also highlighted the economic return on civic transit investments. For every dollar allocated toward integrated multi-modal transit systems—combining smart fare integration, secure bicycle parking, and electric feeder buses—municipalities saved $3.80 in avoided healthcare costs and road maintenance expenditures. Transportation planners concluded that prioritizing human-centric mass transit over private automobile infrastructure is essential for creating liveable, climate-resilient cities. (i) What reduction in vehicular $PM_{2.5}$ emissions was achieved in cities dedicating 25% of road space to public transit corridors? [1] (ii) Identify the key safety factor that contributed to the 44% decline in pedestrian traffic accidents. [1] (iii) How did the development of dedicated bus lanes impact the travel time of public transit commuters? (Answer in 20–30 words) [2] (iv) Explain the economic return on investment (ROI) associated with integrated multi-modal transit infrastructure as detailed in paragraph 3. [2] (v) Complete the sentence by selecting the correct option: [1] (vi) Name two components of an integrated multi-modal transit system mentioned in paragraph 3. [1] (vii) State one adverse health consequence that municipalities avoid by investing in clean public transit. [1] (viii) Select the word from paragraph 2 that means ‘isolated or kept apart from others’: [1] (i) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct verb form from the options: (ii) Read the conversation between a botanist and a student. Report the student’s reply correctly: (iii) Select the correct modal verb to complete the laboratory safety guideline: (iv) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the following line from a wildlife magazine: (v) Fill in the blank with the correct form of the word given in brackets: (vi) Fill in the blank with the appropriate determiner: (vii) Report the conversation between a librarian and a reader: (viii) Identify the error in the sentence from a technology bulletin and supply the correction: (ix) Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb: (x) Fill in the blank with the correct modal verb: (xi) Complete the environmental motto using the correct verb form: (xii) Identify the error and supply the correction for this notice board advisory: (A) You are Devansh/Devika, residing at 32-A, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. You notice that unauthorized dumping of electronic waste and construction debris along the local biodiversity ridge has degraded natural flora and posed toxic contamination hazards. Write a formal letter in 100–120 words to the Chief Environment Officer of the Municipal Corporation, highlighting these violations and requesting immediate clearing of the debris, installation of surveillance cameras, and strict penalties on violators. (B) You are Parth/Prerna, the In-Charge of the Robotics and Innovation Society at Cambridge Senior Secondary School, Pune. Write a formal letter of inquiry in 100–120 words to the Sales Director of M/s NextGen Robotics & Automation Kits, Bengaluru, inquiring about the prices, technical specifications, warranty terms, and bulk delivery timelines for twenty micro-controller programming kits and sensor modules for your school innovation lab. (A) The horizontal bar graph below illustrates the preferred modes of daily urban commute among secondary school students in a metropolitan district (Public Metro Transit: 42%, Electric School Buses: 30%, Non-motorized Bicycles/Walking: 18%, Private Personal Cars: 10%). Write an analytical paragraph in 100–120 words summarizing the data, comparing sustainable transport choices with private vehicular usage, and highlighting the positive environmental outcomes of green commuting. (B) A survey of 500 secondary school students evaluated their preferred career pathways in emerging sectors (Renewable Energy Engineering: 35%, Artificial Intelligence & Data Sciences: 30%, Sustainable Agriculture & Biotechnology: 20%, Digital Media & Creative Arts: 15%). Write an analytical paragraph in 100–120 words analyzing the career preferences, discussing the shift toward green and technological disciplines, and drawing a reasoned conclusion. (A) “The baker or bread-seller of those days had a peculiar dress known as the kabai. It was a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees. In our childhood we saw bakers wearing a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants. Even today, anyone who wears a half pant which reaches just below the knees invites the comment that he is dressed like a pader!” (Glimpses of India: A Baker from Goa) (i) What was the traditional attire of the Goan bread-seller called in the old Portuguese days? [1] (ii) How did the baker’s attire change during the author’s childhood, and what cultural comment does it still evoke today? [2] (iii) Complete the sentence: In traditional Goan society, the village baker was known by the Portuguese word ________. [1] (iv) What does the enduring memory of the baker’s attire indicate about Goan village life? [1] (B) “LOMOV: Hear me out, I implore you! The peasants of your father’s grandfather, as I have already had the honour of explaining to you, used to bake bricks for my aunt’s grandmother. Now my aunt’s grandmother, wishing to make them a pleasant… (i) How does Lomov attempt to explain the historical ownership of Oxen Meadows to Natalya? [2] (ii) How does Natalya react to Lomov’s detailed ancestral explanations? [1] (iii) Complete the sentence: Natalya’s blunt rejection of Lomov’s historical explanation reveals her stubborn insistence on immediate ________. [1] (iv) What comic device is primarily used by Anton Chekhov in this dialogue exchange? [1] (A) (i) What contrasting sounds and sights frame the captive tiger’s nighttime experience in the zoo? [2] (ii) What does the tiger’s silent gaze at the brilliant stars symbolize? [1] (iii) Identify the poetic device in the line ‘In his quiet rage’. [1] (iv) Complete the sentence: The phrase ‘pads of velvet quiet’ emphasizes the predator’s soft, stealthy paws and his suppressed ________. [1] (B) (i) What active efforts are made by the trees during the night to break free from domestic confinement? [2] (ii) Explain the simile used by the poet in comparing the boughs to ‘newly discharged patients’. [1] (iii) Identify the poetic device in the line ‘The leaves strain toward the glass’. [1] (iv) Complete the sentence: The departure of the trees symbolizes nature’s reclamation of its rightful place in the ________. [1] (i) Why did the postmaster decide to answer Lencho’s letter, and what collective effort did he undertake to send the monetary assistance? (A Letter to God) (ii) How does Nelson Mandela describe the transition from personal freedom in childhood to the broader struggle for the collective liberation of his people? (Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom) (iii) What peculiar playful habits did Mijbil the otter display while manipulating ping-pong balls and water taps in London? (Mijbil the Otter) (iv) How does Robert Frost demonstrate in ‘Dust of Snow’ that simple, unpremeditated encounters with nature can elevate a despondent human spirit? (v) What lesson did Gautama Buddha convey to Kisa Gotami through her futile search for a household untouched by death? (The Sermon at Benares) (i) What medical strategy did Dr. Herriot adopt to nurse Tricki back to vigorous health without administering pharmaceutical drugs? (A Triumph of Surgery) (ii) How did Ausable’s calm presence of mind and quick fabrication of a non-existent balcony lead to Max’s demise? (The Midnight Visitor) (iii) How did Richard Ebright’s sustained hobby of tagging monarch butterflies open up advanced pathways for his scientific research? (The Making of a Scientist) (A) Courage does not mean an absence of fear, but rather the resolve to confront and conquer it. Compare and contrast how the young seagull in His First Flight and the black aeroplane pilot in The Black Aeroplane overcome paralyzing panic in the face of daunting aerial challenges. (B) The yearning for personal autonomy often leads young individuals to challenge conventional boundaries. Analyze how Valli in Madam Rides the Bus and Amanda in the poem Amanda! respond to adult restrictions, contrasting Valli’s practical initiative with Amanda’s imaginative escapism. (A) Trust and empathy have the transformative power to awaken a person’s dormant conscience and reform their character. Discuss this statement with close reference to how Anil’s quiet benevolence and unconditional faith rehabilitated Hari Singh in The Thief’s Story. (B) False social vanity, unmanaged desires, and a lack of honest communication can plunge individuals into avoidable suffering. Evaluate this truth by examining the ten-year ordeal endured by Matilda Loisel and her husband in Guy de Maupassant’s story The Necklace.General Instructions:
When smallholder farmers rely exclusively on patented hybrids, they lose their historical capacity for ______________________.
Decentralized seed banks require expensive commercial licensing and financial transactions to distribute native seeds.
The central takeaway of the mobility study emphasizes that modern urban planning must prioritize ________.
(a) widening multi-lane highways for private cars
(b) human-centric, multi-modal mass transit over private automobile usage
(c) increasing parking space allocations in city centers
(d) eliminating pedestrian walkways along arterial routes
The council of environmental advisors ________ (has presented / have presented / are presenting) the comprehensive wetland restoration blueprint to the state government.
Botanist: Which indigenous tree species did you plant in the school botanical garden?
Student: We planted neem, peepal, and amla saplings yesterday morning.
The botanist enquired which indigenous tree species the student had planted in the school botanical garden. The student replied that ______________________.
Students ________ (must / may / might) wear chemical-resistant gloves and safety goggles while handling concentrated acids.
“A extensive sanctuary for migratory waterfowl have been established near the coastal lagoons.”Option No. Error Correction (a) A An (b) have has (c) coastal coast (d) established establishing
By the time the rescue helicopter landed on the ridge, the mountain guides ________ (already build) a secure shelter for the injured climbers.
There was ________ (much / many / few / several) public appreciation for the municipality’s rapid restoration of the heritage lake.
Librarian: Did you find the historical manuscripts you were researching?
Reader: Yes sir, I found all the archived documents in the reference section.
The librarian enquired if the reader had found the historical manuscripts he was researching. The reader affirmed and stated that ______________________.
“The innovative design of modular wind turbines allow efficient power generation in low-wind zones.”
Use the format: Error | Correction
The committee ________ (has submitted / have submitted / are submitting) its official recommendations regarding the green building code.
Visitors ________ (need not / must not / cannot) carry paper entry receipts if they present the digital barcode on their smartphones.
When communities harvest rainwater, their groundwater reserves ________ (recharge / recharged / recharging) steadily.
“Every participant in the youth debate competition are requested to register at the desk by 9:00 AM.”
Use the format: Error | Correction
NATALYA: I can’t make head or tail of all this about aunts and grandfathers and grandmothers! The Meadows are ours, that’s all.” (The Proposal)
“He hears the last voice at night,
The patrolling cars,
And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.” (A Tiger in the Zoo)
“All night the roots work
to disengage themselves from the cracks
in the veranda floor.
The leaves strain toward the glass
small twigs stiff with exertion
long-cramped boughs shuffling under the roof
like newly discharged patients
half-dazed, moving
to the clinic doors.” (The Trees)
(ii) It evolved into shirts and trousers reaching just below the knees; anyone wearing such knee-length pants today is teasingly referred to as a ‘pader’. [2 Marks]
(iii) pader. [1 Mark]
(iv) (b) Deep-rooted nostalgia and cultural continuity [1 Mark]
OR
6. (B) (i) He claims his aunt’s grandmother gave free use of the Meadows in perpetuity to the peasants of Natalya’s father’s grandfather in return for baking bricks. [2 Marks]
(ii) She impatiently dismisses his ancestral explanations, insisting that the land belongs exclusively to her family. [1 Mark]
(iii) ownership and material pride. [1 Mark]
(iv) (b) Absurd repetition and obstinacy [1 Mark]
(ii) His silent longing for freedom in the wild, untouched open skies far away from his concrete captivity. [1 Mark]
(iii) (a) Oxymoron [1 Mark]
(iv) anger and predatory power. [1 Mark]
OR
7. (B) (i) The roots break through floor cracks, leaves strain toward window panes, twigs stiffen, and cramped boughs shuffle beneath the ceiling to escape outdoors. [2 Marks]
(ii) Just as dazed patients leave a hospital clinic into the open air, the cramped branches struggle toward the light and liberty of the forest. [1 Mark]
(iii) (a) Personification [1 Mark]
(iv) forest / wild. [1 Mark]