Previous year 2024 English paper solution CHSE Board exam Odisha
Previous year English paper solution CHSE Board
Below are model solutions to the Odisha Board Class 12 Arts English 2024 (SET-A)
1. Extract-based Questions
(a) (From “The Portrait of A Lady”)
(i) When did the narrator's parents send for him and his grandmother?
The narrator’s parents sent for him and his grandmother when they were comfortably settled in the city. This marked a turning point in the narrator’s relationship with his grandmother.
(ii) Why did the grandmother not accompany the narrator to school in the city?
In the city, the narrator began attending an English school by motor bus, so the grandmother did not accompany him. There were also no dogs in the city streets for her to feed while waiting, unlike in the village.
(iii) How did the grandmother feel when the narrator described his school subjects?
The grandmother felt unhappy and distressed as she could not help the narrator with his studies and did not believe in the things taught at the English school, like science and Western knowledge.
(iv) Why was the grandmother distressed?
She was distressed because the new school did not teach about God and the scriptures, which she considered important
(v) How did the grandmother regard music?
The grandmother considered music inappropriate for respectable people, associating it with harlots and beggars, and she disapproved silently when the narrator mentioned music lessons.
(b) (From “A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
(i) How should one act in the battle of Life?
One should act bravely and not passively, facing life’s struggles like a hero and not like “dumb, driven cattle”.
(ii) Why does the poet ask to prefer ‘Present’ to ‘Past’ and ‘Future’?
The poet urges us to act in the present, because the past is gone and cannot be changed, and the future is uncertain. Only actions in the present matter.
(iii) What do the lives of great men remind others?
They remind us that we can also live noble lives and leave behind an inspiring legacy for others to follow.
(iv) How do the examples of great men help a person in distress?
The examples of great men give hope and motivation to those in trouble, encouraging them to persevere in times of despair.
(v) What is the poet’s advice in the last stanza?
The poet advises us to continue working and striving, ready for all circumstances, and to learn patience and perseverance.
2. Extract-based Question (about 70 words each)
(a) How does the narrator describe his father as known from his mother?
The narrator learned from his mother that his father was a vaudevillian, a quiet and brooding man with dark eyes who resembled Napoleon. He had a light baritone voice and was a talented artist, earning a substantial income. However, his excessive drinking led to separation from the narrator's mother and ultimately his early death at thirty-seven.
(b) What account of the vaudevillians do you get from the passage?
The passage describes vaudevillians as performers in theatres where alcohol was easily available. Performers often drank heavily, as they were expected to socialize with audiences at the theatre bar. Many stars were paid high salaries, but their earnings were mostly spent at the bar,
3. Passage-based Questions
(a) What was the Emperor told about some of his subjects in a distant province?
He was informed that some subjects in a distant province had revolted against him.
(b) What was the instruction of the Emperor to his men?
He instructed his men to follow him so that he could destroy his enemies, implying military action against the rebels.
(c) What happened when he marched against the rebels?
When the Emperor approached, the rebels submitted and surrendered without a fight.
(d) How did the Emperor treat the enemy?
Instead of punishing them, he treated them with kindness and granted even favours to some.
(e) What lesson is learnt from the story?
The story teaches us to overcome evil with good and to turn enemies into friends by showing kindness.
4. Vocabulary
(a) Find the words/expressions from the passage with these meanings:
(i) to come nearer – approach
(ii) surrendered – submitted
(iii) forgave – pardoned
(b) Use these expressions in sentences:
(i) march against – The king ordered his army to march against the invading forces.
(ii) no longer – She no longer lives in the city after her retirement.
5. Data Interpretation
Paragraph interpreting the graph:
The graph shows the prevalence of smoking among males and females aged 15 and above in several countries in 2023. Indonesia has the highest rate among males (63%) and a much lower rate among females (5%). China and Russia also show significantly higher male smoking rates compared to females. France, Denmark, and India show a narrowing gender gap, but male smoking still consistently exceeds female smoking rates. This reflects both cultural and social influences on smoking behavior across countries.
6. Dictionary Usage (Word: “gear”)
(Sample matches; please verify with the actual sentences in the paper):
(i) equipment, clothing, etc., needed for travel – (d)
(ii) set of apparatus or machinery – (c)
(iii) degree of speed or efficiency – (a)
(iv) become or make somebody ready – (b)
(v) set of toothed wheels which fit into another – (e)
7. Writing Task (200 words): NGO Healthcare Report
Sample Report:
As the Secretary of our healthcare NGO, I am pleased to present the annual performance report for 2022. Despite numerous challenges, our NGO worked tirelessly to improve healthcare accessibility in underserved areas. Our dedicated volunteers organized twenty free health camps, providing medical check-ups and distributing essential medicines. The organization’s vaccination drives benefited over 5,000 children, and our awareness programs on hygiene, nutrition, and disease prevention reached more than 10,000 villagers. Special initiatives were launched to support the elderly, women, and children, including mobile clinics and mental health counseling. We also contributed PPE kits and medical supplies to local clinics during COVID-19 surges. Our team thanks the District Collector, health officials, and the local community for their cooperation and support, and we remain committed to further improving public health in the coming year.
(For the alternative on dengue, write a news-style factual report about its spread and preventive steps, if preferred.)
8. Note-making (Main ideas from the given passage on courage)
Courage: state of mind or spirit
Two types: physical & moral
Physical courage: risking injury or death
Moral courage: risking career, happiness for what’s right
Most possess physical, not moral courage
Moral courage is rarer, higher virtue
Both types needed for true greatness
Example: Japanese army had physical but lacked moral courage, leading to defeat.
9. Summary (based on notes)
The passage defines courage as rooted in the spirit and intellect, distinguishing between physical courage (facing danger or death) and moral courage (standing by what is right even at personal risk). While physical courage is common, moral courage is rare and essential for true greatness, whether individual or national. The Japanese army, despite displaying physical bravery, suffered defeat because its commanders lacked moral courage to admit faults and change course when necessary.
10. Essay (250 words; e.g., “Friendship”)
Friendship is a beautiful and essential part of life. True friends are rare but invaluable. Sadly, selfishness and mistrust often create cracks in relationships, making true friendship difficult to find. A true friend stands by you not only in joy but particularly in times of need. Sacrifice and loyalty form the foundation of a lasting friendship. A friend in need is indeed a friend. Such relationships make life enriching and help us become better individuals. In conclusion, let us cherish honest friends and strive to be reliable friends ourselves.
11. Grammar Correction
Corrected passage (sample):
Let us think for a moment about all kinds of work done by human beings. To begin with, many people work on the land. They dig or plough and sow seeds and look after domestic animals. Without them there would be no wheat to make flour, no hay to feed the cattle, no rice and dal, no milk and ghee. There are miners who dig things out from the earth. Coal and iron are needed for different purposes, and we could not get on without them. Things may either be grown or dug up before anything can be made out of them.
