Important Questions and Topics Class 11 Yearly English exam
For the RBSE Class 11 Yearly English exam, the syllabus is based on the NCERT textbooks: Hornbill and Snapshots. The paper is generally divided into four sections: Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Literature.
Section A: Literature (Hornbill & Snapshots)
Prose (Hornbill)
- The Portrait of a Lady: Describe the changing relationship between the author (Khushwant Singh) and his grandmother. What were the three phases of their relationship?
- We’re Not Afraid to Die…: What difference did you notice between the reaction of the adults and the children when faced with danger? Justify the title of the story.
- Discovering Tut: Why was King Tut’s body subjected to repeated scrutiny? What were the results of the CT scan?
- Silk Road: Describe the difficulties and disillusionment faced by the author during his journey to Mount Kailash.
Poetry (Hornbill)
- A Photograph: What are the three distinct phases or time periods described in the poem? What does the word ‘cardboard’ denote?
- The Voice of the Rain: How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem? Compare it with music.
- Childhood: According to the poem, when did the poet lose his childhood? What are his views on adults?
Supplementary Reader (Snapshots)
- The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse: Why did Mourad steal the horse, and why did the boys ultimately return it to John Byro?
- The Address: “Have you come back?” said the woman. “I thought that no one had come back.” Does this statement give some clue about the story? Why did the narrator decide to leave the belongings behind?
- Mother’s Day: Compare and contrast the characters of Mrs. Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald. How does the play resolve the issue of a mother’s unappreciated work?
- Birth: Describe the efforts made by Andrew Manson to bring the stillborn child back to life. Why did he say, “I’ve done something; oh, God! I’ve done something real at last”?
Section B: Writing Skills
Writing formats carry significant marks. Ensure you practice the exact structure for each:
- Task Writing (Event/Incident): Write a factual description of an event, such as an annual day function, a blood donation camp, or a train accident you witnessed (100-120 words).
- Article/Speech Writing: Prepare articles or speeches on current and relevant topics such as:
- The Impact of Social Media on Youth
- The Importance of Afforestation/Environmental Conservation
- Women Empowerment
- Hazards of Junk Food
- Letter Writing:
- Official/Business Letters: Placing an order for sports equipment or library books, or writing a letter of inquiry regarding a computer course.
- Letter to the Editor: Highlighting civic issues like bad road conditions, frequent power cuts, or the nuisance of loudspeakers during exam time.
Section C: Grammar
The grammar section usually tests your fundamental understanding through gap-filling, sentence reordering, or transformation. Focus your practice on:
- Determiners: Practice using some, any, much, many, little, few, each, every.
- Tenses: Focus on the correct verb forms, especially past tense narratives and conditional sentences.
- Modals: Understand the specific uses of can, could, may, might, should, must, ought to.
- Clauses: Practice joining sentences using relative pronouns (who, which, that, whom).
Section D: Reading Comprehension
- Unseen Passages: You will face passages to test your vocabulary and comprehension. The best way to prepare is to practice reading newspaper editorials or sample passages and answering the questions within a time limit.
- Note-Making: Practice reading a passage, creating a title, structuring notes using headings and sub-headings, and using standard abbreviations. Remember to write a short summary at the end.