WBCHSE English B Suggestions for HS-2025
Higher Secondary English Suggestion 2025
(DAQ's)Prose Chapter 1-4
THANK YOU MA’AM :
1.What features of the character of Mrs Luella
Bates are exposed in the short story “Thank the math Thank you Ma’am?
Or, Analyse
the motherly feelings of Mrs. Jones.
Or, What
kind of a lady is Mrs Luella Bates Washington Jones?
2. Why did the boy in “Thank You Ma’am’
not run away though he found the door open?
Or, “And
he did not want to be mistrusted now.” -Why did not Roger want to be
mistrusted, though he could have easily escaped from the house of Mrs
Jones?
Or, Give
a pen-picture of the character of Roger.
3. Justify the title of the short story “Thank You Ma’am.
4. “I wanted a pair of blue suede shoes. -Who is the speaker here? To whom did he say this? What reply did the speaker get and how did he react?
5.“I am sorry, lady, I’m sorry.” – Who said this? Was he really sorry? When was the speaker a changed person?
6. “Eat some more, son”-Who is the speaker? What is offered by the speaker to the listener? What picture of the speaker’s character is revealed in this line?
7. How did Mrs Jones behave with
Roger when they arrived home? What impact did it have on the boy?
Or, What
are the ways by which Mrs Jones reformed Roger?
Or, “I
wish you would behave yourself son, from here on in.”-Who is referred to as
‘son’? How was he taught to behave properly? What was he offered along with
these words?
8.“you gonna take me to jail?” -who asked this question and to whom? when did the speaker ask this question? What reply did the speaker get?
STRONG ROOTS :
1. “In fact, I would say mine was a very secure childhood..” – Whose childhood is referred to here? Where was his childhood spent? How was his childhood secured?
2. “Our locality was predominantly Muslim” Who is the speaker? How does the speaker describe the locality? What picture of communal harmony do you find in this description?
3. What was Kalam’s father’s
response to his son’s query about prayer?
Or, What
did Kalam’s father tell him about the relevance of prayer?
4. My father could convey complex
spiritual concepts in very simple down-to-earth Tamil.”Sum up the spiritual
principles of Dr. Kalam’s father. How did Kalam’s father convey ‘spiritual
concepts?
Or, “I have endeavoured to understand the fundamental truths revealed to me by
my father.” -Who was the son? Who was father? What were the fundamental truths’
revealed to the son?
5. “When troubles come, try to
understand the relevance of your sufferings. Adversity always presents
opportunities for introspection.” Who said this and to whom? Elucidate the
statement.
Or, “Why
don’t you say this to the people who come to you?” – Who says this and to whom?
What is referred to by the word ‘this? Why do people come to the person spoken
to?
6. What is APJ Abdul Kalam’s
perception about divine power? How, according to him, can a person achieve
freedom, happiness and peace of mind?
Or, How
did Abdul Kalam try to emulate his father?
Or, How
did Kalam’s father influence Kalam’s perception and interpretation of divine
power?
7. “This is not a correct approach at all” -Who said this? What is the approach referred to here? Why is the approach not correct?
8. What had remained the routine for Abdul Kalam’s father even when he was in his late sixties? What does Abdul Kalam say about his emulation of his father?
THE EYES HAVE IT :
1. “Yes, this is the best time,” I said, calling
on my memories.-Who is the speaker? What is the best time according to him?
What is the occasion of this remark? Describe the scenic beauty of the time of
the place, / What does the speaker say after calling on his memories? / Why
does the narrator think so?
Or, Give
a brief encounter of how the narrator and the girl exchanged their views their
visit to the hills.
2. “Then I made a mistake”. What ‘mistake did the speaker make? Why was it a mistake? What removed the speaker’s mistake? What did the speaker do then?
3. “You have an interesting face”.
-Who said this and to whom? When did the speaker make the remark? How did the
person spoken to react? How did the speaker mend his comment?
Or,”Few
girls can resist flattery.” -Who made the remark? What was the flattery? Why
did the speaker say so? How did the person spoken to accept the flattery?
Or, “Well,
an interesting face can also be pretty.” -Who made this observation? Whose
‘face is referred to here? When / why does the speaker make such a remark? How
did the person accept the speaker’s remark?
4. “But her next question removed my doubts.’ -Who made this remark and about whom? What were the doubts of the speaker? What was the next question? How did it remove the doubts?
5. “The man who had entered the compartment broke into my reverie .–Whose reverie is referred to here? What was the reverie about? How was the reverie broken?
6. “It could be a fascinating game, guessing what went on out there.” -Who is the speaker? What was the ‘fascinating game’? How could the guessing game help him to keep himself away from ‘hard reality’? How did it come to an end?
7. “Oh, how lucky you are” -Who is the speaker here? Who is referred to by the word ‘you’? Why is the person spoken to be called lucky?
8. “She had beautiful eyes, but they were of no use to her.” -Whose eyes are referred to here? Why were they useless to her? Bring out the irony in the given line.
Three Questions :
1. “Forgive me!” said the bearded man in a weak voice.- Why did the bearded man become an enemy of the Tsar? What did the man swear and resolve to do? Why did he ask forgiveness of the Tsar and what did he promise him?
2. What were the three questions that had occurred to the Tsar? Why did he need correct answers or to those questions? How did the learned men answer to the Tsar’s questions?
3. ‘You have already been answered”
-Who said this and to whom? How has the person referred to been answered?
Or, How
did the hermit answer all the three questions of the Tsar and make him wise?
4. How did the enemy of the king become
friend with the king in Leo Tolstoy’s “Three Questions?
Or, Why
didn’t the Tsar’s enemy attack him while he was sleeping?
Or, How
did the Tsar make peace with his enemy?
5. “Here comes someone running” -Who is the ih speaker? Who was coming? Why did he come running? What happened to him?
6. Was the Tsar satisfied with the answers of the learned men? Who did the Tsar decide to consult again? What was this person famous for? How do did the Tsar go to visit this person? What did he see him doing when he met him?
7.“You do not know me, but I know you.” – Who is the speaker and who is referred to as you’? How did the speaker meet with the person spoken to? What did the speaker promise to the person?
8. Who was the bearded man? Why had he come to the wood? How did he get wounded? Why did he let off his enimity towards the Tsar?
Poetry Chapter 1-4
On Killing A Tree :
1. Justify the title of the poem ‘On Killing a Tree?
2. Give the substance of the poem, ‘On
Killing a Tree?
Or, Describe
the growth, struggle and ultimate death of a tree as depicted in the poem, ‘On
Killing a Tree.
Or, Describe,
in brief the power and strength of
3. How is the life force of the tree
described in the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree?
Or, Describe,
in brief the power and strength of a tree to withstand man’s cruelty.
4. The poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’
describes man’s cruelty and violence to nature, Discuss.
Or, What
message does Gieve Patel convey through the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree?
5. The poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ is
scathing commentary on one of the major environmental issues of the day.
Or, What
is central idea or underlying tone of the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree?
6. How does Gieve Patel describe the
killing of a tree in the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree? Or, “And then it is done”
What does ‘iť refer to? When is it done? How is it done?
Or, “It
takes much time to kill a tree.”-Why does it take much time to kill a tree?
According to the poet, how is the tree finally killed?
Asleep in the Valley :
1.Justify the title of the poem, “Asleep In The Valley?
2. How does the poet Arthur Rimbaud look
upon war?
Or, Justify
Asleep In The Valley’ as an anti-war poem.
Or, Discuss
the central idea of the poem, ‘Asleep In The Valley?
Or, How
does the poet express the futility of war? What message does he want to convey?
3. “They fill the hollow full of
light”: -What is the ‘hollow’ referred to here? How does the hollow look? Who
is lying in the hollow? How is he lying there?
Or, Give
a brief description of the surrounding where the soldier lay in the poem
“Asleep In The Valley?
4. “Ah, Nature, keep him warm; he may catch cold.”-Who is he? Why may he catch cold? Why does the poet ask Nature to keep him warm ?
5. “A soldier very young, lies open mouthed” Who is the ‘soldier’ referred to here? Narrate in your own words how the soldier lies in the valley?
6. “”In his side there are two red holes. “- Who is the person referred to here? What do the ‘two red holes’ signify? What attitude of the poet to war is reflected here?
Sonnet No. 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day :
1.
Discuss why Shakespeare has called his frie more temperate than the summer
season.
Or, How
does Shakespeare compare the beauty of his friend to that of a summer’s day in
Sonnet No. 18′?
Or, Write
a substance of the sonnet ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day’ by
Shakespeare.
2.“… and this gives life to thee.” -What does ‘this’ refer to? Who is referred to by thee? How does this’ give life?/What does the poet want to convey here?
3. “How does Shakespeare immortalize
his friend’s beauty in the Sonnet No. 18′?
Or, Discuss
the central idea of the poem, ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day!
4. Discuss the time versus love conflict
as presented by Shakespeare in his poem, ‘Shall IT I compare thee to a summer’s
day?
Or, “When
in eternal lines to time thou grow’st “What are ‘eternal lines’? Who is
referred to by ‘thou’? How will ‘thou grow’st in eternal lines?
5. What type of poem is ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Who is the poet? Whom does the poet speak of? What does the poet say about the person spoken OT?
THE POETRY OF EARTH :
1. What does Keats mean by ‘The Poetry of
Earth? Why does he say that this poetry The Poetry of Earth never ceases?
Or, Show,
after Keats, that the poetry of earth never comes to an end.
Or, Name
the poet who composed ‘The Poetry of Earth? What is meant by “The Poetry of
Earth’? How does the poet read “The Poetry of Earth?
Or, Write
in brief the substance/theme/central idea/message of the poem “The Poetry of
Earth.
2. What pictures of the two seasons does
Keats draw in ‘The Poetry of Earth? How are the two pictures related?
Or, What
picture of summer is presented in “The Poetry of Earth’? How has it been
carried on to the picture of winter ?
Or, Bring
out the contrasting pictures used in the poem “The Poetry of Earth:
3.“…. he has never done/With his delights.”-Who is referred to as ‘he? What does he perform? What does the poet mean to say here?
4. “… he takes the lead.”-Who takes the lead? Be When does he take the lead? How does he take the lead?
5.”…a voice will run.”-Where does the line occur? What is the ‘voice referred to here? When/How will the voice run?
6. Justify the title of Keats’s Sonnet ‘The Poetry of Earth’.
Play: The Proposal
1. “I’ve come to ask the hand of your daughter….in marriage” – Who said this and to whom? Who was the daughter? What was the immediate reaction of the father on hearing “The Proposal”?
2. “You’re not a neighbour, you’re a grabber.” – Who said this and to whom? Why did the speaker say this?
3. Justify The Proposal as a satire/farce. *
4. “He has come to borrow money! Shall not give him any..” – Who is the speaker? What makes him say this? What features of the character are revealed here?
5. “But you forget that he is overshot.” – What was spoken about? Whom did it belong? For how much was it bought? What is the meaning of overshot? what did its owner consider it to be? *
6. Why did Lomov decide to marry Natalya?
7. How responsible a father is Chubukov?
8. Characters of Natalya, Chubukov and Lomov. *
9. How is the theme of marriage dealt in the play The Proposal?
10. Theme of the play “The Proposal”.
11. “She’s like a love-sick cat.” – Who is the speaker? Whom does ‘she’ refer to? In what context does the speaker say so? How far, do you think, is the statement correct? *
12. What picture of social life is presented in the play “The Proposal”? *
Textual Grammar
Do as directed:
Question: Who doesn’t know Ramlal ? (Rewrite as an Assertive Sentence)
Ans: Everybody knows Ramlal.
Question: My father could convey complex spiritual concepts in very simple down-to-earth Tamil. (Change the voice)
Ans: Complex spiritual concepts could be conveyed by my father in very simple down-to-earth Tamil.
Question: I am the most unhappy of men. (Turn into positive degree)
Ans: No other man is so unhappy as I.
Question: As soon as she left the train, she would forget our brief encounter. (Turn into a negative sentence)
Ans: No sooner had she left the train than she would forget our brief encounter.
Question: But thy eternal summer shall not fade. (Turn into an affirmative sentence)
Ans: But thy eternal summer shall continue forever.
Question: I wished to kill you. (Use the noun form of the underlined word)
Ans: I had a wish to kill you.
Question: “You have already been answered”, said the hermit to the Tsar. (Turn into Indirect speech)
Ans: The hermit told the Tsar that he had already been answered.
Question: A man getting into the compartment stammered an apology. (Split)
Ans: A man got into the compartment. He stammered an apology.
Question: “We will soon be at your station”, I said to the girl. (Turn into an indirect speech)
Ans: I told the girl that we would soon be at her station.
Question: My parents were widely regarded as an ideal couple. (Change the voice)
Ans: People widely regarded my parents as an ideal couple.
Question: I was the most important man. (Turn into positive degree)
Ans: No other man was so important as I.
Question: I do not recall the exact number of people she fed every day. (Turn into an affirmative sentence)
Ans: I forget the exact number of people she fed every day.
Question: Keats said, “The poetry of earth is never dead.” (Turn into Indirect Speech)
Ans: Keats said that the poetry of earth is never dead.
Question: Mine was a very secure childhood. (Turn into a negative sentence)
Ans: Mine was not a very insecure childhood.
Question: I wanted a pair of blue suede shoes. (Turn into a Complex sentence)
Ans: I wanted a pair of suede shoes which was blue in colour.
Question: The hermit was digging the ground. (Change the Voice)
Ans: The ground was being dug by the hermit.
Question: The man who had entered the compartment broke into my reverie. (Split into two Simple Sentences)
Ans: The man entered into the compartment. He broke into my reverie.
“Then I won’t turn you loose,” said the woman to the boy. (Turn into indirect speech)
Ans: The woman told the boy that then she won’t turn him loose.
Question: I found the window. (Change the voice)
Ans: The window was found by me.
Question: Bring him back. (Change the voice)
Ans: Let him be brought back (by you).
Question: I inherited my land. (Change the voice)
Ans: My land was inherited by me.
Question: A man, getting into the getting into the compartment, stammered an apology. (Split into two simple sentences)
Ans: A man got into the compartment. He stammered an apology.
Question: This is not a correct approach. (Rewrite as an affirmative sentence)
Ans: This is absolutely an incorrect approach.
She was silent. (Rewrite as a negative sentence)
Ans: She was not vocal.
She did not leave the door shut. (Turn into affirmative sentence)
Ans: She left the door open.
The trees seem to be moving while we seem to be standing still. (Change into negative sentence)
Ans: The trees do not seem to be static while we do not seem to be moving.
The Tsar said to him, “How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time?”
Ans: The Tsar asked him how he (the Tsar) could learn to do the right thing at the right time.
“We’ll soon be at your station,” I said to the girl. (Turn into Indirect Speech)
Ans: I told the girl that we would soon be at your station.
My parents were widely regarded as an ideal couple. (Change the voice)
Ans: People widely regarded regarded as an ideal couple.
I was the most important man. (Rewrite the sentence using the positive degree of ‘important’.)
“I do not know you, and have nothing to forgive you for.” said the Tsar. (Turn into an indirect speech)
Ans: The Tsar said that he did not know him and had nothing to forgive him for.
Ans: No other man was so important as I.
I do not recall the exact number of people she fed everyday. (Turn into an affirmative sentence)
Ans: I have forgotten the exact number of people she fed everyday.
Mine was a very secure childhood. (Rewrite as a negative sentence)
Ans: Mine was not at all an insecure childhood.
The water dripping from his face, the boy looked at her. (Split into two separate sentences)
The water was dripping from his face. The boy looked at her.
Fill in the blanks:
We lived in our ancestral house, which was built, in the middle of the 19th century. It was a fairly large pucca house, made of limestone and brick, on the Mosque Street of Rameswaram.
I was prepared to sit there for almost any length of time just to listen to her talking. Her voice had the sparkle of a mountain stream.
Error Correction:
“Was I bothering you when I turned that corner ?” asked the woman. (Turn into Indirect Speech)
Ans: The woman asked if she had been bothering him when she had turned that corner.
My father could convey complex spiritual concepts in very
simple, down-to
earth Tamil. (Change the voice)
Ans: Complex spiritual concepts could be conveyed by my father in simple, down-to-earth Tamil.
As soon as she left the train, she would forget our brief encounter. (Turn into a negative sentence)
Ans: No sooner had she left the train than she would forget our brief encounter.
I am the most unhappy of men. (Change to a positive degree)
Ans: No other man is so unhappy as I (am).
But thy eternal summer shall not fade. (Change to affirmative sentence)
Ans: But thy eternal summer shall remain ever bright.
I wished to kill you. (Use the underlined word as a noun and rewrite)
Ans: I had a wish to kill you.
Then I made a mistake. (Change the voice)
Ans: Then a mistake was made by me.
Question: I answered quite confidently. (Use the noun form of ‘confidently’)
Ans: I answered with quite confidence.
Question: Few girls can resist flattery. (Change the voice)
Ans: Flattery can be resisted by few girls.
Question: The carriage wheels changed their sound and rhythm.
Ans: Their sound and rhythm were changed by the carriage wheels.
Question: My voice startled her. (Change the voice)
Ans: She was startled by my voice.
Question: He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed. (Use the noun form of the underlined word)
Ans: He takes rest at ease beneath some pleasant weed.
Question: I’m awfully excited. (Use adjective of the underlined word.)
Ans: My excitement is awful.
Question: She laughed pleasantly. (Use the noun form of the underlined word)
Ans: Her laugh was pleasant.
Question: My parents were widely regarded as an ideal couple. (Use the noun form of the underlined word)
Ans: My parents had wide regard as an ideal couple.
Question: Our locality was predominantly Muslim. (Use the verb form of the underlined word)
Ans: The Muslims predominated in our locality.
Question: He could make a dash for it down the hall. (Use the verb form of the underlined word)
Ans: He dashed for it down the hall.
Question: It’s been my continual desire. (Use the verb form of the underlined word)
Ans: I have continuously desired it.
Question: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? (Use the noun form of the underlined word)
Ans: Shall I make a comparison of thee to a summer’s day?
Question: Few girls can resist flattery. (Use the noun form of the underlined word)
Ans: Few girls can make resistance against flattery.
Fill in the blanks with appropriate articles and/or prepositions:
1. When my father came out _______ the mosque after the prayer, people of different religions would be sitting outside, waiting _______ him. Many of them offered bowls of water ______ my father, who would dip his fingertips ______ them and say _______ prayer. The water was then carried home ______ invalids.
Ans: of, for, to, in, a, for.
2. The Tsar turned round and saw _____ bearded man come running _____ ______ the wood. The man held his hands pressed _____ his stomach, and blood was flowing _______ under them. When he reached the Tsar, he fell fainting ______ the ground moaning feebly.
Ans: a, out, of, on, from, on.
3. I moved easily _____ the berth and felt _____ the window ledge. The window was open and I faced it making a pretence _____ studying the landscape. I heard the panting _____ the engine and the rumble of the wheels and _____ my mind’s eye, I could see telegraph post flashing ______.
Ans: along, for, of, of, in, by.
4. I normally ate _______ my mother, sitting _______ the floor ______ the kitchen. She would place ______ banana leaf ______ me, _______ which she then laddled rice and aromatic sambar.
Ans: with, on, of, a, before, on.
5. I was prepared…. sit there …. almost any length .. time, just to listen…… her, talking. Her voice had….. sparkle .. .a mountain stream.
Ans: I was prepared to sit there for almost any length of time, just to listen to her talking. Her voice had the sparkle of a mountain stream.
6. (1) Poetry (2) earth is never dead; When all (3) birds are faint (4) the hot sun and hide (5) cooling trees, (6) voice will run.
Ans: The, of, the, with, in, a.
Correct the error in the folowing sentence by replacing the underlined word with the right one from the options given below:
His answers filled me with a strange energy and enthusiastic.
[Options: enthuse/enthusiastically/enthusiasm]
Ans: enthusiasm.
My mother’s lineage was the more distinguishable.
[Options: distinguishing/distinguish/distinguished]
Ans: distinguished.
I wish I was going to Moossoorie.
[Options: am/were/had been]
Ans: I wish I were going to Moossoorie.
She was standing very close to me, so close that the perfume from her hair was tantalised.
Ans: She was standing very close to me, so close that the perfume from her hair was tantalising.
The couple who saw her off were probable her parents.
Ans: The couple who saw her off were probably her parents.
Lie is a sin.
Ans: Lying is a sin.
Ants are usual formiable creatures.
[Options: usually/unusually/as usual]
Ans: Ants are usually formiable creatures.
I returned on my berth.
Ans: I returned to my berth.
… they were quite a lot of Hindu families too, living amicable with Muslim neighbours.
[Options: amicable/amicablenss/amiably]
Ans: … they were quite a lot of Hindu families too, living amiably with Muslim neighbours.
The hermit listening to the Tsar, but answered nothing.
[Options: listened/listen/listens]
The hermit listened to the Tsar, but answered nothing.
Equally variety were the answers to the second question.
[Options: varieties, very, various]
Ans: Equally various were the answers to the second question.
I had not the faint idea of the meaning of the Arabic prayer chanted.
[Options: fainter/faintly/faintest]
I had not the faintest idea of the meaning of the Arabic prayer chanted.
Only the scent of perfume still linger where the she had stood.
[Options: lingered/lingers/lingering]
Ans: Only the scent of perfume still lingered where the she had stood.
It has grown slowly consumes the earth.
[Options: consumption/consumed/consuming]
Ans: It has grown slowly consumed the earth.
Few girls can resist flattering.
(Options: flatter/flattery/flatterer)
Ans: Few girls can resist flattery.
They seemed very ancient about her comfort.
[Options: anxious/anxiety/anxiously]
Ans: They seemed very anxious about her comfort.
Question: He possessed great inner wisdom and a true generosity of spirit.
[Options: innate/inate/intact]
Ans: He possessed great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit.
Question: The poetry of earth is never dying.
(Option: dead/death/dies)
Ans: dead.
Question: He takes the lead in summer luxuriously.
(Option: luxury/luxuriate/luxurious)
Ans: luxury.
Report Writing:
1. Your school participated in the “Safe Drive Save Life” campaign of Kolkata Traffic Police. Write a report on it.
2. Write a report on ‘the poor prospects of Eden Gardens’.
3. Recently your school organised a Cleaning Drive in the immediate vicinity of your school. Now write a report on the “Cleaning Drive” by your school.
4. Write a report on the farewell ceremony of a retired teacher.
5. A report on “Kanyashree Day Observation” in your school.
6. Write a report on the celebration of Nirmal Vidyalaya Abhijan at your school.
7. A report on Educational Excursion.
8. Write a report on “Dengue Prevention Camp”.
Letter Writing:
1. Write a letter to the Municipal Chairman on the spread of dengue in an epidemic manner in your locality.
2. Write a letter to the editor of an English daily about the poor condition of roads and streets in your locality.
3. A letter to the editor of a newspaper about the education of the girl child in rural areas.
4. Write a letter to the editor of an English daily about regular flooding in your locality during the monsoon.
5. Write a letter to the editor of an English daily expressing your concern over global warming.
6. Write a letter to the editor of an English daily expressing your concern over the scarcity of safe drinking water.
7. Write a letter to the Medical Super of XYZ Nursing Home demanding an explanation of the bill that they have charged unduly for your patient.
8. XYZ School has ordered a publishing company for a set of books. But the company has failed to supply the books in due time. Write a letter of reminder to the Publishing Company.
9. Write a letter to a reputed company complaining that the laptop, you bought lately from them, has technical problems. Say what you want to do and what kind of support you need as a customer.
10. Write a letter to the editor of an English daily expressing your concern about the increasing number of road accidents.
Precis Writing:
Do practice as much as you can.
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