12TH ENGLISH QUESTION PAPER 2026 Main Exam Paper FULL SOLUTION


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## **Higher Secondary Examination (Main) - 2026**

**Subject: ENGLISH (052)**
**Time: 3 Hours | Max Marks: 80 | Total Questions: 15**

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### **SECTION - A (Reading Skills)**

**Q.1 Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below it: (10 Marks)**

Books are our best companions. They enrich our minds with knowledge and open the doors of imagination. Reading good books helps in developing our personality, improving our language, and broadening our outlook. Unlike friends, books never demand anything from us. They are always ready to share their wisdom and experience. In this modern age of technology, many people have turned away from books to television and mobile phones. Although these gadgets provide entertainment and information, they cannot replace the joy and depth of reading. Books have the power to transport us to different worlds, teach us valuable lessons and inspire us to achieve greatness. Every student should cultivate the habit of reading daily. Even a few pages a day can make a big difference in one's thoughts and behaviour. Reading good literature shapes our character and helps us understand life better.

**Questions:** 
(i) According to the passage, books are our:
(A) best companions (B) enemies (C) teachers (D) relatives 
(ii) Reading good books helps in:
(A) wasting time (B) narrowing our outlook (C) broadening our outlook (D) increasing laziness 
(iii) Books differ from friends because they:
(A) argue with us (B) demand nothing (C) demand attention (D) get angry 
(iv) What has replaced books for many people in modern times? 
(A) Nature (B) Magazines (C) Television and mobile phones (D) Newspapers 
(v) According to the passage, gadgets:
(A) are better than books (B) give joy and depth of reading (C) cannot replace the joy of reading (D) teach better lessons than books 
(vi) The passage suggests that reading books:
(A) wastes time (B) makes people dull (C) reduces imagination (D) inspires and educates 
(vii) How can reading affect our behaviour? 
(A) negatively (B) it can improve thoughts and behaviour (C) It has no effect (D) It can make us rude 
(viii) The word 'Cultivate' in the passage means:
(A) To grow or develop a habit (B) To destroy (C) To forget (D) To criticize 
(ix) What type of literature should one read? 
(A) Poor (B) Boring (C) Good (D) Cheap 
(x) The overall message of the passage is:
(A) to avoid books and use technology (B) to read good books regularly (C) to watch television for knowledge (D) to depend on mobile phones 

  • Answer-
  • (i) best companions
  • (ii) broadening our outlook

(iii) demand nothing
(iv) Television and mobile phones
(v) cannot replace the joy of reading
(vi) inspires and educates
(vii) it can improve thoughts and behaviour
(viii) To grow or develop a habit
(ix) Good
(x) to read good books regularly

**Q.2 Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below it: (4 Marks)**

The ultimate challenge is to make your mind calm and the ultimate solution is meditation. In today's age every second person recommends meditation to the first! And for a student, there cannot be a more powerful technique to improve long term performance in studies and other activities. Calm mind, better retention, better health, focus and concentration are the obvious benefits. You will realise the benefits, as your practice includes a general sense of well being and happiness and spiritual growth. The 'mood' problem can be taken care of by this way 'meditation'. There are many types of meditation. The simplest is of course, focussing on breathing. Since your breath is always with you, it can be done anytime, any place. But the best is to settle down in a cool place that has dim light and is relatively quiet. You must focus all your attention on your breathing. Observe your breath as it comes in and goes out. You will see that your mind will tend to wander a lot, but soon you will be able to bring it back on breathing. Don't obstruct thoughts, let them go off. All you need to do is to keep your focus on breathing. When you try this initially, you will see how difficult it is to do! But soon, you will gain mastery over it and who knows you might end up as a spiritual Guru! 

**Questions:** 
(i) Make notes on the above passage in points. Use abbreviations wherever necessary following numbering and indenting format.
(ii) Write a suitable title to the passage.



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### **SECTION - B (Writing Skills)**

**Q.3 (4 Marks)**
You are Deepak/Deepika. You want to sell your bike (motorcycle). Design a suitable classified advertisement to be published in a local newspaper. Add other details from your side.
**OR**
You are Sharad/Seema, Head Boy/Girl of your school GHSS, XYZ. Draft a notice to all captains of class 9th to 12th regarding a meeting on how to improve discipline in your school.

**Q.4 (4 Marks)**
Write an application to your principal requesting him/her to arrange for an extra class of English Subject, giving reasons on behalf of Rati, School Captain, GHSS Satna, M.P. 
**OR**
You are Samawart, a student of Class XII. Write a letter to your friend congratulating him/her on his/her brilliant success in board examination 2025.

**Q.5 (4 Marks)**
Write a paragraph in about 120 words on any ONE of the following topics:
(i) My Ideal Teacher 
(ii) Importance of computer in modern age 
(iii) Clean India, Green India 
(iv) Role of Youth in Nation Development 

**OR**

Write a report in about 120 words about 'Sports Day Function' of your school GHSS, Bhopal. Use the following inputs: Date, time, place, chief guest, various events performed, prize distribution, speech by guest, vote of thanks.

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### **SECTION - C (Grammar)**

**Q.6 Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct option: (Any Five) (5 Marks)** 
(i) He ________ football since morning. (A) played (B) playing (C) play (D) has been playing 
(ii) She works hard ________ she may get good marks. (A) though (B) if (C) and (D) so that 
(iii) It ________ rain today. (A) need (B) may (C) dare (D) ought 
(iv) ________ Ganga is a holy River. (A) A (B) An (C) The (D) No article 
(v) The principal is ________ the office. (A) in (B) into (C) on (D) upon 
(vi) Sohan is superior ________ Mohan. (A) from (B) than (C) to (D) on 
(vii) The ________ class was making noise. (A) all (B) some (C) whole (D) both 

ANSWERS-

  1. (D) has been playing

  2. (D) so that

  3. (B) may

  4. (C) The

  5. (A) in

  6. (C) to

  7. (C) whole


**Q.7 Do as directed (Any Five): (5 Marks)** 
(i) As soon as the students saw the teacher, they became silent. (Rewrite using 'No sooner...than') 
(ii) He shut the window. (Change into negative sentence) 
(iii) I know him. (Change the voice) 
(iv) If they do not work hard, they will not get good marks. (Rewrite replacing 'If' with 'Unless') 
(v) They found a ladder. It was dragged from its place. (Combine with relative clause) 
(vi) Urmila is very strong. She can do everything. (Combine using 'too...to') 
(vii) The manager will go to Mumbai on Monday. (Change into past Simple Tense) 
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(i)Answer: No sooner did the students see the teacher than they became silent.

(ii) 

Answer: He did not shut the window.

(iii) 

Answer: He is known to me.

(iv) 

Answer: They found a ladder which was dragged from its place.
(v) Answer: They found a ladder which was dragged from its place
(vi) Answer: Urmila is too strong to be unable to do anything. 
(vii) Answer: The manager went to Mumbai on Monday.

### **SECTION - D (Literature)**

**Q.8 Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: (5 Marks)** 
One dark evening as he was trudging along the road he caught sight of a little gray cottage by the road side. He knocked on the door to ask shelter for the night and was not refused. Instead of the sour faces which ordinarily met him, the owner, who was an old man without wife or child, was happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. Immediately he put the porridge pot on the fire and gave him supper; then he carved off such a big slice from his tobacco roll that it was enough both for the stranger's pipe and his own. Finally he got out an old pack of cards and played 'mjolis' with his guest until bedtime.

**Questions:** 
(i) The extract is from which lesson? (A) The Last Lesson (B) Lost Spring (C) The Rat Trap (D) Deep Water 
(ii) What did the host offer the stranger? (A) A pack of cards (B) Supper and tobacco (C) Mjolis and tobacco (D) Supper and cards 
(iii) Why was the owner happy to see the stranger? (A) the owner was lonely (B) the stranger was an old friend (C) the owner wanted to give shelter (D) the stranger would pay him 
(iv) The old man and the peddler played: (A) Rummy (B) Chess (C) Flash (D) Mjolis 
(v) Name the author: (A) Selma Lagerlof (B) William Douglas (C) Anees Jung (D) Louis Fischer 

ANSWER- Extract from 'The Rat Trap'

  1. (C) The Rat Trap

  2. (B) Supper and tobacco

  3. (A) the owner was lonely

  4. (D) Mjolis

  5. (A) Selma Lagerlof


**Q.9 (A) Read the following extract and answer the questions: (3 Marks)** Driving from my parent's home to Cochin last Friday morning, I saw my mother, beside me, doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse and realised with pain that she was as old as she looked but soon put that thought away.

**Questions:** 
(i) Which day is described? (A) Monday (B) Friday (C) Tuesday (D) Sunday 
(ii) Give the opposite of 'soon': (A) late (B) early (C) quick (D) hurry 
(iii) The word 'corpse' means: (A) a body part (B) father (C) parents (D) dead body 
  • (i) (B) Friday

  • (ii) (A) late

  • (iii) (D) dead body


  • **Q.9 (B) Read the following extract and answer the questions: (4 Marks)** 

Yes, I've taken the obvious step; I talked to a psychiatrist friend of mine, among others. I told him about the third level at Grand Central Station, and he said it was a waking-dream wish fulfillment. He said, I was unhappy. That made my wife kind of mad, but he explained that he meant the modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and all the rest of it, and that I just want to escape. Well, who doesn't? Everybody I know wants to escape, but they don't wander down into any third level at Grand Central Station.

**Questions:** 
(i) What did Charley's friend think of him? (A) that Charley wanted to escape (B) that Charley was true (C) that Charley was right (D) that Charley was lying 
(ii) What was the obvious step taken? (A) Talked to wife (B) Went to Galesburg (C) Talked to psychiatrist (D) Went home 
(iii) Who is the main character? (A) Marley (B) Charley (C) Harley (D) Darley 
(iv) The antonym of 'Wander': (A) Roam (B) Ramble (C) Stroll (D) Stay 
ANSWER-
  • (i) (A) that Charley wanted to escape

  • (ii) (C) He talked to a psychiatrist friend

  • (iii) (B) Charley

  • (iv) (D) Stay

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Q10 - Q15: Short & Long Answer Questions

Q10. Answer the following questions in about 30 words each: (Any Five) (Flamingo)

(i) What had been put up on the bulletin board? 

(ii) Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water?

(iii) What makes the city of Firozabad famous? 

(iv) Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 percent refund to the farmers?

(v) Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List two of his special abilities. 

(vi) What are some of the positive views on interviews? (

vii) Why did Sophie wriggle when Geoff told her father that she had met Danny Casey? 


SECTION - D (Literature - Question 10) S

Q10. Answer the following questions in about 30 words each: (Any Five) (Flamingo)

  • (i) What had been put up on the bulletin board?

    • Answer: An order from Berlin had been put up on the bulletin boardIt stated that only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine, replacing French.

  • (ii) Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water?

    • Answer: Douglas was determined to get over his fear because it deprived him of the joy of canoeing, boating, and swimmingIt also ruined his fishing trips and haunted his social life.

  • (iii) What makes the city of Firozabad famous?

    • Answer: Firozabad is famous for its glass-blowing industryIt is the center of India's glass-making industry where generations have worked making bangles for all the women in the land.

  • (iv) Why did Gandhi agree to a settlement of 25 percent refund to the farmers?

    • Answer: Gandhi agreed to 25 percent because the amount of the refund was less important than the fact that the landlords were forced to surrender part of their prestige and money..

  • (v) Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List two of his special abilities.

    • Answer: Subbu had the ability to suggest various alternatives for a scene in filmmakingHe was also a talented poet who could write for the masses in simple Bengali or Tamil.

  • (vi) What are some of the positive views on interviews?

    • Answer: Interviews are seen as a supreme medium of communication and a source of truthThey provide a functional way to get information and understand the personality of the interviewee.

  • (vii) Why did Sophie wriggle when Geoff told her father that she had met Danny Casey?

    • Answer: Sophie wriggled because she knew her father would be angry and would not believe her story She feared his reaction as her meeting was mostly a product of her imagination .


**Q.11 Answer the following questions in about 30 words each: (Any three) (6 Marks)** 
(i) What is the 'sadness' that the poet refers to in 'Keeping Quiet'? 
(ii) What is the secret of good health according to the poet John Keats? 
(iii) How does the poet describe Aunt Jennifer's tigers? 
(iv) What is the 'childish longing' that the poet refers to in 'A Roadside Stand'? 

**Q.12 Answer the following questions in about 30 words each: (Any Two) (4 Marks)** 
(i) What did Dr. Sadao and his wife do with the man? 
(ii) Why does Mr. Lamb leave his garden open? 
(iii) How did Zitkala-Sa find the 'eating by formula' a hard trail? 

**Q.13 Answer the following questions in about 75 words: (Any Two) (6 Marks)** 
(i) How did M. Hamel pay a tribute to the French Language? 
(ii) When did the Iron Master realise his mistake? 
(iii) What was Gandhiji's politics intertwined with? 

**Q.14 Answer in about 75 words (Any One): (3 Marks)** 
(i) Write the central idea of the poem 'A Thing of Beauty'.
(ii) Summarise the poem 'A Roadside Stand'.

**Q.15 Answer in about 75 words (Any One): (3 Marks)** 
(i) Who was Dr. Sadao? Where was his house? 
(ii) How did the hundredth tiger take its revenge upon the Tiger King? 

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Here is the complete solution for Questions 11 through 15, including all OR questions. Each answer is placed immediately after its respective question in a concise, student-friendly style.


SECTION - D (Literature - Questions & Answers)

Q11. Answer the following questions in about 30 words each: (Any three) (Flamingo)

  • (i) What is the 'sadness' that the poet refers to in the poem 'Keeping Quiet'?

    • Answer: The 'sadness' refers to the tragedy of humans never understanding themselvesIt is the result of constant mindless activity and threatening ourselves with death.

  • (ii) What is the secret of good health according to the poet John Keats?

    • Answer: According to Keats, a thing of beauty provides a bower of quiet and a sleep full of sweet dreamsThis eternal joy acts as a source of health and quiet breathing.

  • (iii) How does the poet describe Aunt Jennifer's tigers?

    • Answer: The tigers are described as bright "topaz denizens" of a world of greenThey are brave, chivalric, and pace with certain, unafraid steps.

  • (iv) What is the 'childish longing' that the poet refers to in the poem 'A Roadside Stand'?

    • Answer: It refers to the unsuccessful and "vain" waiting of the rural people for city money to improve their lives They long for a change that never comes from the city dwellers .


Q12. Answer the following questions in about 30 words each: (Any Two) (Vistas)

  • (i) What did Dr. Sadao and his wife do with the man?

    • Answer: Dr. Sadao and Hana took the wounded American soldier into their house and operated on him to remove the bulletThey later helped him escape to safety.

  • (ii) Why does Mr. Lamb leave his garden open?

    • Answer: He leaves the garden gate open because he loves company and wants to welcome everyoneHe does not want to shut the world out.

  • (iii) How did Zitkala-Sa find the 'eating by formula' a hard trail?

    • Answer: She found it hard because she did not know the rigid rules of the dining hall, such as sitting and eating at the sound of specific bells.


Q13. Answer the following questions in about 75 words: (Any Two) (Flamingo)

  • (i) How did M. Hamel pay a tribute to the French Language?

    • Answer: M. Hamel called French the most beautiful, clearest, and most logical language in the worldHe urged the people to guard it and never forget itFinally, he wrote "Vive La France!" on the blackboard with all his might.

  • (ii) When did the Iron Master realise his mistake?

    • Answer: The Iron Master realized his mistake the next morning when the peddler appeared clean, shaved, and well-dressedIn the broad daylight, he saw that the man was not his old regimental comrade.

  • (iii) What was Gandhiji's politics intertwined with?

    • Answer: Gandhiji’s politics were intertwined with the practical, day-to-day problems of the millions of poor peasantsHis loyalty was to living human beings rather than to abstract ideologies.


Q14. Answer the following questions in about 75 words (Any One) (Flamingo)

  • (i) Write the central idea of the poem 'A Thing of Beauty'.

    • Answer: The central idea is that beauty is a joy forever and its loveliness increases with timeIt removes the pall of despondency from our spirits and binds us to the earth despite our sufferings.

  • (ii) Summarise the poem 'A Roadside Stand'.

    • Answer: The poem depicts the struggle of poor rural people who set up a stand to sell local goods to city travelersThey hope for city money to improve their lives, but the wealthy city dwellers ignore them.


Q15. Answer the following questions in about 75 words (Any One) (Vistas)

  • (i) Who was Dr. Sadao? Where was his house?

    • Answer: Dr. Sadao Hoki was a famous Japanese surgeon and scientist who was perfecting a discovery to render wounds cleanHis house was a stone building built upon rocks well above a narrow beach on the Japanese coast.

  • (ii) How did the hundredth tiger take its revenge upon the Tiger King?

    • Answer: The hundredth tiger was a wooden toy tiger the King bought for his sonA tiny sliver of wood from the toy pierced the King’s hand, causing a fatal infection that led to his death.


2. Notes on Passage (Meditation)

Title: Benefits of Meditation

1. Importance

    1.1    Makes mind calm

    1.2    Improves long-term performance

2. Benefits

    2.1  Better health & focus

    2.2 Retention, concentration

    2.3. Happiness & spiritual growth

3. Method

    3.1 Focus on breathing

    3.2 Sit in quiet place

    3.3 Ignore wandering thoughts

4. Result

    4.1 Mastery with practice

    4.2 Mental peace & well-being

QUESTION -3 ANSWER

FOR SALE
A well-maintained Hero Honda Splendor motorcycle, 2022 model, black colour.
Excellent mileage, single owner, all documents complete and insurance valid.
Price negotiable.
Interested buyers may contact: Deepak, Mobile: 98XXXXXX12.


QUESTION- 4 ANSWER

To
The Principal
GHSS Satna, M.P.

Subject: Request for extra English class

Respected Sir/Madam,
I am Rati, School Captain of Class XII. Many students are facing difficulty in English grammar and writing skills. As board examinations are approaching, we request you to kindly arrange extra English classes for better preparation.

We shall be grateful for your support.

Yours obediently,
Rati
School Captain
Class XII


QUESTION 5 ANSWER \

 Paragraph – Importance of Computers in Modern Age (≈120 words)

    Computers play a vital role in the modern age. They make our work fast, easy and accurate. Computers are used in education, business, hospitals, banks and communication. Students use computers to gain knowledge through the internet and prepare projects. Online classes and digital learning have become common today. In offices, computers help in storing data and completing work quickly. They also provide entertainment through games, music and movies. Moreover, computers connect people across the world through emails and social media. Without computers, modern life would become slow and difficult. Therefore, computers are an essential part of present-day life.



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