HBSE Class 11 English SAT-2 Question Paper 2025 Answer Key
Section – A (Reading Skills)
1. Read the passage given below and answer the question that follow : (4 Marks)
On a cloudy day, the clouds hide the sun, but the sun is always there. Happiness is like the sun, is often hidden by the clouds of thoughts, worries and desires. We have to scatter and dissolve them to experience happiness. You don’t have to create happiness. All you have to do is calm down your mind because when there is a quiet mind and inner peace, there is happiness. Happiness is not something far away and unattainable. Happiness does not depend on circumstances, objects or events. It is an inseparable part of our consciousness, of our essence, but hidden and covered from sight, by our thoughts, desires and worries. The mind is always in a constant race from one thought to another, from one worry to another. It constantly moves from one object or task to another, never standing still. This restlessness hides the happiness that is within you. It is like a choppy sea that hides the bottom. When the sea gets calm you can see the bottom. In the same way, when the mind gets quiet you sense the happiness that is within you. You cannot see a treasure at the bottom of a stormy and muddy lake, though it is there. However, when the wind stops, the water becomes still, and the mud sinks, you can see the treasure. The treasure is there, whether you see it or not. So happiness. It is always there, only hidden by thoughts, desires and worries.
Questions :
(i) What does happiness not depend on?
Answer – Happiness does not depend on circumstances, objects, or events.
(ii) What does the narrator call the mind full of thoughts?
Answer – The narrator calls such a mind restless, as it is always in a constant race from one thought or worry to another and never stands still.
(iii) The thing that hides happiness is :
(a) circumstances
(b) unattainable object
(c) restlessness
(d) quiet mind
Answer – (c) restlessness
(iv) What is the synonym of the word ‘treasure’?
(a) Valuable
(b) Misfortune
(c) Shortfall
(d) Loss
Answer – (a) Valuable
Section – B (Grammar)
2. Do any three out of five : (3 Marks)
(i) We all ………… respect our soldiers. (Modal)
(a) should
(b) may
(c) will
(d) must
Answer – (d) must
(ii) ………….. we leave now, please? (Modal)
(a) Might
(b) May
(c) Should
(d) Would
Answer – (b) May
(iii) We walked fast lest we …………. miss the bus. (Modal)
(a) should
(b) could
(c) ought to
(d) need
Answer – (a) should
(iv) Tell me what the problem is. (Identify clause)
(a) Adverb clause of Time
(b) Adverb clause of condition
(c) Noun clause
(d) Relative clause
Answer – (c) Noun clause
(v) The lady, who is wearing a red hat, is her mother. (Identify clause)
(a) Noun clause
(b) Adjective clause
(c) Adverb clause of condition
(d) Adverb clause of reason
Answer – (b) Adjective clause
Section – C (Writing Skills)
3. Your school has recently opened a Computer Wing. Write a short report on it for your school magazine. (3 Marks)
Answer – Our school has recently opened a new Computer Wing to enhance computer education. It is equipped with modern computers and internet facilities. Students are being trained in basic computer skills under the guidance of qualified teachers. This facility has made learning more effective and will help students prepare for the future.
Section – D (Literature)
4. Do any two questions out of the following four : (2 × 2 = 4 Marks)
(i) What last effort did Andrew make to revive the child in the chapter ‘Birth’?
Answer – As a last effort, Andrew rubbed the child vigorously with a rough towel and pressed and released the baby’s chest rhythmically. His efforts were successful when the child finally started breathing.
(ii) Who was Joe Morgan? Why had he been waiting for Dr. Andrew Manson? (Birth)
Answer – Joe Morgan was a miner and a patient. He had been waiting for Dr. Andrew Manson because he was suffering from a serious injury to his hand and needed immediate medical treatment.
(iii) Why was the king hanged? (The Tale of Melon City)
Answer – The king was hanged because he ordered that the person who fit the noose should be punished. When all were measured, only the king fitted the noose. Therefore, as per his own order, he was hanged.
(iv) How was the new ruler of the state selected? (The Tale of Melon City)
Answer – The ministers announced that the next person passing through the city gate would choose the new ruler. An idiot passed by and, when asked, replied “a melon.” Thus, a melon was declared the new ruler of the state.
5. Do any one from the following questions : (2 Marks)
What does Hell and Heaven stand for? (Childhood)
Answer – In the poem Childhood, Hell stands for the harsh realities, hypocrisy, and suffering of adult life, while Heaven represents the innocence, purity, and carefree happiness of childhood.
OR
Give the central idea of the poem, ‘Father to Son’.
Answer – The central idea of the poem Father to Son is the generation gap between a father and his son. It highlights the lack of understanding and communication between them, which creates emotional distance despite living under the same roof.
6. Do any one from the following questions : (4 Marks)
Describe the encounter between Gaitonde and Khan Sahib. (The Adventure)
Answer – In The Adventure, Professor Gaitonde meets Khan Sahib while travelling in a train during his experience of an alternate history of India. During their conversation, Gaitonde learns from Khan Sahib that India is still under Maratha rule and the British never established their empire in India. Khan Sahib explains that the Marathas defeated the British at the Battle of Panipat, which changed the course of history. This information shocks Gaitonde because, in his real world, India was ruled by the British until 1947. The encounter confuses and fascinates Gaitonde and helps him realise that he has entered a parallel historical reality, making the meeting crucial to the story.
OR
Describe the narrator’s journey from Ravu to Hor and the problems he had to face on the journey. (Silk Road)
Answer – The narrator, Nick Middleton, began his journey from Ravu early in the morning towards Mount Kailash. He travelled in a car driven by Tsetan, accompanied by Daniel. On the way, they passed through vast open plains, stony deserts, and high mountains. The narrator saw wild animals like gazelles and kyangs, nomads called Drokbas, and tents guarded by Tibetan mastiffs. The journey became difficult due to rough roads and icy tracks at a height of about 5210 metres. The narrator felt uneasy because of high altitude and lack of oxygen. Despite these problems, they finally reached the town of Hor by late afternoon.