HBSE Class 12 English Pre-Board Sample Paper 2026 Answer Key

HBSE Class 12 English Pre-Board Sample Paper 2026 Answer Key

SECTION – A (Reading Skills)

1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow : (1 × 10 = 10 Marks)
There is an enemy beneath our feet- an enemy more deadly because of its complete impartiality. He recognizes no national boundaries, no political parties. The enemy is the earth itself. When an earthquake comes, the whole world trembles. An earthquake strikes without warning. When it does, its power is immense. If it strikes a modern city, the damage it causes is as great as if it has struck a primitive village. Gas mains burst, explosions are caused and fires are started. Underground railways are wrecked. Whole buildings collapse. Dams burst. Bridges fall. Gaping crevices appear in busy streets. If the quake strikes at sea, huge tidal waves sweep inland. If it strikes in a mountain region, avalanches roar down into the valley.
In 1968, an earthquake struck Alaska. As this is a relatively unpopulated part of the world, only a few people were killed. But it is likely that this was one of the most powerful quakes ever to have hit the world. Geologists estimate that during the tremors, the whole of the state moved above 80 feet farther west into the Pacific Ocean. But first- just what is an earthquake? And what causes it? In the early history of the earth, when it was cooling down, the rocks deep in the earth’s crust created huge ‘islands’ which floated on the softer and hotter rocks below rather like wood floats on water. Slowly, these ‘islands’ drifted apart to make the land masses we know today as continents. But even now, these ‘islands’ are not stable and are still drifting very, very slowly. It is these imperceptible movements which create stresses in the rock, many miles below the surface. Every so often, one of these stresses will break the rock and on the surface, the deep underground movement is felt as an earthquake.
It is believed that there are other contributory causes to earthquakes. One could be the position of the sun and moon in the sky. At certain times, the gravitational pull of these combine to exert a stronger-than-normal influence on the earth. At these times, it is possible that great stress is placed on the deep rocks and earthquake become more likely. Another factor is the wobbling of the earth as it spins on its axis. This wobbling is caused by the change in position of the earth in relation to the stars.
Questions :
(i) How was the earth in the beginning?
(a) Very hot
(b) Very cold
(c) Very hard
(d) Very soft
Answer – (a) Very hot

(ii) Give the noun form of the word ‘contributory’.
(a) Contribute
(b) Contributable
(c) Contributive
(d) Contribution
Answer – (d) Contribution

(iii) What word in the passage means ‘unable to be seen or felt’?
(a) Impartiality
(b) Imperceptible
(c) Avalanches
(d) Tremors
Answer – (b) Imperceptible

(iv) The earthquake causes more damage in ………….
(a) Villages
(b) Modern cities
(c) Forests
(d) Same in all areas
Answer – (d) Same in all areas

(v) Which word does ‘drift’ not correspond to?
(a) Float
(b) Move away
(c) Settle
(d) Glide
Answer – (c) Settle

(vi) Why has the Earth been called an enemy?
Answer – Because earthquakes originate within the earth and cause massive destruction without any discrimination.

(vii) How does an earthquake strike?
Answer – An earthquake strikes suddenly and without any warning.

(viii) What happens when an earthquake strikes?
Answer – Buildings collapse, bridges fall, gas mains burst, fires start and tidal waves or avalanches may occur.

(ix) What effect does an earthquake show in mountain regions?
Answer – Avalanches roar down into the valleys.

(x) Which country faced an immense earthquake in 1968?
Answer – Alaska (U.S.A.)

OR

About one in five of all the people in the world follow the teachings of the Buddha, who lived about 2600 years ago. (He was born in 563 BC) “The Buddha” is a title, not a name. It means ‘the Enlightened one who knows’. The Buddha’s real name was Siddhartha. He was the son of a Sakya king in Northern India. He and his family were all Hindus and belonged to the Gautama clan.
Gautama Siddhartha was brought up in luxury. He lived in his father’s palace and saw nothing of the outside world until he was a young man. Then, one day, accompanied by his charioteer Channa, Prince Siddhartha went round the city. On his way, he saw some sights that he had never seen before. First, he saw a man who was very old and was bent with age. Then he saw a man who was suffering from a terrible disease, possibly leprosy. And then he saw a dead man who was being taken to the cremation ground. These sights made the prince very sad.
Now, a complete change came in Gautama Siddhartha’s life. He was filled with a longing to find the cause and cure of human sufferings. He wanted to find the true meaning of life and help his fellow men. Although he was married and had a baby son, he left his home in search of truth. He was then only 28.
First of all, Gautama went to the Hindu priests. He wanted to know from them the cause of human sufferings. But the priests could not give him any satisfactory answers. Now Gautama tried to live the life of an ascetic. For six years he tortured himself so that he could become indifferent to any kind of pain.
He was reduced to a mere skeleton. But eventually he realized that all this was foolish and useless. Now he sat in deep meditation under a tree near Gaya (in Bihar). Here at last he attained enlightenment and found the answers to his questions. He was then 35 years old.
Questions :
(i) When was Buddha born?
(a) 563 A.D.
(b) 563 B.C.
(c) 653 В.С.
(d) None of the above
Answer – (b) 563 B.C.

(ii) Which clan did Buddha belong to?
(a) Gautama
(b) Pandavas
(c) Kuru
(d) None of them
Answer – (a) Gautama

(iii) Buddha’s father was the ruler in ……………
(a) Southern India
(b) Eastern India
(c) Western India
(d) Northern India
Answer – (d) Northern India

(iv) Where did Gautama first go to seek answers to human suffering?
(a) Hindu priests
(b) Greek priests
(c) Both (A) and (B)
(d) None of them
Answer – (a) Hindu priests

(v) Where did Buddha sit under a tree in deep meditation?
(a) Haryana
(b) Himachal
(c) Bihar
(d) Tamil Nadu
Answer – (c) Bihar

(vi) How many people in the world follow the teachings of the Buddha?
Answer – About one in five people of the world.

(vii) What does Buddha literally mean?
Answer – “The Enlightened One”

(viii) Name prince Siddhartha’s charioteer.
Answer – Channa

(ix) What did Gautama decide at the age of 28?
Answer – He decided to leave his home in search of truth and the cause of human suffering.

(x) What did prince Siddhartha not know as a young man?
Answer – He did not know about old age, disease, suffering and death.

2. Read the following passage carefully and make notes on it using headings and sub-headings. Supply an appropriate title also. (5 Marks)
Skipping breakfast, especially among primary and secondary school children, affects mental performance in the classroom, thus lending weight to the old adage that a healthy breakfast gets you off to a good start for the day. New research shows that eating breakfast benefits the memory. It provides essential nutrients and energy that contribute to the overall diet quality and adequacy. Children who skip breakfast do not make up for nutrients and energy deficits later in the day and they tend to perform more poorly in tests of cognition than those who eat their breakfast. A study undertaken by doctors at the University of Wales in the U.K. found that a higher blood glucose level after eating breakfast is one of the key reasons for the improvement in mental performance. It particularly affects the speed of recalling new information, but does not influence other aspects such as intelligence test results or mental tasks related to conditioning or developed skills. Eating breakfast was found to improve performance on retention of new information like recall of stories and word lists. This aspect of memory is called ‘declarative memory’ in which information can be consciously recalled and declared verbally, says the study whose finding have been presented in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Answer –

Title : Importance of Breakfast for Mental Performance
Notes :
1. Breakfast and Classroom Performance
1.1 Skipping breakfast affects mental performance of primary and secondary school children
1.2 A healthy breakfast gives a good start to the day
2. Nutritional Benefits of Breakfast
2.1 Provides essential nutrients and energy
2.2 Improves overall diet quality and adequacy
3. Effects of Skipping Breakfast
3.1 Nutrient and energy deficit not compensated later
3.2 Poor performance in cognitive tests
4. Research Findings
4.1 Study conducted by University of Wales (U.K.)
4.2 Higher blood glucose level improves mental performance
4.3 Increases speed of recalling new information
5. Effect on Memory
5.1 Improves retention of new information
5.2 Helps in recalling stories and word lists
5.3 This memory is known as declarative memory
Key to Abbreviations :
perf. = performance
imp. = important
edu. = education

SECTION – B (Grammar)

3. Attempt any two from each sub-part : (1 × 10 = 10 Marks)
A. Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of verbs given in the brackets :
(i) My younger brother …………… to Shimla last month. (go)
Answer – went

(ii) It ………… since morning. (rain)
Answer – has been raining

(iii) Choose the correct option :
People ………….. the rising sun. (worship)
(a) worships
(b) worship
(c) worshipping
(d) are worshipped
Answer – (b) worship

B. Change the narration of the following sentences :
(i) George said to his brother, “Do you like chocolate?”
Answer – George asked his brother if he liked chocolate.

(ii) She said, “Open the door.”
Answer – She ordered him to open the door.

(iii) Choose the correct option :
He said, “I like swimming.”
(a) He said that he liked swimming.
(b) He said that he had liked swimming.
(c) He liked to swim.
(d) He told that he would have liked swimming.
Answer – (a) He said that he liked swimming.

C. Fill in the blank with suitable articles wherever necessary :
(i) He is …………. doctor.
Answer – a

(ii) …………. water of this well is very tasty.
Answer – The

(iii) Choose the correct option :
The box was made of …………… wood.
(a) a
(b) an
(c) the
(d) x
Answer – (d) x

D. Change the voice of the following sentences :
(i) She gave me a flower.
Answer – A flower was given to me by her.

(ii) They will have won the race.
Answer – The race will have been won by them.

(iii) Choose the correct option :
The boy killed the spider.
(a) The spider is killed by the boy.
(b) The spider was killed by the boy.
(c) The spider was killed.
(d) The boy had killed the spider.
Answer – (b) The spider was killed by the boy.

E. Fill in the blanks with suitable Modals given in the brackets :
(i) You ………….. wash your hands before cooking. (will, must, should)
Answer – should

(ii) …………. that I were a king. (would, might, shall)
Answer – would

(iii) Choose the correct option :
He said that he ………….. pass.
(a) will
(b) would
(c) may
(d) can
Answer – (b) would

SECTION – C (Writing Skills)

4. You are Sridhar, the head boy of Bhavan Vidyalaya School. Your school is organising a career counselling workshop on 10 January 20XX for students in classes 11 and 12. Draft a notice in about 50 words inviting students to participate by submitting their names to their class teachers. The deadline for registration is 30 December 20XX. (5 Marks)
Answer –

5. You are Rohtash Kumar, a student of class XII of GSSS, Rohtak. There is a marriage in your family because of which you will not be able to attend school for 4 days. Write an application to your principal asking for leave for the same. (5 Marks)
Answer –

To
The Principal
GSSS, Rohtak

Date: 20 January 20XX

Respected Sir,
I would like to inform you that there is a marriage ceremony in my family due to which I will not be able to attend school for four days, from 24 January 20XX to 27 January 20XX. I kindly request you to grant me leave for the above-mentioned period. I assure you that I will complete all the missed work after returning to school.
I shall be thankful to you for your kind consideration.

Yours obediently,
Rohtash Kumar
Class XII

6. A local river near your village has been affected with sewage water and waste. Write a report in 150-200 words on the environmental concerns and the measures being taken to protect it. You are the Sohan / Sohana. (5 Marks)
Answer –

SECTION – D (Literature)

7. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow : (5 Marks)
………… and looked out at young
Trees sprinting, merry children spilling
Out of their home, but after the airport’s
Security check, standing a few yards away,
I looked again at her wan, pale
(i) Name the poem from which the above lines have been taken.
(a) Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers
(b) A Roadside Stand
(c) My Mother at Sixty-Six
(d) Keeping Quiet
Answer – (c) My Mother at Sixty-Six

(ii) What is wan and pale in the stanza?
(a) Mother’s hands
(b) Mother’s fingers
(c) Mother’s face
(d) Mother’s saree
Answer – (c) Mother’s face

(iii) What did the poetess look at again?
(a) Her car
(b) Her mother
(c) Her saree
(d) Her face in the mirror
Answer – (b) Her mother

(iv) What are the trees doing?
(a) Sprinting
(b) Spilling
(c) Sleeping
(d) Singing
Answer – (a) Sprinting

(v) Who is the poet of the poem?
(a) Pablo Neruda
(b) Kamala Das
(c) John Keats
(d) Robert Frost
Answer – (b) Kamala Das

OR

Fishermen in the cold sea
Would not harm Whales
And the man gathering salt
Would look at his hurt hands
(i) Who has written the poem?
(a) Kamala Das
(b) Stephen Spender
(c) Pablo Neruda
(d) Adrienne Rich
Answer – (c) Pablo Neruda

(ii) What would the fishermen do?
(a) Would not catch the fish
(b) Would not harm himself
(c) Would not harm the whales
(d) Would not go to the sea
Answer – (c) Would not harm the whales

(iii) What would the man gathering salt do?
(a) Would catch the fish
(b) Would look at his hands
(c) Would catch the fishermen
(d) Would look at his legs
Answer – (b) Would look at his hands

(iv) Who would look at his hurt hands?
(a) Fishermen
(b) Salt gatherers
(c) Watermen
(d) Salt eaters
Answer – (b) Salt gatherers

(v) Name the poem from which the above stanza has been taken.
(a) A Thing of Beauty
(b) Keeping Quiet
(c) A Roadside Stand
(d) My Mother at Sixty-Six
Answer – (b) Keeping Quiet

8. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow : (5 Marks)
But the jump made no difference. The water was still around me. I looked for ropes, ladders, water wings. Nothing but water. A mass of yellow water held me. Stark terror took an even deeper hold on me, like a great charge of electricity. I shook and trembled with fright. My arms wouldn’t move. My legs wouldn’t move. I tried to call for help, to call for mother. Nothing happened.
(i) What is the name of the lesson the above lines have been taken from?
(a) Lost Spring
(b) The Last Lesson
(c) Deep Water
(d) The Rattrap
Answer – (c) Deep Water

(ii) Who is the writer of the chapter?
(a) Alphonse Daudet
(b) Anees Jung
(c) William Douglas
(d) Selma Lagerlof
Answer – (c) William Douglas

(iii) What was there around the author when he was looking for something?
(a) Water
(b) Ropes
(c) Water wings
(d) Ladder
Answer – (a) Water

(iv) The author was helpless because his …………..
(a) Arms wouldn’t move
(b) Legs wouldn’t move
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
Answer – (c) Both (a) and (b)

(v) The colour of the water in the pond was ……………
(a) Blue
(b) Black
(c) Yellow
(d) Green
Answer – (c) Yellow

OR

Since its invention a little over 130 years ago, the interview has become a commonplace in journalism. Today, almost everybody who is literate will have read an interview at some point in their lives, while from the other point of view; several thousand celebrities have been interviewed over the years, some of them repeatedly. So, it is hardly surprising that opinions about the Interview- of its functions, methods and merits- vary considerably. Some might make quite extravagant claims for it as being, in its highest form, a source of truth, and, in its practice, an art.
(i) Which field is the chapter interview related to?
(a) Judiciary
(b) Fiction
(c) Journalism
(d) Publicity
Answer – (c) Journalism

(ii) When was the interview, as a genre, invented?
(a) In antiquity
(b) About 130 years ago
(c) In the 21st century.
(d) Merely 50 years ago
Answer – (b) About 130 years ago

(iii) In what respect do the opinions about the interview vary?
(a) Functions
(b) Methods
(c) Merits
(d) All of the above
Answer – (d) All of the above

(iv) Which sort of interview is being talked about in the chapter?
(a) Printed in newspapers / magazines
(b) Video-taped
(c) Broadcast on radio
(d) Audio-taped
Answer – (a) Printed in newspapers / magazines

(v) What has become a commonplace in journalism?
(a) Acting
(b) Dancing
(c) Interview
(d) Singing
Answer – (c) Interview

9. Answer the following questions : (2 × 4 = 8 Marks)
(i) Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities? (Poets and Pancakes)
Answer – Subbu had the ability to remain cheerful at all times. His loyalty made him use his creativity for his principal’s benefit, making film-making easy. He was a literary-minded poet and novelist, an excellent actor, and a kind, charitable person.

(ii) “All we have to fear is fear itself”. When did Douglas learn this lesson? (Deep Water)
Answer – Douglas learnt this lesson after completely conquering his fear of water. He swam across Lake Wentworth and back confidently. This experience made him realise that it is fear itself, not death, that creates terror.

(iii) Who do you think was at fault-the ironmaster or the paddler? Give two reasons. (The Rattrap)
Answer – I think the ironmaster was at fault because he invited the tramp to his house mistaking him for an old acquaintance. When he realised his mistake, he behaved harshly and failed to support his daughter’s kind decision to offer the tramp Christmas cheer.

(iv) What was unique and distinctive about Eco’s academic writing style? (The Interview)
Answer – Eco’s academic writing style was unique as it was informal, playful and reader-friendly. By using simple language, examples and narrative techniques, he included trials and errors, making serious scholarly subjects interesting and easily accessible to common readers.

10. Answer the following questions : (3 × 2 = 6 Marks)
(a) What does the poet himself feel about the Roadside Stand? Describe. (A Roadside Stand)
Answer – Robert Frost feels deep sympathy, frustration and sadness for the rural poor. The stand becomes a symbol of their childish longing and futile hope. He strongly criticises the selfish, indifferent city dwellers who ignore the villagers’ genuine need for economic improvement.

(b) How does Keats show his unhappiness with his fellow human beings? (A Thing of Beauty)
Answer – Keats shows his unhappiness with human beings by pointing out their selfish, narrow-minded nature. He says that only a few noble souls rise above petty differences through kindness and generosity. Human greed and suffering darken life, and instead of preserving nature’s beauty, people often destroy it.

11. Answer the following questions : (3 × 2 = 6)
(a) What did the high-ranking British officer wish to do? Was his wish fulfilled? (The Tiger King)
Answer – The high-ranking British officer wished to hunt tigers in Pratibandapuram and, upon being denied, asked to be photographed holding a gun over a tiger carcass. His wish was not fulfilled because the Maharaja, fearing a precedent of allowing British hunts, refused permission for both, ultimately risking his throne to maintain his ban.

(b) What physical impairment is Mr. Lamb suffering from? (On the Face of it)
Answer – Mr. Lamb suffers from a serious physical impairment as he lost one of his legs in a bomb explosion during the war. He now walks with the help of an artificial tin leg, which makes movement and climbing difficult. Due to this disability, children cruelly mock and isolate him by calling him “Lamey-Lamb.”

(c) What is common between Zitkala-Sa and Bama? (Memories of Childhood)
Answer – In Memories of Childhood, both Zitkala-Sa and Bama belong to marginalized communities and suffer social discrimination and humiliation from a young age. Zitkala-Sa faces racial oppression in America, while Bama faces caste-based discrimination in India. Both resist injustice and use education as a powerful tool to overcome oppression and assert their identity.

12. Examine the role of the villagers in the last lesson. What does their presence and reaction reveal about the community’s values and concerns? (The Last Lesson) (5 Marks)
Answer – In The Last Lesson, the villagers play a significant role by attending M. Hamel’s final class. Elders and former officials like Old Hauser sit on the back benches to honour his forty years of service and to mourn the loss of their mother tongue after the Prussian order banning French. Their presence reflects deep regret for neglecting education and taking their language for granted.
Their silent, respectful behaviour shows patriotism, unity and attachment to cultural heritage. By gathering in the classroom, they express peaceful resistance to the imposition of German and affirm that language is central to identity and freedom. Thus, the villagers act as the collective conscience of the community, turning the classroom into a symbol of lost linguistic and cultural freedom.

13. Why did the narrator turn towards the ticket window? Why did he run back from there? (The Third Level) (5 Marks)
Answer – In The Third Level, the narrator, Charley, turned towards the ticket window because he believed he had reached the third level of the Grand Central Station, which transported him to the year 1894. He wanted to buy two tickets to Galesburg, Illinois, a place he imagined as peaceful and free from the stress, fear and insecurity of modern life. For Charley, Galesburg symbolised happiness, simplicity and escape from reality.
However, when he offered modern currency to the ticket clerk, it was considered strange and suspicious. Charley then realised that his money had no value in the nineteenth century. Afraid of being questioned or arrested, he panicked and hurriedly ran back. This incident highlights Charley’s longing for escapism and shows how his imagination blurs the line between fantasy and reality.