AP Board Inter 2nd Year 2024 : English Paper-I Important Question with Answers

AP Board Inter 2nd Year 2024 exams are going on and your English Paper-1 is on 4th March 2024. You have only a few hours left for the English Paper-1 exam. 

Important questions  for AP Board Inter 2nd Year English exam 2024 are given here. Practice a variety of grammar questions to get full marks in your English exam. Answers to all questions have been provided for reference.

In this, every important question has been sorted and collected, which is very important for your paper, so that the student can score good marks in less time. Answers to all the questions are given together.

Prose

Question 1. What according to Bacon is the theme Of Studies ?

Answer: Francis Bacon was a great english essayist. ‘Of Studies’ is an interesting essay depicting the benefits and disadvantages of studies. Reading books gives us happiness. It helps us to become more intelligent in communication. Natural abilities can be developed by reading books. Sometimes it becomes harmful if too-much time is spent on it. Showy tendency should be avoided. There are books to be skipped through, books to be read completely and some others to be read with great care and to be digested. Through studies an individual becomes a full man. The author tells that the study of different subjects helps us to cure the weaknesses of the mind.

Question 2. How does Bacon emphasize the value of experience ?

Answer: Francis Bacon was a great english essayist. In the essay “Of Studies” he writes about the value of education. Reading books is a good habit. It is liked by wise people. By studies, one can improve one’s knowledge. They read the books and get a lot of knowledge. They develop themselves by utilising the content in practical life. The views of the authors will be judged and utilised in daily life. By regular study of books, one can become worthy in day to day life. Bookish knowledge becomes ripened by its application in real life situations. Experience perfects our knowledge.

Question 3. What did Bacon mean in the line “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested”.

Answer: Francis Bacon was a great English essayist. In the essay ‘Of Studies’, he gives the benefits of studies and the importance of reading books. He writes with an aphoristic style. He describes books to be of three types. Some books are there for formal reading, just taste it and leave it. Some books have to be studied completely. We read them because of our curiosity. Some other books are to be studied carefully. They are useful to the reader in real life experience. They can be chewed and digested. The subject matter can be tested, brought into experience, by means of applying the knowledge in day to day events. One should real with real understanding books. Sometimes it becomes harmful if too-much time is spent on it. Showy tendency should be avoided. There are books to be skipped through, books to be read completely and some others to be read with great care and to be digested. Through studies an individual becomes a full man. The author tells that the study of different subjects helps us to cure the weaknesses of the mind.

Question 4. How do studies cure the diseases of the mind?

Answer: Francis Bacon was a great English essayist. In the essay ‘Of Studies’, he gives the benefits of studies and the importance of reading books. Being an essayist with great knowledge and experience, he tells us that studies are useful to cure some diseases of the mind. History can improve wisdom and poetry can improve imagination. Physical exercise cure the body weaknesses. Similarly, mathematics can cure the weakness of wavering mind. Weak thinking can be cured by the study of philosophy. For memory loss, the study of law shall work as a remedy. Thus study of books is useful not only to acquire knowledge but also to get the weaknesses treated.

Question 5. How can the miseries of the world be cured, according to Swami Vivekananda ?

Answer: Swami Vivekananda was a great thinker and an orator. He became the disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He said “Work is Worship”. According to Vivekananda the secret of work in this world is non-attachment. Because of ignorance, many problems have been growing. Continuous work helps us to get good results. All the miseries of the world will be cured, if there is purity in the minds of people. Good nature of the mind should come out and the bad nature has to be destroyed. Thus character is the result of good work. A person with character can change the miseries of the world. This is the secret of work.

Question 6. What does Vivekananda say about a man of character ?

Answer: Swami Vivekananda was a great thinker and an orator. ‘He became the disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He said “Work is Worship”. In this world, according to Vivekananda, ignorance is seen every where. It is the cause for all the miseries. In the Gita, the importance of continuous work, is explained. In every work there is good and evil. If an individual does good deeds, his character is great. He will never allow the bad in his deeds to come out, Good thoughts and good deeds will establish his character. He continues following good action only. The secret of work lies in non-attachment. It can be called Samskara. Thus good character is needed for a good citizen.

Question 7. What is meant by working like a master and not as a slave ?

Answer: Swami Vivekananda was a great thinker and an orator. He became the disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He said “Work is Worship”. He explained that a work has got both good and bad intentions. The secret of work according to the author is that we have to work unattached. One should work like a master but not as a slave. When we think of a slave, he works but he expects something in return. He should work with love only. Selflessness is happiness. Existence, knowledge and bliss are the three aspects one should possess. God works but his work is a master’s work. There is love in it. Therefore master’s work will help the society. The secret of work lies in this service.

Question 8. Explain the things that guide the conduct of human beings.

Answer: Swami Vivekananda was a great thinker and an orator. He became the disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He said “Work is Worship”. In this world, the society has to co-operate in the process of bringing a prosperous living. Vivekananda says that conduct of men helps a lot in social living. Might and mercy are the two things that control the conduct. Selfishness is the evil in one’s character. Work should be respected and it should be the work of a master but not of a slave. We should not expect anything in return. Sin cannot touch us eventhough the society is filled with miseries. Water cannot touch the lotus leaf. Similarly an individual with conduct shall never fall into the world and he maintains non-attachment only.

Question 9. Explain the views of Huxley about the instruments for experimentation.

Answer: Aldous Huxley was an English Writer. He wrote a number of books. ‘J.C.Bose’ is an essay taken from the book “Testing Pilate”. It is about the experimenting on Science and Technology. In the beginning of the essay he writes that experimentation does not need expensive instruments. Michael Faraday invented the powers of electricity using very simple things like the tea kettle, silk wires, wax and jam pots only. Similarly J.C.Bose invented the machine, to measure the growth of plant. Here also a little clockwork, needles, filaments, a sheet of smoked glass etc., are used in the experiment. So, the writer thinks that there is no need of costly instruments, if the instrumenter is with curiousity and talent. Even the suffering of a plant or death of a poisoned plant could be seen on the smoked glass. The things are be arranged properly.

Question 10. Explain the experiments of Bose about the growth and reaction of a plant.

Answer: Aldous Huxley was an English Writer. He wrote a number of books. J.C.Bose’ is an essay taken from the book “Testing Pilate:” It is about the experimenting on Science and Technology. The author visited the institute of J.C.Bose, in Calcutta. He found that very small things were used by the scientist. At the institute the growth of a plant was shown on a smoked glass. While feeding, a plant exhaled oxygen and when the vessel was full, there rang a small bell. If there was sunlight on the plant, the bell rang often. When it was gloomy, the bell stopped ringing. If a stimulant was added the bell rang wildly. Thus the growth and reaction of a plant was shown by J.C.Bose.

Question 11. How did J.C.Bose record the heart beat of a plant?

Answer: Aldous Huxley was an English Writer. He wrote a number of books. ‘J.C.Bose’ is an essay taken from the book “Testing Pilate”. It is about the experimenting on Science and Technology. When the author visited the institute of Bose in Calcutta; he was shown how the heart beats of a plant were recorded. Heart beats of a plant occur under the outer rind of the stem. They are magnified millions of times and recorded on the smoked glass. With the help of the most powerful microscope they can be seen. A grain of caffeine or camphor affects the plant’s heart and the graph has a change. If poison is applied, the heart beat becomes more rapid. The death agony can be seen on the screen through the graph. The graph flattens when the plant is dead. There are no ups and downs on the graph. The irregular lines on the graph show the death agony.

Question 12. How did J.C.Bose prove that plants experience pain like other living beings?

Answer: Aldous Huxley was an English Writer. He wrote a number of books. ‘J.C.Bose’ is an essay taken from the book “Testing Pilate:” It is about the experimenting on Science and Technology. When the author visited the institute of Bose in Calcutta, he was shown a number of experiments exhibiting wonderful things about the life of plants. The feeding of a plant, its happenings at the time of feeding, its growth, it’s agony at the time of trouble and such other things were shown to the author. The heart beat of a plant is measured through a separate instrument. When caffeine or camphor is applied, it affects the heart beat. It can be seen by the graph on the smoked glass. When poison is added, the ups and downs on the graph shall vary. The death agony of the plant can be seen on the graph moving up and down and finally flattening on the central line. As there are no ups and downs and when the straight line is seen, the life in the plant has gone away. A flower poisoned, writhes and finally dies. Thus the pain is shown through the graph, the death agony is seen on the screen and it is just like the experience of the other living beings.

Question 13. What was the accident that Dr. Barnard had ? How did he react at the accident ?

Answer: Dr. Christian Barnard was a heart surgeon and a writer. He wrote the essay “In Celebration of Being Alive” giving his experiences at the time of an accident. Once when the doctor and his wife were crossing the road, there was an accident. A car hit them, both were in the hospital for sometime. At this time, the narrator had a doubt as to why, God could put him into trouble. Once when his father was alive, he said that God would test the individual by giving troubles at times. He was not satisfied. But when he saw two small boys, both having severe physical deformities, driving the breakfast trolly, he realised the fact. He thought that one should celebrate being alive.

Question 14. What were the views of Dr. Barnard’s father about suffering? In what ways Barnard’s views differ from his father’s ?

Answer: Dr. Christian Barnard was a great surgeon and a writer. He wrote the essay “In Celebration of Being Alive” giving his experiences at the time of an accident. When Barnard and his wife were caught in the accident, he thought that it was an injustice over him. He recollected his father’s words that God would test people with suffering. When there was the test, the character of an individual would be refined. But Barnard could not accept. Later when he looked to two small boys, who started and drove the breakfast trolly, he knew that one has to bear the difficulties and live. He should learn how to live accepting the will of God.

The two boys, one with blindness and other with a hole in the heart, lived comfortably at their level. Though the views of the writer differed from those of his father, finally the art of living should be adopted.

Question 15. Who were the driver and the mechanic in the Grand Prix held at the Cape Town Red Cross Children’s Hospital ? In what way was the choice of their roles suitable ?

Answer: Dr.Christian Barnard was a heart surgeon and a writer. He wrote the essay “In Celebrations of Being Alive” giving his experience at the time of an accident, The writer recollected an incident when he had dissatisfaction with God. At the Cape Town Red Cross Children’s Hospital a strange thing happened. There was a breakfast trolly at the hospital. Two boys drove it in the hospital. One acted as a mechanic and the other as the driver. Actually both were physically handicapped. One lost his eyes and the other had a hole in the heart. The trolley was run at a high speed and all the spectators were filled with joy. The blind one acted as mechanic galloping along, with the trolley. The other seated at the lower deck, drove the trolley, with one leg on the floor. The choice of the roles was suitable. Though blind he could push it on and the other sat at a place and steered it with one hand.

Question 16. What lessons did Dr. Barnard learn from the two children ?

Answer: Dr. Barnard was a heart surgeon and a writer. He wrote the essay “In Celebrations of Being Alive” giving his experience at the time of an accident. There was an incident at the Cape Town Red Cross Children’s Hospital. The trolly of breakfast was moved by two · physically handicapped children. One was blind and the other was a heart patient. They drove it and made it worthy scene for all the patients and nurses around. The boys did not think of their deformities but did whatever they could do with all that they possessed. So, the writer learnt that one should try to utilise the possessions carefully. One should not aspire for that which was not available. The business of living is the celebration of being alive. Thus the poem teaches us the quality satisfaction.

Question 17. Give a list of the lessons that Narayana Murthy feels we should learn from the West.

Answer: N.R.Narayana Murthy is a brilliant Industrialist and Writer. In the essay “Learning from the West”, he gives a list of things that the Indians should learn from the west.

Narayana Murthy likes the tendency of community thinking, seen in the West. There is no corruption in the Western society. The Indians want to get bribe at every stage. Problems of the society, are preferred. The people of the West are accountable to the work they do.

Dignity of labour, merit in professionalism, keeping up the vows are the merits of the people in the West. Similarly, we should learn the lessons given by Narayana Murthy.

Question 18. “Our attitude towards family life is not reflected in our attitude towards community behaviour”. Explain this statement keeping in view the points made by Narayana Murthy in the essay “Learning from the West”.

Answer: N.R.Narayana Murthy is a brilliant Industrialist and Writer. In the essay “Learning from the West” he gives a list of things that the Indians should learn from the West.

People in the West are different from the Indians. They give preference to the problems of the society. Dignity of labour, professionalism are practised in the West. There is a belief that the Indians take oaths at the time of marriage and keep them up. The people of the West do not have a vow for complete life. The merit of the Indians is in the marriage affair, but they do not keep up the agreements in their private life. There are many cases, pending in the courts. Indians should know this and act accordingly.

Question 19. ‘Indians become intimate even without being friendly’. Illustrate this statement with an example from Narayana Murthy’s speech.

Answer: N.R.Narayana Murthy was a great Industrialist and Writer. In the essay “Learning from the West” he gives a number of examples from the life of European countries and asks us to emulate. One of the qualities is that the people of the West become friendly even without being intimate. This statement can be seen in the behaviour of Rudyard Kipling. He said that an easterner tries to become intimate without being friendly. In this example we find how an Indian differs from the Western person in behaviour.

Question 20. What is the point that Narayana Murthy wants to drive home when he quotes Henry Beecher? How did he conclude his speech ?

Answer: N.R.Narayana Murthy was a great Industrialist and Writer. In the essay “Learning from the West”, he gives a number of examples from the life of European countries and asks us to emulate. In the beginning he explains that he revers the European way of life, because it suits the present day society. He points out that these values were one day prevalent in India commitment and social awareness are the two important aspects. He quotes Henry Beecher, “Culture is that which helps us to work for the betterment of all”. He stresses the need of commitment to the society. People should think of the society and do good to it. They should pursue that which is beneficial to all. Thus he concludes the essay, suggesting to follow the path of social development.

Poems Poetry

Question 1. Time and Tide wait for no man’ is an old saying. Discuss this in the context of the poem “On His Having Arrived at the age of Twenty Three”.

Answer: John Milton was an epic poet. He writes in a grand style. “On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty Three” is a sonnet, written by this poet. Here the saying of “Time and Tide wait for no man’ is suitable to be discussed. It is a fact that the tides in the sea move on to the shores at a high speed and they cannot be stopped by anything. Similarly time doesnot stay or stop at any place. It is a natural phenomena. The consumption of time is a continuous process. Milton looks to himself and wonders how his years have passed away. He cannot find a reason in the beginning. So he complains against God. But after introspection, he finds a solace. He thinks that time does not wait for him or for his maturity. Thus the saying can be applied to the views of John Milton.

Question 2. Attempt a critical appreciation of the poem, ” On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty Three”.

Answer: ‘On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty Three’ is a poem written by, John Milton. It is a sonnet. A sonnet has fourteen lines. In the first eight lines, we find a problem and in the last six lines the solution is given. In the first part, Milton has a complaint against God. He tells that time is like a thief and he has no buds or blossoms in life. His ambition for writing has no progress. So groans in his mind. But afterwards his introspection help him to understand reality. God is the taskmaster and he endows everything out of his grace. Everything in this world is directed by God. Whatever is given to an individual, is given according to his will. Thus the poem is about maturity of mind and talents.

Question 3. Why does Wordsworth consider nature to be a good teacher ?

Answer: The Tables Turned’ is a famous poem written by William Wordsworth. He was a romantic poet and his love towards nature is of great value. The poet believes that nature is the main source for education. From books, we learn only a little but nature gives us complete knowledge. The beautiful scenery, the lustrous plants and trees, the birds and all that is there give us complete knowledge of the creation. The birds do not read books but they know the secrets of this world. For research, we dissect and kill certain creatures. But if we have an affectionate heart, we can acquire a lot of knowledge from the nature. So, the poet thinks that the nature is a good teacher.

Question 4. Do you prefer to gain knowledge through books or become wise through experience of nature ? Give reasons in support of your answer with reference to the poem “The Tables Turned’.

Answer: The Tables Turned’ is a famous poem written by William Wordsworth. He was a romantic poet and his love towards nature is of great value. In the poem, the poet suggests two ways of learning. A common view is reading books and get knowledge. But in the view of the poet learning is possible and complete by the study of nature. The secret of creation, the dynamic changes, the natural powers, the happiness of the birds and creatures and others are found in nature. The bookish knowledge is not enough for the ripening of mind. The good and bad can be seen by practical study only. Kind behaviour towards the things of nature, fills our heart with happiness. So along with the study of books, the study of nature should also be given importance. Everything is possible when the study of nature takes importance in our life.

Question 5. What is the appropriateness of the title “The Builders” ? Do you agree with the poet about building one’s own life ?

Answer: ‘The Builders’ is an interesting poem written by the great American poet H.W. Longfellow. The poet compares men to builders. An individual’s life is controlled by time and he is the one who constructs the building of life. According to the poet, everybody plans his life according to his will. He experiences something and advances based on the previous experience. Everyday’s work is taken as a block in the construction of the building. There are people who build their character on good behaviour, with good blocks. Those lives have become buildings suitable for the dwelling of God. Thus people have to build huge buildings of character. The poet suggests the title, ‘The Builders’ and it is quite apt. 

Question 6. What is the central idea of the poem “The Builders’ ?

Answer: ‘The Builders is an interesting poem written by the great American poet “H.W. Longfellow”. The poet compares men to builders. The poet tells that all the people are the builders of their fate. Yesterday’s experience becomes today’s base and the experience is like a block, used in the construction. Everything is useful for the construction of the building. There should be no short comings in one’s behaviour. God should accept the brick. The building tumbles down, if the small mistakes in character are accepted. Today’s experience is the base for tomorrow. Thus the building of character, depends upon the person himself. In the poem, the rhyme scheme is, ABAB. It is a lyric poem.

Question 7. How does the poetess portray the bond between the mother and her children in the poem “Any Woman” ?

Answer: Katharine Tynan wrote the poem “Any Woman”. The poem is an interesting account of a woman in the house. She describes how a mother is interested in her children. The mother is like a pillar in the family. She is like the heat from the Sunlight giving warmth to her children. She shows love towards the children and they grow happily in her lap. She is like a twist bringing all the children together. If the care of the mother fails, the children shall be spoiled. A mother decorates the house, prepares the food for the children guards them from all dangers. Thus she has the affection and the children grow under the care of a mother.

Question 8. The poem “Any Woman” is a celebration of the glory of womanhood. Illustrate.

Answer: The poem “Any Woman” was written by Katharine Tynan, a British writer. She produced a number of novels and poems and became a noted writer. Any woman is a poem depicting the supremacy of a woman in the family. She loves her children and guards them carefully. Without a woman, there is no house of recognition. A mother takes care of the children providing food and shelter. She keeps the house neat and tidy. She protects them at the time of danger. If the mother leaves a child, he will be spoiled. She is like a pillar in the house and keeps the house graceful. A good woman brings respect to the family.

Question 9. Why are people generally afraid of fate ? How did Sarojini Naidu challenge such a fearful fate?

Answer: ‘A challenge to Fate’ is an interesting poem written by Sarojini Naidu. She was a great poet and an orator. She was called ‘The Nightingale of India’, ‘Fate’-generally dominates the lives of people. The writer does not like this. She feels that Fate is a foolish thing. The writer has many delightful experiences. She asks Fate, why it spoils the happy things. The bright mountains, and the blue sky gives pleasure to the mind. Beautiful valleys are filled with the echo of the odes and songs. The spring provides joyful experience. Inspite of all these happy moods, the only problem of the Fate trying to challenge has been a hinderance. But Sarojini Naidu challenges Fate and wins in her attempt.

Question 10. What is the theme of the poem ‘A Challenge to Fate’? What is the life lesson we can learn from the poem ?

Answer: ‘A challenge to Fate’ is an interesting poem written by Sarojini Naidu. She was a great poet and an Orator. She was called the ‘Nightingale of India’. The poem is a celebration of the writer’s courage to challenge ‘Fate’. Everybody is afraid of Fate. It leads the individual into a pitiable condition. But the writer does not hesitate to describe the events of happiness. The natural beauty around, the melodious music of the birds and creatures, the sweet memories of life can be taken away by Fate. The power of Oratory and the courage may be subdued by Fate. But all the trials of Fate, shall become void. She will not come under Fate’s spell. One has to know that whatever problems crop up, in our way of progress, we have to attack them and move forward.