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Kerala Plus Two Communicative English (DHSE) study materials
Kerala Plus Two Communicative English (DHSE) study resources

Kerala Plus Two Communicative English (DHSE) practice questions

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Question 1Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

An unseen passage opens: 'The backwaters of Kuttanad are not merely a tourist attraction; they are the lifeline of a farming community that has learned to live below sea level.' Which statement best states the main idea of this opening?

  1. Living below sea level is impossible for any community in Kerala.
  2. The backwaters are essential to the daily life and survival of a local farming community. Correct answer.
  3. The backwaters are mainly important as a source of income from visitors.
  4. The farmers of Kuttanad have moved away from the backwaters in recent years.

Explanation

The main idea is the central point the writer makes about the whole passage, not a single detail. Here the contrast 'not merely a tourist attraction' pushes the reader towards the deeper claim that the backwaters sustain a community's livelihood. The tourist value is acknowledged only to be subordinated, so it cannot be the main idea.

Question 2Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

Read this extract: 'Unlike the older generation, who read the monsoon skies like a calendar, today's farmers rely on mobile weather alerts.' What does the comparison in this sentence chiefly highlight?

  1. A decline in the number of farmers in the region
  2. The unreliability of mobile phones in rural areas
  3. A change in how farmers obtain weather information Correct answer.
  4. The superior intelligence of the older generation

Explanation

A comparison in an unseen passage usually signals a contrast the writer wants noticed. The two halves set traditional sky-reading against modern mobile alerts, so the point of contrast is the shift in the source of weather knowledge. Nothing in the wording evaluates intelligence or phone reliability.

Question 3Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage about a coastal village says the sea 'has always been both provider and destroyer'. Which reading of this phrase is most accurate?

  1. The villagers fear the sea and avoid using it.
  2. The sea supplies fish but never causes harm.
  3. The sea is a source of livelihood and also a source of danger. Correct answer.
  4. The sea has stopped being useful to the villagers.

Explanation

The paired nouns 'provider' and 'destroyer' set up a balanced contrast, and 'both' tells you the writer means the two roles exist together. The sea gives the village its living while also threatening it. Any reading that keeps only one half of the pair misreads the phrase.

Question 4Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

In an unseen passage, the sentence 'The temple festival, held every year in the Malayalam month of Medam, draws crowds from three districts' functions mainly to:

  1. state the writer's personal opinion about festivals
  2. introduce a new character into the narrative
  3. provide factual supporting detail about the event Correct answer.
  4. summarise the argument of the whole passage

Explanation

This sentence supplies concrete information such as timing and scale, which supports a larger point about the festival. Supporting detail is identifiable because removing it would not damage the passage's main claim. It contains no judgement, no new person, and no summary of an argument.

Question 5Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage states: 'Kerala's library movement began in the early twentieth century, when reading rooms were set up in villages that had no schools.' Which inference is best supported by this statement?

  1. Only children used the village reading rooms.
  2. Reading rooms served an educational need that schools were not meeting. Correct answer.
  3. The library movement ended once schools were built.
  4. Villages with reading rooms had more schools than towns did.

Explanation

A valid inference must follow from what the passage states without adding unsupported claims. The phrase 'villages that had no schools' links the reading rooms directly to an unmet need for learning. The passage says nothing about towns, about the movement ending, or about the age of readers.

Question 6Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

Which option correctly identifies the tone of this sentence from an unseen passage: 'Even now, decades later, the smell of rain on dry earth carries me straight back to my grandmother's courtyard.'

  1. Neutral and factual
  2. Sarcastic
  3. Accusatory
  4. Nostalgic Correct answer.

Explanation

Tone is the writer's attitude, revealed through word choice. 'Even now, decades later' and 'carries me straight back' signal warm remembering of the past, which is nostalgia. There is no mockery, blame, or flat reporting in the sentence.

Question 7Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

In an unseen passage, the phrase 'the quiet revolution in Kerala's classrooms' is used to describe the spread of digital learning. What does the phrase suggest about that change?

  1. It happened gradually and attracted little public attention. Correct answer.
  2. It failed to affect classrooms at all.
  3. It happened suddenly and with great noise.
  4. It was opposed by most teachers.

Explanation

A metaphor in a comprehension passage should be unpacked word by word. 'Quiet' suggests low visibility, and 'revolution' suggests deep change, so together they point to a major but unobtrusive transformation. The phrase does not indicate speed, failure, or opposition.

Question 8Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage about a flood relief camp says: 'Volunteers arrived with food, medicine and blankets; what they could not bring was certainty.' Which statement best explains the effect of the final clause?

  1. It shifts the focus from material help to emotional insecurity. Correct answer.
  2. It lists the items the volunteers forgot to bring.
  3. It repeats the list of supplies for emphasis.
  4. It criticises the volunteers for being unprepared.

Explanation

The semicolon separates a list of concrete supplies from an abstract lack, and the contrast 'what they could not bring' signals a shift in focus. The clause moves the reader from physical aid to the victims' uncertainty. It does not add items, blame anyone, or merely repeat.

Question 9Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

Read this sentence from an unseen passage: 'The fishermen set out before dawn, their lamps bobbing on the dark water like scattered stars.' Which technique is chiefly used here?

  1. Personification
  2. Simile Correct answer.
  3. Hyperbole
  4. Rhetorical question

Explanation

A simile compares two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'. Here the lamps are explicitly compared to scattered stars with the word 'like'. Hyperbole would be deliberate exaggeration, personification would give human qualities to objects, and a rhetorical question would be a question asked for effect.

Question 10Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage reports: 'According to the 2011 census, Kerala had a literacy rate of about 94 per cent, the highest among Indian states.' A reader wants to check this claim. Which source would be most appropriate?

  1. The official census report of the Registrar General of India Correct answer.
  2. A travel blog about Kerala's beaches
  3. An advertisement for a Kerala tourism package
  4. A novel set in a Kerala village

Explanation

When a passage cites a specific official statistic, the most reliable check is the primary source that produced it. Census figures come from the Registrar General's office, so its published report is authoritative. Blogs, fiction, and advertisements are not designed to verify statistical claims.

Question 11Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

In an unseen passage, the word 'indigenous' appears in the sentence 'The indigenous varieties of rice were gradually replaced by high-yielding hybrids.' What does 'indigenous' most nearly mean here?

  1. Native to the region Correct answer.
  2. Imported from another country
  3. Recently developed by scientists
  4. Expensive to cultivate

Explanation

Vocabulary in context is decided by the surrounding contrast. 'Indigenous' varieties are set against 'hybrids' introduced later, so the word means the kinds native to the area. The context gives no hint of foreign origin, new development, or cost.

Question 12Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

An unseen passage describes a character: 'Rahim never raised his voice, yet when he spoke the noisy workshop fell silent.' What does this description mainly reveal about Rahim?

  1. He commanded quiet respect without needing to shout. Correct answer.
  2. He disliked working in the workshop.
  3. He was afraid of the other workers.
  4. He was physically stronger than the other workers.

Explanation

Character is revealed through contrast and effect. The 'yet' sets his quiet manner against the sudden silence, showing that his authority came from respect rather than volume. The passage does not mention strength, fear, or dislike of the workplace.

Question 13Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage on paddy cultivation states: 'Because the fields of Kuttanad lie below sea level, water must be pumped out before every sowing season.' Which relationship between the two clauses is expressed?

  1. Cause and effect Correct answer.
  2. Condition and result
  3. Concession
  4. Contrast

Explanation

The conjunction 'because' explicitly marks the first clause as the reason for the second. The low-lying fields cause the need for pumping. Contrast would need words like 'although' or 'but', and condition would need 'if'.

Question 14Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

Read the extract: 'The old ferryman knew every current of the river. He could tell, from the colour of the water, what the next hour would bring.' Which quality of the ferryman is emphasised?

  1. His desire to leave his job
  2. His fear of the river
  3. His practical experience and observation Correct answer.
  4. His formal education

Explanation

The details show knowledge gained from close, repeated observation of the river rather than from books. Knowing currents and reading water colour are marks of practical expertise. The extract says nothing about schooling, fear, or wanting to leave.

Question 15Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

An unseen passage says: 'Tourism brought income to the village, but it also brought plastic to its shores.' Which statement best describes the writer's attitude?

  1. Complete rejection of all development
  2. Wholehearted approval of tourism
  3. Indifference to environmental problems
  4. Balanced recognition of both benefits and costs Correct answer.

Explanation

The construction 'brought... but it also brought...' weighs a gain against a loss. This balanced framing shows the writer acknowledges both sides rather than praising or condemning outright. Indifference is ruled out because the writer bothers to name the harm.

Question 16Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

In an unseen passage the sentence 'Not everyone who plants a tree lives to sit in its shade' appears at the end of a paragraph about long-term public projects. What is its likely function?

  1. To introduce a new topic about furniture
  2. To underline the idea of working for future generations Correct answer.
  3. To give a literal gardening instruction
  4. To argue that tree planting is useless

Explanation

A closing sentence often crystallises the paragraph's point. In the context of long-term public projects, the image of planting for others' benefit conveys sacrifice for the future. It is figurative, not a gardening tip, and it does not deny the value of the work.

Question 17Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage contains the line: 'The monsoon, once a reliable guest, now arrives late and leaves early.' Which figure of speech is used, and what does it convey?

  1. Hyperbole, exaggerating the length of the monsoon
  2. Simile, comparing the monsoon to a train
  3. Metaphor, comparing the monsoon to a season
  4. Personification, suggesting the monsoon behaves like an unpredictable visitor Correct answer.

Explanation

Calling the monsoon a 'guest' that 'arrives' and 'leaves' gives a natural phenomenon human-like behaviour, which is personification. The image conveys changed and unreliable timing. No 'like' or 'as' is used, and there is no deliberate exaggeration.

Question 18Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage notes: 'Although the government announced a scheme for rainwater harvesting, few households in the town adopted it.' Which inference is best supported?

  1. Every household in the town adopted the scheme.
  2. The scheme was never announced to the public.
  3. The scheme was announced but did not achieve widespread adoption. Correct answer.
  4. Rainwater harvesting is illegal in the town.

Explanation

The concessive 'although' sets an official action against a weak response, so the supported inference is a gap between announcement and uptake. The passage confirms the announcement and the low adoption, and says nothing about legality.

Question 19Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

In a passage about a flood, the writer says: 'The water rose silently through the night, and by morning the streets had become rivers.' Which effect does the writer achieve by using 'silently'?

  1. It stresses how unnoticed the danger was as it grew. Correct answer.
  2. It makes the flood seem harmless.
  3. It proves that no one was living in the town.
  4. It shows that the flood happened in the daytime.

Explanation

Adverbs shape atmosphere. 'Silently' combined with the overnight timing emphasises that the danger grew without warning, which heightens the sense of threat. It does not make the flood harmless, and the phrase 'by morning' shows the night-time build-up.

Question 20Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

An unseen passage says: 'The library was his second home; he knew the spine of every book on the history shelf.' Which statement best captures the relationship between the two clauses?

  1. The second clause contradicts the first.
  2. The second clause states a condition for the first.
  3. The second clause gives evidence for the claim made in the first. Correct answer.
  4. The second clause introduces an unrelated topic.

Explanation

The semicolon joins two closely related statements, and the second supplies concrete proof of the first. Knowing every spine on a shelf is exactly the kind of detail that supports calling the library a second home. There is no contradiction, topic shift, or conditional link.

Question 21Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage reports two views: 'Officials say the new bypass will cut travel time by an hour. Traders, however, fear it will divert customers from the town centre.' What is the writer's method here?

  1. Endorsing the officials' view as the only correct one
  2. Avoiding any mention of the bypass
  3. Mocking the traders for being old-fashioned
  4. Presenting two opposing perspectives without taking sides Correct answer.

Explanation

The writer reports one claim and then a contrasting fear, linked by 'however'. This balanced presentation of competing views is a common technique in informative passages. No evaluative language shows the writer favouring either side.

Question 22Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

In an unseen passage, the phrase 'a generation that grew up with screens' is used. Which statement about the phrase is accurate?

  1. It is a main clause stating a fact about screens.
  2. It is a relative clause describing the generation. Correct answer.
  3. It is a noun clause acting as subject.
  4. It is an adverbial clause of time.

Explanation

The clause 'that grew up with screens' begins with a relative pronoun and modifies the noun 'generation'. Relative clauses post-modify nouns and cannot stand alone as complete sentences. Time adverbials would begin with words like 'when', and noun clauses would occupy a subject or object slot.

Question 23Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

An unseen passage states: 'The snake boat races are less about winning than about the oarsmen moving as a single body.' Which interpretation is most defensible?

  1. The writer stresses unity and coordination over the final result. Correct answer.
  2. The oarsmen do not care about the race at all.
  3. Winning is completely irrelevant to every participant.
  4. The passage claims that boat races are dangerous.

Explanation

The comparative structure 'less about... than about...' ranks one value above another rather than denying the first entirely. The writer foregrounds collective coordination. Absolute readings such as 'completely irrelevant' or 'do not care at all' overstate what the comparison says.

Question 24Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage says: 'Every year the river takes a little more of the bank, and every year the village builds a little further back.' Which statement best explains the writer's use of parallel structure?

  1. It shows a repeated cycle of loss and adaptation. Correct answer.
  2. It indicates that the village has enough money for new houses.
  3. It suggests the river has stopped eroding the bank.
  4. It proves the village will soon be abandoned.

Explanation

Parallel clauses with 'every year... and every year...' create a rhythm that mirrors recurrence. The repeated pattern conveys an ongoing cycle in which the river erodes and the village adjusts. The structure does not prove abandonment, cessation of erosion, or financial strength.

Question 25Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

Read this extract: 'The old man spoke of the flood in the flat voice of one who has told the story many times, each telling stripping it of another detail.' What does the extract suggest about memory and repetition?

  1. Repetition strengthens the accuracy of a memory.
  2. Repeated telling can wear away the sharpness of a memory. Correct answer.
  3. The old man enjoys recounting the flood.
  4. The old man has forgotten that the flood happened.

Explanation

The image of each telling 'stripping it of another detail' presents repetition as a process of erosion. The flat voice reinforces the idea that retelling has dulled the memory's intensity. The extract does not claim improved accuracy, total forgetting, or enjoyment.

Question 26Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

An unseen passage begins: 'The rain had stopped by noon, but the water in the lane was still ankle-deep.' Which statement best describes what this opening sentence does for the reader?

  1. It states the writer's opinion that the rain was unnecessary.
  2. It sets the scene and hints that the effects of the rain are still present. Correct answer.
  3. It tells the reader the main character's name and occupation.
  4. It proves that the passage is a scientific report on rainfall measurement.

Explanation

An opening sentence in an unseen passage usually establishes setting and mood. Here the stopped rain paired with standing water signals that consequences continue after the event itself. No names, data or judgements are given, so only the scene-setting reading is supported by the text.

Question 27Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage on a village market says: 'By six in the morning the stalls were up, the fish laid out on banana leaves, and the first buses already emptying their passengers at the corner.' Which inference about the market is best supported?

  1. It operates only during the monsoon season.
  2. It sells only fish and nothing else.
  3. It depends on passengers arriving from elsewhere. Correct answer.
  4. It is run entirely by the local government.

Explanation

The detail about buses emptying passengers at the corner shows that customers are brought in from outside the immediate area. The other details describe early activity, not a single product, a season or official management. Inferential questions require the option that the given words actually support.

Question 28Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

Read this extract from an unseen passage: 'The new bridge was opened without ceremony. No ribbon, no speech, no photograph for the newspaper.' Which tone does the writer adopt towards the opening?

  1. Quietly approving of the plainness Correct answer.
  2. Warmly celebratory
  3. Openly angry and accusatory
  4. Anxious about safety

Explanation

The list of absent ceremonies is delivered in a flat, factual way that suggests the writer finds the lack of fuss fitting rather than scandalous. There is no angry vocabulary, no praise of grandeur and no mention of danger. The tone is therefore restrained approval, not outrage or celebration.

Question 29Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage states: 'The tailoring unit began with four women and one machine. Today it employs thirty and has its own delivery van.' Which reading of the passage is most accurate?

  1. The unit has grown steadily from a very small start. Correct answer.
  2. The unit has shrunk since it first opened.
  3. The unit no longer uses sewing machines.
  4. The unit has always employed thirty women.

Explanation

The contrast between four women and one machine at the start and thirty workers with a van now shows expansion over time. The passage implies growth, not decline, and gives no evidence that the original size was larger. Careful readers compare the two time markers rather than reading one in isolation.

Question 30Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

In an unseen passage, a paragraph ends: 'The scheme was announced with great fanfare. Whether the taps will actually run is another matter.' What is the writer's attitude towards the scheme?

  1. Indifference to the whole subject
  2. Complete confidence that it will succeed
  3. Doubt about whether it will deliver results Correct answer.
  4. Hostility towards the officials personally

Explanation

The contrast between announcement and delivery signals scepticism about outcomes. The phrase 'another matter' separates publicity from performance, which is the mark of doubt. The writer questions results, not the honesty of individuals, so personal hostility is too strong a reading.

Question 31Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage describes a coastal village: 'The sea, which once fed them, now takes a little more of the shore each year.' Which technique is the writer mainly using?

  1. Addressing the reader directly as 'you'
  2. Quoting an official report word for word
  3. Listing statistics in a table
  4. Contrasting past benefit with present loss Correct answer.

Explanation

The sentence sets the sea's past role as provider against its present role as destroyer. This contrast is carried by 'once fed them' and 'now takes', which mark a shift in time and effect. There are no figures, quotations or direct addresses to the reader.

Question 32Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage about a school library says: 'The shelves were full, but the librarian kept a list of the books nobody had borrowed in five years.' What does this detail mainly suggest about the collection?

  1. The librarian wanted to close the library.
  2. Students were not allowed to borrow books.
  3. The library had too few books for its readers.
  4. Some books were rarely used despite being available. Correct answer.

Explanation

A list of books unborrowed for five years points to a gap between what is stocked and what is actually read. The shelves being full rules out shortage, and borrowing clearly takes place. The detail therefore highlights unused stock, not closure or prohibition.

Question 33Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

Read this sentence from an unseen passage: 'The children ran ahead, their laughter bouncing off the walls of the narrow street.' Which feature makes the description vivid?

  1. The use of a date and place at the start
  2. The use of a comparison between laughter and a physical object Correct answer.
  3. The use of a direct quotation from a child
  4. The use of a formal statistical reference

Explanation

Laughter is described as bouncing off walls, which treats sound as something solid that rebounds. This transferred image makes the scene concrete and lively. No statistics, quotations or dates appear, so those options describe features the sentence does not contain.

Question 34Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage reports: 'The panchayat meeting was scheduled for ten. By half past ten only three members had arrived, and the tea was cold.' What is implied about the meeting?

  1. It was cancelled before anyone came.
  2. It began late because members were slow to gather. Correct answer.
  3. It was held in a different village.
  4. It started exactly on time with a full attendance.

Explanation

The gap between the scheduled and actual arrival, plus the cold tea, implies delay and poor attendance. The reader must combine the time reference with the detail about who had come. Nothing in the passage says the meeting was cancelled or moved elsewhere.

Question 35Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

In an unseen passage, the phrase 'a borrowed tongue' is used about a writer who composes in a language not spoken at home. What does the phrase most likely mean here?

  1. The writer has a speech impediment.
  2. The writer uses a language acquired rather than inherited. Correct answer.
  3. The writer refuses to write in any language.
  4. The writer copies other people's sentences.

Explanation

A 'borrowed tongue' contrasts with a mother tongue, so it refers to a language taken from outside one's own community. The context of composing in a language not spoken at home confirms this reading. The phrase is figurative and does not describe a physical or moral defect.

Question 36Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage contains the sentence: 'Tourists photograph the temple, buy the handicrafts, and leave; the potters who made them are rarely in the frame.' Which point is the writer making?

  1. The people who produce local crafts are invisible in the tourist experience. Correct answer.
  2. Tourists are forbidden from photographing the temple.
  3. Tourism benefits potters more than anyone else.
  4. Handicrafts are no longer made in the village.

Explanation

The phrase 'rarely in the frame' works literally about photographs and figuratively about attention. The writer contrasts what visitors record with the craftspeople they overlook. Potters are clearly still producing goods, so the claim that crafts have ended is contradicted by the text.

Question 37Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage describes a farmer: 'He reads the sky the way others read a newspaper, and he is seldom wrong about the afternoon.' What does the comparison suggest about him?

  1. He interprets natural signs with practised skill. Correct answer.
  2. He relies on instruments rather than observation.
  3. He is unable to read printed material.
  4. He dislikes newspapers and prefers radio.

Explanation

The comparison equates reading the sky with reading a newspaper, an everyday act of interpretation done with ease. 'Seldom wrong' adds the idea of earned accuracy. The point is skill in reading natural signs, not literacy or a preference in media.

Question 38Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

An unseen passage says: 'The museum's oldest exhibit is a fishing net, repaired so many times that no original fibre remains.' Which idea does this detail best illustrate?

  1. Objects can survive through continual renewal rather than unchanged preservation. Correct answer.
  2. The museum has failed to look after its collection.
  3. Museums should display only objects that are completely intact.
  4. Fishing nets are unsuitable for museum display.

Explanation

An object kept alive by repeated repair raises the question of what 'the same' object means over time. The detail illustrates continuity through renewal, not neglect. Nothing in the sentence suggests a rule about intact exhibits or the suitability of nets.

Question 39Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

A passage reports: 'The health worker walked four kilometres to the last house, checked the child, and walked back before the heat grew fierce.' Which quality of the health worker is most directly shown?

  1. Humour
  2. Commitment Correct answer.
  3. Curiosity
  4. Wealth

Explanation

Walking a long distance twice, early enough to avoid the heat, to reach one house shows dedication to duty. The actions describe effort on behalf of a patient, which is the core of commitment. Nothing about money, questioning or joking appears in the sentence.

Question 40Reading Comprehension (unseen passages)

In an unseen passage, a paragraph about a flooded town ends: 'The water withdrew as quietly as it had come, leaving behind a line of mud on every wall.' Why might the writer end the paragraph with this image?

  1. To explain the chemical composition of river mud
  2. To show that the flood caused no lasting trace
  3. To introduce a new character for the next paragraph
  4. To leave the reader with a visible mark of what the town endured Correct answer.

Explanation

The mud line is a physical record that outlasts the water itself. Ending on it turns an abstract event into something the reader can see on every wall. The image therefore preserves memory of the flood rather than erasing it or introducing new material.

Question 41Writing Skills (letters, reports, notices, articles, speeches)

In the DHSE Communicative English writing paper, which salutation is most appropriate for a formal letter to the Principal of another school requesting permission to visit for a literary fest?

  1. Dear Sir/Madam, Correct answer.
  2. Hello Principal,
  3. Respected Principal Sir,
  4. Hi there,

Explanation

Formal letters follow a fixed register: when the recipient's name is unknown, the neutral salutation 'Dear Sir/Madam,' is standard, followed by a comma and the body beginning on the next line. Informal greetings such as 'Hi' or 'Hello' belong to personal letters, and 'Respected' is an Indian-English courtesy form not required by the prescribed format.

Question 42Writing Skills (letters, reports, notices, articles, speeches)

A notice for the school notice board must announce an inter-house debate. Which opening best fulfils the purpose of a notice?

  1. All students are hereby informed that an inter-house debate will be held on 12 August at 10 a.m. in the auditorium. Correct answer.
  2. It was decided in the staff meeting that a debate will perhaps be held soon.
  3. The debate is a very good idea and everyone should think about it.
  4. I am writing this to tell you about something we are planning for the debate.

Explanation

A notice opens with a direct announcement giving the event, date, time and venue so that readers grasp the essential facts at once. It is impersonal and factual, avoiding hesitation words and personal commentary. The other openings delay the information or sound like conversation.

Question 43Writing Skills (letters, reports, notices, articles, speeches)

Which line is the correct formal closing for a letter to the Editor of a newspaper, signed by a student named Anu Raj?

  1. Yours lovingly, Anu Raj
  2. Yours faithfully, Anu Raj Correct answer.
  3. Yours sincerely, Anu Raj
  4. With love, Anu Raj

Explanation

When the salutation is 'Dear Sir/Madam,' the matching subscription is 'Yours faithfully,'. 'Yours sincerely' pairs with a named recipient ('Dear Mr Nair,'), and affectionate closings belong to personal letters. The subscription and salutation must be consistent.

Question 44Writing Skills (letters, reports, notices, articles, speeches)

In a report for the school magazine on a science exhibition, which opening sentence best suits the report genre?

  1. The two-day science exhibition of our school concluded on Saturday with over forty working models on display. Correct answer.
  2. Dear readers, please read this report about our science exhibition carefully.
  3. I think the science exhibition was really wonderful and I enjoyed it a lot.
  4. You will not believe what happened at the science exhibition last week!

Explanation

A report begins with a factual, third-person summary of what, when and where, giving the reader the substance immediately. It avoids first-person opinion, direct address and sensational phrasing, which belong to other genres such as articles or personal letters.

Question 45Writing Skills (letters, reports, notices, articles, speeches)

A speech for the school assembly on Road Safety Week should begin in which way to establish contact with the audience?

  1. Road safety is a subject that has been discussed for many years in many countries.
  2. Statistics show that accidents happen and this is a fact.
  3. I am not a very good speaker, so please excuse my mistakes.
  4. Respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends, today I stand before you to speak about road safety. Correct answer.

Explanation

A speech opens by addressing the audience present and stating the topic, which creates rapport and signals the purpose. Apologising or opening with a flat general statement weakens the speaker's contact with listeners.

Question 46Writing Skills (letters, reports, notices, articles, speeches)

Which element is essential in the heading of a notice displayed on a school notice board?

  1. A slogan in capital letters only
  2. The signature of every student in the class
  3. The writer's home address
  4. A word such as NOTICE, the name of the issuing body and the date Correct answer.

Explanation

A notice heading identifies the document type, the organisation issuing it (for example, the school or a club) and the date of issue, so readers know its authority and currency. Personal addresses, decorative slogans and mass signatures are not part of the format.

Question 47Writing Skills (letters, reports, notices, articles, speeches)

In an article for the school magazine arguing that libraries still matter, which sentence is the most effective topic sentence for a body paragraph?

  1. A school library gives students access to reference material, quiet study space and guidance they cannot always find at home. Correct answer.
  2. Libraries are good and everyone knows this.
  3. I once went to a library and saw many books there.
  4. Books are printed on paper and paper comes from trees.

Explanation

A topic sentence states the paragraph's controlling idea and signals the supporting points that follow, here access, space and guidance. Vague assertions, personal anecdote without a claim, and irrelevant facts do not organise a paragraph.

Question 48Writing Skills (letters, reports, notices, articles, speeches)

Which sentence uses the correct layout convention for the date in a formal letter written on 5 June 2024?

  1. 5 June 2024 Correct answer.
  2. 05/06/24
  3. June 5, 2024
  4. Wednesday

Explanation

The prescribed formal-letter convention places the date in full, without abbreviations, in the day-month-year order, for example '5 June 2024'. Numeric or abbreviated dates can be misread, and a weekday alone is incomplete.

Question 49Writing Skills (letters, reports, notices, articles, speeches)

A student writes a letter to the Editor complaining about the poor condition of footpaths. Which sentence best states the purpose in the opening paragraph?

  1. Footpaths are a topic I have thought about for a long time.
  2. I am writing to draw the attention of the authorities to the broken footpaths in our town, which endanger pedestrians. Correct answer.
  3. Please read my letter and do the needful as soon as possible.
  4. I have many things to say about our town and its roads and other matters.

Explanation

The opening paragraph of a formal letter states the purpose precisely, naming the issue and the action sought. Vague announcements or premature requests for action without stating the problem leave the reader unsure of the letter's aim.

Question 50Writing Skills (letters, reports, notices, articles, speeches)

A report on the school's blood-donation camp should be written mainly in which voice and person?

  1. First person singular, narrating a personal experience
  2. Third person and passive voice, reporting events factually Correct answer.
  3. Second person, instructing readers to donate
  4. First person plural, describing the writer's feelings

Explanation

Reports present events objectively, so the third person and passive constructions ('a camp was organised', 'over fifty units were collected') keep the focus on facts rather than the writer. Personal narration and direct instruction belong to other genres.