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And survival in… (Class 12 English SQP 2024-25, Q9B)

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EnglishCBSE Class 12 · Sample paper, session 2024-25 · 6 marks · Case-based

CBSE Class 12 English sample paper 2024-25: question 9(B)

From the official CBSE sample question paper for 2024-25, section C, question 9(B), for 6 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q9(B) · 6 marks · Case-basedCompetency-basedLost Spring

And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it has acquired the proportions of a fine art. Garbage to them is gold. It is their daily bread, a roof over their heads, even if it is a leaking roof. But for a child it is even more "I sometimes find a rupee, even a ten-rupee note," Saheb says, his eyes lighting up. When you can find a silver coin in a heap of garbage, you don't stop scrounging, for there is hope of finding more. It seems that for children, garbage has a meaning different from what it means to their parents. For the children it is wrapped in wonder, for the elders it is a means of survival. (Lost Spring – Stories of Stolen Childhood)

  1. I.

    What does Saheb's statement about finding money in the garbage reveal about his daily life and aspirations?

    1 mark
  2. II.

    Select the correct option from those given in brackets to fill in the blank.
    Describing garbage as 'gold' metaphorically elevates its value to the children, helping the reader understand the _______ (dynamic / desperate) conditions under which these children live, where even garbage can represent crucial economic resources.

    1 mark
  3. III.

    Complete the following with a suitable reason.
    Children continue to scrounge in the garbage because _______.

    1 mark
  4. IV.

    How does the perception of garbage differ between children and adults in Seemapuri?

    1 mark
  5. V.

    What is implied by the description of rag-picking as having 'acquired the proportions of a fine art' in the excerpt?

    1. (A)Rag-picking is an undesirable and simple task that anyone can do without effort.
    2. (B)Rag-picking has evolved into a complex skill that is valued within the community.
    3. (C)Rag-picking is a temporary activity that does not significantly impact the community.
    4. (D)Rag-picking has the status of an artistic hobby that children pursue for enjoyment.
    1 mark

Source: official sample paper from cbseacademic.nic.in (PDF). See it in the full Sample paper 2024-25.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

For I, why does Saheb's face light up?

Hint 2

For III, see what the passage says about a silver coin.

Hint 3

For V, 'fine art' suggests skill, not hobby.

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

Verified: two independent solves agree and the official marking scheme matchesChecked 2026-11-01

  1. (I) It shows his poverty and his reliance on chance finds for small joys and income, yet also his hope of a better life.

    1 mark

  2. (II) desperate. The children are so poor that garbage counts as a crucial resource.

    1 mark

  3. (III) ...finding valuable items like coins gives them hope of finding more.

    1 mark

  4. (IV) For children, garbage is wrapped in wonder, a source of possible treasure. For adults it is only a means of survival.

    1 mark

  5. (V) Option B. 'Fine art' implies rag-picking has become a skilled activity valued in the community.

    1 mark

Answer: (II) desperate; (III) coins found give hope of more; (V) B

Where the marks are

  • Poverty and dependence on chance finds (1 mark)
  • desperate (1 mark)
  • hope of finding more (1 mark)
  • Children see wonder, adults survival (1 mark)
  • Option B (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

  • Chapter: Lost Spring (notes, formulas, where marks are lost and every past question)

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