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Read the following… (Class 12 English SQP 2026-27, Q7A)

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EnglishCBSE Class 12 · Sample paper, session 2026-27 · 6 marks · Case-based

CBSE Class 12 English sample paper 2026-27: question 7(A)

From the official CBSE sample question paper for 2026-27, section C, question 7(A), for 6 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q7(A) · 6 marks · Case-basedCompetency-basedA Thing of Beauty

Read the following extracts and solve ANY ONE of the given two, (A) or (B).

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing. (A Thing of Beauty)

  1. I

    Complete the following appropriately by choosing the correct option from those given in brackets.
    The phrase ‘a joy for ever’ suggests that beauty continues to offer ________ beyond the limits of time. (inner fulfilment / physical permanence / social approval)

    1 mark
  2. II

    Complete the following appropriately:
    A thing of beauty remains a lasting source of joy because ________.

    1 mark
  3. III

    The image of ‘a bower quiet for us’ is best interpreted as beauty functioning as a ________.

    1. (A)natural shelter formed by the physical world
    2. (B)deliberate escape from social obligations
    3. (C)protective inner refuge offering calm
    4. (D)symbolic reminder of human weakness
    1 mark
  4. IV

    Which experience is most clearly conveyed through the expressions ‘sweet dreams’ and ‘quiet breathing’?

    1. (A)enjoyment of material comfort and luxury
    2. (B)attainment of emotional and mental peace
    3. (C)development of physical strength and endurance
    4. (D)appreciation of artistic and aesthetic pleasure
    1 mark
  5. V

    How does the metaphor ‘a bower quiet for us’ contribute to the poet’s idea of beauty in the extract?

    1 mark

Source: official sample paper from cbseacademic.nic.in (PDF). See it in the full Sample paper 2026-27.

Hints

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

Hint 1

A bower is a quiet, shady retreat. Ask what kind of space it is for the mind.

Hint 2

'Sweet dreams' and 'quiet breathing' point to calm, not to luxury or strength.

Hint 3

Beauty 'will never pass into nothingness'. Think about what that contrast shows.

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) inner fulfilment: beauty gives lasting satisfaction of the mind and spirit, not physical permanence or social approval.

    1 mark

  2. (ii) A thing of beauty remains a lasting source of joy because its loveliness never fades and keeps giving peace, comfort and emotional nourishment to the mind.

    1 mark

  3. (iii) Option C, protective inner refuge offering calm. A 'bower' is a shady, peaceful retreat, so the metaphor is a safe mental space created by beauty, not a physical shelter.

    1 mark

  4. (iv) Option B, attainment of emotional and mental peace. 'Sweet dreams' and 'quiet breathing' suggest calm, rest and psychological comfort.

    1 mark

  5. (v) The metaphor presents beauty as a comforting inner retreat that gives the troubled mind rest and peace. It supports the idea that beauty soothes distress and offers lasting emotional support.

    1 mark

  6. (vi) Beauty is contrasted with 'nothingness'. Beauty endures and nurtures the human spirit, while nothingness suggests emptiness, loss and negation. (The question lists only five sub-parts, but the scheme gives this sixth point for the total of 6 marks.)

    1 mark

Answer: (i) inner fulfilment; (ii) its loveliness never fades and gives lasting peace and comfort; (iii) C; (iv) B; (v) beauty as a protective inner refuge giving calm; (vi) beauty endures while nothingness means emptiness

Where the marks are

  • Inner fulfilment (1 mark)
  • Lasting joy because loveliness never fades and gives peace (1 mark)
  • Option C (1 mark)
  • Option B (1 mark)
  • Metaphor as comforting inner refuge (1 mark)
  • Contrast of enduring beauty with nothingness (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

  • Chapter: A Thing of Beauty (notes, formulas, where marks are lost and every past question)

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