ISC SPECIMEN QUESTION PAPER FOR 2012 EXAMINATION
ENGLISH
Paper - 2

(Candidates are allowed additional 15 minutes for only reading the paper.
They must NOT start writing during this time)
Answer one question from Section A and four questions from Section B.
In Section B choose questions on at least three textbooks which may include EITHER Shakespeare’s Macbeth OR Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.
If you answer two questions on any one text, do not base them on the same material.
Note: You are required to select questions on one play only,
EITHER Macbeth OR Pygmalion in Sections A and B.
The intended marks for questions are given in brackets [ ].

http://www.cisce.org/
http://www.cisce.org/ISC%202012%20Sp...0Paper%202.pdf

SECTION A :
(Answer one question)Macbeth ? Shakespeare Question 1 [20]
Choose two of the passages (a) to (c) and answer briefly the questions that follow:
(a) Banquo: Good sir, why do you start and seem to fear
Things that do sound so fair?—I’th’ name of truth
Are ye fantastical, or that indeedWhich outwardly ye show? My noble partnerYou greet with present grace and great prediction
Of noble having and of royal hopeThat he seems rapt withal. To me you speak not If you can look into the seeds of time
And say which grains will grow and which will not Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear Your favours nor your hate.
(i) Where is Banquo? Who is referred to as “noble partner”? [1]
(ii) Who has started? What has this person just been told? [2]
(iii) Explain the lines:
I’th’ name of truth
Are ye fantastical, or that indeed Which outwardly ye show?
(iv) To what does Banquo refer to as “present grace”, “noble having” and “royal hope”? [2]
(v) What is Banquo told by the creatures? What does his attitude tell you about him? [2]
(vi) Give the meaning of the following words in the context of the passage:
(vii) fantastical; rapt; favours [1½]
(b) Macbeth: If we should fail?
Lady Macbeth: We fail?
But screw your courage to the sticking – place And we’ll not fail. When Duncan is asleep Whereto the rather shall his day’s hard journey
Soundly invite him, his two chamberlains Will I with wine and wassail so convince That memory, the warder of the brain, Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason A limbeck only. When in swinish sleep Their drenched natures lies as in a death What cannot you and I perform upon
Th’un guarded Duncan? what not put upon His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt Of our great quell?
(i) Where are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth? What is taking place there? [1]
(ii) Which decision does Macbeth convey to his wife? How does she react to this decision? [2]
(iii) Explain the lines:
But screw your courage to the sticking place And we’ll not fail [1½]
(iv) Which plan does Lady Macbeth now proceed to reveal to her husband? [2]
(v) How does Macbeth compliment her after listening to her plan? Does her plan ultimately suceed? [2]
(vi) Give the meaning of the following words in the context of the passage: wassail; limbeck; drenched
(c) Messenger: Bless you fair dame, I am not to you known,
Though in your state of honour I am perfect;
I doubt some danger does approach you nearly.
If you will take a homely man’s advice,
Be not found here. Hence with your little ones.
To fright you thus, methinks I am too savage;
To do worse to you were fell cruelty,
Which is too nigh your person. Heaven preserve you,
I dare abide no longer.
(i) Where is the messenger? Whom does he address as “fair dame”? [1]
(ii) What had the “dame” been complaining of just before these lines?
(iii) What do her complaints tell you about her nature? [2]
(iv) Explain the lines:
I am not to you known Though in your state of honour I am perfect [1½]
(v) Who is the source of danger that is threatening the lady? Why does this person want to harm the lady? [2]
(vi) What is the lady’s reaction to the messenger’s words of warning? [2]
(vii) Give the meanings of the following words in the context of the passage: homely; fell; nigh [1½] Pygmalion ? George Bernard Shaw
Question 2 [20]
Choose two of the passages (a) to (c) and answer briefly the questions that follow:
(a) THE FLOWER GIRL (breaking through them to the gentleman crying wildly) Oh sir, don’t let him charge me. You dunno what it means to me. They’ll take away my character and drive me on the streets for speaking to gentlemen. They--- THE NOTE TAKER (coming forward on her right, the rest crowding after him) There! there! there! there! who’s hurting you, you silly girl? at do you take me for?
THE BYSTANDER It’s aw raw t:e’s a gentleman: look at his be-oots.(Explaining to the note taker)She thought you was a copper’s nark, sir.
(i) Where are the flower girl and the Note Taker? Explain the circumstances, which led them to be there. [2]
(ii) Why does the issue of the note taker bringing a “charge” against her arise? [2]
(iii) What had the Note Taker been doing actually? What is the crowd’s attitude towards him at this moment? [2]
(iv) Who is a “copper’s nark” ? [1]
(v) Why does the bystander ask the other’s to look at the Note Taker’s boots? [1]
(vi) How does the Note Taker proceed to win the interest and appreciation of the crowd? [2]
(b) HIGGINS: Well, what have you to say to me?
PICKERING: Am I in the way?
MRS. PEARCE: Not at all, sir. Mr. Higgins, will you please be very particular what you say before the girl?
HIGGINS (sternly): Of course I’m always particular about what I say. Why do you say this to me?
MRS. PEARCE (unmoved): Noo sir, you’re not at all particular when you’ve mislaid anything or when you get a little impatient. Now it doesn’t matter before me; I’m used to it. But you really must not swear before the girl.
(i) Where are the speakers during this conversation? Who is the girl? [2]
(ii) Why has the girl come here? Where is she now? [2]
(iii) What are Mrs. Pearce’s objections about having the girl here? [2]
(iv) Is Mr. Higgins right when he objects to Mrs. Pearce’s words? Give one example from the play to support your answer. [2]
(v) Which other bad habit of Higgins does Mrs Pearce talk about? [1]
(vi) What is Higgins’ reaction to Mrs. Pearce’s observations about his language and behaviour? [1]
(c) HOST: What do you say Professor?
HIGGINS: I say an ordinary London girl out of the gutter and taught to speak by an expert. I place her in Drury Lane.
NEPOMMUCK: Ha ha ha ! Oh, maestro, maestro, you are mad on the subject of cockney dialects. The London gutter is the whole world for you.
HIGGINS (to the Hostess): What does your Excellency say?
HOSTESS: Oh, of course I agree with Nepommuck. She must be a princess at least.
(i) Where are Higgins and the other speakers? Why has Higgins come here? [2]
(ii) Who is Nepommuck? How had he greeted Higgins? [2]
(iii) Why does Nepommuck think that Eliza is of royal blood? [1]
(iv) What had Higgins said earlier in the play about his ability to identify the origins of people through their pronunciation? [2]
(v) What does Eliza tell Higgins when she wants to go home? [1]
(vi) In what way had Pickering provided support and encouragement to Eliza during her test?