HSC February 2025 Prose Section

HSC February 2025 Prose Section– See activities and expected answers.

Important instructions–

1) Each activity has to be answered in complete sentence/s. One- word answers will not be given complete credit. Just the correct activity number written in case of options will not be given credit. 2) Web diagrams, flow charts, tables etc. are to be presented exactly as they are with answers. 3) In point 2 above, just words without the presentation of the activity format/design, will not be given credit. Use of colour pencils/pens etc. is not allowed. (Only blue/black pens are allowed.) 4) Multiple answers to the same activity will be treated as wrong and will not be given any credit. 5) Maintain the sequence of the Sections/Question Nos./Activities throughout the activity sheet.

SECTION-I: PROSE

(Reading for Comprehension, Language Study, Summary and Mind Mapping)

Q. 1. (A) Read the extract and complete the activities given below: (12) [16]

I spent 32 years in Information Technology out of which I was a Chief Executive Officer or MD or the software head for 23 years for large global multinational software companies with thousands of software professionals’ worldwide and 6 offices in the US, 3 in Europe, 1 in Japan and 1 in Australia. I had to travel all over the globe around 150 times for business. During this period, I had also written 4 books with 500-700 pages each on Information Technology published by Tata McGraw-Hill and then translated into Chinese for global distribution. I learnt a lot of things when I was running these large companies. The first one was the importance of teamwork. In today’s world, nothing is possible without teamwork. You cannot be successful if you are a loner and an egoistic person. Secondly, you need to lead from the front by setting a good example in front of your staff. Third was that you need to treat your subordinates and your colleagues as friends. In my career, I made a few mistakes, but learnt a lot about motivation, being a good listener, target setting and the art of delegation which forms such an important part of today’s management. After working for all these software companies for so many years, I wanted to return to my first love i.e. to read and write on various subjects concerning human life and existence. Therefore, I gave up two offers of around 3 crore rupees per annum to become a writer. This is how my second innings as a writer in Marathi began.   After this, I have written about 34 books in Marathi. Most of them have become bestsellers with tens of thousands of copies sold for each. However, it is not the sales or the money that is important to me as much as the fact that these books have brought about very good changes in the lives of thousands of readers.

A1. Read the following statements and arrange them in proper sequence:(2)

(1) The narrator turned down high income job offers to pursue a career as a writer.

(2) He led major global multinational software companies.

(3) His writing brought about positive transformations in the lives of readers.

(4) He learnt invaluable life lessons while heading multinational companies.

Answer-

(2) He led major global multinational software companies.

(4) He learnt invaluable life lessons while heading multinational companies.

(1) The narrator turned down high income job offers to pursue a career as a writer.

(3) His writing brought about positive transformations in the lives of readers.

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A2. Complete the following web-diagram on the ‘Key aspects of management’:

——————–		——————–
	Key Aspects of Management
——————–		——————–

Answer-

teamwork	motivation	lead from the front
Use of art of delegation	Key Aspects of Management	learn from mistakes
treat subordinates and colleagues as friends	target setting	be a good listener

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A3. Provide the supporting details from the extract that highlight the narrator’s success as a writer.(2)

Success as a Writer	——————–
	——————–

Answer-

Success as a Writer	He wrote 34 books. Most of his books have become bestsellers. Sold tens of thousands of copies.
	His books have brought about very good changes (positive transfromation) in the lives of thousands of readers

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A4. Personal Response:

Do you think passion is more important than wealth?

Explain your views in about 50 words.

Answer-

Yes. I think passion is more important than wealth. Passion is more important because it helps us to get motivated, fulfilled, and successful. It helps us to focus on our aim. It is the key to success. It makes us creative. It gives us strength to win against adversities. So, we can gain wealth as well as all other essential things of life if we pursue our passion.  

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A5. Do as directed:

(i) I passed from IIT.

(Choose the correct option from the given alternatives showing the correct use of ‘Present Perfect Tense.’)

(a) I shall have passed from IIT.

(b) I have passed from IIT.

(c) I had passed from IIT.

(d) I has passed from IIT.

Answer-

(b) I have passed from IIT.

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ii) I made a few mistakes, but learnt a lot about motivation.

(Choose the correct ‘Complex Sentence’ from the options given below.)

(a) Making a few mistakes, I learnt a lot about motivation.

(b) Though I made a few mistakes, I learnt a lot about motivation.

(c) I made a few mistakes and I learnt a lot about motivation.

(d) I made a few mistakes to learn a lot about motivation.

Answer-

(b) Though I made a few mistakes, I learnt a lot about motivation.

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A6. Vocabulary:

Find out the words from the extract which mean:

(a) lower in rank or position

(b) person with whom one works

(c) person who practices or shows selfishness or pride

(d) involving many countries

Answer-

(a) lower in rank or position – subordinate

(b) person with whom one works – colleagues

(c) person who practices or shows selfishness or pride – egoist

(d) involving many countries – multinational

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(B) Language Study (Non-Textual Grammar)

B1. Do as directed:

(1) Nandini said to Raj, “Where did you go during the holidays last year?”

(Choose the correct ‘Indirect Speech’ from the given options and write it.)

(i) Nandini asked Raj where he had gone during the holidays last year.

(ii) Nandini asked Raj where had he gone during the holidays last year.

(iii) Nandini asked Raj where he went during the holidays last year.

(iv) Nandini asked Raj where he has gone during the holidays last year.

Answer-

(i) Nandini asked Raj where he had gone during the holidays last year/ the previous year.

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(2) Tree planting became a natural choice.(1)

(Choose the correct ‘Wh question’ to get the underlined part as the answer from the given options.)

(i) What did become a natural choice?

(ii) What was become a natural choice?

(iii) What had become a natural choice?

(iv) What became a natural choice?

Answer-

(iv) What became a natural choice?

Or

(I) What did become a natural choice?

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(3) If children don’t play any games, they will become dull and lazy.

(Choose the correct option from the given alternatives showing the correct use of ‘unless’.)

(i) Unless children don’t play any games they will become dull and lazy.

(ii) Unless children play any games they will become dull and lazy.

(iii) Unless children play any games they will not Hrebecome dull and lazy.

(iv) Unless children play any games they will became dull and lazy.

Answer-

(ii) Unless children play any games they will become dull and lazy.

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B2. Spot the error and rewrite the correct sentence:

(i) She is more shorter than her brother.

Answer-

The error in this sentence is the use of the word ‘more’.

The correct sentence is – She is shorter than her brother.

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Download PDF of all HSC Board English Activity Sheets-

👇

HSC Board All Activity Sheets in PDF

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Q.2 (A) Read the extract and complete the activities given below:(12) [18]

Change is the only constant and disruptive technologies are only quickening its pace. “I’ve been an entrepreneur all my life. Never has the pace of change been as high as it is today. Today, we are facing a large number of disruptive forces, especially those caused by technology,” Nilekani said. He shared the example of the iPhone, which is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary. “What we have seen in the past 10 years is a complete change in the balance of technology from serving the enterprise to serving the consumer. Today, when you look at the leading companies in the world by Market Capitalisation, they are all companies that service consumers like Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple and so on. This is because the balance of power has shifted to consumer technology,” He said.   The constant change will require constant learning and relearning. The core message from Nilekani therefore was: Lifetime learning. “The good news is that you have got degree from IIT Madras. The not so good news is that you can’t stop learning. You will have to keep learning for the rest of your life because we are now entering an era of lifelong learning,” he said. And by life-long learning, he didn’t mean “going to a campus and have fun for five years.” It will be learning in short bursts, any time learning, anywhere learning. It’s going to be just in time learning. A lot of it will even be online learning.   This need for constant learning and relearning will come because of our collective inability to predict the kind of jobs that will be done in future or the kind of organisations that people will be working for in future. The high rate of automation in the jobs will have an impact on the way jobs are done. We have seen in the past that technology has made repetitive jobs go away as computers became more and more powerful. In the past 10-15 years, you are seeing the rise of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Machine Learning. And increasingly, in the last 5-6 years, the rise of deep learning, which allows you to use a new kind of technology called neural networks that use a lot of data to make machines smarter and smarter.

A1.Read the following statements and find the two correct statements that state the theme of the extract:

(a) The extract is about Nandan Nilekani as an entrepreneur and his achievements.

(b) The extract is about a change in technology in recent past and changes resulted from it.

(c) The extract is about life-long learning and relearning for the rest of our life.

(d) The extract is emphasizing only about online education.

Answer-

(b) The extract is about a change in technology in recent past and changes resulted from it.

(c) The extract is about life-long learning and relearning for the rest of our life.

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A2. Complete the flow chart on the need for constant learning and relearning. One is done for you. Find the information from the extract and complete the flow chart. (2)

High rate of automation in job

👇

👇

👇

👇

Answer-

High rate of automation in job

👇

Computers became more and more powerful

👇

Rise in artificial intelligence and machine learning

👇

Rise of deep learning

👇

Use of new technology called neural networks

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A3. Illustrate the idea of lifelong learning as mentioned in the extract.(2)

Answer-

According to the writer lifelong learning means learning in short bursts, education and the development of skills beyond formal education. It’s anytime and anywhere learning. It is just in time learning, and much of this learning will be online.

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A4. Today, online education has become an integral part of all sectors. Write your views.(2)

Answer-

Yes, I agree that online education has become an integral part of all sectors today. Online education is important because it’s flexible and affordable. It meets a variety of learning needs. It helps students to search for advancement in their careers. Our life now becomes very fast and changing. To fulfil the needs of today’s life, we have to update our knowledge and understanding every time. For this purpose, online education gives us good support. We get everything at home. So, online education has become an integral part of all sectors today.

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A5. Do as directed:(2)

(1) He shared the example of iPhone.

(Choose the correct ‘Passive Voice’ from the given options and write it.)

(i) The example of iPhone is shared by him.

(ii) The example of iPhone was shared by him.

(iii) The example of iPhone has been shared by him.

(iv) The example of iPhone had been shared by him.

Answer-

(ii) The example of iPhone was shared by him.

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(2) The constant change will require constant learning and relearning.

(Choose the correct option replacing the modal auxiliary showing ‘Obligation’ and write it.)

(i) The constant change may require constant learning and relearning.

(ii) The constant change shall require constant learning and relearning.

(iii) The constant change must require constant learning and relearning.

(iv) The constant change might require constant learning and relearning.

Answer-

(iii) The constant change must require constant learning and relearning.

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A6.Vocabulary:(2)

Match the following words given in column ‘A’ with their meanings given in column ‘B’ and rewrite it –

‘A’	‘B’
(1) Entrepreneur	(a) To say that something would happen in the future. (b) Person who starts or organises a commercial enterprise. (c) Economic system in which country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners. (d) Action of organizing something. (e) Use of automatic equipment and machines to do work.
(2) Capitalisation
(3) Predict
(4) Automation

Answer-

‘A’
(1) Entrepreneur	(b) Person who starts or organises a commercial enterprise.
(2) Capitalisation	(c) Economic system in which country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners.
(3) Predict	(a) To say that something would happen in the future.
(4) Automation	(e) Use of automatic equipment and machines to do work.

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B) Summarising:(3)

Write a ‘Summary of the above extract by using the following points-

Change and disruptive technologies – constant learning and relearning – lifelong learning – impact on the job.

Answer-

“Embracing Change: The Need for Lifelong Learning in a Tech-Driven World”

The passage emphasizes that change is constant and accelerating due to disruptive technologies. Writer highlights how technology has shifted the balance of power from enterprises to consumers. Leading global companies now thrive by catering directly to consumers. To adapt to this rapid change, lifelong learning is essential. Writer stresses that education is no longer confined to traditional institutions but must be continuous, flexible, and often online. This shift is driven by the unpredictability of future jobs and the increasing role of automation, AI, and deep learning in transforming industries. As technology advances, individuals must constantly learn and relearn to stay relevant in the evolving job market.

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(C) Mind Mapping:

Prepare a mind map on the topic ‘Developing English Language Skills’ using your ideas, design and structure.

Answer-

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