NCERT Solutions
Class 12 English Core
10 chapters · 19 important questions
The Last Lesson (Flamingo)
A story by Alphonse Daudet about the last French lesson in an Alsatian village under German occupation. Franz's regret about neglecting his studies and the patriotism of M. Hamel are central themes.
Key Topics
Important Questions
What was Franz's attitude towards his French lessons before the last lesson? How did it change?
What did M. Hamel say about the French language? Why is language important to national identity?
Lost Spring (Flamingo)
Two narratives about children denied their childhood — Saheb who ragpicks in Delhi and Mukesh who wants to be a motor mechanic despite family pressure to work in glass bangles factory in Firozabad.
Key Topics
Important Questions
What forces conspire to keep children like Saheb and Mukesh trapped in their situation?
What does 'seeming' mean in the phrase 'the seeming perpetual state of poverty'?
Deep Water (Flamingo)
William Douglas describes how a childhood drowning incident at the YMCA pool created a lifelong fear of water and how he overcame it through determination and professional instruction.
Key Topics
Important Questions
How did Douglas overcome his fear of water? What qualities does this demonstrate?
What is the significance of Douglas quoting Roosevelt at the end?
The Rattrap (Flamingo)
A Swedish story of a peddler who steals but is shown kindness by Edla Willmansson. Her hospitality and trust transform him, and he returns the stolen money as a Christmas gift.
Key Topics
Important Questions
How does the metaphor of the rattrap contribute to the theme of the story?
How does Edla Willmansson's treatment of the peddler change him?
Indigo (Flamingo)
An extract from Louis Fischer's biography of Gandhi, describing his campaign for the indigo farmers of Champaran. This was Gandhi's first major experiment with Satyagraha in India.
Key Topics
Important Questions
Describe Gandhi's efforts to secure justice for the peasants of Champaran.
Why is the Champaran episode considered a turning point in India's struggle for independence?
Poets and Pancakes (Flamingo)
Asokamitran's humorous account of life at the Gemini Studios — the make-up department, the visits by poets, and an encounter with a mysterious Englishman who turned out to be a Communist.
Key Topics
Important Questions
What impression does the author give of Gemini Studios? Is the account reliable?
Why was the make-up department a 'snobbish' one? Who were treated badly?
The Interview (Flamingo)
Discusses the nature of interview as a form of art and journalism. Umberto Eco's interview reveals a scholar who manages to write popular fiction despite being a medievalist.
Key Topics
Important Questions
What are the arguments for and against interviews as a journalistic tool?
How does Umberto Eco describe his success in writing? What is his concept of 'interstices'?
Going Places (Flamingo)
Sophie's story — her fantasies about meeting famous footballer Danny Casey and her brother Geoff's real-world perspective. Explores themes of fantasy, escapism, and aspiration.
Key Topics
Important Questions
What kind of girl was Sophie? What were her dreams?
Do you think Sophie's meeting with Danny Casey really happened? Justify with evidence.
My Mother at Sixty-six (Poem — Flamingo)
Kamala Das's poem about the ageing of her mother, symbolised by the mother's sleeping, pale face. The daughter's fear of loss and the smile she maintains at parting are central.
Key Topics
Important Questions
What is the kind of pain and ache the poet feels in this poem?
Describe the imagery used in the poem to convey the mother's ageing.
A Roadside Stand (Poem — Flamingo)
Robert Frost's poem about a roadside stand set up by poor rural people hoping to earn money from passing city cars. The poem explores the indifference of the rich and the longing of the poor.
Key Topics
Important Questions
What is the central theme of 'A Roadside Stand'? How does the poet present the contrast between the rich and the poor?