2026
ALTERNATIVE ENGLISH
Full Marks : 100
Pass Marks : 30
Time : 3 hours
The figures in the margin indicate full marks for the questions.
Total = 100
GROUP—A (Prose) (Marks : 40)
1. Give brief answers to any five of the following questions in full sentence : (1×5=5)
(a) What is the full name of the verger?
(b) At exactly what time did Rama use to arrive with his load of stuff?
(c) In which street was Rosemary shopping when she met Miss Smith?
(d) Where does the younger son go to pursue medical studies?
(e) How many chapatis could one get at Rama by paying an anna?
(f) At what age did the verger go into service?
(g) What is the name of the magazine mentioned by Philip?
(h) Who had inaugurated the Kanhikuchi Airport of Guwahati?
(i) Name two locations of Guwahati mentioned in “The Voyage”.
(j) Which letter of the alphabet resembled the shape of Bina Kutir?
2. Answer any five of the following questions : (2×5=10)
(a) Name at least three journals/newspapers offered by the air hostess.
(b) How did the verger keep his gowns?
(c) What did the verger feel about the old vicar?
(d) Describe, in brief, the food items sold by Rama.
(e) How does Philip react towards Miss Smith?
(f) Briefly describe Bina Kutir as the narrator looked at it for the first time.
(g) Give a brief description of the young man at the counter.
(h) What did Rama feel about the ‘young scraggy fellow’, the one who did business before Rama arrived?
(i) Write a short description of the little enamel box.
(j) Give, after Bhupen Hazarika, a brief description of Djibouti.
3. Give answers to any two of the following questions : (3×2=6)
(a) How did the young man reply when the narrator asked him about a refrigerator?
(b) Give a gist of the conversation between the verger and the vicar.
(c) Describe Rosemary’s encounter with Miss Smith.
(d) What happened when the wheels of the plane to Calcutta had started rolling?
(e) Give a short description of Rama’s customers.
4. Answer any two of the following questions : (5×2=10)
(a) Give a brief account of Bhupen Hazarika’s journey through Sri Lanka.
(b) Do you agree that The Martyr’s Corner represents many aspects of Indian life? Write a reasoned answer.
(c) Write an extended note on the portrayal of Rosemary Fell’s character.
(d) Based on the multiple speculative scenes that the narrator sees inside Cocacola bottles, draw a pen picture of the family that supposedly lived in the Bina Kutir.
5. Explain, with reference to the context, any one of the following : (5)
(a) “Well, sir that’s just it. I can’t. I know it sounds funny-like, but there it is. I can’t read nor write, only me name, an’ I only learnt to do that when I went into business.”
(b) “One night, when he went home with just two annas in his bag, he sat up on the pyol and announced to his wife, ‘I believe our business is finished. Let us not think of it any more.’”
6. Give answers to the following as directed :
(a) Write the meaning of the words given below : (½×4=2)
(i) Dilapidated
(ii) Mesmerising
(iii) Fascinating
(iv) Assortment
(b) Write the antonyms of the words given below : (½×2=1)
(i) Predecessor
(ii) Antique
(c) Write the synonyms of the words given below : (½×2=1)
(i) Infirm
(ii) Retched
GROUP—B (Poetry) (Marks : 30)
7. Answer any five of the following questions as directed in full sentences : (1×5=5)
(a) For how many hours did it rain?
(b) How did the face of the statue lay in Ozymandias of Egypt?
(c) “We passed the school, where ____ strove at recess—in the Ring—” (Fill in the blank)
(d) Who came like “swarm of flies”?
(e) What does the poet mean by ‘Chariot wheels’?
(f) Name the bird mentioned in “The Lake Isle of Innisfree”.
(g) ‘Alexander Selkirk enjoys being the monarch of the Island.’ Is it True or False?
(h) What will the speaker plant at Innisfree?
8. Answer briefly any five of the following questions : (2×5=10)
(a) Who were the occupants of the ‘carriage’ in Because I could not stop for Death?
(b) What, according to Alexander Selkirk, were ‘divinely bestow’d upon man’?
(c) What did the peasants say about the mother’s previous and next births?
(d) What does the poet mean by the expression ‘peace comes dropping slow’?
(e) How did the speaker understand that the sculptor read well the passions of the king?
(f) How does the speaker understand that he is in hell?
(g) How do the beasts react to Selkirk on the Island?
(h) Which figure of speech, based on sound, does Dickinson employ in her poem? Give one example.
9. Answer any two of the following questions : (3×2=6)
(a) In her poem, Dickinson has used capital letters to begin a number of words, which are otherwise written with small letters. Write an explanation for this use.
(b) Discuss the significance of the Lake Isle of Innisfree in the speaker’s life.
(c) Write, in short, about the emotional state of Selkirk.
(d) Discuss Shelley’s use of irony and satire in his prescribed poem.
10. Answer any one of the following questions : (5)
(a) Explain with reference to the context :
“Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that Colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
Or
“There’s mercy in every place,
And mercy, encouraging thought
Gives even affliction a grace,
And reconciles man to his lot.”
(b) Strange Meeting is a classic war poem that captures the hollowness and futility of war. Justify this statement.
(c) Write a note on the central theme of “The Night of the Scorpion”. How does it develop in the poem?
11. Give answers to the following as directed :
(a) Write the meaning of the words given below : (½×4=2)
(i) Visage
(ii) Scarcely
(iii) Trek
(iv) Swarm
(b) Give antonyms of the following words : (½×2=1)
(i) Colossal
(ii) Loud
(c) Give synonyms of the following words : (½×2=1)
(i) Titanic
(ii) Recess
GROUP—C (Grammar) (Marks : 10)
12. Add question tag to any five of the following sentences : (1×5=5)
(a) Let’s have dinner, ____
(b) The dress isn’t too expensive, ____
(c) Open the window, ____
(d) The boys could swim, ____
(e) He rarely visits his parents, ____
(f) Few people went to the show, ____
(g) Use your common sense, ____
(h) Everyone praised the artwork, ____
13. Correct the errors in any five of the following sentences and rewrite them : (1×5=5)
(a) One of the man was killed in stampede.
(b) I prefer badminton than tennis.
(c) My uncle is a MA in Sanskrit.
(d) King Ashoka was a courage man.
(e) Mr. Das, as well as his wife, were invited.
(f) My brother is smarter than me.
(g) I have known him since three months.
(h) The Jury were supposed to pronounce the verdict today.
GROUP—D
(Writing and Comprehension)
(Marks : 20)
14. Choose any one of the topics listed below and write an essay on it : (10)
(a) Sports as a career in India
(b) Youth empowerment
(c) India’s North-East as a tourism destination
(d) The importance of ecological conservation
15. Read the following conversation carefully :
Father : Son son, as you have appeared in your finals, let’s discuss your future plans.
Son : Sure dad, but you already know about those!
Father : Hmm… yes, you want to pursue B.Tech in a top-notch institute. I understand that, but, there are other options also available. The world is full of opportunities in various fields.
Son : Agreed dad, but I have discussed all possibilities with my tutor, Baruah Sir. You were also present on many such occasions!
Father : Okay, which branch would you like to select?
Son : You know I had always loved the core branches, especially Civil and Mechanical. Baruah Sir suggested Information Technology. But, you know, I am now seriously thinking of something new, something really new and exciting.
Father : Tell me, quick.
(Just then the mother walks in carrying a platter of fruits.)
Father : Sit down Dolly, we are seriously discussing his future plans.
Son : Yes, mom, please sit. Of late I have been thinking of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It’s new and pretty exciting. It is the future! It will completely revolutionise our lives in unthinkable ways. Already the impacts are visible and many countries are taking it very seriously.
Father : Exactly, there are lots of discussion about it in my office also.
Mother : I have also heard about it, but mostly it is negative.
Son : Mom, everything has two sides to it.
Father : But, are there institutes in India offering AI?
Son : Very few, but Baruah Sir and myself have identified some of them.
Mother : Tell us, them.
Son : Come, I will show both of you on my laptop.
Answer the following questions based on your reading and understanding of the above :
(a) What does the son discuss with Baruah Sir? (1)
(b) Which course does the son want to study? (1)
(c) What does the father suggest to his son? (2)
(d) Which branch(es) is/are loved by the son? (1)
(e) What is the mother’s immediate reaction to the mention of AI? (1)
(f) What are the son’s views about AI? (3)
(g) Which words from the conversational passage mean the following : (½×2=1)
(i) Effect
(ii) Choice
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Students preparing for HS 2nd Year Alternative English can use this 2026 question paper as a reliable reference to practice actual ASSEB DIV-II board-level questions and strengthen their preparation before the final examination.
