List of top English Core Questions asked in CBSE CLASS XII

Attempt ANY ONE of the two, (A) or (B) in 120-150 words.

(A) You are Reena / Rahul Sen, a resident of 10, Lake View Road, Lucknow. You have observed a growing lack of civic sense among students and young adults. They are often seen littering public places, playing loud music, damaging public property and disregarding rules in parks and other public places. You are deeply concerned and wish to spread awareness about civic responsibility. Write a letter to the Editor of a national daily expressing your concern and suggesting ways to inculcate social ethics and values among the youth. You may use the given cues, along with your own ideas to draft the letter.

role of schools and parents.
encouraging civic behaviour in daily life.
involving the youth in community service and awareness drives.
make youth realize the long term benefits of being responsible citizens.

Attempt ANY ONE of the two, (A) or (B) in 120-150 words.

(B) You are Rubani / Sharad from Bengaluru. You have come across the following advertisement in the national newspaper and wish to apply for the same. Write a letter of application with your detailed bio-data.

DEL COLLECT ARCHITECTS
requires
Interns for the Mumbai Office.
Qualifications : 3rd year B.Arch. students
Skills : Software proficiency with industry - standard design software such as AutoCad, Adobe Creative Suite

Proficiency in drafting and modeling
Fundamental understanding of building codes and compliances
Attention to detail

If you can demonstrate creative design skills - Del collect is your destination.

Mukund Padmanabhan was a reporter who interviews Umberto Eco. In the context of the chapter, reveal any two of his traits as an interviewer. (The Interview)

Attempt in about 50 words.

You are Deepa / Daljit, the secretary of the Biology Club of your school. The club is organizing a week long workshop for school students after school hours on growing of microgreens for students. Draft a notice informing students the details of the workshop and last date of registration for participation. Include relevant details. Put the notice in a box.

Attempt ANY ONE of the two (A) or (B) in about 50 words.

(A) As the Chief Editor of the school magazine, draft a formal letter of invitation, inviting Sudhendu Rangarajan renowned author of children’s stories to conduct a workshop on editing skills for the budding student journalists in the school.

Attempt in about 50 words.

Your school is celebrating ‘Literary Week’ to promote reading habits and creative expression. As the co-curricular captain of Blue Valley School, Delhi, draft a notice, informing students of VI to XII inviting them to participate in the different activities. You are Ananya / Aarav. Put the notice in a box.

Answer in 40-50 words.

The Madras and the Tamil drama community were terribly impressed by the plays staged by MRA. Explain with an example from the text.

(Poets and Pancakes)

Answer in 40-50 words.

Kamala Das smiles to her mother as says, ‘See you soon Amma’. Comment.

(My Mother at Sixty Six)

Answer in 40-50 words.

Why did Saheb’s family shift from their home in Dhaka to Seemapuri ?

(Lost Spring)

Answer in 40-50 words.

Umberto Eco does many things, but says, ‘I am always doing the same thing’. Explain.

(The Interview)

Answer in 40-50 words.

Why was the crofter happy to welcome the stranger into the house ?

(The Rattrap)

Answer in 40-50 words.

What qualities made Douglas overcome his fear of water ?

(Deep Water)

Attempt in about 50 words.

You are Arvind Narayan, a renowned singer. You have been invited by the Principal of Green Valley International School, Dehradun, to deliver a guest lecture on ‘Owning the Stage’. Write a formal reply declining the invitation, due to a prior commitment.

Attempt in 120-150 words.

You are Sumita / Sumit from Karnataka. You read the given advertisement and wish to apply for the post advertised. Write a job application along with your bio-data.

MERCURY PHARMACEUTICALS
requires
Medical Representative for its Kanpur Office.
Qualifications : Graduate in Pharmacy or Business Management
Skills : Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Technical knowledge of pharmaceutical products, medical terminology.
Familiarity with digital sales tools.
Work Experience : 1 – 2 years in similar position.
Write to Mr. Srinivasan, 27 Prakhar Avenue, Kanpur

Attempt in about 50 words.

You are Aanya Gupta / Aarav, a core member of the Green Steps Club, Indirapuram. Your RWA is organizing an ‘Eco-Run for Environmental Awareness’. Draft an informal invitation, inviting your friends to participate in this purposeful and energizing run. Include all relevant details.

Attempt in 120-150 words.

Many apartment complexes and urban homes now use artificial turf and synthetic plants for decoration and landscaping, ignoring the ecological benefits of real greenery. This shift not only affects biodiversity but also contributes to rising urban heat. Write a letter to the editor of your city’s environmental magazine ‘My City’ expressing your concern over this trend. Suggest ways to bring back real plants into urban spaces. You may use the given cues along with your own ideas. You are Niti / Nikhil Arora, a landscape ecologist residing at Bengaluru.

Why synthetic plants and turf are gaining popularity in urban homes ?
How does it impact biodiversity and temperature ?
Why is real greenery important for ecological and mental health ?
The roles of schools and city planners to revive natural landscaping.

Attempt in about 50 words.

The Rotary Club is sponsoring a fund raiser to collect funds to support ‘Pratha’ a skill education center for girls from less privileged backgrounds. As secretary of the Community Service Club of your school, draft a notice to inform students and invite them to participate in the fund raiser. You are Shakshi/Srikant. Put the notice in a box.

Attempt in about 50 words.

The school trekking club is planning a weekend trek from Dehradun to Mussoorie and Kempty falls. You are Pragya / Pragyan, President of the Club. Draft a notice for students of Classes IX to XI informing them about the trek. Include relevant details. Put the notice in a box.

After dark she walked by the canal, along a sheltered part lighted only by the glare of the lamps from the wharf across the water, and the unceasing drone of the city was muffled and distant. It was a place she had often played in when she was a child. There was a wooden bench beneath a solitary elm where lovers sometime came. She sat down to wait. It was a perfect place, she had always thought so, for a meeting of this kind. For those who wished not be observed. She knew he would approve.

(Going Places)

The officials felt powerless without Gandhi’s cooperation. He helped them regulate the crowd. He was polite and friendly. He was giving them concrete proof that their might, hitherto dreaded and unquestioned, could be challenged by Indians.

The government was baffled. The prosecutor requested the judge to postpone the trial. Apparently, the authorities wished to consult their superiors. Gandhi protested against the delay. He read a statement pleading guilty. He was involved, he told the court, in a ‘conflict of duties’ – on the one hand, not to set a bad example as a lawbreaker, on the other hand, to render the ‘humanitarian and national service’ for which he had come. He disregarded the order to leave, ‘not for want of respect for lawful authority, but in obedience to the higher law of our being, the voice of conscience’. He asked for the penalty due.

(Indigo)

I got to wishing that you were right. Then I got to believing you were right. And, Charley, it’s true. I found the third level ! I’ve been here two weeks, and right now, down the street at the Daly’s, someone is playing a piano, and they are all out on the front porch singing ‘Seeing Nelly Home’. And I’m invited over for lemonade – come on back, Charley and Louisa. Keep looking till you find the third level. It’s worth it, believe me ! – The note is signed Sam.

(The Third Level)

After I had watched all this, at last I went home. My elder brother was there. I told him the story in all its comic details. I fell about with laughter at the memory of a big man, and an elder at that, making such a game out of carrying the parcel. But Annan was not amused. Annan told me the man wasn’t being funny when he carried the package like that. He said everybody believed that they were upper caste and therefore must not touch us. If they did, they would be polluted. That’s why he had to carry the package by its string.

(Memories of Childhood : We Too are Human Beings)

Read the following extract and answer the questions :

When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid

(Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers)

Read the following extract and answer the questions :

The little house was out with a little new shed
In front at the edge of the road where traffic sped,
A roadside stand that pathetically pled,
It would not be fair to say for a dole of bread
But for some of the money, the cash, whose flow supports
The flower of cities from sinking and withering faint.
The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead,
Or if ever aside a moment, then out of sorts
At having the landscape marred with artless paint
Of sign that with N turned wrong and S turned wrong

(A Roadside Stand)

Read the passage carefully:

The Rise of Urban Farming in Indian Cities: A Sustainable Future or Fleeting Trend

Introduction:

(1) As India’s metropolises swell under the weight of population growth, pollution and food insecurity, a quiet revolution is unfolding on rooftops and balconies: urban farming. Once seen as a hobby for the eco-conscious elite, urban agriculture is now being explored as a practical solution to city-based food shortages, environmental degradation, and even mental health challenges.

Methodology – survey – explanation:

(2) In 2024, a survey by the Indian Institute of Sustainable Agriculture revealed that 1 in 7 urban households in Tier-1 cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, now practise some form of food cultivation ranging from herbs on kitchen shelves to aquaponic systems on terraces. The motivations are varied: some grow spinach and tomatoes to escape pesticide exposure, while others experiment with hydroponics as a side hustle. Municipal authorities are also catching on; in Chennai and Pune, tax rebates and community grants are now offered to promote green roof tops.

Results:

(3)

Year	City	% of Households Engaged	Notable Initiatives
2022	Bengaluru	9%	‘Grow Your Own Food’ Campaign
2023	Delhi	11%	Rooftop farming subsidy scheme
2024	Pune	15%	Terrace Garden Tax Rebate
2025	Hyderabad	18% (projected)	App-based Micro Farm Programme

Data Table: Urban Farming Trends (2022-2025)

Effects:

Advocates urge that farming reduces ‘food miles’ (the distance food travels from farm to fork), improves air quality, and reconnects city dwellers with the rhythms of nature. Critics, however, are skeptical. They argue that lack of space, high initial costs for equipment, and unreliable yields make urban farming unsustainable at scale. Moreover, without regulation, concern about rooftop safety and water use efficiency persists.

Implications:

(4) Still, the momentum is growing. NGOs like ‘Haryali’ and start-ups like ‘Rangeen’ have emerged, offering seed kits, app-based guidance and balcony farming workshops. For young professionals navigating fast-paced lives, this offers something tangible: control, calm and climate action, all from a window ledge.

Conclusion:

(5) Whether urban farming becomes a permanent fixture of Indian city life or remains a well-intentioned trend will depend not just on individual choices but on how cities plan, regulate and integrate agriculture into their concrete jungles.