English - 2009(Language and Literature)
Comptt.
(Set III - Delhi)
Time allowed : 3 hours
Maximum marks : 100
General Instructions:
(i) This paper consists of four Sections:
Section A Reading 20 marks
Section B Writing 20 marks
Section C Grammar 15 marks
Section D Textbooks 45 marks
(ii) All questions are compulsory.
(iii) Marks are indicated against each question.
SECTION A- Reading 20
Q. 1. Read the poem given below and answer the questions that follow: 8
- India’s fi rst individual gold medal at the Olympics 2008 has made the nation jump with joy. It has come after we have participated in 21 Olympic Games. That’s not a great achievement for a nation with a population of a billion people and a growing economic power. India’s solitary gold, however, brings into focus something that many including gold medalist Abhinav Bindra have asked, “Why on earth did it take so long?”
- The main reasons are poor facilities, government apathy and lack of sporting culture. All of these have in some measure contributed to explain India’s poor showing in sports.
- There are broadly two models that India can look up to, if it wants to improve its performance in the future Olympics and in sports in general.
- One is clearly the successful Chinese model. We tend to forget that China’s fi rst Olympic gold medal came as recently as the 1984 Games. Since then China has jumped to the top of the medals tally with 32 golds in the previous Games, only four behind the U.S. It has managed this by focussing on lesser known but medal-rich sports such as weightlifting, shooting and rowing. In addition, China has strengthened its traditional sports like gymnastics, diving and table tennis. China has also focussed on women athletes who are usually funded less elsewhere. In the Athens Games, women won two-thirds of China’s medals.
- The other model is the American one, where there is no centralised system but a highly competitive school and university sports structure which produces great athletes. There is little involvement of the state, except for the government’s funding of public colleges and schools and athletic scholarships. The U.S. tends to excel in sports that are popular with the Americans such as running, swimming or basketball, rather than disciplines like shooting or archery. 6. India could easily focus on a few sports among the 28 Olympic disciplines. It can help the country to increase its medals tally. India once had a robust club structure. It produced great hockey players including Dhyan Chand and so many footballers. There is no reason why it can’t be revived. Private companies and trusts could easily help as they’ve started doing in a small way in the last few years.
Q. 1.1 (a) What gave India a great joy and why? 2
(b) Who made India feel so proud? 1
(c) Give two reasons for India’s poor showing in the Olympics. 2
(d) Mention the two models which India can look up to if it wants to improve its medalstally in the Olympics. 1
(e) What are the practical suggestions which can help India to improve the medals-tally in future Olympics? 2
(f) How did China manage to win so many medals in the last Olympics? Give one reason. 1
