Model Specimen Paper 1 English - I

Answer 1. (a) In my college days, I made many friends who came from different backgrounds, caste and creed. Three of us—all of different castes—became close friends at college. Even outside the college, we frequently visited each other’s houses without hesitation. However, I had another friend who was completely different from all other boys not only in our class but in the entire college. He stood out in a crowd due to his unique sense of dressing. He was a Buddhist monk from erstwhile Burma (now Myanmar). Although a monk, he had come to graduate in History from Delhi University and had further planned to do his Masters in Buddhist history from Calcutta University. His name was Anupam Lobo. There were other students from various countries e.g., South Africa, Romania, Canada etc., but this boy stood out amongst all. At first he would maintain his distance from everybody, confining himself to his room. He stayed in the college hostel but never invited any one to his room. During the first year, he was seldom seen at any social hang-outs. He liked to be secluded and seemed to be either eccentric or egotistic or simply an introvert. Little did we know about the reason behind his strange demeanour. He would be seen during classes taking notes and putting up questions occasionally, in all graveness. He never missed a class which showed his devotion towards his studies. The only other place that he seemed to frequent was the library where he could be seen studying about the Buddhist culture and history. Whatever the reason behind his self-imposed seclusion may have been, he was never too busy to help out a fellow student with their studies. Nobody understood the logic behind his seclusion but everyone respected him for his dignified way of handling himself and any situation he faced. Towards the end of the first year, as he was finally beginning to fit in with everyone else, we did catch hints every now and then, which led us to conclude that he suffered from chronic shyness. The second year saw many changes in my Buddhist friend. He gradually opened up, and started mixing with friends, taking part in debates and workshops, and would even accompany us to the sports field. Our college hockey team was well known in the university. He had picked up words and phrases from Hindi, Bengali and other Indian languages. By the beginning of third year, he was an entirely different person. Always dressed in his freshly laundered saffron attire and clean shaven head, he would always greet everybody with a big smile on his broad face. After graduating he moved back to Calcutta as planned and I chose a different field. We drifted apart from each other but his memory is still etched in my mind. His mannerism and outlook towards life is still an inspiration to me. (b) There were many memorable experiences during my stay in school. I shall narrate one such incident which is still fresh in my memory though a few decades have passed. Every year our school would organise Basant Panchami or Saraswati Puja in January/ February. In our school, the practice was such where the students of class X, both sections A and B, were responsible for organising the puja. When I was in class X, we were excited at the prospect of organising the puja that year. A committee was formed from amongst the students of class X. Luckily, I was elected the secretary and another boy who was good in Maths, became the treasurer. Two senior teachers were assigned to be teacher representatives and held overall control. The ground work commenced about a month before the puja, jobs like printing invitation cards, | 2 | ISC Model Specimen Papers, XII arranging for the idol, planning for prasad, cultural show, were in full swing. We were fortunate that our Art teacher was an expert in idol making so we did not have to run around to find an idol maker. So, without further a due, he got down to work and was helped by some good art students. Our Sanskrit teacher was the priest for the occasion. We had been seeing him performing the puja every year since our childhood days. The few students who showed no interest in working or contributing were not included in the committee, but they were allowed to participate in the proceedings. The day before the puja we were working late in the evening and were supposed to stay back in the school for the night, when my treasurer friend and I were summoned by our teachers in the Biology Lab. They simply told us that the two of us were not required to stay back. Only students who were looking after the idol making and decoration would stay back. We were curious why no reason was given and went back home disheartened. The library room was the preferred place to hold the puja. Early next morning, both of us entered the library room together only to find something missing but could not comprehend what? The puja went off peacefully without any apparent problem. A couple of days later, it was revealed that some costly books were stolen from the library. With March approaching, we were ready for the final examination. On the day the result was announced, it was announced that results of a few students were withheld. They were those trouble mongers who stole books from the library. They were summoned to the principal’s office and were given a warning. If the stolen books were not returned within three days, they were likely to face disciplinary action. I could not hold back my curiosity and both, my treasurer friend and I, confronted our English teacher about why did he suspect those boys of theft. He told us the whole story and about his suspicion and the reason he asked us to go back home the night. The boys had planned the theft and wanted to implicate us in their wrongdoings. Blessings of Goddess Saraswati and our teachers saved us from being framed for that theft. This incident shall always remain fresh in my memory because that day we were saved from a big controversy because of our teacher. (c) New Delhi is an intriguing city. It is full of people from all walks of life. Common people, affluent people, people who don’t care about anything else but themselves, people who care too much, people who are nosy and people who are nonchalant, in Delhi, you will find everything and every kind of person there is. As for the architecture, places, buildings, eateries – there is no better city to charm you with its diversity; one such intriguing sight is located near my house too. While passing by, I often come across a lone railway compartment with an engine tugged away in one corner. Since there were no railway tracks around, I wondered why was there a railway compartment in the middle of nowhere. One day I decided to stop and explore. It was early morning and I slowly approached the spot where the abandoned compartment stood. As I went closer, the area around it looked neat and clean. Then I noticed a sign above the compartment with “IMLI” written on it. Going closer to the door, to my surprise I noticed that it was a roadside restaurant. The engine was the kitchen and the compartment served as the dining space. It was a novel idea indeed. I decided to visit the place for lunch one day with my family. Climbing the compartment steps, we entered the air conditioned restaurant. We were welcomed by a smiling gentleman and were guided to a table. In a railway dining car, two rows of tables and chairs are placed by the windows. The walls were lined with wide screen television sets on both sides depicting various railway stations, running trains, tourist spots in and around the country, etc. Water and menu cards were placed before us. Good food with quick service were its forte. We were highly satisfied with the service provided by the restaurant. Good food, courteous behaviour, and affordable pricing made the roadside restaurant very popular with the customers. If in Delhi, you should try and visit as many intriguing places as you can. It would amount to something of an experience to blog, talk or think over later in life. For those who enjoy vegetarian cuisine, I highly recommend this restaurant. Not only do the locals come with their families but food lovers from faraway places also throng the place in hopes of dining English - I | 3 | in a place with an innovative concept. In summer, one needs to book seats in advance to save oneself from waiting outside in the sweltering heat. (d) Greed is not just a five-letter word. It has wide implication in life. Man is greedy by nature – greed for good things, greed for power, greed for love, greed for a lavish and luxurious life, greed for good clothes, good food and the best amenities in life is all pervading. Greed has no end. It goes on multiplying. Only man himself can control or put an end to his greed. If somebody has ` 100 in his pockets, he wants a thousand next, then a lakh, a crore and the greed goes on increasing. If one has a bicycle, he wants to have a scooter or bike, then a car, a better car and so on. You may be wearing a good wrist watch but always hankering for a more costly one, a bigger house in place of a small one. Greed is always multiplying. Usually there is no end to greed. Not only human being, but also animals and birds show greed. Suppose you have a few pets at home such as a parrot, a cat and a dog. Since these pets live together under the same roof, they may develop friendship among themselves but if your parrot or cat finds you pampering your dog, they will not relish that at all and would make every effort in their power to draw your attention away from the dog towards them. They are greedy for your love and affection. We may, thus conclude that greed is contagious both among human beings and animals. Fifty years after the Holocaust, our world still accepts a pattern where other human beings are a means to an end and are expendable. We no longer consider our fellow humans to be living beings, rather, we try to use them for our own benefits and then, discard them once they have served their purpose. The standard of judging others is that of rather tarnished gold, and in a world where the market has become a place of war, anything is permitted. Greed is an expression of the eccentric human who no longer recognizes the rights of his fellow human beings beyond his own selfish desires. Where our vision has shrunk to the point where we only see ourselves, the amassing of wealth becomes our central concern and the health and well-being of those around us gets unwittingly pushed to the sidelines. It is not that we want things for ourselves— how many yachts can we use, how many hand- tailored garments can we wear on any given day? Possessions become our defense in a world we fear, our neighbours’ greed attacks us just as our greed attacks him. A legend reminds us of the people of Sodom, who marked each gold coin with their own name. When a beggar entered the city, they would hand him a coin, but to the poor man’s dismay, no one would accept it to sell him bread. He would die of hunger, and the citizens will then search the body, and each would take his own coin. Greed is the most severe issue that the world currently faces as it prevents those in power from doing what they can to eradicate the actual issues. Greed can destroy us, too, when we make it the virtue of the marketplace. (e) (I) For the Motion Home-schooling, as the term suggests, means to provide education to children at homes preferably by one the stay-at-home parent. This system of giving an education ones child has been in existence since the medieval times. In the Western world, especially in European countries, home schooling was quite the rage amongst the landed aristocracy who could afford to acquire the best of educators to groom their children. In India, however, the system of Gurukuls was popular since the age of the Aryans. It is important to know that although the system of mainstream schooling is older than home-schooling, the benefits of home-schooling are far reaching. Home-schooling has given a lot of positive results. Mothers or fathers have tried to use this method of educating their kids and have gone on to see them clearing the toughest of competitive exams with ease and comfort. The debate to prove the superiority of day schools over home-schools is an old one. Home-schooling has now become more popular with the digital tools being used to impart education to children. The importance of internet cannot be over-stated in proving to be | 4 | ISC Model Specimen Papers, XII the best source of knowledge available today. On the click of a button, one can access scores of website, each offering minute details of a topic—science, literature, mathematical and others— with videos, animations, info-graphs and even virtual classrooms. Furthermore, home-schooling can help hone the area of expertise of a child. Instead of the more generalist course work that our children study at schools, one can zero in on a certain topic and enhance a child’s knowledge of it without the constraints of 40-minute lessons or semester wise schedules. We can use the digitized tools of education and bring concepts of science, math and history to life. Interactive maps, videos on the progression of wars and quizzes on mathematic formulae can help children more than any teacher teaching in a time-bound class. Teachers in schools are bound by the time tables they have to follow which can be quite constricting. Finally, one has to understand that schools have a set curriculum to follow. This usually framed by the central governing body made of civil servants. Now, although the efficacy of such guidelines cannot be denied, yet one has to acknowledge the limitations of a young mind. A child has to study at least four different subjects in one single day. Our brains are fascinating marvels but would it not be right to feed a young mind with one concept and help it absorb it, analyze it and store it in his brain? He would be able to recall it better if he is given the right amount of time to fully understand it. Yet complex scientific and mathematic concepts are taught to a child all in the course of a single and that is not going to help him in the long run. (II) Against the Motion The foray of digital media in the field of academia certainly has made a last impression; an impression which will metamorphose into a catalyst that will have tangible and far reaching effects on the education system as we know it. Digital media has revolutionised teaching methodology with the use of resources like interactive boards, personalized syllabi and teaching aids, the treasure trove of knowledge (free at that!) on the internet, animation and graphics to simplify technical education—to name a few of the perks. Digital education has definitely helped parents who prefer home-schooling to sending their children to school. It’s a veritable Pandora’s Box but with only good stuff inside! Yet, Digitized education at home cannot offer a human touch. The companionship of friends and classmates, the thrill of competitive sports with the peers you study with, the one-on-one interaction with people of all ages that a school offers, the sense of accomplishment in participating and perhaps winning in school competitions—all this cannot be duplicated in a “home-school classroom.” Home schooling also means a curriculum that is changeable. This cannot be conducive to the analytical development of a child’s mental faculties. He has to know what he is supposed to learn in a day, week, month and a year. His brain is a marvel and should be given enough exercise to stretch its abilities. Society has claims on us all. And a school teaches the right ways to respond to that claim. We learn the skill of making conversation, the ability to talk to strangers and keep them in your lives, the lasting bonds one can make with teachers who can be guides and mentors for life, the team-work one learns during co-scholastic activities—a school offers all this and more. The importance of mainstream education cannot be emphasized enough. Besides giving a child a chance to make life-long friends, it also affords him the right to choose. Home schooling is great. School education is greater. We live in an age where social interaction is the norm of the day. I don’t mean to imply that home schooled kids are unable to interact as easily as kids educated in schools do yet one cannot overlook the positivity “add-ons” that schools offer. The perfect education for any learner would be an amalgam of digitized education under the mentorship of teachers and companionship of classmates. The societal pressures on a home schooled child will be higher as he would flounder with interpersonal relationships once he is in college. (f) Satyajit Ray, the famous film-maker who won an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in film-making was also a short story writer. Ray is renowned all over the world over his insight and directional English - I | 5 | prowess. He could bring any dreary story to life just with the sheer mastery of his skills as a director. As a screen play and short-story writer, Ray was especially gifted. He created characters that were life like and relatable. One could see himself portrayed in the stories of Ray. He created the characters of Feluda, Topse and Jatayu – the trio who solved many mysteries together. Feluda – private investigator, Pradosh C. Mitter, his cousin and assistant Topse – Tapesh C. Mitter and his friend, the famous crime thriller writer Jatayu – Lalmohan Ganguli were characters created by Satyajit Ray for his now famous “Feluda series” written in Bengali. He wrote many stories revolving round the three, which have enthralled readers both young and old, men and women. Apart from Kolkata, escapades took them to many places like Darjeeling, Gangtok, Varanasi, Mumbai and even Kathmandu, later where many of his stories have been filmed. In one of his Hindi film “Kissa Kathmandu Ka”, late Shashi Kapoor and Mohan Agashe gave memorable performances. Soumitra Chatterjee was the original Feluda and Santosh Datta was Jatayu, with Topse ’s role changing frequently. In his later years, he must have been visualising Feluda and Jatayu as real people because with Soumitra Chatterjee growing old, Satyajit Ray was slowing down at making Feluda films. Santosh Datta’s death was the final straw for him. He stopped making any more Feluda films. He is reported to have said, “With Jatayu (Santosh Dutta) gone and Soumitra growing old, I cannot think of making another Feluda film.” To my mind, it clearly shows that perhaps he had started “believing” that the characters were “real” and they actually existed in the real world. So the death of a certain actor discouraged him from making another such film. Why wouldn’t he, when so many of true Ray loyalist believed his characters to be true themselves. His ingenuity made him a master-story teller and his in- depth knowledge of human nature - with all its fallacies, shortcomings and strengths helped him create characters that seemed too real. If his audience and readers could feel that his characters were true, what is stopping Ray from believing in them himself. Answer 2. (a) The dam on River Somari near our town Roshnabad, broke last night. It was somewhere around 2 : 30 am is the night when the people of the town were woken up by a loud crashing sound followed by horrific sound of rushing water. Last night when the residents of Roshnabad experienced this, people were seen running towards the river whilst many were seen running back from it. We saw many people running towards the river while some were running back to the town. Everyone was shouting that the dam had broken and the water was gushing out with great force. Almost the entire town was affected, people were marooned. All able-bodied people of the town joined the rescue work, helping the police and the fire brigade in evacuating the people who lived near the river. Houses were washed away; cars, trucks and other vehicles were seen floating in water. The people were sheltered in the local school building which was situated on relatively higher grounds. The damage afflicted by the unfortunate incident was widespread and required immediate measures to prevent further losses. The whole village, along with several others, was completely submerged and heavy injuries were suffered by the villagers and animals alike. As much as the rescue operatives would like to save everyone, it’s not always that easy. The actual extent of the destruction could very easily be fathomed by the fact that there was a plethora of carcasses just lying around; mercilessly slaughtered by the unforgiving wrath of the force of nature that didn’t like to be tamed. Losses suffered on that ominous day were many, be it the lives of men, women, children or animals. These losses were so saddening that no sane person would have, at the scene, dared to whine about their loss of property as each and every soul present there was just thankful to still be alive. By morning, help started arriving. The army was called in to help the civilians in the rescue work. Large scale relief work was conducted by the government and private agencies. Relief work | 6 | ISC Model Specimen Papers, XII started promptly. Government agencies swung into action immediately. Ramakrishna Mission, Bharat Sevashram Sangha and many others joined the forces. People needed shelter, clothes, food, medicine, etc. The entire town was underwater and many neighbouring areas were also affected. Medical teams were touring the areas, providing first aid and medicine to prevent the outbreak of diseases. This disaster shook both the country and the international community. Dignitaries from the country and outside visited the affected area assuring the people help and assistance. Casualties were many. Army is searching for the missing bodies. It was a big disaster which came without warning and the government has set up an enquiry to find out the reasons behind this catastrophe and avoid any such casualty in the future. (b) Proposal for the Annual Inter-school Cultural Festival To foster inter-school cooperation, it is proposed that an Inter-school Cultural Festival be held in the month of September. This festival will bring together students from the various schools of the city and help forge friendships. List of Measures : • The theme of the year will be ”Vision India 2030”. • I propose to invite all leading schools of the town to take part in this festival. • Proposed activities include drama, skits, debate both in English and Hindi, recitation competition, painting, art and craft, with three sections for each activity – junior, middle and senior. • Eminent personalities of the town will be invited to judge the events. Attractive prizes to be given to the winners. • Please sanction enough money for this festival. A notice for the non-participants to step forth as volunteers will be put up. I hope that our proposal will be accepted. We would need your help in steering the festival towards success. Answer 3. (a) (1) After completing the job, he asked for his remuneration. (2) I am thought to be an expert at creative writing by Janet. (3) Were it not for Ronnie’s courage, the battalion would have perished. (4) Hardly had Dimple seen the thief when she jumped into action. (5) On being in any type of trouble, Mahesh always comes to me for help. (6) Without being deterred by obstacles, he persevered in his efforts. (7) I was asked by Jerome the reason for my absence from the party the previous day. (8) In spite of the fact that he was suffering from cancer, the man always had a smile. (9) The show was not only spectacular but commendable too. (10) All were too stunned to believe that a healthy man had died. (b) (1) up (2) to (3) at (4) upon (5) to (6) to (7) up (8) to (9) up (10) to (c) (1) was (2) attacked (3) said (4) showed (5) invented (6) led (7) despised (8) did (9) was (10) is Answer 4. (a) (i) (1) legitimate (2) visualise (3) cursory (4) ominously (ii) (1) Mother Teresa, was a lady of modest means who looked after and served the lepers and the ill. (2) It is difficult to find a fair person in today’s world. (3) Albert Einstein was one of the greatest minds of his time. English - I | 7 | (4) The wedding ring contained a bright diamond that shone from a distance. (b) (i) The author always carried his pet otter with him, and had to travel first class to safely carry his pet in a box and thus it was very expensive. (ii) He had to follow illegitimate means to carry his pet and for that he had to bribe the railway officials in the process. (iii) Mij was easily attracted to water and the size of the wash basin matched his size, so he fell for it. (iv) The way Mij was sleeping on the bed with its head on the pillow and arms outside made it look like almost human, so the attendant’s enquiry was absolutely normal and fitting for the occasion. (c) Gavin Maxwell, had a pet

otter, called Mij. Whenever the

author travelled, he always carried

Mij in a box. He

had to travel in first

class mainly because of this

Mij was naughty and would

hardly remain in his box.

This created unthinkable problems. He

would curl in the washbasin

or try to pull chain.

He liked to sleep with

the author on his bed,

with his head on a

pillow and his arms outside

the blanket that covered his

body. The author had to

adhere to illegal means to

carry his pet in a

train with him. (98 words) oo Solution Model Specimen Paper 3 English - I

Answer 1. (a) The most bitter disappointment that a person can face in life is not when the whole world doubts him, but when those dearest to him, i.e., his family, starts doubting him. It has been quite some time now since I experienced something similar. Although it has been quite a while since then and everything now seems fine, this specific incident changed my perspective in life. It happened a few years ago when, in school, I witnessed a couple of boys fighting like animals during the recess. I knew that the matter would have escalated enough for one or both of them to get seriously injured, should it have gone unchecked. It was no longer possible for me to stand with the hoard of bystanders who stood there motionless, like a deer caught in the headlights in the middle of the night. But, as I stood there contemplating whether I should intervene or not, one of the boys punched the other in the gut. As the kid lay there, motionless, on the cold, hard concrete floor, the aggressor kept kicking him mercilessly. That was it for me; I pounced at him without a moment’s hesitation and grounded the fellow before he could do anyone any more harm. The moment I pinned him down was when the school administration finally decided to show up. No matter how much the eyewitnesses or I tried to explain what actually went down, neither the administration, nor my family, who had by then been summoned by the Principal, were prepared to hear, much less accept what we had to say. I eventually ended up being suspended for something that I had not done. But what hurt me most was that my own family outrightly rejected my plea of innocence. I couldn’t care less about what the others thought about me but my own family’s lack of conviction in me left me dumbfounded. Leaving the school that day, I felt like I was leaving a trampled piece of my soul back there. Though the truth about what had actually happened came out later when the CCTV footage of that day revealed, it was my family’s disappointment in me that shocked me. Although, ironically, the only person who consoled and appreciated my act of kindness and vigour that day was the one I saved; right up until the day before, he had been my arch-enemy. I got into trouble saving someone I disliked. Well…How about that! (b) The period between thirteen to nineteen years comes in the life of every boy and girl. During this period, especially between thirteen and seventeen, we are neither a child nor an adult, just in between adolescence and adulthood. This is the time of dilemma in our life. It is difficult to go through it as so many physiological and mental changes take place that the hormones make a person moody and temperamental. When I turned thirteen, I was in class VI. Being the third in a family of four siblings, I grew up a bit faster. I had many friends in school and always participated in school events. I was especially good at sports. However, my grandmother was not happy with the fact that I danced on stage and ran in races. She always scolded my mother for allowing me to do things that girls of growing age should not do. I was very upset as I could not stop the changes in my body, but I was adamant to live my student life the way I wanted to. When I won medals and awards for my participation my grandmother was finally appeased. | 2 | ISC Model Specimen Papers, XII There was another time during my teenage when I faced problems due to my growth spurt and biological changes. Due to my avid interest in sports my sports teacher encouraged me to participate in the rock climbing expedition for students of classes X and XII. I really wanted to go as I could see a career in the Indian Army. Again, my uncles and aunts were the ones to speak up against my dreams. I became very depressed and cranky, shouting and crying at the drop of a hat. My mother is my guardian angel. She coached me through the emotional changes I was going through and personally made sure that I went to the expedition. Teenagers do face difficulties particularly the girls. This period is considered the ‘developing age’ and parents feel that children particularly girls should be more careful about themselves. But I feel that not only the children but even the parents have to be extremely careful in handling the children during this period so that they become more confident and self-sufficient. The important thing to remember during this age is that teenagers have to be understood and some amount of kindness should be shown to them. (c) (I) For the Motion There are many reasons for children to be sent to boarding schools. Children who stay with their parents tend to get clingy and pampered and most often do not learn to be independent until much later in life. There are many reasons that support the notion that boarding schools are far better than day schools for the all-round education of a child. One of the reasons is that children in boarding schools learn to be more social and with smaller number of students in the classes, every child feels connected. A smaller number of students means more individual attention. There are no outcasts and every child is taken care of. When there are lesser number of students in a class, every child gets to participate and it becomes mandatory to respond in class as one cannot hide. In boarding schools, children tend to form lasting friendships. Children learn to accept one another and are more receptive, making them feel desired and they help one another grow up together. They encourage one another in building character. Unlike day school children, boarding school children learn to be responsible for their actions and they learn the values of discipline and honour. Life lessons are learnt that they take into their adulthood. Children in boarding schools are purposeful and are willing to work hard. Established boarding schools are well equipped with facilities in all aspects. Libraries are well stacked and have amalgamated media centers too with educational videos and stories being scheduled for the students. This can be very useful for children and they can use the library and other facilities in the evenings which might not be possible in the day schools. Sports and extracurricular activities such as music and arts, along with other options are more viable and children can be more involved and prepared for the world outside. Scope for learning is in abundance. In addition to all these, there are wonderful teachers who specialise in their subjects and are individuals who enjoy teaching and are extremely supportive towards their students. Learning becomes a great experience for the students. It is not that they are totally cut off from their families as the students get to visit their parents and their parents can visit them too. They have holiday breaks which allow them to bond with their families too. There are counselling programmes at boarding schools that are well staffed and they sincerely guide students to prepare them for their future. They also help in the training for and choosing of the appropriate colleges and advise them on admissions to competitive institutions. Considering the advantages that boarding schools can provide, it can be said that for an all-round education, boarding schools are better. English - I | 3 | (II) Against the Motion Day schools or boarding schools— there is always the predicament for parents. There has always been a debate whether children should be put in boarding schools or day schools. There was a time when boarding school was considered the most viable option as schools were far from neighbourhoods and boarding schools gave children the best of everything under one roof. On the other hand, if we were to consider children in formative years, education needs both the efforts of the parents and the school. Children need to be reassured that they have the right ambience to grow and be confident in. In a day school, students get to live with their parents which enhances bonding between parents and children and also makes the child feel secure. The security that the child experiences in schools will translate to good behaviour, making better choices, being bold, and confident. There is no separation anxiety that a boarding school student might experience. Children get to spend more time with their families, learn family values, traditions and customs. In a day school, students are not isolated but rather exposed to entertainment, awareness and information. It is not to discredit the boarding school facilities, but a student here finds the impetus to explore and learn in the process. Boarding schools can be expensive and might not suit every family’s income. Day schools make it possible for parents from even lower economic levels to provide education for their children. There is also the continual support from the family and not from strangers which can be the case in a boarding school, where friends and matrons or wardens might step in but it is not the same as having a family close to you. Children are better monitored in day schools as parents and school authorities can keep an eye on them. Children in boarding schools can take longer to cope and might resort to bad company, drugs and other harmful addictions. In a day school students and their psychological matters can be catered to in an efficient manner with parents and counsellors to guide them. To add to it, day schools are more often co-educational that help students to nurture good values in socialising and behaving appropriately with members of the opposite sex. Boarding schools often cater to either boys or girls and students might find it difficult to fit in later and cherish meaningful relationships. Bearing in mind all these points it would be right to say that day schools are better than boarding schools for all-round education. (d) Friendship is a term which is hard to describe or explain. To me friendship has different types – friendship with a human being, friendship with an animal or a bird, friendship with nature or lifeless things. Here, I will speak about my friendship with Gora, who joined me in school in class III. From Day One, we struck a friendship which lasts even to this day. I joined the Union Academy in New Delhi in class II where my elder brother was already a student. This was a government aided school and was well known. Section A was Bengali medium while Section B was Hindi medium. This continued till class VIII because from class IX the bifurcation was Arts for section A and Science for section B. Gora and I would share a desk with a third student since the desks were meant to seat three students. Gora and I would share everything from lessons to lunchboxes. In case one was absent, the other would visit him at home and pass on whatever was taught in class that day. He stayed closer to the school while I stayed a little farther. I would try and reach his house on my way to school and then both of us would go to school together. On the way back too, I would stop at his place and share his food before going home. Before exams, we would study and revise in either house by turn. That was our routine. While I was in school, my friend was down with chicken pox and I made it a point to visit him daily on my way back from school and apprise him of the day’s routine. I was not scared of the disease and by God’s grace did not suffer myself.