Q1. [5]
Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but the trick was to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking. I thought and suddenly I had an idea. I wrote the three pages, Mr. Keesing had assigned me and was satisfied. I argued that talking is a students' trait and that I would do my best to keep it under control, but that I would never be able to cure myself of the habit since my mother talked as much as I did if not more, and that there's not much you can do about inherited traits.
Read the following extract and answer the questions.
- (i) State any one inference about Anne from the given context.
"Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but the trick was to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking." [1]
- (ii) In about 40 words, elaborate on the justification Anne gives for her talkative nature. [2]
- (iii) Which one of the following best describes the tone of the given extract? [1]
- (A) derogatory
- (B) persuasive
- (C) nostalgic
- (D) cautionary
- (iv) Which phrase would correctly substitute 'ramble on' in the given sentence from the extract? [1]
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2024 2/3/1 Q6(b)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:18 · grounding stimulus+chapter
Model Answer
(i) Anne was intelligent and witty — instead of just filling pages with words, she thought critically and crafted a logical argument to defend herself.
(ii) Anne justified her talkative nature by arguing that talking is a natural trait of students. She promised to control it but admitted she could never cure herself completely, since her mother was equally, if not more, talkative. She concluded that inherited traits cannot easily be changed.
(iii) (B) persuasive
(iv) The phrase "talk endlessly/speak without purpose" (or "go on and on") would correctly substitute 'ramble on' in the sentence.
Source: From the Diary of Anne Frank, Chapter — Diary, NCERT First Flight
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Explanation
- (i) One clear inference is enough — focus on her smartness or wit; avoid vague statements.
- (ii) Three key points scorers look for: (1) talking = student trait, (2) she'll try to control it, (3) it's inherited from her mother. Hit all three within ~40 words.
- (iii) The extract shows Anne convincing Mr. Keesing with arguments — the tone is clearly persuasive. "Nostalgic" or "cautionary" do not fit.
- (iv) 'Ramble on' means to talk or write at length without clear purpose. Acceptable substitutes: "go on and on," "talk endlessly," "write without purpose." Any one is sufficient for 1 mark.
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