CBSE Class 12 English Practice Paper 2023, Download PDF

CBSE Class 12 English Practice Question Paper 2023: The exam season is here, and students are approaching the final stages of preparation. It’s time to revise the concepts, and there’s no better way to do that than to solve practice papers. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the practice paper for the Class 12 English exam for the 2023 examinations. The CBSE board released the sample papers in September and now has released “Additional Practice Questions” for students preparing for the final exams. A lot can change in six months, so students should carefully solve these class 12 English Core practice papers before appearing for the final exams. It will help boost confidence and provide last minute revision to students. You can view and download the CBSE Class 12 English Practice Paper 2023 PDF here.

Related: CBSE Class 10 English Sample Paper and Marking Scheme 2023

CBSE Class 12 English Practice Question Paper 2023

English Core (301) Practice Questions 2023

Section A: READING SKILLS (20 marks)

I Read the passage given below.

The term “poor-quality medicines” is something of a catch-all. It includes “sub-standards”, medicines that have had inadequate quality control or that have degraded from improper storage or the passage of time. And it includes falsified medicines – fakes – that claim to be what they are not. These may not be made by the manufacturer whose name is on the package and they may not contain the stated ingredients in the stated quantities. (1)

Poor-quality medicines might not work. They usually have none or only part of the active ingredient they are supposed to contain. This would mean that the illnesses of those people who consume them would be left to take their course. Consuming them can even kill you because the contaminants in the medicines can end up causing severe infections. (2)

Poor-quality medicines can be life-threatening even if you don’t take them. Antimicrobial drugs (including antibiotics and antivirals) that have too little active ingredient are generally accepted to help disease-causing bugs evolve so that they develop resistance to treatment even with good-quality antimicrobials. And then these bugs spread. (3)

The factors that speed up the development of antimicrobial resistance — high rates of infections, the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials, poor sanitation, poor-quality medicines — are more common in low- and middle-income countries, which means that so is resistance. But microbes travel easily across the world in foodstuffs being exported and in the bodies of humans. And often, resistant microbes can transfer genetic material to each other to become even more dangerous to humans. (4)

The result: infections that were simple to cure are back with a vengeance. Conditions like tuberculosis and HIV are getting harder to treat. In the future, a routine surgery could become risky and cancer treatment more challenging. There is a real danger of returning to a time where any one of us could pick up an infection and find that medicines are unable to produce the intended results. (5)

In 2010, Indians consumed the most antibiotics per person in the world. Medicines, including antimicrobials, are easily available over the counter despite rules that forbid this. A recent study found that a large number of antibiotics were on sale without being approved either in India or in the country of the manufacturer. On an international level, further complicating the picture is the fact that different countries have different standards of quality. (6)

Ensuring medicine quality is a global challenge. A pill might be manufactured from ingredients sourced from multiple countries, shipped via several ports, packaged and repackaged in various countries and ultimately sold via an internet pharmacy. The number of points at which fakes or substandards could enter the chain is staggering, so international coordination and regulation is essential. (7)

– Srinath Perur

Glossary: 

active ingredient – a chemical component in a medicine responsible for its intended effects

antivirals – drugs that treat infections caused by viruses

microbes – microorganisms, especially the ones causing diseases

(480 words) Source (edited): ‘Fake drugs: the global industry putting your life at risk’ – https://mosaicscience.com/story/fake-drugs-global-antibiotics-amr-counterfeit-meds/

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below.

i The term ‘poor quality medicines’ is considered to be a ‘catch-all’ because it __________. 1

1. helps consumers identify medicines that are of bad quality and reject them
2. highlights that authentic medicines contain ingredients that are of high quality
3. indicates that the issue is related to quality and helps authorities to stay vigilant
4. includes medicines that are both fake and fail to meet appropriate quality standards

ii Can microbes that are not directly exposed to poor quality medicines pose a threat to humans? Support your answer with reference to the text. 1

iii In paragraph 6, the writer points out that antimicrobials are easily available over the counter in India despite rules that forbid this. Based on your understanding of this issue, how can you purchase medicines responsibly? 1

iv Select the option that conveys the meaning of ‘staggering’ used in paragraph 7. 1

1. shocking
2. damaging
3. detectable
4. unplanned

v Which of these statements is NOT true about poor-quality antimicrobials? 1

1. They misrepresent the amount of active ingredients that they contain.
2. The effects caused by them can be reversed with appropriate medication.
3. They can pose a serious threat even to people who do not consume them.
4. The germs exposed to them can adapt themselves to become a stronger variant.

vi In 2013, a multinational pharmaceutical company was heavily fined by the USA for falsifying data and violating safety standards. When the same violations came to the attention of UK authorities, they did not find it to be serious enough to punish. Based on the passage, mention one fact that explains this situation. 1

vii Will stopping the manufacturing of poor-quality medicines fully resolve the issue of antimicrobial resistance in low- and middle-income countries? Give a reason to support your view. 1

viii Complete the given sentence with an appropriate inference from the passage: Effective quality control and regulation of medicines at their point of production alone cannot guarantee the eradication of poor quality medicines because _____________________________. 1

ix Which of these is the primary purpose of paragraph 5? 1

1. to give insight into the process of gene transmission in microbes
2. to list the infections that can become difficult to treat in the future
3. to reveal the effects that infections can produce in human bodies
4. to emphasize the serious consequences of antimicrobial resistance

x Which of these best describes the central theme of the passage? 1

1. The origin and evolution of drug-resistant microbes
2. The alarming reality and impact of poor-quality medicines
3. The struggles and benefits of developing high-quality medicines
4. The unique issues and challenges in low- and middle-income countries

II Read the passage below.

In the present technetronic world, protecting ourselves from cybercrimes is a necessity. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, a total of 50,035 cybercrimes were registered in 2020. That figure stood at 27,248 in 2018 and 44,735 in 2019. A total of 18,420 persons were arrested and subsequently convicted by the court for crimes. The report also revealed an alarming rise in the rate of cybercrimes against children. (1)

Everyone should be mindful of the importance of cyber security awareness. We cannot cease ourselves from digitalizing; it is essential that we move with the flow. Hence, taking measures to protect ourselves is important. (2)

A descriptive study was conducted to identify the level of basic knowledge of cybersecurity among a group of post-graduate students, who were prospective teachers, studying in a reputed university in Uttar Pradesh. The sample included 100 respondents including 40 males and 60 females. Data was collected using a questionnaire on certain dimensions of password hacking, virus attacks, cybercrime and the misuse of social media. The table below shows the responses of the participants in the study. (3)

The study also revealed that in many cases, friends, family members or even partners are found to be guilty of the crimes reported. Also, though men and women are both prone to cybercrimes, it was noticed that women were victims of these crimes more than men. Everyone must make a unified effort towards building a safe digital world for all. (4)

Glossary: 

technetronic – involving advances in technology and electronics

(418 words) Sources (edited): ‘The Importance of Cyber Security Awareness’ – http://ijrar.com/upload_issue/ijrar_issue_20544212.pdf; Cyber Crimes On The Rise; Double In Two Years; U.P. Leading -https://www.deshabhimani.com/english/news/kerala/cyber-crimes-on-the-rise-doubles-in-two-years-up-leading/5005 

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below.

i Does the following statement agree with the information given in the passage?

It is appropriate that parents withhold their children from accessing social media until they are at least 13 years old.

Select from the following:

True – if the statement agrees with the information

False – if the statement contradicts the information

Not Given – if there is no information on this 1

ii Since today’s children are familiar with the internet from an early age, is it necessary that they are trained in cyber safety? Support your answer with reference to the text. 1

iii The most likely reason for including point (ii) under ‘Social Media Behaviour’ is to find out if respondents __________. 1

1. are truthful about their personal details being shared
2. check whether people like to stay connected virtually
3. are at the risk of their shared personal details being misused
4. check whether privacy settings on social media are user-friendly

iv Based on your inference from the passage, complete the sentence below.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has recently launched a program under which 60,000 women were trained in digital literacy and online safety across India.

We may say this is essential because __________. 1

v Why does the passage refer to the NCRB data in paragraph 1? 1

1. to convey the relevance of raising cyber security awareness
2. to highlight the role of the bureau in promoting cyber security
3. to show that only a small percentage of cyber criminals are convicted
4. to indicate that the rate of cyber crimes decreased between 2019 and 2020

vi The current study attempts to find out whether the participants have knowledge of the Information Technology Act because it can help them understand the __________. 1

1. ethical and safe practices to combat cybercrimes
2. cybercrimes registered and their current status
3. trends in cybercrimes and their social impact
4. rules and penalties relating to cybercrimes

vii Considering the background of the people who participated in the study, why do their responses to points (iii), (iv) and (v) under ‘Cybercrime’ raise concerns? 1

viii Paragraph 2 makes it clear that the best way to ensure cyber safety is to remain __________. 1

1. unified
2. cautious
3. optimistic
4. persistent

ix Complete the sentence appropriately in one/two words. In the table given, the responses to point (ii) under ‘Cybercrime’ show that people may feel __________ about reporting crimes to the concerned authorities. 1

X Based on the reading of the text, state an argument to challenge the given statement.

If people interact through social media only with others who are personally known to them, they need not worry about being victims of cybercrimes. 1

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You can read and download the complete practice paper for CBSE class 12 exams below.

Download the marking scheme to check the answers for the CBSE 12th English practice paper.

Also Check out the following related articles for CBSE Class 12 English exams 2023.

CBSE English Class 12 Syllabus 2022-2023

CBSE Class 12 English DELETED Syllabus 2022-23

CBSE English Previous Year Question Paper Class 12