NCERT Class 12 English Core
Complete Guide to Flamingo, Vistas, Reading & Writing Skills
Chapter-wise List, Reading, and Writing Skills for NCERT Class 12 English Core
Flamingo (Prose)
Flamingo (Poetry)
Vistas (Supplementary Reader)
Reading Skills
Understanding NCERT Class 12 English Core: Flamingo, Vistas, Reading & Writing Skills
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) prescribes two main textbooks for Class 12 English Core - Flamingo and Vistas, along with significant focus on Reading Skills and Writing Skills. These components are designed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to build a strong foundation in English literature and language for senior secondary students. Let's explore these essential components in detail to help students excel in their examinations.
Flamingo: A Deep Dive
Flamingo is the primary textbook for Class 12 English Core, comprising both prose and poetry sections. This book is carefully crafted to expose students to various literary genres, themes, and writing styles from different parts of the world.
Prose Section:
The prose section includes 8 chapters that cover diverse themes such as cultural identity, personal struggle, social justice, and human relationships. Each chapter is selected to help students develop critical thinking and analytical skills.
Poetry Section:
The poetry section features 6 poems from renowned poets globally, addressing themes of beauty, inequality, personal relationships, and societal issues. These poems help students appreciate poetic devices and develop a deeper understanding of human emotions.
Vistas: The Supplementary Reader
Vistas serves as a supplementary reader for Class 12 English Core students. It consists of 8 chapters that are carefully selected to complement the main textbook and further enhance students' literary appreciation and language skills.
This book introduces students to various narrative styles, including psychological fiction, historical narratives, and contemporary issues. The stories in Vistas encourage students to explore complex human experiences and ethical dilemmas.
Reading Skills: Building Comprehension
The Reading Skills section (Section A) of the CBSE Class 12 English Core exam is designed to test students' ability to understand, interpret, and analyze texts. It carries 22 marks and includes two types of passages:
- Unseen Passage (Discursive): A 700-750 word passage (factual, descriptive, or literary) to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, and inference. It includes multiple-choice questions, objective-type questions, and short-answer questions (40-50 words) to test vocabulary and understanding (12 marks).
- Case-Based Factual Passage: A passage with verbal or visual inputs like statistical data or charts, to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference, and evaluation. It also includes multiple-choice, objective-type, and short-answer questions (10 marks).
This section emphasizes critical thinking, vocabulary, and the ability to draw inferences, preparing students for advanced analytical tasks in higher education.
Writing Skills: Mastering Expression
The Writing Skills section (Section B) is a crucial component of the CBSE Class 12 English Core exam, carrying 18 marks. It tests students' ability to express ideas clearly and effectively in various formats. The key writing formats include:
- Notice Writing: Short compositions (up to 50 words) for announcements or events, requiring clarity and brevity (4 marks: Format: 1, Content: 2, Accuracy: 1).
- Formal/Informal Invitation and Reply: Brief invitations or replies (up to 50 words) for formal or informal events, emphasizing appropriate tone and format (4 marks: Format: 1, Content: 2, Accuracy: 1).
- Letter Writing: Includes job applications and letters to the editor, written in 120-150 words, focusing on formal structure and persuasive content (5 marks: Format: 1, Content: 2, Expression: 2).
- Article Writing: Descriptive or analytical articles (120-150 words) on given topics, requiring a structured approach with an introduction, body, and conclusion (5 marks: Format: 1, Content: 2, Expression: 2).
- Report Writing: Descriptive or analytical reports (120-150 words) for newspapers or magazines, with a headline, byline, and logical narration of events (5 marks: Format: 1, Content: 2, Expression: 2).
Mastering these formats involves understanding their specific structures, practicing with varied topics, and enhancing vocabulary and grammar to ensure clarity and impact in writing.
Pedagogical Approach of NCERT English Core
Flamingo, Vistas, Reading Skills, and Writing Skills follow a student-centered approach to learning, focusing on:
- Comprehension Skills: Questions at the end of each chapter and reading passages, along with writing tasks, help students understand texts and express ideas clearly.
- Critical Thinking: Open-ended questions, case-based passages, and writing prompts encourage students to analyze and interpret texts and issues from multiple perspectives.
- Language Enrichment: Vocabulary exercises, language activities, and writing tasks enhance linguistic proficiency.
- Cultural Awareness: Texts from diverse cultural backgrounds and writing topics promote global understanding.
- Moral and Ethical Values: Stories, poems, and writing prompts highlight important life lessons and ethical considerations.
Examination Perspective
From an examination standpoint, Flamingo, Vistas, Reading Skills, and Writing Skills are equally important. The CBSE Class 12 English Core exam (80 marks written, 20 marks internal assessment) includes:
- Reading Comprehension (Section A, 22 marks): Based on unseen discursive and case-based factual passages.
- Writing Skills (Section B, 18 marks): Notices, invitations, letters, articles, and reports.
- Literature (Section C, 40 marks): Questions from Flamingo and Vistas, including multiple-choice, objective, short-answer, and long-answer questions.
- Internal Assessment (20 marks): Listening Skills (5 marks), Speaking Skills (5 marks), and Project Work (10 marks).
The Reading, Writing, and Literature sections carry significant weightage in the exam, making it essential for students to thoroughly understand all chapters, passages, and writing formats. Questions can range from short-answer types to long essays requiring detailed analysis of themes, characters, literary devices, or structured written responses.
Key Features of NCERT Class 12 English Core
- Universal Themes: Both books and writing tasks address universal themes like love, loss, freedom, conflict, and personal growth that resonate with young readers.
- Diverse Literary and Writing Forms: Students are exposed to various literary forms (short stories, autobiographical pieces, poetry) and writing formats (notices, letters, articles).
- Progressive Difficulty: The texts, passages, and writing tasks progress in complexity, helping students gradually develop advanced analytical and expressive skills.
- Interdisciplinary Connections: Many chapters, passages, and writing prompts connect with history, social studies, environmental science, and psychology.
- Real-world Relevance: The texts and writing topics often relate to contemporary issues, making learning more engaging and relevant.
How to Effectively Study NCERT Class 12 English Core
- Regular Reading: Read each chapter and unseen passages multiple times to grasp central ideas and nuances.
- Note-taking: Maintain comprehensive notes on characters, themes, plot, literary devices, reading passage types, and writing formats.
- Practice Questions: Regularly solve questions from NCERT exercises, previous years' question papers, and practice writing tasks in various formats.
- Group Discussions: Participate in group discussions to gain different perspectives on texts, passages, and writing topics.
- Writing Practice: Practice writing long and short answers, as well as different writing formats, to improve expression and time management.
Popular Chapters, Reading, and Writing Formats, and Their Significance
From Flamingo:
- The Last Lesson - A powerful story about language as a symbol of freedom and identity
- Indigo - Highlights Gandhi's method of civil disobedience and leadership
- My Mother at Sixty-Six - A touching poem about aging and the fear of separation
From Vistas:
- The Tiger King - A satirical take on the obsession with hunting and power
- Evans Tries an O-Level - A thrilling story about a prison break that examines human intelligence and system failures
- Memories of Childhood - Personal accounts of discrimination and the struggle for dignity
Reading Skills:
- Unseen Passage (Discursive) - Enhances comprehension and critical analysis of diverse texts
- Case-Based Factual Passage - Develops skills in interpreting data-driven texts and visual inputs
Writing Skills:
- Article Writing - Encourages critical thinking on social, environmental, or cultural issues
- Letter Writing - Develops formal and informal communication skills for real-world applications
- Notice Writing - Teaches concise and effective information dissemination
Flamingo, Vistas, Reading Skills, and Writing Skills are more than just academic requirements; they are carefully curated to shape students' perspectives on life, society, and human nature. By thoroughly engaging with these components, students not only prepare for their examinations but also develop essential life skills such as empathy, critical thinking, and effective communication.
NCERT Questions and Answers
Flamingo (Prose) - Sample Question Solutions
The Last Lesson
Q: What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
A: Franz was expected to be prepared with participles for school that day, as Mr. Hamel was going to question them on participles. Franz had not learned the rules and was afraid of being scolded since he was unprepared for the lesson.
Q: What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
A: Franz noticed several unusual things about the school that day. The village bulletin board had news posted without the usual commotion. When he arrived at school, it was quiet, without the usual opening and closing of desks. The back benches, normally empty, were filled with villagers. Mr. Hamel was wearing his special green coat, frilled shirt, and embroidered black silk cap, which he typically wore only for inspections or prize days.
Lost Spring
Q: What forces conspire to keep the children in Seemapuri in poverty?
A: Several forces conspire to keep the children of Seemapuri in poverty. The lack of education perpetuates their disadvantaged status. Being ragpickers is their family profession, passed down through generations. They lack identity documents, making it impossible to access government benefits or formal employment. Additionally, societal indifference and acceptance of child labor as normal for certain communities further entrench their poverty. The cycle continues as children are denied their childhood and education in the struggle for daily survival.
Indigo
Q: Why did Gandhi agree to a 25% refund to the farmers? How did it influence the peasant-landlord relationship?
A: Gandhi agreed to the 25% refund as a pragmatic compromise that satisfied both parties. For the peasants, it represented a moral victory against the landlords who had previously seemed untouchable. For the landlords, it allowed them to save face while acknowledging the farmers' grievances. More importantly, this settlement broke the cycle of fear and exploitation that had defined the peasant-landlord relationship for decades. The peasants realized they had rights that could be defended, while landlords understood they were no longer above accountability. This shift in dynamics was more valuable than the monetary refund itself, as it fundamentally altered the power balance in rural India.
Flamingo (Poetry) - Sample Question Solutions
My Mother at Sixty-Six
Q: What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
A: The poet feels the pain of separation and the fear of losing her mother. She observes her mother's pale face "as if it were a corpse" and realizes her mother's mortality. The ache comes from the inevitability of her aging mother's death and the poet's helplessness in the face of this natural process. Despite feeling this profound sadness, she smiles and bids a cheerful farewell to her mother, hiding her pain and fear to avoid upsetting her mother in their parting moments.
Keeping Quiet
Q: What does the poet mean by 'an exotic moment'?
A: By 'an exotic moment,' the poet refers to a rare, extraordinary moment of universal silence and stillness when all humanity pauses together. This moment is 'exotic' because it's unusual in our busy, noise-filled world. The poet envisions this as a time when all activity ceases temporarily, allowing for self-reflection and awareness. This exotic moment would give people the opportunity to reconsider their harmful actions toward nature, other species, and fellow humans. It represents a transformative pause that could lead to greater understanding, peace, and harmony with our world.
Vistas - Sample Question Solutions
The Tiger King
Q: What is the ironic about the death of the Tiger King?
A: The irony in the Tiger King's death lies in its stark contrast to his life's mission and the manner of his demise. After successfully hunting 99 tigers and going to extreme lengths to find and kill the hundredth tiger to defy his death prophecy, the Maharaja dies from an infection caused by a splinter from a wooden toy tiger. Despite his power, wealth, and having killed numerous real tigers, he is ultimately killed by a harmless wooden replica. The irony is heightened by the fact that he believed he had cheated death by completing his mission of killing 100 tigers, only to be defeated by a children's toy that represented what he had been destroying.
Evans Tries an O-Level
Q: How did the Governor describe Evans to the Secretary of the Examinations Board?
A: The Governor described Evans to the Secretary of the Examinations Board as "an amusing fellow" who was quite a troublemaker. He mentioned that Evans had earned the nickname "Evans the Break" because of his multiple prison escape attempts. Despite acknowledging Evans's reputation as a persistent escape artist, the Governor seemed to underestimate him, describing him with a mixture of amusement and condescension. This underestimation proved to be a critical error, as it led to the Governor and his staff not taking sufficient precautions, ultimately enabling Evans's successful escape.
Frequently Asked Questions by Students
Q: How should I prepare for the Class 12 English Core exam?
A: Start by thoroughly reading both Flamingo and Vistas textbooks, practicing reading comprehension passages, and mastering writing formats. Make notes of important themes, characters, literary devices, passage types, and writing structures. Practice writing answers to previous years' questions, NCERT exercises, and sample reading passages. Focus on improving your writing skills for the writing section. Regularly revise vocabulary and grammatical concepts. Allocate equal time to reading, writing, and literature as questions come from all areas.
Q: Which chapters, reading passages, and writing formats are most important for the exam?
A: All chapters, passage types, and writing formats are important as CBSE can ask questions from any area. However, based on previous years' patterns, chapters like "The Last Lesson," "Lost Spring," and "Indigo" from Flamingo, and "The Tiger King," "Evans Tries an O-Level," and "Memories of Childhood" from Vistas often have high-weightage questions. The poetry section, particularly "My Mother at Sixty-six" and "Keeping Quiet," is also frequently featured. For reading, focus on both discursive and case-based factual passages. For writing, article writing, letter writing, and report writing are commonly tested.
Q: How should I approach the long answer questions in the English exam?
A: For long answer questions, follow a structured approach. Begin with a brief introduction that addresses the question directly. In the main body, develop your arguments with relevant examples and quotes from the text. Analyze themes, characters, or literary devices as required by the question. Make connections to the broader context of the work if relevant. End with a conclusion that summarizes your main points. Remember to write in clear paragraphs and use appropriate literary terminology.
Q: How can I improve my score in the writing section of the English exam?
A: To improve your score in the writing section, practice regularly with different formats like notices, invitations, letters, articles, and reports. Understand the specific format requirements for each type of writing. Develop a rich vocabulary and use it appropriately. Plan your content before writing to ensure logical flow and coherence. Pay attention to grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Try to make your writing engaging by using varied sentence structures and relevant examples. Read good examples of each writing format to understand effective writing techniques.
Q: How can I improve my score in the reading section of the English exam?
A: To excel in the reading section, practice one or two comprehension passages daily, focusing on both discursive and case-based factual passages. Work on identifying main ideas, inferences, and vocabulary in context. Practice answering multiple-choice, objective, and short-answer questions within the word limit (40-50 words). Use previous years' question papers and sample papers to familiarize yourself with question types. Improve your reading speed and accuracy by reading diverse texts like articles, essays, and data-based reports.
Q: Is it necessary to memorize quotes from the chapters for the exam?
A: While it's not necessary to memorize entire paragraphs, having a few key quotes from each chapter can significantly enhance your answers. Focus on quotes that highlight important themes, reveal character traits, or showcase the author's style. These quotes serve as evidence to support your analysis and demonstrate your thorough understanding of the text. They also add authenticity to your answers and can help you earn better marks for textual reference.
Q: How do I analyze poems effectively for the exam?
A: To analyze poems effectively, first understand the literal meaning of the poem. Then identify the theme and central idea. Pay attention to poetic devices such as metaphors, similes, alliteration, and imagery, and explain how they contribute to the poem's meaning. Consider the poem's structure, rhyme scheme, and rhythm if relevant. Connect the poem to its historical or social context if applicable. Practice writing about different aspects of the poems, such as the poet's message, use of language, and emotional impact.
Q: How much time should I spend on each section of the English exam?
A: For a 3-hour exam, allocate your time proportionally based on the marks for each section. Generally, spend about 1 hour on the Reading section (22 marks), 45 minutes on the Writing section (18 marks), and 1 hour on the Literature section (40 marks). Within the Literature section, divide time between Flamingo and Vistas based on the marks distribution. Always save 15-20 minutes at the end for revision. If you're struggling with a question, move on and return to it later rather than spending too much time on one question.
Q: Are NCERT solutions sufficient for exam preparation?
A: NCERT solutions provide a good foundation and cover the basic understanding of the texts. However, for comprehensive preparation, you should also refer to additional resources like reference books, sample papers, and previous years' questions. This will expose you to different question formats and help you develop a deeper analysis of the texts, reading passages, and writing skills. Additionally, discussing the chapters with teachers and peers can provide new insights and perspectives that may not be covered in the NCERT solutions.