CBSE Class 12 English Pre-Board Sample Paper 2025 With Solutions, FREE PDF Download

SECTION A
READING SKILLS (22 marks)
1. Read the following passage carefully:

(1) In a room filled with people, each face illuminated by the soft glow of their smartphones, moments drift away like autumn leaves in the wind. The constant hum of notifications fills the air, punctuating conversations like an incessant drumbeat. Every vibration or ping sends fingers flying to screens, a response ingrained by years of digital conditioning. The once reliable tick-tock of analogue timepieces has been overshadowed by the constant flicker of notifications on the wristwatch, blurring the boundaries between the virtual and the real. 

(2) Anxiety gnaws at the edges of consciousness when the phone is out of reach, a phantom limb syndrome that leaves us feeling incomplete without our digital appendage. The fear of missing out permeates every moment spent away from the screen, driving us to constantly check for updates and notifications. 

(3) Thumbs move with the speed and precision of skilful pianists, tapping out messages and scrolling through feeds with practised ease. Yet amidst the flurry of activity, the true rhythm of life remains unheard, drowned out by the dissonance of digital noise. The weight of constant connectivity forms a hunch upon our shoulders, a physical manifestation of the burden we carry in an age of information overload. Our minds are perpetually on high alert, scanning for the next wave of excitement that comes with each like, share, or comment. 

(4) And yet, for all our efforts to stay connected, we find ourselves increasingly isolated in a sea of digital faces. Genuine connections are fleeting, drowned out by the constant clamour for attention. In the pursuit of digital validation, we sacrifice the wealth of lived experience, trading meaningful moments for fleeting glimpses of connection. The true essence of life lies not in the pixels on a screen, but in the depth of human connection and the richness of shared experiences. 

(5) As we navigate this brave new world of constant connectivity, let us not forget the value of presence and the beauty of being fully engaged in the moments that matter most. In the end, it is not the number of likes or followers that defines us, but the depth of our connections and the richness of our experiences that truly matter.

CHECK: CBSE Class 12 English Pre-Board Sample 2024-25