Chapter “The Interview” CBSE Class 12 NCERT English Core Textbook Flamingo: Extract Based Questions are Reference to Context questions asked in exams. This post includes questions asked in various previous ears’ exams, Sample Papers and CBSE question bank. Click here more study resources for Class 12 English Core.
Extract Based Questions-PYQs, SQPs & CBSE QB
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
Passage 1:
“Maybe I give the impression of doing many things. But in the end, I am convinced I am always doing the same thing… And then I have a secret. Do you know what will happen if you eliminate the empty spaces from the universe, eliminate the empty spaces in all the atoms? The universe will become as big as my fist. Similarly, we have a lot of empty spaces in our lives. I call them interstices. Say you are coming over to my place. You are in an elevator, and while you are coming up, I am waiting for you. This is an interstice, an empty. I work in empty spaces.” (CBSE Question Bank)
Questions:
(a) Read the questions given below. Imagine they were interjections raised by the interviewer based on the above extract.
- If you are “always doing the same thing,” isn’t your work lacking in originality?
- Could you elaborate on these larger ethical, philosophical interests that inform your work?
- All writing happens in empty spaces. In fact, why don’t I tell you all about my experiences?
Question: Which of the above is relevant?
Answer: Questions 1 and 2 are relevant as they seek clarification on Eco’s unique perspective and philosophy.
(b) Based on your reading of Part I of The Interview, which one of the following may NOT be an appropriate title to the above extract?
- The Empty Spaces of Umberto Eco
- Big Expose: Eco’s Secret Revealed!
- “I am always doing the same thing”: Eco’s Echoes
- Umberto Eco, Mr Prolific!
Answer: Option 2 – Big Expose: Eco’s Secret Revealed! is not appropriate, as it misrepresents the reflective and philosophical tone of Eco’s explanation.
(c) “I work in empty spaces.” Choose the option that most accurately captures Eco’s idea of empty spaces.
- Management of time
- Organisation of space
- Philosophical inclination
- Command of thought
- (i) Options (1) and (2)
- (ii) Options (3) and (4)
- (iii) Options (1) and (3)
- (iv) Options (2) and (4)
Answer: (i) Options (1) and (2) – Eco’s concept of empty spaces reflects a unique way of managing and utilizing time effectively, as well as structuring space to engage in meaningful work.
(d) Umberto Eco states that “empty spaces” actually fill spaces, and without them, the universe would be the size of a human fist. He also goes on to say that it is in an interstice, such as waiting, which the dictionary defines as a time for pause, that he works. That is, passive waiting is essentially active writing time.
Question: Name the literary device that best describes what Eco does with the concepts of “empty spaces” and “waiting.”
Answer: The literary device used here is metaphor, as Eco uses “empty spaces” and “waiting” as metaphors for moments filled with potential for creativity and work.
(e) “Maybe I give the impression of doing many things.” To whom does Eco say these words and why?
Answer: Eco addresses these words to the interviewer, explaining his approach to work. He clarifies that although he appears to multitask, he perceives all his efforts as interconnected and part of a singular, cohesive pursuit.
(f) ‘Interstices’ means the same as:
- Continuity
- Continuation
- Intermission
- Progression
Answer: Option (iii) – Intermission
Passage 2:
“Saul Bellow, who has consented to be interviewed on several occasions, nevertheless once described interviews as being like thumbprints on his windpipe. Yet despite the drawbacks of the interview, it is a supremely serviceable medium of communication. ‘These days, more than at any other time, our most vivid impressions of our contemporaries are through interviews,’ Denis Brian has written. ‘Almost everything of moment reaches us through one man asking questions of another. Because of this, the interviewer holds a position of unprecedented power and influence.'” (CBSE Question Bank)
Questions:
(a) How would you describe Denis Brian’s opinion on interviews? Choose the most appropriate option.
- Appeasing
- Utilitarian
- Approving
- Praising
Options:
- (i) Options (1) and (2)
- (ii) Options (3) and (4)
- (iii) Options (2) and (3)
- (iv) Options (1) and (4)
Answer: (iii) Options (2) and (3) – Denis Brian sees interviews as both utilitarian (practically useful) and approving (positively impactful).
(b) According to Saul Bellow, interviews are like thumbprints on his windpipe. What emotion might best describe such an image?
Answer: The phrase “thumbprints on his windpipe” suggests a feeling of suffocation or discomfort. Bellow seems to feel that interviews are restrictive or stifling.
(c) Why does Denis Brian state that the interviewer occupies a position of power and influence?
Answer: Denis Brian believes that since so much important information and impactful opinions are shared through interviews, interviewers hold unprecedented power in shaping public opinion and presenting influential ideas.
(d) The use of the word ‘serviceable’ implies that interviews are powerful. (True/False)
Answer: False – The word “serviceable” implies that interviews are useful or functional, but not necessarily powerful on their own.
(e) In which of the following statements has the word ‘unprecedented power’ been used appropriately?
- (i) Technology now gives the state unprecedented power to monitor the lives of individuals.
- (ii) This was interpreted that some unprecedent power has descended at the temple.
- (iii) His unprecedent power to create whirlwind for mass destruction made him one of the most fearsome evil forces.
- (iv) She interviewed six women who with their unprecedented power have reached positions of great power and influence.
Answer: (i) – Technology now gives the state unprecedented power to monitor the lives of individuals. This sentence appropriately uses “unprecedented power” to indicate new, exceptional influence or control.
(f) ‘Contemporaries’ means the opposite of:
- (i) Present
- (ii) Latest
- (iii) In vogue
- (iv) Preceding
Answer: (iv) Preceding – “Preceding” is the opposite of “contemporaries,” which refers to people or things existing at the same time.
Passage 3:
“Some might make quite extravagant claims for it as being, in its highest form, a source of truth, and, in its practice, an art. Others, usually celebrities who see themselves as its victims, might despise the interview as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives, or feel that it somehow diminishes them, just as in some primitive cultures it is believed that if one takes a photographic portrait of somebody then one is stealing that person’s soul.” (CBSE Sample Paper, 2023)
Questions:
(a) What is the most likely reason some people consider the practice of interview to be an art? This could be because it requires:
- (i) Fluency of words.
- (ii) Sensitive and careful handling.
- (iii) Creativity and imagination.
- (iv) Probing and focusing on details.
Answer: (ii) Sensitive and careful handling – Conducting an interview can be considered an art because it often requires handling complex or personal topics with sensitivity and skill.
(b) Rewrite the sentence by replacing the underlined phrase with its inference.
Celebrities feel that an interview diminishes them.
Answer: Celebrities feel that an interview lessens their personal dignity or makes them feel vulnerable.
(c) On the basis of the extract, choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given below.
- Celebrities don’t consent to be interviewed.
- Interviews intrude the privacy of celebrities.
Options:
- (i) (1) can be inferred from the extract but (2) cannot.
- (ii) (1) cannot be inferred from the extract but (2) can.
- (iii) (1) is true but (2) is false.
- (iv) (2) is the reason for (1)
Answer: (ii) (1) cannot be inferred from the extract but (2) can. – The extract mentions that celebrities view interviews as intrusive, but it does not imply that celebrities never consent to interviews.
(d) Rationalise, to support the given opinion.
To say that an interview, in its highest form, is a source of truth, is an extravagant claim.
Answer: This opinion can be supported by arguing that interviews, while providing insights, are often influenced by both the interviewer’s biases and the interviewee’s selective responses. Therefore, calling it a “source of truth” might be excessive, as interviews may only capture fragments of reality rather than objective truth.
(e) Replace the underlined word with its antonym from the extract.
Some celebrities hate the idea of having to give an interview because it makes them feel like supporters.
Answer: Replace supporters with victims from the extract, as some celebrities feel like “victims” of interviews, viewing them as intrusive.
(f) The author’s views on interviews, in the extract, can best be described as statements based on _____________.
- (i) Facts
- (ii) Hypothesis
- (iii) Beliefs
- (iv) Superstitions
Answer: (iii) Beliefs – The passage reflects opinions and beliefs about interviews rather than objective facts or proven hypotheses.
Passage 4:
“Others, usually celebrities who see themselves as its victims, might despise the interview as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives, or feel that it somehow diminishes them, just as in some primitive cultures it is believed that if one takes a photographic portrait of somebody then one is stealing that person’s soul. V.S. Naipaul ‘feels that some people are wounded by interviews and lose a part of themselves.’ Lewis Carroll, the creator of Alice in Wonderland, was said to have had ‘a just horror of the interviewer’ and he never consented to be interviewed.” (CBSE, 2022-23)
Questions:
(a) Choose the appropriate option with reference to the given extract.
Most of the celebrities dislike being interviewed because:
- (i) It is sheer nonsense.
- (ii) Nobody reveals his/her inner self.
- (iii) It is sheer waste of time.
- (iv) It is an unwanted intrusion into their lives.
Answer: (iv) It is an unwanted intrusion into their lives. – The passage indicates that celebrities view interviews as an invasion of their privacy.
(b) Complete the analogy with a word from the extract.
light : darkness : : ____________ : refused
Answer: consented – The correct word is “consented” because it is the opposite of “refused,” just as “light” is the opposite of “darkness.”
(c) In primitive cultures, being photographed implied ___________________________.
Answer: In primitive cultures, being photographed implied that one was stealing the person’s soul.
(d) From the given extract, we know that _______________ never agreed to be interviewed.
Answer: From the given extract, we know that Lewis Carroll never agreed to be interviewed.
(e) In the given extract, the word ‘diminish’ most nearly means:
- (i) deepens
- (ii) disappoints
- (iii) lessens
- (iv) languishes
Answer: (iii) lessens – “Diminish” here means to lessen or reduce one’s sense of self.
(f) In the given extract, the writer indicates that most people _______________ interviews.
- (i) celebrated
- (ii) read
- (iii) gave
- (iv) despised
Answer: (iv) despised – The passage suggests that many people, especially celebrities, despise interviews.
Passage 5:
“Similarly, we have a lot of empty spaces in our lives. I call them interstices. Say you are coming over to my place. You are in the elevator and while you are coming up, I am waiting for you. This is an interstice, an empty space. I work in empty spaces. While waiting for your elevator to come up from the first to the third floor, I have already written an article!”
Questions:
(a) Umberto Eco was:
- (i) a professor of semiotics; an author
- (ii) an interviewer, a novelist
- (iii) a journalist, a professor
- (iv) a publisher, an author
Answer: (i) a professor of semiotics; an author – Umberto Eco was known for his work as a professor of semiotics and as a writer.
(b) Rationalize, to support the given statement:
Similarly, we have a lot of empty spaces in our lives.
Answer: The statement suggests that in our daily routines, there are moments of waiting or pauses between activities. These “empty spaces” can be used productively, as Eco demonstrates, by doing meaningful work even in these small moments.
(c) Rewrite the sentence by replacing the underlined phrase with its inference.
I call them interstices.
Answer: I refer to these empty moments as opportunities to make productive use of time.
(d) On the basis of the extract, study the two statements, I and II given below:
- Umberto Eco works even in the spare time between activities.
- Umberto Eco does not like to be interviewed.
Options:
- (i) I can be inferred from the extract, but II cannot
- (ii) I cannot be inferred from the extract, but II can
- (iii) I and II are true
- (iv) II is the reason for I
Answer: (i) I can be inferred from the extract, but II cannot – The extract mentions Eco’s habit of working during spare time but does not indicate his attitude toward interviews.
(e) Replace the underlined word with its antonym from the extract.
Umberto Eco does not like to waste time. He writes an article while he is proceeding to the elevator.
Answer: Replace waste with empty from the extract. The term “empty spaces” is used by Eco to refer to moments of waiting that he fills with productive work.
(f) Umberto Eco’s views on his manner of work are based on ___________.
- facts
- an interview
- his blog
- hypothesis
Answer: (ii) an interview – The passage is from an interview where Eco describes his approach to productivity
