NCERT Class 12 English Book

Class 12 CBSE English syllabus mainly includes two books, Flamingo textbook and Vistas textbooks. However, there is a separate book for students who opt for elective English, that is Kaleidoscope. English is the subject which is easy to learn and scoring at the same time. Due to this, NCERT Class 12 English book PDF is must-have for the students appearing for board examination in the upcoming academic session.

NCERT 12th English book not only helps students to score well but also assists in developing decent writing and reading skills in English. As a result, students can perform well in their future endeavours.

In today's fast-paced world, having a common language that everyone understands is essential for communicating and fitting in between all the data and information available. As a result, English has become a repository for a wide range of knowledge, from social to political.

From beginning to conclusion, all of the lessons have been thoroughly explained in this article. Flamingo and Vistas is a collection of chapters from the NCERT Class 12 English Book PDF. It is an essential study material for CBSE Board class 12 students. The entire syllabus for CBSE English textbook Class 12 Literature notes can also be found on Vedantu. This is a complete study bundle for Class 12 English prose and poetry, including chapter by chapter summaries, difficult words, and literary devices.

NCERT Book for Class 12 Flamingo English Chapter-wise PDF

The Class 12 Flamingo English book by NCERT includes eight chapters of prose and six chapters of poetry.

Prose

Poetry

NCERT Book for Class 12 Vistas English Chapter-wise PDF

The Supplementary Book – Vistas has eight chapters. Since English involves a good understanding of grammar, it's important for students to consistently read each chapter in the textbook.

Chapter-wise Summary of NCERT Class 12th English Textbook PDF

• Flamingo (Prose)

Chapter 1: The Lost Lesson

The first chapter of Flamingo NCERT PDF contains great prose written by French short-story writer and novelist Alphonse Daudet. The story revolves around how the Franco-Prussian war affected the school lives of thousands of children.

The Lost Lesson is written in a very articulate manner; hence students can comprehend the entire story without any issues. Nonetheless, the ending of the story also carries a beautiful message against wars.

At the end of the chapter, there is an exercise that students solve to test their understanding of the piece.

Chapter 2: Lost Spring

Moving on to the next chapter, the prose is taken from Lost Spring Stories of Stolen Childhood. Written by Anees Jung, this story deals with the grim and severe issue of poverty and how that leads to the exploitation of children. The story also helps to depict the overall hypocrisy of society.

This chapter of NCERT class 12th English Book PDF also contains a section for exercise from where students can expect what kind of questions they might see in the board exam.

Chapter 3: Deep Water

This chapter of class 12 English Book PDF of flamingo possesses William Douglas’s Deep Water which narrates an incident from the author's childhood. Basically, through this story, the narrator shares how one day he almost drowned in a swimming pool. The rest of the story tells about his fear of water and how he overcame that.

Deep Water is an extract from the author's renowned work Of Men and Mountains. The story is autobiographical, and hence many readers can relate to the story on a personal level.

Chapter 4: The Rattrap 

Selma Lagerlof was a Swedish author who wrote The Rattrap. This story is a part of Flamingo NCERT, and it allows the reader to explore that understanding and love can transform any person into a better one. It also implies that goodness is there in every human being, and sometimes they just require a way-out to express that quality.

The Rattrap is set in Sweden and tells the glorious history of the country. This story is translated into several languages because of its universal theme. Students easily sway away with the story as it has a tone of a fairy tale.

Chapter 5: Indigo

Chapter five of flamingo book class 12 deals with a story taken from Louis Fetcher’s The Life of Mahatma Gandhi. Times Educational Supplement regarded it as one of the best books written on Gandhi. Students find this piece extremely exciting and inspiring as it talks about the “Father of The Nation”.

This extract mainly records the author's experience when he first visited Gandhi. Hence there is nostalgia in his writing. Moreover, by solving the exercises provided at the end of the chapter, students can improve their writing skills to a great extent.

Chapter 6: Poets and Pancakes

This particular chapter of the 12th English book NCERT is quite different and interesting than others. The reason behind it is this extract is taken from Ashokamitran’s My Years with Boss. As a matter of fact, the author himself was a member of The Gemini Studio, a renowned filmmaking studio based in Chennai.

He was in charge of collecting paper cutting of the interesting news on different topics and filing them for further reference. Being a well-informed individual, his observation of the film industry was insightful. Through this story, he also demonstrates the influence of cinema on Indians in a witty manner.

Chapter 7: The Interview

The seventh chapter of flamingo english book class 12 contains a unique extract from Christopher Silvester’s introduction to Penguin Book of Interviews, An Anthropology from 1859 to Present Day.  This piece contains two parts; in the first part, the author provides some insights into journalism from his own experience along with the discussion of some of the most celebrated books of renowned authors.

On the other hand, part two includes some extracts of interviews from the past. This particular part will also be useful for students who aspire to become a journalist in the future.

Chapter 8: Going Places

The prose section of NCERT class 12th english textbook PDF of flamingo concludes with this chapter. This story is written by a Modern author A.R.Barton. The short story revolves around the anecdotes of adolescence. Since the readers of this story also belong to this stage of life, they can readily connect to the emotions of the protagonist. 

The authors give an account of the mental changes that one goes through during this period. Starting from fantasizing to hero-worshipping, the authors talked about everything. Similar to other chapters, this one also provides an elaborate exercise containing writing skills, themes, sub-themes of the story, and several other segments. 

• Poetry

Chapter 1: My Mother at Sixty-Six

The first chapter of the Flamingo textbook for poetry contains Kamala Das’s My Mother at Sixty-Six. Kamala Das was a trailblazer in the field of Indian Poetry in English. She was proficient in both Malayalam and English. She published several poems and short stories in these languages. Her poetry is known for originality and versatility.

This poem is no exception. This poetry explores the complexities of human relationships. Moreover, it recounts the agony and expectations of elderly parents. Similar to her other poetry, this one is also autobiographical. Through this poem, she questions our intentions as we often tend to neglect our parents when they grow old.

Chapter 2: An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum

Stephen Spender, an essayist and also an Oxford dropout, wrote this poem. Over the years he became a renowned poet. He also declared himself a socialist and pacifist. This poetry is one of his best works as it gives us an account of the social inequalities and injustices inflicted on children in poverty.

As the name suggests, this poem provides us with a glimpse of how an elementary school in a slum looks like. From this work, we get to know how children or students of that school have negligible facilities and how the entire society is to be blamed for their misery. Like the prose chapters, this NCERT English Book class 12 chapter also contains an exercise.

Chapter 3: Keeping Quiet

Nobel Laureate Pablo Neruda’s Keeping Quiet is beautiful poetry, full of images. He was a Chilean poet and wrote on various themes. However, the Class 12th English Book  syllabus contains only this poetry.

This poetry celebrates the universal theme of amnesty. He focuses on the importance of quiet introspection and how that can lead to a mutual understanding among people. According to him, the world is a beautiful place only when we respect other individuals and help them to realise their dreams.

Chapter 4: A Thing of Beauty

Famous Romantic poet John Keats wrote this poem. In the Syllabus of the CBSE Flamingo Class 12th English textbook PDF included this extract from Endymion: A Poetic Romance. This poem revolves around a beautiful young shepherd and poet, Endymion and Moon Goddess Cynthia. This long narrative poem of Keats explores the theme of love and longing. Based on a Greek legend, this poem is picturesque and creates a divine atmosphere where Goddess Cynthia falls in love with the worldly man Endymion.

Keats is known for his excellence in perceiving the world differently and transforming that into lyrical idioms.

Chapter 5: A Roadside Stand

The world-famous American poet Robert Frost’s A Roadside Stand is an integral part of NCERT English textbook class 12 PDF. He is the poet of several phenomenal poems like Stopping by the Woods on A Snowy Evening; Mending Walls, etc. His poems mainly deal with people, characters, and landscapes.

This poem tells the story of the lives of poor people and their deprivation. Most of his poems successfully depict human miseries and fears. Here in this poem also, the pitiless destiny of these people is clearly evident.

Chapter 6: Aunt Jennifer’s Tiger

Adrienne Rich’s Aunt Jennifer’s Tiger is a powerful poem, incorporated in NCERT Class 12th English textbook PDF. The poet is known for her active involvement in the feminist movement as a theorist and a poet. Most of her poems resonate with a strong protest against racism and militarism.

This poem also discusses the constraints that a woman faces in her married life. The poem is highly metaphorical in the sense that the tiger is the metaphor for a suppressed woman’s zeal to live a life of her own. The tiger is a symbol of power. Through this poem, the poet expresses a woman’s desire to be fearless and unstoppable in any adverse situation.

• Vistas

Chapter 1: The Third Level

Jack Finney’s The Third Level is a psychological story that is included in the NCERT Class 12 English book for vistas. The story revolves around the life of Charlie, the 31 years old protagonist. The story is set in the subways of the grand central railway station. However, the subway in this prose is metaphoric, as it connects the land of fantasy with the mundane everyday life of Charlie. He always seeks to escape the harsh reality of the world around him and take refuge in some wonderland.

This prose is a critique of modern life which has made humans mechanical and robotic. Also, the letter of Sam gives a comprehensive idea of time and space.

Chapter 2: The Tiger King

The second chapter of NCERT Class 12th English book PDF contains The Tiger King written by Kalki. This prose is a mockery of the arrogance and willfulness of those in power. This story takes us back to an era when Kings used to rule under the British Government. The story gives us an account of how these kings were corrupt and had no intention for the development and welfare of their people.

The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram is the central character of the story. He once believed in the prediction that a tiger would kill him. To believe the claim, he hunted down 99 tigers. But in the end, he was cut on his right hand by a tiger made of silver and died from an infection of the wound.

Chapter 3: Journey to the End of the Earth

This particular piece is a travelogue of Tishani Doshi who traveled to far Antarctica. This story from the Class 12 English book syllabus focuses on several important issues like global warming and its effects. Along with the serene beauty of the landscapes and detailed description of the journey, the author lets the readers feel the ecstasy of reaching the end of the world. This story is not only a mere travel account; instead, it sheds light on some serious issues of melting icebergs. Furthermore, it also tells how our united effort can save the environment.

Chapter 4: The Enemy

Moving on to the next chapter, S. Buck’s The Enemy makes a pivotal part of English book class 12. The story recounts the life story of a Japanese Surgeon, Sadao, during World War II. This gives a very sound lesson of life when we see that, despite being the enemy, Sadao offers his help to save the lives of an American soldier. Being a doctor, Sadao never shied away from doing his duty of saving a life.

After many turns and twists, the story ends with the message of brotherhood and humanity.

Chapter 5: Should a Wizard Hit Mommy?

The prose of this chapter of NCERT class 12th English textbook PDF raises some valid questions related to the upbringing of children. Written by John Updike, this prose addresses some otherwise trivial issues like bedtime stories.

In childhood often the parents tell stories from fables and fairy tales, and sometimes they make up some random, illogical ones to put children to sleep. The author argues that, when the children listen to those stories, they start believing them while growing up. Ultimately when they reach the threshold of adulthood, they begin questioning the legitimacy of those stories.

However, parents often discourage them from answering their questions. From this tradition, moral issues develop, and we start accepting things without asking.

Chapter 6: On The Face of It

It is the only play of the 12th English book. Susan Hill is the author of it. The play documents the friendship of Derry, a young boy, and Mr. Lamb, an older man. Derry had a facial scar, and due to this, he used to hide from people. But one day he met Mr. Lamb who gives the best possible life lesson to him. He told Derry to live life to the fullest and accept the way it is. Completely moved and encouraged by his speech and advice, Derry could gather himself to come out of his shell.

But in the process, Mr. Lamb lost the only friend he had, Derry. He is now an entirely different person, confident and accepting.

Chapter 7: Evans Tries an O-Level

It is an interesting story of Evan, an expert on breaking prison and coming out of it. Because of this, people used to call him “The Breaker”. This piece of NCERT books class 12 English is written amusingly; therefore, students enjoy the text thoroughly.

As the story progresses, we see that Evan is brought to Oxford prison. The other section depicts how based on his wit, he tries to escape the prison. He even took help from other prisoners to accomplish his goal. The story ends with how he sat for an O-level exam to complete his escape plan.

Chapter 8: Memories of Childhood

The concluding text of NCERT English textbook class 12 PDF is Zitkala-Sa and Bama’s Memories of Childhood. This prose documents the story of two different women, Zitkala-Sa and Bama, and how both fall prey to social discrimination. Zitkala-Sa was a victim of racial discrimination, whereas; Bama had to face caste discrimination. Both these episodes are autobiographical; hence their feelings seem even more prominent to the readers.

The oppression they went through from childhood made them rebellious in the end.

Just like the Flamingo textbook, each chapter of Vistas also contains exercises through which students can assess their understanding of the texts.

Why Should You Study NCERT Class 12th English Textbook PDF?

The Indian market is flooded with several books for the CBSE school syllabus. However, NCERT class 12 English books are always in high demand. You must be wondering why? Following are some of the reasons. Let’s take a look!

• Helps in Better Understanding- All NCERT books are student-friendly in the sense that they are informative and contain reference study material as well. By reading them, students can develop an in-depth understanding of any topic. Moreover, teachers from all over the country contributed to writing these books. Therefore the quality of books remains unquestionable. 

• Written in Articulated Style- Among other ones, NCERT English textbook Class 12 PDF uses lucid language to explain any prose and poetry. Therefore students take less time to comprehend and memorise each chapter. Due to this, students pursuing higher studies also consult this book to clear any doubt. 

• Exam-oriented Structure- Each chapter of the NCERT book is followed by a detailed exercise. Hence, the students can get a clear idea of what kind of questions CBSE generally asks. A lot of questions come common during CBSE board exams. 

• Ready Availability- NCERT books are available both offline and online. You can download the NCERT Class 12 English Book PDF from Vedantu’s website anytime for free of cost. By studying this book alone, you can score excellent marks in any examination. Download all three books and start learning the chapters immediately. 

• Because of these reasons, NCERT books are the most favourite among the students. Moreover, the teachers also recommend these books to the students preparing for board and any vital examinations.

CBSE Class 12 English Exam Paper Pattern

Students should be aware of the CBSE Class 12 English Core marks distribution in order to improve their exam preparation. This will assist students in writing answers and properly managing their time throughout the exam.

Since English Core in Class 12 is one of the highest-scoring subjects in CBSE, students should plan ahead and study efficiently to achieve high scores in the subject. One of the most significant strategies to do well on the CBSE Class 12 English Core test is to become familiar with the exam pattern, grading, and important topics.

Tips to Excel in CBSE Class 12 English Core Examination:

Please pay extra attention to your English exam preparation. Keep these pointers in mind as you write your answers, and remain calm. Maintaining your composure will help in the clarity of your thought process and enable you to come up with great responses:

• Before submitting your answer script, go over it again and correct the mistakes if there are any. Because the paper will take three hours to complete, set aside two hours and 45 minutes for writing and the remaining 15 minutes for revision.

• Many students are in such a rush to start writing their papers that they are oblivious to the question's requirements. Read all of the questions carefully to ensure that you understand what they require, and then write down your response. 

• When the answer is required to be particularly specific, many students opt to provide general descriptions. This will hinder students from receiving full marks and may become a major issue if students become accustomed to it.

• Remember to highlight crucial aspects in the answer in the prose and poetry sections of the paper. Make sure you don't misspell anything. A correct answer that is riddled with misspellings detracts from its overall quality.

• Follow the NCERT textbooks and answer the questions at the conclusion of each chapter. Because the paper is prepared by CBSE and NCERT is also recommended by CBSE, certain questions for the CBSE class 12 English core exam may come directly from NCERT books.

Other Free CBSE Class 12 English Study Material

Other Free Study CBSE Material for Class 12

Conclusion

The NCERT Class 12 English book is a valuable resource for students, providing a comprehensive and well-structured curriculum. Accessible as a PDF on platforms like Vedantu, this Class 12 English textbook serves as an essential guide for students studying English at the 12th-grade level. Its content covers a wide range of topics, fostering language skills and literary appreciation. The convenience of a digital format, easily downloadable as a PDF, enhances accessibility and flexibility for students. With a focus on quality content and user-friendly availability, the Class 12 English book proves to be a crucial tool for academic success in English literature.