📖 class 12 english · vistas stories
On the Face of It
by Susan Hill · Vistas (supplementary reader)
On the Face of It by Susan Hill is part of the stories section of Vistas, the Class 12 CBSE English supplementary reader, and carries around 1 mark of the 80-mark board paper. It's a moderate-difficulty text — plan roughly 1.5 hours to cover it properly. Recent CBSE papers asked 3 questions from it, on Disability & Attitude, Isolation & Acceptance, Prejudice. Examiner's note: Mr. Lamb's positivity vs Derry's self-pity.
Real board questions from this text
How does Mr. Lamb's attitude towards his disability differ from Derry's? (40–50 words)
How does the meeting with Mr. Lamb change Derry's outlook on life? What message does 'On the Face of It' convey about physical impairment? (120–150 words)
Why is Derry afraid of meeting people, and how does society's reaction to his burnt face affect him? (40–50 words)
Quick answers
Who wrote On the Face of It?
On the Face of It was written by Susan Hill. It appears in the stories section of Vistas, one of the two prescribed Class 12 CBSE English textbooks.
How many marks is On the Face of It worth in the Class 12 board exam?
Around 1 mark of the 80-mark CBSE English theory paper, based on the official unit-wise weightage. Mr. Lamb's positivity vs Derry's self-pity.
Is On the Face of It easy or hard?
It's rated medium — a moderate-difficulty text in Class 12 English. Most students need about 1.5 hours to cover it well.
What should I focus on in On the Face of It?
Going by the board papers themselves, the recurring areas are Disability & Attitude, Isolation & Acceptance, Prejudice — that's where the marks actually sit.
What questions come from On the Face of It in board exams?
Between 2019–2023, CBSE board papers asked questions from this text on Disability & Attitude, Isolation & Acceptance, Prejudice — 3- to 5-mark questions, mostly short answers within a word limit.
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