English 2nd Paper
Part-A (Grammar Test)-60 marks
1. Fill in the blanks in the following text with articles (a/an/the) as necessary. Some of the blanks may not require an article. Put a cross (×) in those blanks. 0.5×10 = 5
It was 1941. It was (a) — battle of Stalingrad during (b) — Second World War. (c) — Germans attacked (d) — town in Russia. They burnt everything they saw. Not (e) — house was left standing. Not (f) — soul was around, not even (g) — dog. It seemed that no one ever lived there. The Germans were tired. They stopped for (h) — rest. The captain looked for (i) — village named Surmontas. (j) — Russian guerrillas were hiding there. He must go there and kill them.
2. Complete the text with suitable prepositions. 0.5 × 10 = 5
The ceremony began (a) — 2 pm. Our principal presided (b) — the function. The function started (c) — the recitation (d) — the Holy Quran. One (e) — our senior teachers read (f) — the annual report. The Deputy Commissioner, the honorable chief guest, delivered a brief speech. He advised the students (g) — be regular (h) — studies and take part (i) — movement (j) — illiteracy.
3. Complete the sentences with suitable phrase/words given in the box. 0.5 × 10 = 5
there what’s it like It
have to what does... look like would rather
was born let alone had better
what if
(a) — is a sunny day and seems that rain will not fall soon. (b) — his new pen —? (c) I cannot have a single farthing — a dollar. (d) Many of our people do not like to speak in English. I — speak in English. (e) — is no fish in the pond as the flood has inundated it recently. (f) — any good news for him comes today? (g) We do not — do it for the sake of the country particularly for the poor. (h) You — sell the village home considering the future of your children. (i) The inventor of printing, Johann Gutenberg — in 1400 in the city of Mainz, Germany. (j)—living in a crowded city? You seem to lee unhappy living in a crowded city.
4. Complete the sentences using suitable clauses/phrases. 0.5 × 10 = 5
(a) Man wants company. A man is known by the company —. (b) Money is the fuel of life. He did it with a view to —. (c) Hardly had the leader finished his speech, when the bomb —. (d) — as if nothing happened. (e) Walking is an exercise. You cannot walk properly let alone —. (f) Society needs social worker. As I opened the door, —. (g) Although the parents were present, —. (h) Work should be done on time. I wanted to avoid talking to them so that —. (i) Since they were requesting me earnestly, —. (j) Procrastination is the thief of time. I have done it intentionally because —.
5. Read the text and fill in the gaps with the correct of verbs in brackets as per subject and context. 0.5 × 10 = 5
One very conspicuous change in our society (a) — (be) the presentation of working women outside the home. Of course, it (b) — (acknowledge) that women have always (c) — (work) within the household but this commonly (d) — (count) as ‘work’. It is unfortunate that women’s role in agricultural societies as in our villages, particularly during harvest time (e) — (recognize) either. Whether it is due to economical necessity or the urge (f) — (establish) an individual identity or both, now a-days many women (g) — (enter) outside workforce. They (h) — (join) a wide range of professions. Moreover, it is not only educated women who (i) — (opt) to work but women with little or no education (j) — (come) out of their cocoons to earn and become self reliant.
6. Read the text and change the sentences as directed. 1 × 5 = 5
Corruption is a great curse to our nation. (a) No other problem is so dreadful as corruption (Make it Comparative). b) It prevails in every walk of out life (Make it Interrogative). It destroys everything. (c) We fail to enjoy the real progress as corruption devours every good fruit of our efforts (Make it Compound), It can be compared to cancer. (d) It paralyses the whole nation (Make it Passive). (e) We must realize the fact and come forward against corruption (Make it Negative).
7. Change the narrative style by using direct speeches. 5
Rumi asked her father if they should take a taxi to the stadium or go by bus. Father replied that it would be better if they took a bus and added that it was really difficult to get a taxi during the rush hours. Addressing her father as papa, Rumi again asked him if they should go to the earlier stoppage then. She also said that they would perhaps get vacant seats there. Rumi’s father commented that was a very good idea. He then proposed that they should move.
8. Identify the unclear pronoun references in the following paragraph. Where necessary, rewrite the sentence so that all pronoun references are clear. 1 × 5 = 5
Once a clever fox, while walking through the jungle, fell into a trap; but he somehow managed to get out of the trap at the cost of his tail. Without it he looked very strange and ugly. It made him sad and ashamed, and he thought out a plan in order to get rid of his miserable condition. He invited all other foxes of the jungle and, when he attended the meeting, he told them about the uselessness of the tails and made a suggestion to cut them off. After hearing it, the foxes wanted to cut off his tails without wasting any time.
9. Read the following text and use modifiers as directed in the blank spaces. 0.5 × 10 = 15
Mr. Rahman, (a) — (Post-modify the noun with an appositive), is known to all his students and colleagues as a good teacher. He possesses all (b) — (Use article to pre-modify the noun) qualities like honesty, punctuality, sincerity, intelligence, efficiency etc. of a (c) — (Use an adjective to pre-modify the noun) teacher. He maintains a friendly relationship with (d) — (Use possessive to pre-modify the noun) students. He (e) — (Use and adverb to pre-modify the verb) tries to discover the (f) — (Use an adjective to pre-modify the noun) talents of his students. He makes his class very much interesting and, therefore, (g) — (Use quantifier to pre-modify the noun) student feels boring in his class. He knows well about the weak students and gives special attention to (h) — (Use a demonstrative of pre-modify the noun) students. (i) — (Use an adverb to pre-modify verb) he takes extra classes for them. In fact, he is contributing a lot (j) — (Use an infinitive phrase to post-modify the verb).
10. Use appropriate sentence connectors in the blank spaces of the following passage. 0.5×10=5
Once there lived an old man in a village. He had three sons who were healthy and strong, but they did not work hard. (a) —, they always quarreled with one another. (b) —, the man was very unhappy. One day, he called them in his room. (c) — he told them to bring some sticks and rope. When they bring them, the man tied those sticks with the rope. (d) —, he asked his eldest son to break the bundle of sticks. He tried his best but could not break it. (e) —, the other two sons failed to break the bundle. (f) —, the man untied the sticks. The sons learnt something important from the sticks. (g) —, if they could stay together, nobody would be able to do any harm to them. (h) —, if they were divided, they would have no power and anybody would be able to harm them. (i) —, they realized the truth that ‘Unity is strength’. (j) —, those three sons stopped quarrelling with one another and worked hard on their fields.
11. Read the passage and then write the antonym or synonym of the words as directed below. 0.5 × 10 = 5
In the South of Spain, there was a small village whose people were very Joyful and lucky. The children played under the shade of trees in the gardens of their home. A shepherd boy whose name was Nasir, stayed near the village with his father, mother and grandmother. Early morning each day, he takes his herd of goats up the hills to find a suitable place for them to graze. In the afternoon he would return with them to the village. At night his grandmother would tell him a story. It was the story of stars. This story really interested Nasir. As usual, on one of these days, as Nasir was watching his herd and playing his flute he suddenly saw a wonderful light behind the flower bush. When he came towards the branches he saw a transparent and most beautiful crystal ball.
(a) joyful (antonym) (b) shade (synonym) (c) shepherd (synonym) (d) early (antonym) (e) herd (synonym) (f) suitable (antonym) (g) return (antonym) (h) story (synonym) (i) interested (synonym) (j) transparent (antonym)
12. There are ten errors in the use of punctuation marks in the following text. Rewrite the text correcting the errors. 0.5 × 10 = 5
Grasshopper : You’re really dull-headed aren’t you?
Ant : Why do you think so? Could you explain
Grasshopper : You’re working all the time! No rest! No music! How funny
Ant : Its because I think about the winter when I wont be able to work.
Grasshopper : Wow That’s a great logic! But, the winter is far away! Lets have some fun now.
Ant : I am really sorry. I’ve lots of tasks in my hand.
Grasshopper : Oh, you crazy little creature!
Ant : I think you have enough for the winter, haven’t you
Grasshopper : You’re mistaken! I never think about the future. It doesn’t exist at all.
Part-B (Writing Test)-40 marks
13. Write an email to the Principal of your college requesting him/her not to allow any student or teacher to use cell phone in the classroom or in the examination hall. 8
14. Suppose, you are a reporter of The Daily Star. Recently our Victory Day has been observed across the country. Now, write a report on the observation of our Victory Day. 8
15. Write a paragraph on ‘Food Adulteration’. Use 150 words. 10
16. Write a composition on ‘Unemployment Problem in Bangladesh’ or ‘Patriotism’. Write at least 200 words but don’t exceed 250 words. 14
