Art is generally understood as an expression of human imagination - Multiple Choice & Short Question for HSC English First Paper - English for Today for Class 11 and 12 / Seen Passage for HSC

1. Read the passage and answer the questions A and B:

Art is generally understood as an expression of human imagination and creative skills in a range of activities including painting, drawing, sculpture and architecture. The aim of art is to evoke feelings and emotions that are considered aesthetic – that is, concerned with beauty but art also can be a form of social commentary. A painting of sunset over the sea glorifies nature, but one that shows a war ravaged town can convey a sense of anguish. Throughout the world people appreciate art for its power to affect them in creative ways. As the famous painter Pablo Picasso said, “the purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.”

Art in our country has a long history. It has been practiced in households in the form of pottery, nakshikantha or embroidered quilt, alpana or intricate, mostly floral designs in rice paste done on clay yards and shokher harhi or painted earthen pots (and their lids). These are examples of folk art. But there is another form of art which is called modern art, which owes its origin to the industrial revolution in Western Europe in the middle of-19th century and the changes it brought in technology, education, manufacturing and communication. Modern art rejected traditional art forms and began to create new types of artistic expression using styles, techniques, colours and materials that could adequately reflect the spirit of the time and the profound changes in human thought.

The beginning of modern art practices in our country date from 1948, when the great artist Zainul Abedin (1914-1976), with the help of some colleagues set up an institute of art in Dhaka (now the Faculty of Fine Art, University of Dhaka). As it began to offer art education, the institute drew together a number of talented teachers and students who contributed to the development of modern art almost from scratch. But within a decade, artists were reflecting most recent trends and styles in their work such as expressionism and abstract expressionism- while maintaining a close contact with the traditions of folk art.

Zainul had earned all-India fame for his Famine Sketches, a series of haunting sketches based on the Bengal famine of 1943 which took hundreds of thousands of lives. His watercolors, scroll paintings and drawings inspire our artists even today. The other prominent artists who had major contributions to the spectacular rise of our contemporary art include Qamrul Hassan, SM Sultan, Safiuddin Ahmed, Abdur Razzak, Qayyum Chowdhury, Murtaza Baseer, Aminul Islam, Syed Jahangir, Debdas Chakravarty, Novera Ahmed and Muhammad Kibria.

The war of liberation and the independence of the country in 1971 inspired our artists to continue the efforts of the earlier artists to explore the limits of art and create new expressive modes. For the next four decades, art in our country saw many experimentations. Artists dealt with new ideas such as installation art and graphic art; and reshaped older, traditional art forms. If you visit any art gallery or art exhibition, you will find how our art reflects our changing realities in fascinating and insightful ways.

Bangla Translation:

A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives.

1. What is the primary focus of the text?

   
   

   (i) The scientific study of dreams (ii) The interpretation of dreams in culture

   
   

   (iii) The historical fascination with dreams (iv) The philosophical debates about dreams

2. What is art generally understood as?

   
   

   (i) A means of industrialization (ii) An expression of human imagination

   
   

   (iii) A form of literature (iv) A scientific endeavor

3. According to the text, what is the primary goal of art?

   
   

   (i) To depict historical events (ii) To evoke feelings and emotions

   
   

   (iii) To create financial value (iv) To serve religious purposes

4. What type of emotions can art evoke?

   
   

   (i) Only joy (ii) Joy and anger

   
   

   (iii) Aesthetic and creative emotions (iv) Both aesthetic and social emotions

5. What is an example of art being a form of social commentary?

   
   

   (i) A painting of a sunset over the sea (ii) A sculpture of an animal

   
   

   (iii) A war-ravaged town’s painting (iv) Architectural blueprints

6. What does Picasso suggest is the purpose of art?

   
   

   (i) To reflect society’s evolution (ii) To inspire daily routines

   
   

   (iii) To cleanse the soul of daily life’s burdens (iv) To glorify nature

7. Which of the following is an example of folk art mentioned in the text?

   
   

   (i) Abstract painting (ii) Nakshikantha

   
   

   (iii) Installation art (iv) Expressionism

8. Where did modern art originate?

   
   

   (i) South Asia (ii) Western Europe

   
   

   (iii) The United States (iv) Ancient Greece

9. What historical event led to the rise of modern art?

   
   

   (i) The Industrial Revolution (ii) World War II

   
   

   (iii) The Renaissance (iv) The French Revolution

10. How does modern art differ from traditional art?

    
    

    (i) It uses digital techniques exclusively (ii) It rejects traditional forms and explores new styles

    
    

    (iii) It glorifies only natural beauty (iv) It focuses solely on industrial themes

11. When did modern art practices begin in Bangladesh?

    
    

    (i) 1971 (ii) 1948 (iii) 1914 (iv) 1965

12. Who was instrumental in founding the Institute of Art in Dhaka?

    
    

    (i) Pablo Picasso (ii) Zainul Abedin

    
    

    (iii) SM Sultan (iv) Abdur Razzak

13. What inspired Zainul Abedin’s Famine Sketches?

    
    

    (i) The Bengal famine of 1943 (ii) The War of Liberation in 1971

    
    

    (iii) The Industrial Revolution (iv) The French Revolution

14. Which of the following art forms did Zainul Abedin master?

    
    

    (i) Abstract expressionism (ii) Scroll paintings and watercolors

    
    

    (iii) Graphic design (iv) Digital art

15. What is significant about Zainul Abedin’s contribution to art?

    
    

    (i) He introduced installation art (ii) He blended folk art with modern styles

    
    

    (iii) He focused only on sculpture (iv) He established art museums internationally

    
    

B. Answer the following questions: 3×5=15

a. What is art generally understood as

b. Why is art considered an expression of human imagination?

c. What is the primary aim of art according to the text?

d. How can art evoke emotions?

e. What is an example of art as a form of social commentary?

f. What does a painting of a war-ravaged town convey?

g. Why do people appreciate art around the world?

h. What did Pablo Picasso say about the purpose of art?

i. What are some examples of folk art mentioned in the text?

j. How has art been practiced traditionally in Bangladesh?

Answer:

A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives.

1. What is the primary focus of the text?

   • (ii) The interpretation of dreams in culture

2. What is art generally understood as?

   • (ii) An expression of human imagination

3. According to the text, what is the primary goal of art?

   • (ii) To evoke feelings and emotions

4. What type of emotions can art evoke?

   • (iv) Both aesthetic and social emotions

5. What is an example of art being a form of social commentary?

   • (iii) A war-ravaged town’s painting

6. What does Picasso suggest is the purpose of art?

   • (iii) To cleanse the soul of daily life’s burdens

7. Which of the following is an example of folk art mentioned in the text?

   • (ii) Nakshikantha

8. Where did modern art originate?

   • (ii) Western Europe

9. What historical event led to the rise of modern art?

   • (i) The Industrial Revolution

10. How does modern art differ from traditional art?

    • (ii) It rejects traditional forms and explores new styles

11. When did modern art practices begin in Bangladesh?

    • (ii) 1948

12. Who was instrumental in founding the Institute of Art in Dhaka?

    • (ii) Zainul Abedin

13. What inspired Zainul Abedin’s Famine Sketches?

    • (i) The Bengal famine of 1943

14. Which of the following art forms did Zainul Abedin master?

    • (ii) Scroll paintings and watercolors

15. What is significant about Zainul Abedin’s contribution to art?

    • (ii) He blended folk art with modern styles

B. Answer of the questions:

a. What is art generally understood as?

Art is generally understood as an expression of human imagination and creative skills in various forms, including painting, drawing, sculpture, and architecture.

b. Why is art considered an expression of human imagination?

Art is considered an expression of human imagination because it allows individuals to convey feelings, emotions, and ideas creatively, using various techniques and materials.

c. What is the primary aim of art according to the text?

The primary aim of art is to evoke feelings and emotions that are considered aesthetic, meaning they are related to beauty, although it can also serve as social commentary.

d. How can art evoke emotions?

Art can evoke emotions through its ability to depict scenes or convey messages that resonate deeply with the viewer, such as showing the beauty of nature or the anguish of war.

e. What is an example of art as a form of social commentary?

A painting of a war-ravaged town is an example of art as a form of social commentary, as it conveys a sense of anguish and reflects the harsh realities of war.

f. What does a painting of a war-ravaged town convey?

A painting of a war-ravaged town conveys a sense of anguish and can highlight the destructive impact of war on communities.

g. Why do people appreciate art around the world?

People appreciate art because of its power to affect them creatively, inspiring emotions and thoughts that reflect both beauty and societal issues.

h. What did Pablo Picasso say about the purpose of art?

Pablo Picasso said that the purpose of art is to wash the dust of daily life off our souls, implying that art helps cleanse the mind and provide a deeper, emotional connection to life.

i. What are some examples of folk art mentioned in the text?

Some examples of folk art mentioned in the text include pottery, nakshikantha (embroidered quilts), alpana (floral designs in rice paste), and shokher harhi (painted earthen pots).

j. How has art been practiced traditionally in Bangladesh?

Art in Bangladesh has been practiced traditionally through various forms of folk art such as pottery, embroidered quilts, and intricate designs in rice paste, often reflecting local culture and customs.

Bangla Translation

বাংলা অনুবাদঃ 

শিল্পকে সাধারণত চিত্রকলা, অঙ্কন, ভাস্কর্য এবং স্থাপত্য সহ বিভিন্ন ক্রিয়াকলাপে মানুষের কল্পনা এবং সৃজনশীল দক্ষতার প্রকাশ হিসাবে বোঝা যায়। শিল্পের লক্ষ্য হল এমন অনুভূতি এবং আবেগকে জাগিয়ে তোলা যা নান্দনিক বলে বিবেচিত হয় - অর্থাৎ সৌন্দর্যের সাথে সম্পর্কিত কিন্তু শিল্প সামাজিক ভাষ্যের একটি রূপও হতে পারে। সমুদ্রের উপর সূর্যাস্তের একটি চিত্র প্রকৃতিকে মহিমান্বিত করে, কিন্তু যুদ্ধবিধ্বস্ত শহরকে দেখানো যন্ত্রণার অনুভূতি প্রকাশ করতে পারে। বিশ্বজুড়ে মানুষ শিল্পকে সৃজনশীল উপায়ে প্রভাবিত করার ক্ষমতার জন্য প্রশংসা করে। বিখ্যাত চিত্রশিল্পী পাবলো পিকাসো যেমন বলেছিলেন, "শিল্পের উদ্দেশ্য হল আমাদের আত্মা থেকে দৈনন্দিন জীবনের ধুলো ধুয়ে ফেলা।"

আমাদের দেশে শিল্পের একটি দীর্ঘ ইতিহাস রয়েছে। এটি গৃহস্থালিতে মৃৎশিল্প, নকশিকাঁথা বা সূচিকর্ম করা লেপ, আল্পনা বা জটিল, বেশিরভাগ ফুলের নকশা যা মাটির উঠোন এবং শোখের হাড়িতে তৈরি চালের পেস্টে তৈরি করা হয় বা মাটির পাত্র (এবং তাদের ঢাকনা) আঁকা হয়। এগুলি লোকশিল্পের উদাহরণ। কিন্তু আধুনিক শিল্প নামে আরেকটি শিল্পের সূচনা, যা ঊনবিংশ শতাব্দীর মাঝামাঝি পশ্চিম ইউরোপে শিল্প বিপ্লব এবং এর ফলে প্রযুক্তি, শিক্ষা, উৎপাদন এবং যোগাযোগের ক্ষেত্রে যে পরিবর্তন এসেছিল তার ফলে। আধুনিক শিল্প ঐতিহ্যবাহী শিল্পকলাকে প্রত্যাখ্যান করে এবং সেই সময়ের চেতনা এবং মানুষের চিন্তাভাবনার গভীর পরিবর্তনগুলিকে যথাযথভাবে প্রতিফলিত করতে পারে এমন শৈলী, কৌশল, রঙ এবং উপকরণ ব্যবহার করে নতুন ধরণের শৈল্পিক প্রকাশ তৈরি করতে শুরু করে।

আমাদের দেশে আধুনিক শিল্পচর্চার সূচনা ১৯৪৮ সালে, যখন মহান শিল্পী জয়নুল আবেদীন (১৯১৪-১৯৭৬), কিছু সহকর্মীর সহায়তায় ঢাকায় একটি শিল্প ইনস্টিটিউট (বর্তমানে চারুকলা অনুষদ, ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়) প্রতিষ্ঠা করেন। শিল্প শিক্ষা প্রদান শুরু করার সাথে সাথে, ইনস্টিটিউটটি বেশ কয়েকজন প্রতিভাবান শিক্ষক এবং ছাত্রকে একত্রিত করে যারা প্রায় শুরু থেকেই আধুনিক শিল্পের বিকাশে অবদান রেখেছিলেন। কিন্তু এক দশকের মধ্যে, শিল্পীরা তাদের কাজে সাম্প্রতিক প্রবণতা এবং শৈলী যেমন প্রকাশবাদ এবং বিমূর্ত প্রকাশবাদ প্রতিফলিত করতে শুরু করেছিলেন - লোকশিল্পের ঐতিহ্যের সাথে ঘনিষ্ঠ যোগাযোগ বজায় রেখে।

১৯৪৩ সালের বাংলার দুর্ভিক্ষের উপর ভিত্তি করে তৈরি "Famine Sketches" সিরিজের জন্য জয়নুল সর্বভারতীয় খ্যাতি অর্জন করেছিলেন, যা লক্ষ লক্ষ মানুষের প্রাণ কেড়ে নিয়েছিল। তার জলরঙ, স্ক্রোল পেইন্টিং এবং অঙ্কন আজও আমাদের শিল্পীদের অনুপ্রাণিত করে। আমাদের সমসাময়িক শিল্পের অসাধারণ উত্থানে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ অবদান রাখা অন্যান্য বিশিষ্ট শিল্পীদের মধ্যে রয়েছেন কামরুল হাসান, এসএম সুলতান, সফিউদ্দিন আহমেদ, আব্দুর রাজ্জাক, কাইয়ুম চৌধুরী, মুর্তজা বশীর, আমিনুল ইসলাম, সৈয়দ জাহাঙ্গীর, দেবদাস চক্রবর্তী, নভেরা আহমেদ এবং মুহাম্মদ কিবরিয়া।

১৯৭১ সালের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ এবং দেশের স্বাধীনতা আমাদের শিল্পীদের শিল্পের সীমা অন্বেষণ এবং নতুন প্রকাশের ধরণ তৈরির জন্য পূর্ববর্তী শিল্পীদের প্রচেষ্টা অব্যাহত রাখতে অনুপ্রাণিত করেছিল। পরবর্তী চার দশক ধরে, আমাদের দেশের শিল্পে অনেক পরীক্ষা-নিরীক্ষা দেখা গেছে। শিল্পীরা ইনস্টলেশন আর্ট এবং গ্রাফিক আর্ট এর মতো নতুন ধারণা নিয়ে কাজ করেছেন; এবং পুরানো, ঐতিহ্যবাহী শিল্প রূপগুলিকে নতুন রূপ দিয়েছেন। আপনি যদি কোনও আর্ট গ্যালারি বা শিল্প প্রদর্শনীতে যান, তাহলে আপনি দেখতে পাবেন কীভাবে আমাদের শিল্প আমাদের পরিবর্তিত বাস্তবতাকে আকর্ষণীয় এবং অন্তর্দৃষ্টিপূর্ণ উপায়ে প্রতিফলিত করে।

Ad

words with their Bangla meanings:

1. Abstract - বিমূর্ত

2. Admire - প্রশংসা করা

3. Adventure - অভিযান

4. Aesthetic - নান্দনিক

5. Artist - শিল্পী

6. Artwork - শিল্পকর্ম

7. Benevolent - দয়ালু

8. Brilliant - চমত্কার

9. Charming - মোহনীয়

10. Clarity - পরিষ্কারতা

11. Creativity - সৃজনশীলতা

12. Critical - গুরুত্বপূর্ণ

13. Cultural - সাংস্কৃতিক

14. Delicate - সূক্ষ্ম

15. Design - নকশা

16. Elegance - শালীনতা

17. Empathy - সহানুভূতি

18. Expressive - প্রকাশমুখী

19. Flexible - নমনীয়

20. Genius - প্রতিভা

21. Graceful - মার্জিত

22. Harmony - সঙ্গতি

23. Imagination - কল্পনা

24. Inspiration - অনুপ্রেরণা

25. Innovative - নতুন ধারার

26. Insightful - অন্তর্দৃষ্টি পূর্ণ

27. Intuition - অনুভূতি

28. Interpret - ব্যাখ্যা করা

29. Majestic - আভিজ্ঞানপূর্ণ

30. Metaphor - রূপক

31. Modern - আধুনিক

32. Motivation - প্রেরণা

33. Mysterious - রহস্যময়

34. Nostalgic - নস্টালজিক

35. Obvious - স্পষ্ট

36. Original - মৌলিক

37. Perception - ধারণা

38. Perspective - দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি

39. Philosophy - দর্শন

40. Portrait - প্রতিকৃতি

41. Realistic - বাস্তবসম্মত

42. Refined - পরিশীলিত

43. Revolutionary - বিপ্লবী

44. Serenity - শান্তি

45. Sculpture - ভাস্কর্য

46. Sophisticated - উন্নত

47. Symbolic - প্রতীকী

48. Technique - কৌশল

49. Texture - আঁচ

50. Traditional - ঐতিহ্যবাহী

51. Trendy - ফ্যাশনেবল

52. Unique - অনন্য

53. Vibrant - প্রাণবন্ত

54. Visionary - ভবিষ্যদ্রষ্টা

55. Vivid - স্পষ্ট

56. Whimsical - অলীক

57. Wondrous - আশ্চর্যজনক

58. Wisdom - জ্ঞান

59. Zenith - শীর্ষ

60. Zealous - আগ্রহী

Ad

Passage-2

1.           Read the passage and answer the questions following it

Nelson Mandela guided South Africa from the shackles of apartheid to a multi-racial democracy, as an icon of peace and reconciliation who came to embody the struggle for justice around the world. Imprisoned for nearly three decades for his fight against white minority rule, Mandela never lost his resolve to fight for his people’s emancipation. He was determined to bring down apartheid while avoiding a civil war. His prestige and charisma helped him win the support of the world. ‘I hate race discrimination most intensely and in all its manifestation. I have fought it all during my life; I will fight it now, and will do so until the end of my days,’ Mandela said in his acceptance speech on becoming South Africa’s first black president in 1994,… ‘The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come.’ ‘We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation.’ In 1993, Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, an honor he shared with F.W, de Klerk, the white African leader who had freed him from prison three years earlier and negotiated the end of apartheid.

A.  Choose the correct answer from the alternatives 5

a) What could be the closest meaning for ‘shackles of apartheid’ in the first paragraph?

i. Tentacles of domination ii. Bondages of slavery

iii. Manacles of racial discrimination iv. Chains of exploitation

b)  The word ‘reconciliation’ in the first paragraph refers to

i. memorization ii. recall iii. reuniting iv. Change

c)  ‘Resolve’ in the second paragraph could be replaced by

i. dissolve ii. determination iii. hesitation iv. Solution

d) Mandela spent around years behind the bars.

i. twenty ii. thirty iii. forty iv. Fifty

e)  The best synonym of ‘chasm’ is

i. exposition ii. rift iii. harmony iv. union.

B.  Answer the following questions 10

a) What, according to text, is apartheid?

b)  Mention three great achievements in Mandela's life.

c)  Why did Mandela want to break the manacles of apartheid?

d)  What does the expression ‘I have fought it all during my life; I will fight it now, and I will do so until

the end of my days’ mean?

e)  Do you find any  similarity  between  Mandela  and  Sheikh  Mujibur  Rahman?  If  any,  mention. Ans. to the Ques. No. Set-1

1A. Ans.:

a.       iii. Manacles of racial discrimination, b.  iii.  reuniting,  c.  ii.determination,  d.  ii.  thirty,  e.  ii.  rift,

1B. Ans.:

a.  According to text apartheid means the racial segregation prevailing in South Africa. It means the domination of the white over the black people of South Africa. Nelson Mandela is famous for breaking the manacles of apartheid from South Africa.

b.  Though Mandela had to suffer a lot, his achievements were noteworthy. His frist achievement was to break the manacles of apartheid. His second achievement was to become the first black president of South Africa. His third achievement was to win the Nobel Prize.

c.  Mandela wanted to break the manacles of apartheid because this very evil practice was responsible for the racial bigotry in South Africa. The manacles of apartheid confined the black people of South Africa inside the four walls of oppression.

d.   This very statement is the expression of Mandela's firm resolution to fight against racial bigotry. Mandela had an absolute abhorrence towards race discrimination. He fought against it and was ready to fight against till his last breath.

e.   I see some similarities between Nelson Mandela and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman fought respective countries. Finally, Mandela fought against the white rulers of his country. In the same way, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman fought against the Pakistani rulers. Then both of them were undisputable a presidents in their respective countries. Finally, both of them were would famous leaders.

Passage-3

3. Read the passage below and answer the questions following it.

Beauty is easy to appreciate but difficult to define. As we look around, we discover beauty in pleasurable objects and sights – in nature, in the laughter of children, in the kindness of strangers. But asked to define, we run into difficulties. Does beauty have an independent objective identity? Is it universal, or is it dependent on our sense perceptions? Does it lie in the eye of the beholder? -we ask ourselves. A further difficulty arises when beauty manifests itself not only by its presence, but by its absence as well, as when we are repulsed by ugliness and desire beauty. But then ugliness has as much a place in our lives as beauty, or may be more-as when there is widespread hunger and injustice in a society. Philosophers  have told us that beauty is an important part of life, but isn’t ugliness a part of life too? And if art has beauty as an important ingredient, can it confine itself only to a projection of beauty? Can art ignore what is not beautiful?

Poets and artists have provided an answer by incorporating both into their work. In doing so, they have often tied beauty to truth and justice, so that what is not beautiful assumes a tolerable proportion as something that represents some truth about life. John Keats, the romantic poet, wrote in his celebrated ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’ ‘Beauty is truth, truth beauty,’ by which he means that truth, even if it’s not pleasant, becomes beautiful at a higher level. Similarly, what is beautiful forever remains true. Another meaning, in the context of the Grecian Urn-an art object-is that truth is a condition of art.

Poetry in every language celebrates beauty and truth. So does art. Here are two poems from two different times that present some enduring ideas about beauty and truth. The poems are by Lord Byron (1788-1824), an English poet of the Romantic tradition, and Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), an American poet who wrote about the human scene, love and death.

A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives. 1´5=5

(a)     Which of the following has the closest meaning of the word “pleasurable”?

(i) dissatisfaction   (ii) pain             (iii) offend         (iv) delightful

(b)     What is the closest meaning of the word “incorporate”?

(i) embody (ii) corporation (iii) incorporeal (iv) intangible

(c)     ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’ is written by ——-.

(i) Lord Byron         (ii) John Keats (iii) Wordsworth (iv) PB Shelly

(d)                  What does the word ‘tolerable’ mean?

(i) not so good                    (ii) bad              (iii) moderately good    (iv) tolerant

(e)     Lord Byron is a ——– poet?

(i)     Revolutionary (ii) Romantic (iii) Classical (iv) Modern

 Answer the following questions. 2´5=10

(a)     How can we discover beauty in our surroundings?

(b)     How much place does ugliness have in our life?

(c)     What is the name of the poet of “Ode and a Grecian Urn”?

(d)     Do you get any definition of beauty from the poem ‘She Walks in Beauty’?

(e)     What was Byron’s intention?