Behula is a legendary folk heroine - Multiple Choice & Short Question for HSC English First Paper - English for Today for Class 11 and 12 / Seen Passage for HSC
- Fakhruddin Babar
- Feb 13
- 9 min read
Updated: Feb 17
1. Read the passage and answer the questions A and B:
Behula is a legendary folk heroine and one of the main characters of Manasamangal, a medieval epic. She was the daughter of Sayven of Ujaninagar. Lakhindar was the youngest son of Chand Saodagar of Champaknagar. Behula grew up to be a beautiful and intelligent woman and was married to Lakhindar. Chand Saodagar, a devotee of Shiva, had boasted that he was cleverer and stronger than Manasa, the snake goddess. He built an iron chamber for Lakhindar, believing it to be impregnable. However, on the wedding night of Behula and Lakhindar, Manasa sent a snake to kill Lakhindar. The snake made itself as fine as a strand of hair and, entering the chamber through a minute hole, bit Lakhindar.
Behula refused to accept her husband’s death. She placed her husband’s corpse on a banana raft and set out on a hazardous journey towards the abode of the gods. Despite all the dangers and temptations, she encountered, Behula continued her journey and finally succeeded in reaching the abode of the gods. She pleaded for her husband’s life and promised Manasa that Chand Saodagar would worship her. Moved by Behula’s love for her husband, Manasa not only restored Lakhindar but also his brothers whom she had killed earlier.
Behula returned home with her husband and brothers-in-law, and Chand Saodagar finally bowed before the might of Manasa. Lakhindar and Behula then returned to their heavenly abode as Aniruddha and Usa.
A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives:
a.Who is Behula?
i. A queen ii. A legendary folk heroine iii. A goddess iv. A priestess
b. What is Manasamangal?
i. A kingdom ii. A temple iii. A medieval epic iv. A festival
c. Who was Behula’s father?
i. Chand Saodagar ii. Manasa iii. Sayven iv. Lakhindar
d. Where was Sayven from?
i. Champaknagar ii. Ujaninagar iii. Heavens iv. Earth
e. Who was Lakhindar?
i. A king ii. A prince iii. The youngest son of Chand Saodagar iv. A warrior
f. What relation did Lakhindar have to Chand Saodagar?
i. Son ii. Brother iii. Cousin iv. Friend
g. To whom was Behula married?
i. Sayven ii. Aniruddha iii. Chand Saodagar iv. Lakhindar
h. Who did Chand Saodagar worship?
i. Vishnu ii. Shiva iii. Brahma iv. Manasa
i. What did Chand Saodagar claim about himself?
i. He was richer than anyone ii. He was cleverer and stronger than Manasa
iii. He was the best warrior iv. He was the most devout worshipper of Shiva
j. What did Chand Saodagar build for Lakhindar?
B. Answer the following questions:
a. Who is Behula?
b. What is the title of the medieval epic that features Behula?
c. Who is Behula’s father and where is he from?
d. Who is Lakhindar’s father and where is he from?
e. What characteristics did Behula grow up to have?
f. Whom did Behula marry?
g. Which god did Chand Saodagar devote himself to?
h. What did Chand Saodagar boast about?
i. What did Chand Saodagar build for Lakhindar and why?
j. How did Manasa send a snake to kill Lakhindar?
Answer:
A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives:
a. Who is Behula?ii. A legendary folk heroine
b. What is Manasamangal?iii. A medieval epic
c. Who was Behula’s father?iii. Sayven
d. Where was Sayven from?ii. Ujaninagar
e. Who was Lakhindar?iii. The youngest son of Chand Saodagar
f. What relation did Lakhindar have to Chand Saodagar?i. Son
g. To whom was Behula married?iv. Lakhindar
h. Who did Chand Saodagar worship?ii. Shiva
i. What did Chand Saodagar claim about himself?ii. He was cleverer and stronger than Manasa
j. What did Chand Saodagar build for Lakhindar?An iron chamber
B. Answer the following questions:
a. Who is Behula?Behula is a legendary folk heroine from the medieval epic Manasamangal. She is known for her devotion, bravery, and love for her husband, Lakhindar. She is admired for her determination and willingness to go through hardships to bring her husband back to life.
b. What is the title of the medieval epic that features Behula?The medieval epic that features Behula is called Manasamangal. It tells the story of Behula’s journey and her unwavering faith in saving her husband.
c. Who is Behula’s father and where is he from?Behula’s father is Sayven, and he is from Ujaninagar. He was an important figure in the story as Behula was raised under his care before she married Lakhindar.
d. Who is Lakhindar’s father and where is he from?Lakhindar’s father is Chand Saodagar, and he is from Champaknagar. He was a wealthy merchant and a devoted follower of Lord Shiva.
e. What characteristics did Behula grow up to have?Behula grew up to be a beautiful and intelligent woman. She was also courageous, devoted, and determined, which was evident in her journey to bring her husband back to life.
f. Whom did Behula marry?Behula married Lakhindar, who was the youngest son of Chand Saodagar. Their marriage became a crucial part of the story when Lakhindar was bitten by a snake on their wedding night.
g. Which god did Chand Saodagar devote himself to?Chand Saodagar devoted himself to Lord Shiva. He was a staunch worshipper and refused to worship Manasa, the snake goddess, which led to conflicts in the story.
h. What did Chand Saodagar boast about?Chand Saodagar boasted that he was cleverer and stronger than Manasa, the snake goddess. His arrogance angered Manasa, and she sought revenge by targeting his son, Lakhindar.
i. What did Chand Saodagar build for Lakhindar and why?Chand Saodagar built an iron chamber for Lakhindar. He believed that the chamber was impregnable and would protect his son from any harm, especially from snakes sent by Manasa.
j. How did Manasa send a snake to kill Lakhindar?Manasa sent a snake that made itself as fine as a strand of hair. The snake entered the iron chamber through a minute hole and bit Lakhindar, leading to his death.
Bangla Translation
বাংলা অনুবাদঃ
বেভুলা হলেন একজন কিংবদন্তি সম্পন্ন লোকগাথার নায়িকা এবং মনসামঙ্গল এর প্রধান চরিত্রদের একজন। তিনি জানিনগরের সয়ভেনের কন্যা ছিলেন। লখিন্দর হলেন চম্পকনগরের চাঁদ সওদাগরের কনিষ্ঠ পুত্র। ভুলা বড় হয়ে এক সুন্দরী এবং বুদ্ধিমতী মহিলা হয়ে ওঠেন এবং লখিন্দরের সাথে বিবাহিত হন। চাঁদ সওদাগর, যিনি শিবের উপাসক ছিলেন, গর্ব করেছিলেন যে তিনি মনসা, সাপের দেবী, থেকেও চালাক এবং শক্তিশালী। তিনি লখিন্দরের জন্য একটি লোহার কক্ষ তৈরিকরেছিলেন, বিশ্বাস করে যে এটি অপ্রবেশযোগ্য।
তবে, ভুলা এবং লখিন্দরের বিয়ের রাতে, মনসা একটি সাপ পাঠিয়ে লখিন্দরকে হত্যা করেন। সাপটি চুলের মতো সূক্ষ্ম হয়ে কক্ষে প্রবেশ করে এবং লখিন্দরকে দংশন করে। ভুলা তার স্বামীর মৃত্যু মেনে নিতে অস্বীকার করেন। তিনি তার স্বামীর মৃতদেহ একটি কলার ভেলায় রেখে দেবতাদের আবাসস্থলের দিকে বিপজ্জনক যাত্রা শুরু করেন।
সমস্ত বিপদ এবং প্রলোভন সত্ত্বেও, ভুলা তার যাত্রা অব্যাহত রাখেন এবং শেষ পর্যন্ত দেবতাদের আবাসস্থলে পৌঁছাতে সফল হন। তিনি তার স্বামীর জীবনের জন্য আবেদন করেন এবং মনসাকে প্রতিশ্রুতি দেন যে চাঁদ সওদাগর তাকে পূজা করবেন। ভুলার স্বামীর প্রতি ভালোবাসায় মুগ্ধ হয়ে, মনসা কেবল লখিন্দরকেই নয়, তার আগেই যেসব ভাইদের হত্যা করেছিলেন তাদেরও পুনরুজ্জীবিত করেন।
ভুলা তার স্বামী এবং ভাইদের সঙ্গে বাড়ি ফিরে আসেন এবং চাঁদ সওদাগর শেষ পর্যন্ত মনসার শক্তির সামনে মাথানত করেন। লখিন্দর এবং ভুলা পরে অনিরুদ্ধ এবং উষা হিসেবে তাদের স্বর্গীয় আবাসে ফিরে যান।
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vocabulary words from the text with their Bangla meanings:
Legendary - কিংবদন্তি
Folk - লোককথা
Heroine - নায়িকা
Medieval - মধ্যযুগীয়
Epic - মহাকাব্য
Daughter - কন্যা
Youngest - সবচেয়ে ছোট
Devotee - ভক্ত
Cleverer - আরো বুদ্ধিমান
Stronger - আরো শক্তিশালী
Boasted - গর্বিত হওয়া
Impregnable - অপ্রতিরোধ্য
Wedding - বিয়ে
Strand - সুতার মতো
Hair - চুল
Hazardous - বিপদজনক
Journey - যাত্রা
Dangers - বিপদ
Temptations - প্রলোভন
Encountered - সম্মুখীন হওয়া
Pleaded - প্রার্থনা করা
Restored - পুনঃস্থাপন
Brothers-in-law - শ্বশুরবাবা
Bow - মাথা নত করা
Might - শক্তি
Abode - বাসস্থান
Faith - বিশ্বাস
Determination - সংকল্প
Revenge - প্রতিশোধ
Unwavering - অটল
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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?
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