HSC - 2025 English 1st Paper Cumilla Board Questions with Answer

ENGLISH First Paper

[According to the Syllabus of 2025]

Subject Code: 107

  Time—3 hours

Full marks—100

[N.B. The figures in the right margin indicate full marks. Answer all the questions.]

Part I—Reading Test Marks-60

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

We spend money for different reasons. We buy foods, clothes or everyday essentials, pay for different services, entertain people, travel to places, help others in need or invest in business and thus spend money everyday. In fact, spending is a part of our life.

Spending may make us happy or unhappy depending on how and why we spend. When we spend money on things that we need and within our limit, it is good. When it becomes a compulsive behaviour, it makes life stressful. Unnecessary spending or spending beyond one’s means has some bad effects. For one thing, it may lead to financial ruin or debt, and for another, it may create unhappiness within families. People who overspend are never satisfied with what they have. They always rush for brands, fashion items, designer clothes etc. Over a period of time it becomes an addiction which may eventually create psychological problems.

Now a days consumer items are displayed in stores or in advertisements in ways that they create a feeling of immediate need for them. We are constantly tempted to buy, use or consume things even when we do not have a genuine need. We all need to be careful here. Salespersons often encourage customers to buy things by flattering them. "This is a perfect match for you", they would say, or ‘You look so stunning in that dress.’ Never forget, they say the same thing to most of their customers. It is better not to be persuaded by such words. They use these words to please the customers as the more a customer buys, the higher the profit is. Overspending is not only related to shopping, it applies to other activities as well such as eating out. Many people buy too many items to eat in a restaurant. They can eat only some of them and the rest are wasted. It’s not a responsible attitude. We cannot simply waste food because we have money to buy it. Young people in a shopping mall often look at an item on display and think ‘Oh I must buy this. I really need this.’ They may not have the money needed in their wallet. So they use credit cards but using them is like taking a loan. If they are not careful, the loans increase which might lead them to a debt-trap.

A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives: 0.5 x 10 = 5

(a) Spending money is deeply integrated with—

(i) our luxury (ii) our life (iii) the rich people (iv) the downtrodden

(b) The outcome of spending is related to—

(i) the mode of spending (ii) the ability of the spender (iii) capital market (iv) the law and order situation

(c) Unjustified spending should be— (i) encouraged (ii) avoided (iii) emphasized (iv) popularized

(d) The word 'stressful' in the passage means—

(i) calm (ii) relaxing (iii) polemic (iv) painful

(e) Addiction to overspending may lead to—

(i) mental disorder (ii) exalted status (iii) fashion awareness (iv) popular image

(f) The word 'financial' can be replaced by—

(i) money (ii) profitable (iii) economic (iv) economical

(g) The manner of displaying consumer goods is—

(i) alluring (ii) disgusting (iii) disheartening (iv) discouraging

(h) The word ‘glossy’ mentioned in the passage refers to something—

(i) hazy (ii) shiny (iii) dim (iv) light

(i) According to the passage, using credit card is—

(i) a credit (ii) a discredit (iii) a fashion (iv) a loan

(j) The passage teaches us a lesson on—

(i) frugality (ii) fragility (iii) extravagance (iv) marketing

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

(a) Why do we spend money?

(b) How can spending make us both happy and unhappy?

(c) How are mental issues related to overspending?

(d) Why do salespersons unnecessarily praise their customers?

(e) What message do you get from the passage?

2. Read the following passage and make a flow chart showing Amerigo's sufferings as a street child. (No. 1 is done for you): 1 x 5 = 5

My name is Amerigo. I am 13 years old and I live on the street, alone. My mother, who is separated from my father, doesn't want me. She told me to go away. Now she is married to another man. My father lives very far away. I want to go to him, but he won’t take me either. I begged him to send me some money so that I could buy a bus ticket. I am still waiting. He hasn't answered. The streets are now my home. Sometimes I find work. I used to collect trash and sell it to a vendor. I stopped doing that after I had a serious infection and a doctor told me to stay away from the trash dump. Once I worked for an ice-cream shop owner and sold ice-cream on the beach. But I got no money in return. The owner of the shop gave me something to eat, and let me sleep in his hut at night. The work was difficult and painful. The ice-cream box is quite heavy when it is full. I had to walk for hours, offering my ice-cream to whoever wanted to buy. There were days when I could not even sell one ice-cream.

1.      Living on the street alone → 2. → 3. → 4. → 5. → 6.

3. Write a summary of the following text: 10

The Island of St. Martins is the only coral island in Bangladesh located in the north-eastern parts of the Bay of Bengal. The roughly flat island is only about 3-6 metres above the sea level. The entire island can be walked about in 3 hours. The island is known for its unique natural beauty with white sandy beaches fringed with coconut palms and a diverse marine life. Due to the expansion of unregulated tourism, the island is facing increasing erosion, contamination of surface and ground water, wildlife displacement, and loss of biodiversity. Other threats include cutting of sand dune vegetation for fuel-wood and hotel establishment; degradation of sand dune habitat; the harvesting of turtle eggs; indiscriminate exploitation of coral resources etc. To address this, the Government has declared some areas of the island as Ecologically Critical Area (ECA), prohibiting unauthorized constructions there.

4. Read the following text and fill in the blanks with suitable words from the box. There are more words than needed. Make any grammatical change if necessary: 0.5 x 10 = 5

Box: be, down, handicap, indiscriminate, imperative, consequence, lose, result, wetlands, anticipation, environment, recklessly

In the last 25 years alone, the world has (a) _________________ one-third of its natural wealth, according to the international conservation organization, World Wildlife Fund. The earth’s forests, (b) _____, seas and coasts (c) _________________ in a worse state today than they were before. Forests are being cut (d) _________________. Moreover, they are being burnt (e) _________________ resulting in an increase in carbon-dioxide, and ultimately in the water level rising as a (f) _________________ of global warming. It is (g) ______________ that the new century will face an overwhelming (h) _________________ catastrophe. It is, therefore, (i) _______________ to check the (j) ________________ pollution of the environment.

5. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words in each gap: 1 x 10 = 10

Many events of great importance (a) ______ during the last century. Significant advances (b) ______ in the field of science and technology. Many European colonies gained independence. The movement (c) ______ for democracy became (d) __________ in many parts of the world. Two World Wars (e) _________________ in the century. It (f) ____________ witnessed the misuse of atomic energy. Two cities of Japan were completely destroyed as a result of dropping of atom bombs. The Vietnam War and the Gulf War killed many innocent people. However, the (g) ________________ of Bangladesh as an independent country (h) __________ a momentous event. After a (i) _______________ war of nine months, Bangladesh emerged as a sovereign country. Now, we (j) _________________ our heads high as a model country in the world.

6. The following sentences are jumbled. Rearrange them in proper sequence: 1 x 10 = 10

(i) Sadi replied, “My dress deserves these foods." (ii) He set out for the emperor’s palace in ordinary dress. (iii) On the way, he took shelter in a courtier’s house but the courtier and his men did not show much honour and hospitality to him. (iv) The courtier realized his fault and begged the poet’s pardon. (v) Once he was invited to the emperor's palace. (vi) On his way back home, Saadi again took shelter in the same courtier's house putting on gorgeous dress. (vii) The courtier received him cordially and entertained him with rich and delicious foods. (viii) Sheikh Saadi, a great Persian poet, was simple in his way of life. (ix) Now, Saadi began to put his foods in the pockets of his dress. (x) Being surprised, the courtier asked, “Why are you putting the foods in the pockets of your dress?"

Part II-Writing Test Marks-40

7. The pie chart below shows the percentages of transportation used by 1000 students to come to X College. Now, describe the chart in 150 words. 15

8. The following is the beginning of a story. Complete it in your words: 15 Once there was an illiterate but efficient boatman. He used to earn his livelihood by ferrying passengers from one bank to the other of a mighty river. One day a great professor hired his boat...

9. Write a letter to your younger brother advising him not to waste much time on social media. 10

HSC - 2025 English 1st Paper Cumilla Board Questions' Answer 

HSC English First Paper Examination - Answer Key

Part I — Reading Test

1. A. Multiple Choice Questions

(a) — (ii) our life

(b) — (i) the mode of spending

(c) — (ii) avoided

(d) — (iv) painful

(e) — (i) mental disorder

(f) — (iii) economic

(g) — (i) alluring

(h) — (ii) shiny

(i) — (iv) a loan

(j) — (i) frugality

1. B. Short Answer Questions

(a) We spend money for various reasons, such as buying necessities like food and clothes, paying for services, travelling, helping people in need, and investing in business.

(b) Spending can make us happy when we purchase things we need within our budget. It can make us unhappy when it becomes a compulsive habit, leading to financial debt, stress, and unhappiness within families.

(c) Overspending can become an addiction over time. This addiction to constantly buying new things, especially unnecessary items, can eventually lead to psychological problems and mental disorders.

(d) Salespersons unnecessarily praise their customers to flatter them and create a false sense of suitability. They do this to encourage customers to buy more products, which in turn increases their sales and profit.

(e) The passage conveys the message that we should be responsible and mindful of our spending habits. It advises us to avoid the temptations of overspending, to distinguish between needs and wants, and to be cautious of falling into debt, especially through the misuse of credit cards.

2. Flow Chart

Living on the street alone → 2. Being unwanted and abandoned by his mother → 3. Having a father who won't take him in → 4. Collecting trash to sell for survival → 5. Suffering a serious infection from the trash → 6. Working a difficult and painful job for no money, only food and shelter.

3. Summary

St. Martin's, the only coral island in Bangladesh, is celebrated for its unique natural beauty, including white sandy beaches and diverse marine life. However, this fragile ecosystem is now under severe threat. The primary danger comes from unregulated tourism, which has caused environmental degradation like erosion, water contamination, and loss of biodiversity. Further harm is done by cutting sand dune vegetation, harvesting turtle eggs, and indiscriminately exploiting coral resources. In response, the government has designated parts of the island as an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) to prohibit unauthorized construction and protect its unique environment.

4. Fill in the Blanks (with box)

(a) lost

(b) wetlands

(c) are

(d) down

(e) recklessly

(f) consequence

(g) anticipated

(h) environmental

(i) imperative

(j) indiscriminate

5. Fill in the Blanks (without box)

(a) occurred / took place

(b) were made

(c) for

(d) prominent

(e) broke out

(f) also

(g) emergence

(h) was

(i) bloody

(j) hold

6. Rearrange Sentences

The correct order is: (viii) → (v) → (ii) → (iii) → (vi) → (vii) → (ix) → (x) → (i) → (iv)

Part II - Writing Test

7. Pie Chart Description

The pie chart illustrates the different modes of transportation used by 1000 students to travel to X College. The five categories shown are bus, rickshaw, walking, bicycle, and private car.

The most popular mode of transport among the students is the bus, which is used by a significant 40% of the student body. The second most common method is the rickshaw, accounting for a quarter of the students, or 25%. Together, these two modes cater to 65% of the students, highlighting a heavy reliance on public and para-transit services.

Walking is also a notable option, with 20% of students choosing to come to college on foot. This suggests a considerable number of students live in close proximity to the college. The use of bicycles and private cars is less common. Bicycles are used by 10% of the students, while only 5% commute by private car, making it the least used mode of transport.

In conclusion, the chart indicates that the majority of students at X College rely on buses and rickshaws, while a significant portion also walks, reflecting a diverse range of commuting habits based on distance and economic factors.

8. Story Completion

Once there was an illiterate but efficient boatman. He used to earn his livelihood by ferrying passengers from one bank to the other of a mighty river. One day a great professor hired his boat. The professor was very proud of his education and looked down upon the uneducated boatman.

As they were crossing the river, the professor asked, "Old man, have you studied philosophy?" The boatman replied, "No, sir." The professor laughed and said, "Then you have wasted a quarter of your life." A little later, he asked again, "Have you studied astronomy and geography?" The boatman again said no. "Then you have wasted half of your life," the professor said arrogantly.

Suddenly, the sky grew dark and a violent storm began to rage. The small boat was tossed about by the huge waves and started to fill with water. The boatman, remaining calm, turned to the terrified professor and asked, "Sir, do you know how to swim?" The professor, pale with fear, shook his head and stammered, "No, I don't." The boatman replied, "Then, sir, I am afraid you have wasted your whole life. The boat is sinking, but I can swim to the shore."

9. Letter to a Younger Brother

12/B, Mirpur-10,

Dhaka-1216.

23 July 2025

My dear Sami,

I hope this letter finds you well. I received mother's letter yesterday and was a bit concerned to learn that you are spending a lot of your time on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

While social media can be a great tool for connecting with friends, spending too much time on it can be very harmful, especially for a student. It is a major distraction that can severely affect your studies. The time you spend scrolling through feeds could be used for learning something new, revising your lessons, or preparing for your exams. Moreover, excessive screen time is bad for your physical health, particularly your eyes, and can also disrupt your sleep schedule.

I advise you to be more mindful of how you spend your time. Please set a daily limit for using social media and stick to it. Focus more on your studies and try to develop hobbies like reading books, playing a sport, or learning a musical instrument. These activities will help you grow as a person and will be far more rewarding in the long run.

I hope you will take my advice seriously. I only want the best for you.

With love and best wishes,

Your elder brother,

Farhan