HSC - 2025 English 2nd Paper Sylhet Board Questions with Answers

02 Set

ENGLISH

Second Paper

[According to the Syllabus of 2025]

Subject Code: 108

Time—3 hours

Full marks—100

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

Part A—Grammar

Marks—60

1. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions: Marks 0.5×10=5

Robert Hayden was born (a)_______________ a poor family (b)_______________ Detriot in USA in 1913 and had a difficult childhood beset (c)_______________ eyesight problems. He was raised (d)_______________ part (e)_______________ foster parents and missed a father’s caring love. But in the sonnet, which is (f)_______________ a childhood memory, he writes (g)_______________ a father probably his own who is harsh and often angry, but does love his son (h)_______________ his own way. Hayden, a black American, wrote (i)_______________ black experiences and history. He died (j)_______________ 1980.

Reference: English For Today Page-107

2. Complete the sentences with suitable phrases/words given in the box: 0.5×10=5

was born  as soon as     would rather

what does- look like     had better     what’s-like

have to/ has to     let alone there

it       

(a) Manners make a man. Students _______________ practise good manners in everyday life.

(b) You look exhausted. You _______________ take rest to refresh yourself.

(c) Mansib has not yet got 1st dose of Covid-19 vaccine, _______________ booster dose.

(d) Our spring is very charming. During spring, various kinds of flowers bloom. _______________ seems that everything has got a new life.

(e) Rodela: _______________ the frozen mountain peak _______________?

Namira: It looks like a white dome.

(f) Kazi Nazrul is our rebel poet. He _______________ in Churulia of West Bengal.

(g) The sky is cloudy and it may storm at any moment. So, we should start our journey _______________ possible.

(h) _______________ your family _______________? I belong to a nuclear family.

(i) I _______________ remain silent than quarrel with them.

(j) _______________ was a time people used to travel on foot or riding animals.

3. Complete the sentences using suitable clauses/phrases: 1×10=10

(a) Rudaba could not recognise me at first. It was many years since we _______________.

(b) Student politics, now a days, has become a serious issue. It is high time we _______________.

(c) A newspaper is a storehouse of knowledge. A man can be benefited in many ways _______________.

(d) Traffic jam in Dhaka has been unbearable these days. Had I got a Helicopter, _______________.

(e) A book fair is an attraction for the city-dwellers. Book-lovers gather in the fair so that _______________.

(f) Our college has the best teachers of the country. The teachers are not only highly educated _______________.

(g) Human body needs a balanced diet. If we take a balanced diet, it _______________.

(h) Rahim Mia is a quack. He behaves as if _______________.

(i) Success depends on the proper use of time. You will surely succeed provided that _______________.

(j) Time plays a very crucial role in human life. We cannot prosper in life unless _______________.

4. Fill in the gaps with the correct forms of verbs as per subject and context: 0.5×14=7

Festivals (a)_______________ (be) common to all societies and cultures. With the change of social and economic structures, the nature of festivals also (b)_______________ (change). But some festivals (c)_______________ (be) so deeply (d)_______________ (root) in the social organism that they (e)_______________ (continue) to entertain from generation to generation. Some of the festivals (f)_______________ (bear) the mark of the community and nationality, some (g)_______________ (have) the stamp of religion and again some (h)_______________ (bear) the impression of politics. The festivals, which (i)_______________ (get started) in the primitive society centering on the prayer for food (j)_______________ (have) now been (k)_______________ (fill) with various colours and varieties. The main foundation of festivals (l)_______________ (be) ritual and most of the ancient rituals (m)_______________ (be) collective activities. Many of the rituals were (n)_______________ (relate) to agriculture and were determined by lunar months.

5. Change the narrative style by using indirect speeches: 7

“Have you seen your mother, Jerry?” “I see her in every summer. She sends for me.” The authoress wanted to cry out. “Why are you not with her? How can she let you go away again?” He said, “She comes up here from Mannville whenever she can. She does not have a job now."

6. Read the following text and use modifiers as directed in the blank spaces: 0.5×10=5

Weather affects our life (a)_______________ (post-modify the verb). We put on (b)_______________ (pre-modify the noun) clothes when it is cold. We go out with an umbrella in the (c)_______________ (pre-modify the noun) season. During the summer, we use fans (d)_______________ (post-modify the verb with an infinitive phrase). However, sunshine and rain are (e)_______________ (pre-modify the adjective with an intensifier) essential for us. Winter is also helpful for us. Vegetables grow (f)_______________ (post-modify the verb with an adverbial phrase) in winter. (g)_______________ (pre-modify the noun) rainfall helps to grow bumper crops. All the seasons have more or (h)_______________ (pre-modify the noun) advantages. And they have (i)_______________ (pre-modify the noun with a determiner) great influence on the environment. But the weather pattern is changing (j)_______________ (post-modify the verb) because of global warming.

7. Use appropriate sentence connectors in the blank spaces of the following passage: 0.5×14=7

In life we want to be perfect, (a)_______________, to attain perfection is impossible (b)_______________ man is basically imperfect. (c)_______________, we should try to be great. (d)_______________ it is not easy to be great because we have to attain certain virtues. (e)_______________, we should be truthful (f)_______________ truthfulness gives rise to many other virtues. (g)_______________ we have to be honest (h)_______________ honest people are valued everywhere. (i)_______________ dishonest people are hated by all. (j)_______________ we can conclude that to be great is more important than to be perfect. (k)_______________ the idea of perfection varies from person to person. (l)_______________, one’s idea of perfection changes. (m)_______________ learning how to be perfect is basically a lifelong deal. (n)_______________, the road to perfection is something that we learn and understand along this journey of life.

8. Read the passage and then write the antonym or synonym of the words as directed below: 0.5×14=7

In our society, economic value of women’s work and their contribution is mostly unrecognized. Usually, it is taken as a voluntary work. So, the financial cost of running a home which is almost always done by women is not monetized. This is most dramatically revealed in rural areas. Research has proved that if women’s work is monetized, then the GDP makes a significant jump and so does the worth of women’s work and their contribution to the economy.

(a) value (synonym); (b) contribution (synonym); (c) unrecognized (antonym); (d) usually (synonym); (e) voluntary (synonym); (f) cost (synonym); (g) dramatically (antonym); (h) revealed (antonym); (i) rural (antonym); (j) research (synonym); (k) monetized (antonym); (l) significant (antonym); (m) worth (antonym); (n) economy (synonym).

9. There are fourteen errors in the use of punctuation marks in the following text. Re-write the text correcting the errors. Use capital if necessary. 0.5×14=7

Sammam : May I come in sir

Mr. Ahmed: Yes of course any problem

Sammam : I dont know, sir. I am told to meet you in the teachers common room

Mr. Ahmed: oh I forgot that, why did you do so badly in science in your last examination

Sammam : sir I should have informed you earlier My father was very sick and I had to accompany him almost the whole night before the exam, so I couldnt revise the lessons.

Mr. Ahmed: oh Its a pity!

Part B—Composition

Marks—40

10. Write an application to the Principal of your college seeking permission to organize a relief campaign. 10

11. Write a paragraph of about 200 words on “Qualities of a Good Citizen”. 15

12. Write a paragraph of about 200 words comparing and contrasting “The Types of Entertainment in the Urban and Rural Areas of Bangladesh”. 15

With Answers:

02 Set

ENGLISH

Second Paper

[According to the Syllabus of 2025]

Subject Code: 108

Time—3 hours

Full marks—100

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

Part A—Grammar

Marks—60

1. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions: Marks 0.5×10=5

Robert Hayden was born (a)_______________ a poor family (b)_______________ Detriot in USA in 1913 and had a difficult childhood beset (c)_______________ eyesight problems. He was raised (d)_______________ part (e)_______________ foster parents and missed a father’s caring love. But in the sonnet, which is (f)_______________ a childhood memory, he writes (g)_______________ a father probably his own who is harsh and often angry, but does love his son (h)_______________ his own way. Hayden, a black American, wrote (i)_______________ black experiences and history. He died (j)_______________ 1980.

Reference: English For Today Page-107

Answer:

(a) in

(b) in

(c) by

(d) in

(e) by

(f) about

(g) about

(h) in

(i) about

(j) in

2. Complete the sentences with suitable phrases/words given in the box: 0.5×10=5

was born  as soon as     would rather

what does- look like     had better     what’s-like

have to/ has to     let alone there

it       

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(a) Manners make a man. Students _______________ practise good manners in everyday life.

(b) You look exhausted. You _______________ take rest to refresh yourself.

(c) Mansib has not yet got 1st dose of Covid-19 vaccine, _______________ booster dose.

(d) Our spring is very charming. During spring, various kinds of flowers bloom. _______________ seems that everything has got a new life.

(e) Rodela: _______________ the frozen mountain peak _______________?

Namira: It looks like a white dome.

(f) Kazi Nazrul is our rebel poet. He _______________ in Churulia of West Bengal.

(g) The sky is cloudy and it may storm at any moment. So, we should start our journey _______________ possible.

(h) _______________ your family _______________? I belong to a nuclear family.

(i) I _______________ remain silent than quarrel with them.

(j) _______________ was a time people used to travel on foot or riding animals.

Answer:

(a) have to

(b) had better

(c) let alone

(d) it

(e) What does...look like

(f) was born

(g) as soon as

(h) What's...like

(i) would rather

(j) There

3. Complete the sentences using suitable clauses/phrases: 1×10=10

(a) Rudaba could not recognise me at first. It was many years since we _______________.

(b) Student politics, now a days, has become a serious issue. It is high time we _______________.

(c) A newspaper is a storehouse of knowledge. A man can be benefited in many ways _______________.

(d) Traffic jam in Dhaka has been unbearable these days. Had I got a Helicopter, _______________.

(e) A book fair is an attraction for the city-dwellers. Book-lovers gather in the fair so that _______________.

(f) Our college has the best teachers of the country. The teachers are not only highly educated _______________.

(g) Human body needs a balanced diet. If we take a balanced diet, it _______________.

(h) Rahim Mia is a quack. He behaves as if _______________.

(i) Success depends on the proper use of time. You will surely succeed provided that _______________.

(j) Time plays a very crucial role in human life. We cannot prosper in life unless _______________.

Answer:

(a) had last met

(b) we reformed it for the betterment of education

(c) by reading it regularly / if he reads it regularly

(d) I could have reached my class on time

(e) they can buy their favourite books

(f) but also devoted to teaching

(g) it will keep us healthy

(h) he were a qualified doctor

(i) you make the best use of your time

(j) we manage our time properly

4. Fill in the gaps with the correct forms of verbs as per subject and context: 0.5×14=7

Festivals (a)_______________ (be) common to all societies and cultures. With the change of social and economic structures, the nature of festivals also (b)_______________ (change). But some festivals (c)_______________ (be) so deeply (d)_______________ (root) in the social organism that they (e)_______________ (continue) to entertain from generation to generation. Some of the festivals (f)_______________ (bear) the mark of the community and nationality, some (g)_______________ (have) the stamp of religion and again some (h)_______________ (bear) the impression of politics. The festivals, which (i)_______________ (get started) in the primitive society centering on the prayer for food (j)_______________ (have) now been (k)_______________ (fill) with various colours and varieties. The main foundation of festivals (l)_______________ (be) ritual and most of the ancient rituals (m)_______________ (be) collective activities. Many of the rituals were (n)_______________ (relate) to agriculture and were determined by lunar months.

Answer:

(a) are

(b) has also changed/is also changing

(c) are

(d) rooted

(e) continue

(f) bear

(g) have

(h) bear

(i) got started

(j) have

(k) filled

(l) is

(m) were

(n) related

5. Change the narrative style by using indirect speeches: 7

“Have you seen your mother, Jerry?” “I see her in every summer. She sends for me.” The authoress wanted to cry out. “Why are you not with her? How can she let you go away again?” He said, “She comes up here from Mannville whenever she can. She does not have a job now."

Answer:

The authoress asked Jerry if he had seen his mother. Jerry replied that he saw her in every summer and added that she sent for him. The authoress wanted to cry out and asked why he was not with her and how she could let him go away again. He replied that she went up there from Manville whenever she could. He also told that she did not have a job then.

6. Read the following text and use modifiers as directed in the blank spaces: 0.5×10=5

Weather affects our life (a)_______________ (post-modify the verb). We put on (b)_______________ (pre-modify the noun) clothes when it is cold. We go out with an umbrella in the (c)_______________ (pre-modify the noun) season. During the summer, we use fans (d)_______________ (post-modify the verb with an infinitive phrase). However, sunshine and rain are (e)_______________ (pre-modify the adjective with an intensifier) essential for us. Winter is also helpful for us. Vegetables grow (f)_______________ (post-modify the verb with an adverbial phrase) in winter. (g)_______________ (pre-modify the noun) rainfall helps to grow bumper crops. All the seasons have more or (h)_______________ (pre-modify the noun) advantages. And they have (i)_______________ (pre-modify the noun with a determiner) great influence on the environment. But the weather pattern is changing (j)_______________ (post-modify the verb) because of global warming.

Answer:

(a) greatly

(b) warm

(c) rainy

(d) to cool ourselves

(e) very

(f) plentifully in our country

(g) Timely/Adequate/Moderate

(h) less

(i) a

(j) rapidly/noticeably

7. Use appropriate sentence connectors in the blank spaces of the following passage: 0.5×14=7

In life we want to be perfect, (a)_______________, to attain perfection is impossible (b)_______________ man is basically imperfect. (c)_______________, we should try to be great. (d)_______________ it is not easy to be great because we have to attain certain virtues. (e)_______________, we should be truthful (f)_______________ truthfulness gives rise to many other virtues. (g)_______________ we have to be honest (h)_______________ honest people are valued everywhere. (i)_______________ dishonest people are hated by all. (j)_______________ we can conclude that to be great is more important than to be perfect. (k)_______________ the idea of perfection varies from person to person. (l)_______________, one’s idea of perfection changes. (m)_______________ learning how to be perfect is basically a lifelong deal. (n)_______________, the road to perfection is something that we learn and understand along this journey of life.

Answer:

(a) However

(b) as/since

(c) Rather/Nevertheless/However

(d) As a matter of fact/In fact/Generally/Usually/Again

(e) First/Firstly/First of all

(f) as/because

(g) Second/Secondly

(h) because

(i) On the other hand/On the contrary

(j) At last/Finally

(k) Because

(l) Again

(m) So

(n) Yet

8. Read the passage and then write the antonym or synonym of the words as directed below: 0.5×14=7

In our society, economic value of women’s work and their contribution is mostly unrecognized. Usually, it is taken as a voluntary work. So, the financial cost of running a home which is almost always done by women is not monetized. This is most dramatically revealed in rural areas. Research has proved that if women’s work is monetized, then the GDP makes a significant jump and so does the worth of women’s work and their contribution to the economy.

(a) value (synonym); (b) contribution (synonym); (c) unrecognized (antonym); (d) usually (synonym); (e) voluntary (synonym); (f) cost (synonym); (g) dramatically (antonym); (h) revealed (antonym); (i) rural (antonym); (j) research (synonym); (k) monetized (antonym); (l) significant (antonym); (m) worth (antonym); (n) economy (synonym).

Answer:

(a) importance/significance

(b) participation/achievement

(c) recognized

(d) generally/typically

(e) spontaneous/discretionary

(f) charge

(g) mildly/subtly

(h) concealed

(i) urban

(j) study/analysis

(k) unpaid

(l) insignificant

(m) worthlessness

(n) market

9. There are fourteen errors in the use of punctuation marks in the following text. Re-write the text correcting the errors. Use capital if necessary. 0.5×14=7

Sammam : May I come in sir

Mr. Ahmed: Yes of course any problem

Sammam : I dont know, sir. I am told to meet you in the teachers common room

Mr. Ahmed: oh I forgot that, why did you do so badly in science in your last examination

Sammam : sir I should have informed you earlier My father was very sick and I had to accompany him almost the whole night before the exam, so I couldnt revise the lessons.

Mr. Ahmed: oh Its a pity!

Answer:

Sammam: May I come in, sir?

Mr. Ahmed: Yes, of course. Any problem?

Sammam: I don't know, sir. I am told to meet you in the teachers' common room.

Mr. Ahmed: Oh, I forgot that. Why did you do so badly in science in your last examination?

Sammam: Sir, I should have informed you earlier. My father was very sick, and I had to accompany him almost the whole night before the exam. So, I couldn't revise the lessons.

Mr. Ahmed: Oh, it's a pity!

Part B—Composition

Marks—40

10. Write an application to the Principal of your college seeking permission to organize a relief campaign. 10

11. Write a paragraph of about 200 words on “Qualities of a Good Citizen”. 15

12. Write a paragraph of about 200 words comparing and contrasting “The Types of Entertainment in the Urban and Rural Areas of Bangladesh”. 15