RAJSHAHI BOARD
English Second Paper
Subject Code: 108
Time––3 hours; Full marks––100
[N. B. ––The figures in the right margin indicate full marks. Answer all the questions.]
RAJSHAHI BOARD
Part−A : Grammar (Marks-60)
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 cross (×) in those blanks. 0⋅5×10 = 5
Truthfulness is (a) — greatest of all (b) — virtues which makes (c) — man really great. If we do not cultivate the habit of speaking (d) — truth, we cannot command (e) — confidence of others. (f) — man whom nobody believes can never be great in life. We might succeed once or twice by telling (g) — lie but it never brings a good result. (h) — lie never lies hidden. Today or tomorrow it comes to light. Then (i) — real character of (j) — liar is revealed and nobody believes him.
2. Complete the text with suitable prepositions : 0⋅5×10 = 5
Ours is a riverine country. Rivers are everywhere (a) — our life — literature, economy and culture. But are the rivers (b) — good shape? Unfortunately they are not. A few are already dead and several are going (c) — the pangs of death. The river Buriganga is an example (d) — a dying river. A report published in ‘The Daily Sun’ describes what has happened (e) — the river Buriganga and why. Its water is polluted and a perpetual stench fills the air (f) — it. The report says that the river had a glorious past. Once it was a tributary (g) — the Ganges and flowed (h) — the Bay of Bengal (i) — the river Dhaleswari. Gradually, it lost its link (j) — the Ganges and got the name Buriganga.
3. Complete the sentences with suitable phrases/words given in the box. 0⋅5×10 = 5
there | what if | have to | no sooner had | would rather |
lest | as if | let alone | what does……look like | be born |
(a) The students were loitering in the corridor. — they seen the teacher than they entered the classroom.
(b) Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the father of our nation.
He — in 1920 in Tungipara of Gopalganj district.
(c) I can’t stand Rubel. He always acts — he were smarter than everyone.
(d) The little girl was suddenly crossing the road. A bus was passing by. As it came near the girl, the driver halted it. — he wouldn’t have stopped the bus?
(e) Shoma — live in a hostel than live in her relative’s home. She feels free and comfortable in the hostel.
(f) You started late. Now you are walking slowly. Walk fast — you should miss the bus.
(g) He is very poor. He can’t afford to travel by an AC bus — an aeroplane.
(h) Daughter : Mom. — an albatross — ?
Mother : My dear, an albatross is a very large white bird that lives in the Pacific and Southern Oceans.
(i) Long ago, — lived a mighty warrior named Kubla Khan. He was the grandson of Chenghis Khan.
(j) I — seek advice from a doctor. I have been suffering from fever for a long time.
English 2nd Paper Board Question
4. Complete the sentences using suitable clauses/ phrases : 0⋅5×10 = 5
(a) 21st February is a red-letter day in our life because —. It is our Mother Language Day.
(b) Once there was a farmer who had three sons. They were so lazy that —.
(c) I have to meet Raihan. Do you know where —?
(d) It is high time you —. It is detrimental to health.
(e) English is an international language. If you want to go abroad for higher studies —.
(f) The bee is one of the busiest insects. It flies from flower to flower to —.
(g) My friend lived in New Zealand. It is many years since —.
(h) We must grow the habit of getting up early in the morning. The sooner we get up —.
(i) There goes the proverb ‘United we stand, divided we fall’. Unless we are united —.
(j) Our country is beset with many problems. We all should come forward with a view to —.
5. Read the text and fill in the gaps with the correct form of verbs as per subject and context.
0⋅5×10 = 5
It has been over three hundred years since emperor Shah Jahan of Delhi (a) — (build) the Taj Mahal as a tomb for his wife in Agra. Architecturally, it (b) — (be) one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The building (c) — (make) of fine white marble with inlays of coloured marble. It (d) — (have) eight sides and many open arches. It (e) — (rest) on a platform or terrace of red sandstone. Four slender white towers (f) — (rise) from the corners of the terrace. A large dome (g) — (stand) above the centre of the building. Around this large dome there (h) — (be) four smaller domes. Just inside the outer walls, there is an open corridor from which the visitors (i) — (look) through carved marble screens into a central room. The bodies of Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz (j) — (lie) in two graves below this room.
6. Read the text and change the sentences as directed : 1 × 5 = 5
(a) It was 1971 when Bangladesh achieved independence. (Simple) (b) It is the most significant event in the history of Bangladesh. (Comparative) (c) Our Freedom Fighters sacrificed their lives for the independence of Bangladesh. (Complex) (d) It was a great-struggle for them. (Exclamatory) (e) We shall always remember them with pride. (Compound)
7. Change the narrative style by using indirect speeches. 5
“Whose picture is it?” I asked.
“A little girl’s of course,” Said Grandmother.
“Can’t you tell?”
“Yes, but do you know the girl?”
“Yes, I knew her,” said Granny “but she was a very wicked girl and I shouldn’t tell you about her.”
8. Identify the unclear pronoun references in the following paragraph. Where necessary, rewrite the sentence so that all pronoun references are clear. 5
Education is the birth right of every man. But even then many people in our country are deprived of this for many reasons. They are unconscious and unskilled for want of it. For this, they are unable not only to develop their own fate or their family, but also unable to play any role for the development of society or the state. If the people are not properly educated, that is not possible. So, the more we can educate our people, the more the country will be developed. With a view to developing human resource, the government has given many incentives in the field of expanding the primary and the secondary education. We must ensure these for every child of the country.
9. Read the following text and use modifiers as directed in the blank spaces : 0⋅5×10 = 5
Ayesha Begum has three sons and two daughters. Her husband was a (a) — (pre-modify the noun) farmer who used (b) — (post-modify the verb by using infinitive) on other people’s land. With great effort they married (e) — (use a pronoun) daughters off by the time they reached teenage. The sons also started (d) — (use present participle to modify the verb) with their father as (e) — (pre-modify the noun) labourers when they were old enough to help. By the time they were seventeen, they left for towns (f) — (use infinitive to post modify the verb) money. At first they used to send money to their parents (g) —, (use an adverb to post modify the verb) but after getting married they barely had enough to support their (h) — (pre-modify the noun) families. Out of desperation, Ayesha Begum started (i) — (post-modify the verb) in the village to feed her old. (j) — (pre-modify the noun) husband and herself.
10. Use appropriate sentence connectors in the blank spaces of the following passage : 0⋅5×10 = 5
Man is a social being. (a) —, man cannot live alone. (b) —, man has been living together from time immemorial. Living in society is not an easy task. We have to follow certain rules and regulations of the society. (c) —, we should be cooperative. (d) —, we must help others when they are in need. (e) —, we have to be careful not to hurt others by our words or activities. (f) —, we must control our emotions and behave rationally with others. (g) —, we should not think and live only for us. (h) —, we should always think and work for the betterment of the society, (i) —, we should remain prepared to sacrifice our lives for the greater interest of the society. (j) —, sacrificing our lives for the society makes us immortal.
11. Read the passage and write the antonyms and synonym of the words as directed below : 0⋅5×10 = 5
The process of globalization obviously requires a common language for international communication. For many different reasons, English has achieved the prestige of being that language. As a result, it has crossed national borders to reach people who speak other languages. It is no longer the unique possession of British or American people, but a language that belongs to the world’s people. In fact, bilingual and multilingual users of English far outnumber its monolingual native speakers. This phenomenon has led to a bewildering variety of English around the world. As more and more people speak English, more and more varieties have emerged which are strongly influenced by the pronunciation, grammar and idioms of the respective mother-tongues. Word English has now moved away from the control of the native speakers. However, the question of British or American English is not so important now. Today’s slogan is mutual intelligibility among users of the language.
(a) obviously (synonym) (b) prestige (synonym) (c) national (synonym) (d) unique (antonym) (e) native (antonym) (f) variety (synonym) (g) emerge (antonym) (h) control (antonym) (i) important (synonym) (j) intelligibility (antonym).
12. There are ten errors in the use of punctuation marks in the following text. Re-write the text correcting the errors : 0⋅5×10 = 5
“I’m not in the least hungry,” my guest sighed “but if you insist I don’t mind having some asparagus.”
I ordered them.
“Aren’t you going to have any”
“No I never eat asparagus.”
“I know there are people who don’t like them. The fact is you ruin your plate by all the meat you eat.”
“Coffee” I said
“Yes, just an ice-cream and coffee” she answered.
Part−B : Composition (Marks-40)
13. Suppose, you are a student of ‘X’ College. Write an application to the Principal of your college for introducing multimedia facilities in classrooms. 8
14. Suppose, you are a local correspondent of a national daily. Now write a report on the prize giving ceremony held in your college a few days ago. 8
15. Write a paragraph describing the merits and demerits of a mobile phone. 10
16. Great people make history. They inspire us with their deeds and greatness of their characters. They are the leaders of the world. Now write a composition in 200-250 words on ‘Your Favourite Personality’. 14
Key
Rajshahi Board
English Second Paper
[According to the Syllabus of 2017]
Part A
1. (a) the (b) x (c) a (d) the (e) the (fl The (g) a (h) A (i) the 0) a
2. (a) in (b) in (c) through (d) of (e) to (fl around (g) of (h) into (i) through with
3. (a) No~ sooner had (b) was born (c) as if (d) What if (e) would rather (f) lest (g) let alone (h)
What does look like (i) there 0) have to
4. (a) 21st February is a red-letter day in our life because on this day we achieved the rightful place of Bangle through sacrifice.
(b) They were so lazy that the farmer became very worried about them.
(c) Do you know where he lives?
(d) It is high time you gave up smoking.
(e) If you want to go abroad for higher studies, you have to learn English. M It flies from flower to flower to collect honey.
(g) It is many years since we last sat together.
(h) The sooner we get up, the earlier we can start our activities.
(i) There goes the proverb "United we stand, divided we fall". Unless we are united
-we will not be able to perform difficult job.
0) Our country is beset with many problems. We all should come forward with a view to solving these problems.
5. (a) built (b) is (c) is made (d) has (e) rests ffl rise (g) stands (h) are (i) can look 0) lie
6. (a) In 1971 Bangladesh achieved independence.
(b) It is more significant than any other event in the history of Bangladesh.
(c) Our Freedom Fighters sacrificed their lives so that we could have the independence of Bangladesh.
(d) What a struggle it was for them!
(e) We shall always remember them and it will be done with pride.
7. I asked Grandmother whose picture it was. She replied it was a little girl's of course. She asked me if I could not tell. I replied in the affirmative and asked her if she knew the girl. She replied in the affirmative and added that she had known her (Girl) but she (Girl) had been a very wicked girl and she (Grandmother) would not tell me about her (Girl).
8. Education is the birth right of every man. But even then many people in our country are deprived of education for many reasons. They are unconscious and unskilled for want of education. For this, they are unable not only to develop their own fate or the fate of their family, but also unable to play any role for the development of society or the state. If the people are not properly educated, their development / the development of the society or the state is not possible. So, the more we can educate our people, the more the country will be developed. With a view to developing human resource, the government has given many incentives in the field of expanding the primary and the secondary education. We must ensure these incentives for every child of the country.
9. (a) landless (b) to work (c) their (d) working (e) day (f) to earn (g), occasionally (h) own (i) begging j) invalid / sick / feeble
10. (a) In fact (b) For this reason (c) First of all (d) In other words (e) Secondly (f) On the contrary (g) Finally (h) Instead (i) That is to say 0) Indeed
11. (a) clearly (b) status/honour (c) domestic /nationwide (d) common (e) foreign (f) diversity (g) disappear (h) free (i) significant 0) ambiguousness/ambiguity
12. "I'm not in the least hungry," my guest sighed, "but, if you insist I don't mind having some asparagus."
I ordered them.
"Aren't you going to have any?"
"No, I never eat asparagus."
"I know there are people who don't like them. The fact is, you ruin your palate by all the meat you eat."
"Coffee?" I said.
'Yes, just an ice-cream and coffee," she answered.
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