HSC Sylhet Board - 2023 English 1st Paper Question with Answer

Sylhet Board-2023

Sub Code 107

Time : 3 hours

English (Compulsory) 2nd Paper

Total Marks : 100

[According to the Syllabus of 2023]

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

PART-1: READING TEST [60 Marks]

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

Education gives us knowledge and a set of abilities to function meaningfully in life, such as the ability to decide things rationally and make the right choices. As we learn how to read, write, and do the basic operations of arithmetic, we gain a degree of self-confidence. We learn to think for ourselves and articulate our thoughts; we pick up skills to communicate with others and manage our affairs well. Education helps us think independently and form our own opinions. As we know more about the world, we appreciate the good things it offers us but also become critical of the deviations from the values it imparts and the rise of hatred or conflict that follows. The first thing education does is give us an awareness of ourselves, leading to the development of our personality. As we begin school, we feel the need to belong to the class and make friends. We then expand our sense of belonging to include the school at large, our community, and finally our country. Education thus prepares every child to become an active member of the community and work for its welfare.

Education is believed to release our potential and inner strengths. It sharpens our intellect and develops our creativity. As we are taught to reason well and find solutions to life's problems, we become productive members of society. Education, by definition, is progressive and liberal, teaching us to respect human diversity and cultural and religious differences. If all of us practice these values in life, the world becomes a much happier place.

Education also fosters critical thinking and provides us with a set of competencies, including life skills, that enable us to become competitive even in the most challenging of circumstances. Education also teaches us to appreciate beauty and the bounties of nature.

School, however, is not the only place where a child gets an education. A Bangla poem tells us that nature can be our best teacher. Here are a couple of lines from the poem in English translation:The sky has taught me to be liberal.The wind has given me the motto to be industrious.

If we can make nature our friend, philosopher, and guide, we can learn lessons about life that, combined with what our schools teach us, will prepare us for the future.

A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives:

0.5 x 10 = 5

(a) What does the idiom 'at large' mean?(i) briefly (ii) independently (iii) largely (iv) dependently

(b) The word 'arithmetic' relates to —(i) physics (ii) mathematics (iii) biology (iv) chemistry

(c) The sky teaches us to be —(i) honest (ii) sincere (iii) liberal (iv) courageous

(d) Imparting education to the common mass leads a community to —(i) meanness (ii) backwardness (iii) prosperity (iv) humanity

(e) The term 'self-confidence' is an outcome of —(i) education (ii) earning and success (iii) establishment (iv) wealth

(f) The wind inspires us to be —(i) punctual (ii) industrious (iii) disciplined (iv) virtuous

(g) The word 'function' refers to —(i) to work (ii) to know (iii) to think (iv) to analyze

(h) The passage describes —(i) the expense of education (ii) the scholars of education (iii) the purpose of education (iv) the institution of education

(i) What does the word 'competencies' refer to —(i) energies (ii) powers (iii) capabilities (iv) vitalities

(j) Education supports us to choose —(i) profit from loss (ii) wrong from right (iii) right from wrong (iv) vice from virtue

B.

Answer the following questions:

(a) What does education provide us?

(b) Does education influence us in thinking? How?

(c) Do you believe that education leads the path to socialization? How?

(d) How do we obtain the ability to manage our affairs well?

(e) Elucidate the role of nature as our “friend, philosopher and guide."

2. Based on your reading of the passage, make short notes in each of the boxes in the flow chart showing the information about Sheikh Kamal's passion for sports and cultural activities (one is done for you):1 x 5 = 5

Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib, was born at Tungipara in Gopalganj district. He spent his childhood there. Kamal received his secondary education at Dhaka’s BAF Shaheen School, from where he passed his SSC examination. He was then admitted to Dhaka College, and after his HSC examination, he became a student at the Department of Sociology of Dhaka University. Kamal had a colorful life marked by liveliness and creativity. Besides his academic studies, he also pursued his passion for sports and cultural activities. He was a first division basketball and cricket player as well as a sports organizer. He was also interested in classical music and became a student of Chhayanaut to learn the Sitar under the tutelage of Ustad Ful Mohammad. Apart from the Sitar, Kamal had a passion for the Piano. He had a good collection of musical instruments on the second floor of their house at Dhanmondi, Road no. 32.

It is well known to his friends that Sheikh Kamal used to begin his day practicing the Sitar, and during the day played basketball, football, or cricket. In the evening, he was often seen on stage rehearsing a play. He took part in the stage performance of "Kabar," written by prominent playwright Shaheed Munir Chowdhury. Kamal was one of the founders of Dhaka Theatre. He was also a founder of Spondon Shilpi Gosthi, a cultural organization. And who doesn't know that Sheikh Kamal was the founder of Abahoni Krira Chokro, which introduced modern football in our country?

1.   Lover of classical music

3.Write a summary of the following text.

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

4. Read the following text and fill in the blanks with a suitable word from the box. There are more words than needed. Make any grammatical changes if necessary.

Hospitality has long been a (a) ______ of our culture in Bangladesh. Although many other things are (b) ______, now, people are still quite polite and friendly (c) ______ foreigners. They like speaking to foreigners (d) ______ if they have not been introduced. It is quite common for Bangladeshis to (e) ______ personal questions about family, jobs, and income, which visitors (f) ______ overseas might find awkward. However, it should be understood that (g) ______ harm is meant by such (h) ______. On the other (i) ______, they express a genuine interest in the foreigner's state of affairs. The whole country has a fairly (j) ______ communication network now.

5.Fill in the gaps using suitable words.                                                                        1 * 10 = 10

Kuakata is a rare scenic spot (a) ______ in Patuakhali district about 320 km (b) ______ Dhaka. It is a famous (c) ______ destination because of the picturesque (d) ______ beauty, sandy beaches, blue sky, and the shimmering expanse of water of the Bay of Bengal and the evergreen (e) ______. The name Kuakata (f) ______ from the digging of a well (kua) by the early Rakhaines for (g) ______ water. Kuakata allows its visitors to (h) ______ both sunrise and sunset from the (i) ______. Gentle and sandy slopes make it (j) ______ for battling, swimming, and diving.

6.       Rearrange the following sentences to make a coherent order.                  10

(a)     The grapes were too high for him to reach.

(b)     One day he was very hungry.

(c)     Again and again he Jumped.

(d)     At last he entered into a vineyard.

(e)     Once upon a time, there lived a fox in a forest.

(f)      Al last being tired, he went away saying that the grapes were sour.

(g)     But each time, he failed to reach the grapes.

(h)     ) He took a run and jumped to reach the bunch of grapes but could not reach it.

(i)      He searched for food everywhere but he did not get any food.

(j)      There were ripe grapes hanging up on the vine.

PART-II [40 Marks]

7.       The graph chart shows the choice of profession by educated people in our country. Now describe the chart highlighting important points :   15

8.       The following is the beginning of a story. Complete it in your own words :                              15

Once there lived a wood cutter. He was very poor but honest. He lived on the bank of a river near a Jungle. He used to cut wood............................

Write a letter to your friend congratulating him/her on his/her getting first prize in English debate competition.     10

Key To Sylhet Board-2023

SYLHET BOARD-2023

06                                          English (Compulsory]- First Paper

PART-1: READING TEST

1. A. (a) ill. largely (b) li. mathematics (c) iii. liberal (d) iv. humanity (el 1. education (f) ii. industrious

(g) i. to work (h) ii. the purpose of education (i) iil. capabilities (j) Hi. right from wrong

B. {a] Education provides us with the skills needed for doing meaningful work. It also helps us make the right choices.

(b) Yes. education influences us in thinking independently. It also helps us make our own opinions.

(cl Yes, 1 do. It teaches us to respect human diversity and cultural and religions differences. It prepares every child for becoming an active member of society and working for its welfare.

(d) Education provides us with the ability to decide things rationally and make the right choices. Thus we learn to think for ourselves and manage our affairs well.

(el When we appreciate the beauty and the bounties of nature, it becomes our friend and philosopher. When we leam to be liberal from the sky and Industrious from the wind, it

2.

3.      The poem is the explanation of the gravity of dreams. The poet advises the dreamers that they should hold fast their dreams, because if dream is lost forever, then their lives will be inactive and meaningless. Life becomes as like as a fruitless tree or as like as a field which Is solely infertile. In his poem tire poet compares the dreamless life with the barren field covered with snow from where nobody can expect any crop or benefit.

4.      (a) part (bl changing (c) towards (d) even (e) ask (f) from (g) no (h) questions (i) hand (j) good

5.      (a) located (b) from (c) tourist (d] natural (e) forest (f) comes/originates (g) collectlng/drinking (h)

watch (i) beach (j) pleasant

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
e	b	i	d	J	a	h	c	g	f