1. Read the passage below and answer the questions following it.
I am in a tiny steel cage attached to a motorcycle, stuttering through traffic in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In the last ten minutes, we have moved forward may be three feet, inch by inch, the driver wrenching the wheel left and right, wriggling deeper into the wedge between delivery truck and a rickshaw in front of us. Up ahead, the traffic is jammed so close together that pedestrians are climbing over pickup trucks and through empty rickshaws to cross the street. Two rows to my left is an ambulance, blue light spinning uselessly.
This is what the streets here look like from seven o’clock in the morning until ten o’clock at night. If you’re rich, you experience it from the back seat of a car. If you’re poor, you’re in a rickshaw, breathing in the exhaust. I’m sitting in the back of a CNG, a three-wheeled motorcycle shaped like a slice of pie and covered with scrap metal. I’m here working on a human rights project, but whenever I ask people in Dhaka what they think international organizations should really be working on, they tell me about the traffic. Alleviating traffic congestion is one of the major development challenges of our time. Half the world’s population already lives in cities, and the United Nations (UN) estimates that the proportion will rise to nearly 70 percent by 2050. Dhaka, the world’s densest and fastest growing city, is a case study in how this problem got so bad and why it’s so difficult to solve. Dhaka’s infrastructure doesn’t match the scale of its population. Just 7 percent of the city is covered by roads, compared with around 25 percent of Paris and Vienna. Dhaka also suffers from the absence of a planned road network. There are 650 major intersections, but only 60 traffic lights, many of which don’t work. That means the police force isn’t enforcing driving or parking rules; they’re in the intersections, directing traffic. The cost of Dhaka’s traffic congestion is estimated at $3.8 billion a year, and that’s just the delays and air pollution, not the less-tangible losses in quality of life. Paradoxically, the poor infrastructure is one of the reasons why the city is growing so fast.
A. Choose the correct answer from the alternative. 5
a) What could be the closest meaning for ‘tiny’ in the first paragraph?
i. Gigantic ii. Large iii. Small iv. Hulk
b) The word ‘wriggling’ in the first paragraph refers to —.
i. winking ii. wrapping
iii. twisting or turning body iv. wrenching
c) ‘Exhaust’ in the second paragraph can be replaced by —.
i. tire out ii. vigor iii. energetic iv. exclusive
d) A CNG is a — wheeler.
i. two ii. three iii. four iv. one
e) The best synonym of ‘wedge’ is —.
i. lock ii. block iii. clock iv. both (i) & (ii).
B. Answer the following questions. 10
a) How do you differentiate the roads of Dhaka from the roads of other cities?
b) What problem do you face in the street of Dhaka?
c) What a CNG is compared with? Why?
d) How do you explain the severity of traffic jam in city of Dhaka?
e) ‘The authority should take drastic action against traffic jam.’ Do you agree or disagree with this
statement. Give reasons.
Ans. to the ques.
A. Ans. (a) iii. Small (b) iii. twisting or turning body (c) i. tire out (d) ii. three (e) iv. both (i) & (ii).
B. Ans.
a) The roads of Dhaka are different from the roads of other cities. The roads of Dhaka are clogged up with vehicles. On the other hand, the roads of other cities are usually frees.
b) In the streets of Dhaka the problem that we face is saver traffic jam. The jam is so acute that we cannot even walk or cross roads.
c) CNG is compared with a slice of pie. For its shape it is compared so. The backside of it is larger but its front side is smaller. It has given the vehicle a pie-shape.
d) The severity of traffic jam in Dhaka city cannot be described in words. It is very disgusting and exhausting.
e) I agree with this statement. Traffic jam has gone out of control. If government does not take drastic action, we have to suffer a lot.
Answer:
Bangla Translation
আমি ঢাকা, বাংলাদেশের যানজটের মধ্যে মোটরসাইকেলের সাথে সংযুক্ত একটি ছোট্ট স্টিলের খাঁচায় আটকে আছি। গত দশ মিনিটে, আমরা তিন ফুট, ইঞ্চি ইঞ্চি এগিয়ে গেছি, ড্রাইভার বাম এবং ডানে চাকা ঘুরিয়ে দিচ্ছে, ডেলিভারি ট্রাক এবং সামনের একটি রিকশার মাঝখানে আরও গভীরে ঘুরছে। সামনে, ট্র্যাফিক এতটাই জ্যাম যে পথচারীরা পিকআপ ট্রাকের উপর দিয়ে এবং খালি রিকশার মধ্য দিয়ে রাস্তা পার হচ্ছে। আমার বাম দিকে দুটি সারি একটি অ্যাম্বুলেন্স, নীল আলো অকেজোভাবে ঘুরছে।
সকাল সাতটা থেকে রাত দশটা পর্যন্ত এখানকার রাস্তাগুলি এমনই দেখায়। যদি আপনি ধনী হন, তাহলে আপনি গাড়ির পিছনের সিট থেকে এটি অনুভব করবেন। যদি আপনি দরিদ্র হন, তাহলে আপনি রিকশায় আছেন, নিঃশ্বাস নিচ্ছেন। আমি একটি সিএনজির পিছনে বসে আছি, একটি তিন চাকার মোটরসাইকেল যা পাইয়ের টুকরোর মতো আকৃতির এবং স্ক্র্যাপ ধাতু দিয়ে ঢাকা। আমি এখানে একটি মানবাধিকার প্রকল্পে কাজ করছি, কিন্তু যখনই আমি ঢাকার লোকেদের জিজ্ঞাসা করি যে আন্তর্জাতিক সংস্থাগুলির আসলে কী কাজ করা উচিত, তারা আমাকে যানজট সম্পর্কে বলে। যানজট কমানো আমাদের সময়ের অন্যতম প্রধান উন্নয়ন চ্যালেঞ্জ। বিশ্বের অর্ধেক জনসংখ্যা ইতিমধ্যেই শহরে বাস করে এবং জাতিসংঘ (UN) অনুমান করে যে এই অনুপাত ২০৫০ সালের মধ্যে প্রায় ৭০ শতাংশে উন্নীত হবে। বিশ্বের সবচেয়ে ঘনবসতিপূর্ণ এবং দ্রুত বর্ধনশীল শহর ঢাকা, এই সমস্যাটি কীভাবে এত খারাপ হয়ে উঠল এবং কেন এটি সমাধান করা এত কঠিন, তার একটি কেস স্টাডি। ঢাকার অবকাঠামো তার জনসংখ্যার স্কেলের সাথে মেলে না। প্যারিস এবং ভিয়েনার প্রায় ২৫ শতাংশের তুলনায় শহরের মাত্র ৭ শতাংশ রাস্তা দ্বারা আচ্ছাদিত। ঢাকায় একটি পরিকল্পিত সড়ক নেটওয়ার্কের অভাবও রয়েছে। ৬৫০টি বড় মোড় রয়েছে, কিন্তু মাত্র ৬০টি ট্র্যাফিক লাইট রয়েছে, যার মধ্যে অনেকগুলিই কাজ করে না। এর অর্থ হল পুলিশ বাহিনী গাড়ি চালানো বা পার্কিং নিয়ম প্রয়োগ করছে না; তারা মোড়ে মোড়ে ট্র্যাফিক পরিচালনা করছে। ঢাকার যানজটের কারণে বছরে ৩.৮ বিলিয়ন ডলার খরচ হয় বলে ধারণা করা হচ্ছে, এবং তা কেবল বিলম্ব এবং বায়ু দূষণের কারণে, জীবনযাত্রার মানের ক্ষেত্রে সামান্য ক্ষতির কারণে নয়। বিদ্রূপাত্মকভাবে, দুর্বল অবকাঠামো শহরটির এত দ্রুত বিকাশের অন্যতম কারণ।
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Passage-2
4. Read the following text and answer the questions A and B.
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 apart 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.
A. Choose the correct answer from the alterative. 1×5 = 5
(a) What could be the closest meaning for appreciate in the passage?
(i) contract (ii) diminish
(iii) humiliate (iv) praise
(b) What does the expression 'Beauty is easy to appreciate but difficult to define' mean?
(i) approval of beauty is trouble-free whereas its definition is troublesome
(ii) we can appreciate beauty easily but explain it in a difficult way
(iii) appreciation of beauty is necessary but there is no need to define it
(iv) we enjoy beauty but we don't define it
(c) What could be the closest meaning for difficult in the passage?
(i) easy (ii) simple
(iii) arduous (iv) soft
(d) A further difficulty arises when beauty manifests itself both by its presence, and by its... According to the passage, which one of the following is the best to fill the gap?
(i) company (ii) nonappearance
(iii) existence (iv) expression
(e) What could be the closest meaning for beauty in the passage?
(i) grotesqueness (ii) attractiveness
(iii) hideousness (iv) ugliness
B. Answer the following questions. 2×5 = 10
(a) Do you think it difficult to define beauty? Give reason in favour of your answer.
(b) Where do you find beauty?
(c) What have philosophers told about beauty? Do you support it? What is your view about beauty?
(d) How have the poets and artists tied beauty to truth and justice?
(e) Who wrote the poem 'Ode on a Grecian Urn'? What do you know about the poet?
Answers
1. A. (a) (iv) praise (b) (i) approval of beauty is trouble-free whereas its definition is troublesome (c)
(iii) arduous (d) (ii) nonappearance (e) (ii) attractiveness
B. (a) Yes, I think it is really difficult to define beauty. I think it so because we do not clarify whether it has an independent objective identity or it is universal, or even it is dependent on our sense perceptions. In spite of this difficulty it moves us with pleasure.
(b) There is beauty around us. We find it in pleasurable objects and sights in nature, in the laughter of children. in the kindness of strangers. Even in literature, there is beauty of its own kind.
(c) Philosophers have told us that beauty is an important part of life. Yes, I support them with a slight difference. I think that beauty is important but it is life that cannot ignore ugliness. and if art has beauty as an important ingredient, it cannot be confined only to a projection of beauty. Art can not ignore what is not beautiful.
(d) The poets and artists have tied beauty to truth and justice by incorporating both beauty and ugliness into their work. They have done it so that what is not beautiful assumes a tolerable proportion as something that represents some truth about life.
(e) John Keats wrote the poem 'Ode on Grecian Urn'. He was a romantic poet. in his poem. 'Ode on a Grecian Urn' he wrote `Beauty is truth, truth beauty,' by which be means that truth, even if it's not pleasant, becomes beautiful at a higher level.
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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