SSC English First Paper Sylhet Board Question -2026 with Answer /SSC English 1st Paper Board Questions-2026 / Sylhet Board- 2026 English 1st Paper Question / সিলেট বোর্ড – ২০২৬ ইংরেজি ১ম পত্র

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সিলেট বোর্ড

ENGLISH FIRST PAPER 

[According to the Syllabus of 2026]

Subject Code: 107 Time: 3 hours Full marks: 100

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

Part A—Reading Test (Marks-70)

Read the passage and answer questions no. 1, 2 and 3: 

Meherjan lives in a slum on the Sirajgonj Town Protection Embankment. The whispering wind from the river Jamuna makes the fire unsteady. The dancing flames remind Meherjan of the turmoil in her life. Not long ago, Meherjan had everything—a family, arable land and cattle. The erosion of the Jamuna gradually consumed all her land property. It finally claimed her only shelter during the last monsoon. It took the river only a day to devour Meher's house, trees, vegetable garden and the bamboo bush. She had a happy family once. Over the years, she lost her husband and her family to diseases that cruel hunger and poverty brought to the family. Now, she is the only one left to live on with the loss and the pain. The greedy Jamuna has shattered her dreams and happiness. There are thousand others waiting to share the same fate like Meherjan. Bangladesh is a land of rivers, some of whose banks overflow or erode during monsoon. Erosion is a harsh reality for the people living along the river banks. During each monsoon, many more villages are threatened by the mighty rivers like the Jamuna, the Padma and the Meghna. It is estimated that river erosion makes at least 100,000 people homeless every year in Bangladesh. In fact, river erosion is one of the main dangers caused by climate change. If we can't take prompt actions to adapt to climate change, there will be thousands of more Meherjans in our towns and villages every year.

1. Choose the best answer from the alternatives: (1×7=7) 

(a) In her early life, Meherjan was ______ (i) stressful (ii) solvent (iii) insolvent (iv) satisfied

(b) How long did the river Jamuna take to make Meherjan homeless? (i) Many years (ii) One week (iii) One day (iv) Long time

(c) Meherjan's dreams have been shattered by ______ (i) the whispering wind (ii) the greedy villagers (iii) the dancing flames (iv) the greediness of the river Jamuna

(d) The synonym of the word 'fate' is ______ (i) destiny (ii) disaster (iii) destruction (iv) decay

(e) What does the phrase 'mighty rivers' in the text mean? (i) Rivers that have many waves (ii) Rivers that make people mighty (iii) Rivers that have strong dams (iv) Rivers that have huge volume of water and very strong currents

(f) What is the consequence of river erosion? (i) Taking away man's life (ii) Making people rootless (iii) Making people aware (iv) Leading a happy life

(g) What is the actual cause of river erosion? (i) Greenhouse gas (ii) Strong tides (iii) Temperature rise (iv) Climate change

2. Answer the following questions: (2×5=10) 

(a) What does the phrase 'dancing flames' symbolize?

(b) Which properties did Meherjan lose due to river erosion?

(c) Why is Meherjan alone at present?

(d) How do the people of our country suffer owing to climate change?

(e) What is the main purpose of the passage?

3. Fill in each gap with a suitable word based on the information of the text: (1×5=5) 

People living by the river banks are in the threat of extinction (a) ______ to river erosion. Every year, many people become (b) ______ because of it. Meherjan has become a (c) ______ of this natural disaster. She lost her family, (d) ______ and properties. Her life is now full of (e) ______ because of the greedy Jamuna.

Answer: (a) due (b) homeless (c) victim (d) land (e) struggles

Read the following text carefully and answer questions no. 4 and 5:

Neil Armstrong was the first man who walked on the moon. He was an American astronaut. He was also an aerospace engineer. Armstrong was born on 5 August, 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio, USA. He earned his flight certificate in 1945 at the age of 15 only. In 1947, at the age of 17, he began to study Aeronautical Engineering in Purdue University, USA. He received B.Sc. degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1955 and did M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1970. In 1958, he was selected for the US Air Force's Man in Space programme. Neil Armstrong along with his crew started the journey to the moon in Apollo 11 on July 16, 1969. He was the commander of Apollo 11 and four days later they landed on the moon. They explored the surface and gathered moon rocks for over two hours. The next day they fired off the surface of the moon.

4. Complete the table below with information from the passage: (1×5=5)

Aim	To conquer the moon
Main spaceship	(i) ______
Who/What	Event	When	Place
Neil Armstrong	was born	on 5 August, 1930	(ii) ______
He	(iii) ______	in 1955
(iv) ______	started their journey to the moon	on July 16, 1969	from the earth
Neil Armstrong	landed on the moon	(v) ______

Answer: (i) Apollo 11 (ii) Wapakoneta (iii) received his B.Sc. degree in Aeronautical Engineering (iv) Neil Armstrong along with his crew (v) on July 20, 1969

5. Write a summary of the above passage in your own words: (10)

6. Match the parts of sentences given in column 'A', 'B' and 'C' to write five complete sentences: (1×5=5)

Column A	Column B	Column C
(a) Food adulteration is a process	(i) mobile courts to detect	(i) by the greedy businessmen
(b) The main reason behind adding	(ii) the quality of foods	(ii) is to increase financial profit
(c) It is an awful offense	(iii) in which harmful chemicals	(iii) and punish the dishonest businessmen
(d) This process reduces	(iv) various chemicals in food	(iv) are added in food items
(e) The government has set up	(v) which is committed	(v) and damages the health of consumers

Answer: (a+iii+iv), (b+iv+ii), (c+v+i), (d+ii+v), (e+i+iii)

7. Put the following parts of the story in correct order to make the whole story. Only the corresponding numbers of the sentences need to be written. (1×8=8) 

(a) He took shelter in a remote cave. (b) Robert Bruce fought bravely but lost the battle.

(c) But it didn't give up hope and at last became successful.

(d) Inspired by this incident, Robert Bruce gathered his courage and attacked the enemies again.

(e) Once while he was lying in the cave, he saw a spider trying hard to reach the ceiling of the cave. (f) Robert Bruce was a famous king of Scotland.

(g) And lastly he regained his kingdom.

(h) The King of England invaded his kingdom and occupied it.

Answer: f+h+b+a+e+c+d+g

8. Answer any five of the following questions from the poems of your textbook: (2×5=10) 

(a) What does the poet mean by "eyes that vainly crave the light" in the poem "O Me! O Life!"?

(b) Did the speaker love both the mothers? Why?

(c) What do books bring in our fancies and eyes?

(d) How has the poet described the sea in the poem "The Sands of Dee"?

(e) What is the significance of time being compared to a 'Gipsy Man'?

(f) Why did the poet stop by the woods though it was dark and he was alone?

(g) What task was Mary given in the poem "The Sands of Dee"?

(h) "Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone;" Explain briefly in the light of the poem 'Solitude'.

9. Answer any five of the following questions from the stories of your textbook: (2×5=10) (a) Which things did Rosamond wish to buy?

(b) When does Sonabhan realise that Ameen has grown up?

(c) How did Bassanio want to visit Portia and why?

(d) What was the condition of Mrs. Mallard when she heard about her husband's death?

(e) Why didn't Rosamond examine the Jar before buying it?

(f) Why was Bassanio short of money all the time?

(g) Why did Sonabhan sigh?

(h) Why did Antonio agree to borrow money from Shylock?

Part B—Writing Test (Marks-30)

10. Read the beginning of the story. Complete the story and give a suitable title to it: (15) 

Sheikh Saadi was a great poet in Iran. The king of Iran used to invite him very often in his court. Once on his way to the court, he took shelter in a nobleman's house. At that time, he was in a very simple dress. The nobleman...

11. Suppose, you are Atif/Atifa. You have a friend named Rana/Runa. Very often he/she feels tired and lazy. It will be helpful for his/her health to have physical exercise regularly. Now, write a dialogue between you and your friend about the importance of taking physical exercise. (15)

সিলেট বোর্ড

ENGLISH FIRST PAPER [According to the Syllabus of 2026] Subject Code: 107 Time: 3 hours Full marks: 100 [N.B. Figures in the right margin indicate full marks.]

Part A—Reading Test (Marks-70)

Read the passage and answer questions no. 1, 2 and 3: Meherjan lives in a slum on the Sirajgonj Town Protection Embankment. The whispering wind from the river Jamuna makes the fire unsteady. The dancing flames remind Meherjan of the turmoil in her life. Not long ago, Meherjan had everything—a family, arable land and cattle. The erosion of the Jamuna gradually consumed all her land property. It finally claimed her only shelter during the last monsoon. It took the river only a day to devour Meher's house, trees, vegetable garden and the bamboo bush. She had a happy family once. Over the years, she lost her husband and her family to diseases that cruel hunger and poverty brought to the family. Now, she is the only one left to live on with the loss and the pain. The greedy Jamuna has shattered her dreams and happiness. There are thousand others waiting to share the same fate like Meherjan. Bangladesh is a land of rivers, some of whose banks overflow or erode during monsoon. Erosion is a harsh reality for the people living along the river banks. During each monsoon, many more villages are threatened by the mighty rivers like the Jamuna, the Padma and the Meghna. It is estimated that river erosion makes at least 100,000 people homeless every year in Bangladesh. In fact, river erosion is one of the main dangers caused by climate change. If we can't take prompt actions to adapt to climate change, there will be thousands of more Meherjans in our towns and villages every year.

1. Choose the best answer from the alternatives: (1×7=7) (a) In her early life, Meherjan was ______ (i) stressful (ii) solvent (iii) insolvent (iv) satisfied

(b) How long did the river Jamuna take to make Meherjan homeless? (i) Many years (ii) One week (iii) One day (iv) Long time

(c) Meherjan's dreams have been shattered by ______ (i) the whispering wind (ii) the greedy villagers (iii) the dancing flames (iv) the greediness of the river Jamuna

(d) The synonym of the word 'fate' is ______ (i) destiny (ii) disaster (iii) destruction (iv) decay

(e) What does the phrase 'mighty rivers' in the text mean? (i) Rivers that have many waves (ii) Rivers that make people mighty (iii) Rivers that have strong dams (iv) Rivers that have huge volume of water and very strong currents

(f) What is the consequence of river erosion? (i) Taking away man's life (ii) Making people rootless (iii) Making people aware (iv) Leading a happy life

(g) What is the actual cause of river erosion? (i) Greenhouse gas (ii) Strong tides (iii) Temperature rise (iv) Climate change

2. Answer the following questions: (2×5=10) (a) What does the phrase 'dancing flames' symbolize? (b) Which properties did Meherjan lose due to river erosion? (c) Why is Meherjan alone at present? (d) How do the people of our country suffer owing to climate change? (e) What is the main purpose of the passage?

3. Fill in each gap with a suitable word based on the information of the text: (1×5=5) People living by the river banks are in the threat of extinction (a) ______ to river erosion. Every year, many people become (b) ______ because of it. Meherjan has become a (c) ______ of this natural disaster. She lost her family, (d) ______ and properties. Her life is now full of (e) ______ because of the greedy Jamuna.

Answer: (a) due (b) homeless (c) victim (d) land (e) struggles

Read the following text carefully and answer questions no. 4 and 5: Neil Armstrong was the first man who walked on the moon. He was an American astronaut. He was also an aerospace engineer. Armstrong was born on 5 August, 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio, USA. He earned his flight certificate in 1945 at the age of 15 only. In 1947, at the age of 17, he began to study Aeronautical Engineering in Purdue University, USA. He received B.Sc. degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1955 and did M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1970. In 1958, he was selected for the US Air Force's Man in Space programme. Neil Armstrong along with his crew started the journey to the moon in Apollo 11 on July 16, 1969. He was the commander of Apollo 11 and four days later they landed on the moon. They explored the surface and gathered moon rocks for over two hours. The next day they fired off the surface of the moon.

4. Complete the table below with information from the passage: (1×5=5)

Aim	To conquer the moon
Main spaceship	(i) ______
Who/What	Event	When	Place
Neil Armstrong	was born	on 5 August, 1930	(ii) ______
He	(iii) ______	in 1955
(iv) ______	started their journey to the moon	on July 16, 1969	from the earth
Neil Armstrong	landed on the moon	(v) ______

Answer: (i) Apollo 11 (ii) Wapakoneta (iii) received his B.Sc. degree in Aeronautical Engineering (iv) Neil Armstrong along with his crew (v) on July 20, 1969

5. Write a summary of the above passage in your own words: (10)

6. Match the parts of sentences given in column 'A', 'B' and 'C' to write five complete sentences: (1×5=5)

Column A	Column B	Column C
(a) Food adulteration is a process	(i) mobile courts to detect	(i) by the greedy businessmen
(b) The main reason behind adding	(ii) the quality of foods	(ii) is to increase financial profit
(c) It is an awful offense	(iii) in which harmful chemicals	(iii) and punish the dishonest businessmen
(d) This process reduces	(iv) various chemicals in food	(iv) are added in food items
(e) The government has set up	(v) which is committed	(v) and damages the health of consumers

Answer: (a+iii+iv), (b+iv+ii), (c+v+i), (d+ii+v), (e+i+iii)

7. Put the following parts of the story in correct order to make the whole story. Only the corresponding numbers of the sentences need to be written. (1×8=8) (a) He took shelter in a remote cave. (b) Robert Bruce fought bravely but lost the battle. (c) But it didn't give up hope and at last became successful. (d) Inspired by this incident, Robert Bruce gathered his courage and attacked the enemies again. (e) Once while he was lying in the cave, he saw a spider trying hard to reach the ceiling of the cave. (f) Robert Bruce was a famous king of Scotland. (g) And lastly he regained his kingdom. (h) The King of England invaded his kingdom and occupied it.

Answer: f+h+b+a+e+c+d+g

8. Answer any five of the following questions from the poems of your textbook: (2×5=10) (a) What does the poet mean by "eyes that vainly crave the light" in the poem "O Me! O Life!"? (b) Did the speaker love both the mothers? Why? (c) What do books bring in our fancies and eyes? (d) How has the poet described the sea in the poem "The Sands of Dee"? (e) What is the significance of time being compared to a 'Gipsy Man'? (f) Why did the poet stop by the woods though it was dark and he was alone? (g) What task was Mary given in the poem "The Sands of Dee"? (h) "Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone;" Explain briefly in the light of the poem 'Solitude'.

9. Answer any five of the following questions from the stories of your textbook: (2×5=10) (a) Which things did Rosamond wish to buy? (b) When does Sonabhan realise that Ameen has grown up? (c) How did Bassanio want to visit Portia and why? (d) What was the condition of Mrs. Mallard when she heard about her husband's death? (e) Why didn't Rosamond examine the Jar before buying it? (f) Why was Bassanio short of money all the time? (g) Why did Sonabhan sigh? (h) Why did Antonio agree to borrow money from Shylock?

Part B—Writing Test (Marks-30)

10. Read the beginning of the story. Complete the story and give a suitable title to it: (15) Sheikh Saadi was a great poet in Iran. The king of Iran used to invite him very often in his court. Once on his way to the court, he took shelter in a nobleman's house. At that time, he was in a very simple dress. The nobleman...

11. Suppose, you are Atif/Atifa. You have a friend named Rana/Runa. Very often he/she feels tired and lazy. It will be helpful for his/her health to have physical exercise regularly. Now, write a dialogue between you and your friend about the importance of taking physical exercise. (15)

Key

সিলেট বোর্ড

ENGLISH FIRST PAPER 

[According to the Syllabus of 2026]

Subject Code: 107 Time: 3 hours Full marks: 100

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

Part A—Reading Test (Marks-70)

Read the passage and answer questions no. 1, 2 and 3: 

Meherjan lives in a slum on the Sirajgonj Town Protection Embankment. The whispering wind from the river Jamuna makes the fire unsteady. The dancing flames remind Meherjan of the turmoil in her life. Not long ago, Meherjan had everything—a family, arable land and cattle. The erosion of the Jamuna gradually consumed all her land property. It finally claimed her only shelter during the last monsoon. It took the river only a day to devour Meher's house, trees, vegetable garden and the bamboo bush. She had a happy family once. Over the years, she lost her husband and her family to diseases that cruel hunger and poverty brought to the family. Now, she is the only one left to live on with the loss and the pain. The greedy Jamuna has shattered her dreams and happiness. There are thousand others waiting to share the same fate like Meherjan. Bangladesh is a land of rivers, some of whose banks overflow or erode during monsoon. Erosion is a harsh reality for the people living along the river banks. During each monsoon, many more villages are threatened by the mighty rivers like the Jamuna, the Padma and the Meghna. It is estimated that river erosion makes at least 100,000 people homeless every year in Bangladesh. In fact, river erosion is one of the main dangers caused by climate change. If we can't take prompt actions to adapt to climate change, there will be thousands of more Meherjans in our towns and villages every year.

1. Choose the best answer from the alternatives: (1×7=7) 

(a) In her early life, Meherjan was ______ (i) stressful (ii) solvent (iii) insolvent (iv) satisfied

(b) How long did the river Jamuna take to make Meherjan homeless? (i) Many years (ii) One week (iii) One day (iv) Long time

(c) Meherjan's dreams have been shattered by ______ (i) the whispering wind (ii) the greedy villagers (iii) the dancing flames (iv) the greediness of the river Jamuna

(d) The synonym of the word 'fate' is ______ (i) destiny (ii) disaster (iii) destruction (iv) decay

(e) What does the phrase 'mighty rivers' in the text mean? (i) Rivers that have many waves (ii) Rivers that make people mighty (iii) Rivers that have strong dams (iv) Rivers that have huge volume of water and very strong currents

(f) What is the consequence of river erosion? (i) Taking away man's life (ii) Making people rootless (iii) Making people aware (iv) Leading a happy life

(g) What is the actual cause of river erosion? (i) Greenhouse gas (ii) Strong tides (iii) Temperature rise (iv) Climate change

(a) In her early life, Meherjan was ______ (ii) solvent

(b) How long did the river Jamuna take to make Meherjan homeless? (iii) One day

(c) Meherjan's dreams have been shattered by ______ (iv) the greediness of the river Jamuna

(d) The synonym of the word 'fate' is ______ (i) destiny

(e) What does the phrase 'mighty rivers' in the text mean? (iv) Rivers that have huge volume of water and very strong currents

(f) What is the consequence of river erosion? (ii) Making people rootless

(g) What is the actual cause of river erosion? (iv) Climate change

2. Answer the following questions: (2×5=10) 

(a) What does the phrase 'dancing flames' symbolize?

(b) Which properties did Meherjan lose due to river erosion?

(c) Why is Meherjan alone at present?

(d) How do the people of our country suffer owing to climate change?

(e) What is the main purpose of the passage?

(a) What does the phrase 'dancing flames' symbolize?

The phrase 'dancing flames' symbolizes the painful instability, deep sadness, and terrible struggles in Meherjan's life. Just like the fire shaking in the wind, her life is also shaking and full of continuous troubles.

(b) Which properties did Meherjan lose due to river erosion?

Due to the cruel river erosion, Meherjan lost all her valuable properties. She completely lost her beautiful house, her big trees, her green vegetable garden, her bamboo bush, her domestic cattle, and all her farming land.

(c) Why is Meherjan alone at present?

Meherjan is completely alone at present because she lost everyone she loved. Her husband and her other family members died from cruel diseases. These diseases were caused by extreme hunger and deep poverty after the river destroyed everything.

(d) How do the people of our country suffer owing to climate change?

The people of our country suffer terribly because of climate change. Climate change causes deadly river erosion every year. Because of this erosion, thousands of simple villagers lose their homes, lands, and families, and they become completely poor and rootless.

(e) What is the main purpose of the passage?

The main purpose of this passage is to show the terrible and destructive effects of river erosion and climate change. By telling the sad story of Meherjan, the writer wants to warn us about the great danger our environment is facing.

3. Fill in each gap with a suitable word based on the information of the text: (1×5=5) 

People living by the river banks are in the threat of extinction (a) ______ to river erosion. Every year, many people become (b) ______ because of it. Meherjan has become a (c) ______ of this natural disaster. She lost her family, (d) ______ and properties. Her life is now full of (e) ______ because of the greedy Jamuna.

Answer: (a) due (b) homeless (c) victim (d) land (e) struggles

Read the following text carefully and answer questions no. 4 and 5: 

Neil Armstrong was the first man who walked on the moon. He was an American astronaut. He was also an aerospace engineer. Armstrong was born on 5 August, 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio, USA. He earned his flight certificate in 1945 at the age of 15 only. In 1947, at the age of 17, he began to study Aeronautical Engineering in Purdue University, USA. He received B.Sc. degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1955 and did M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1970. In 1958, he was selected for the US Air Force's Man in Space programme. Neil Armstrong along with his crew started the journey to the moon in Apollo 11 on July 16, 1969. He was the commander of Apollo 11 and four days later they landed on the moon. They explored the surface and gathered moon rocks for over two hours. The next day they fired off the surface of the moon.

4. Complete the table below with information from the passage: (1×5=5)

Aim	To conquer the moon
Main spaceship	(i) ______
Who/What	Event	When	Place
Neil Armstrong	was born	on 5 August, 1930	(ii) ______
He	(iii) ______	in 1955
(iv) ______	started their journey to the moon	on July 16, 1969	from the earth
Neil Armstrong	landed on the moon	(v) ______

Answer: (i) Apollo 11 (ii) Wapakoneta (iii) received his B.Sc. degree in Aeronautical Engineering (iv) Neil Armstrong along with his crew (v) on July 20, 1969

5. Write a summary of the above passage in your own words: (10)

Neil Armstrong is a world-famous American astronaut and an excellent engineer. He was born in America in 1930 and was very brilliant from his childhood. He studied Aeronautical Engineering and earned his degrees with great success. In 1958, he was specially selected for the US Air Force's space program. He became a great hero of human history when he acted as the commander of the Apollo 11 spaceship. He and his brave crew traveled to space, and on July 20, 1969, he became the very first human being to successfully walk on the surface of the moon.

6. Match the parts of sentences given in column 'A', 'B' and 'C' to write five complete sentences: (1×5=5)

Column A	Column B	Column C
(a) Food adulteration is a process	(i) mobile courts to detect	(i) by the greedy businessmen
(b) The main reason behind adding	(ii) the quality of foods	(ii) is to increase financial profit
(c) It is an awful offense	(iii) in which harmful chemicals	(iii) and punish the dishonest businessmen
(d) This process reduces	(iv) various chemicals in food	(iv) are added in food items
(e) The government has set up	(v) which is committed	(v) and damages the health of consumers

Answer:

(a + iii + iv) Food adulteration is a process in which harmful chemicals are added in food items.

(b + iv + ii) The main reason behind adding various chemicals in food is to increase financial profit.

(c + v + i) It is an awful offense which is committed by the greedy businessmen.

(d + ii + v) This process reduces the quality of foods and damages the health of consumers.

(e + i + iii) The government has set up mobile courts to detect and punish the dishonest businessmen.

7. Put the following parts of the story in correct order to make the whole story. Only the corresponding numbers of the sentences need to be written. (1×8=8) 

(a) He took shelter in a remote cave. (b) Robert Bruce fought bravely but lost the battle.

(c) But it didn't give up hope and at last became successful.

(d) Inspired by this incident, Robert Bruce gathered his courage and attacked the enemies again.

(e) Once while he was lying in the cave, he saw a spider trying hard to reach the ceiling of the cave. (f) Robert Bruce was a famous king of Scotland.

(g) And lastly he regained his kingdom.

(h) The King of England invaded his kingdom and occupied it.

Answer: f+h+b+a+e+c+d+g

Correct Order: (f) + (h) + (b) + (a) + (e) + (c) + (d) + (g)

Robert Bruce was a famous king of Scotland. The King of England invaded his kingdom and occupied it. Robert Bruce fought bravely but lost the battle. He took shelter in a remote cave. Once while he was lying in the cave, he saw a spider trying hard to reach the ceiling of the cave. But it didn't give up hope and at last became successful. Inspired by this incident, Robert Bruce gathered his courage and attacked the enemies again. And lastly he regained his kingdom.

8. Answer any five of the following questions from the poems of your textbook: (2×5=10) 

(a) What does the poet mean by "eyes that vainly crave the light" in the poem "O Me! O Life!"?

By this phrase, the poet means that human beings are always looking for hope, truth, and a good meaning in life. But sadly, the world is full of darkness and struggles, so people often fail to find that beautiful light of hope.

(b) Did the speaker love both the mothers? Why?

Yes, the speaker loved both the mothers very deeply. In truth, they were not two different women; they were the same mother at two different ages. The child loved the strong young mother for her endless care, and also loved the weak old mother out of deep duty and gratitude.

(c) What do books bring in our fancies and eyes?

When we read a book, our imagination wakes up. The books magically bring wonderful new worlds, beautiful fairies, brave knights, and thrilling adventures straight into our fancies and in front of our eyes.

(d) How has the poet described the sea in the poem "The Sands of Dee"?

The poet has described the sea as a very cruel, dark, and dangerous monster. The sea was extremely hungry and its wild foam silently crawled over the sand in the thick fog just to kill the innocent young girl.

(e) What is the significance of time being compared to a 'Gipsy Man'?

A gipsy is a wandering traveler who never builds a permanent home and never stays in one place. Time is compared to a gipsy man because time also runs forward endlessly and never stops or waits for anyone in this world.

(f) Why did the poet stop by the woods though it was dark and he was alone?

The poet stopped by the woods because the natural scenery of the forest was extremely beautiful, deep, and peaceful. He was totally mesmerized by the quiet dark woods filling up with soft white snow, so he stopped to enjoy the view.

(g) What task was Mary given in the poem "The Sands of Dee"?

Mary was a sweet and innocent young girl. She was given a very simple daily task. She was asked to go across the lonely, sandy beach of Dee and call the cattle home before the dark night arrived.

(h) "Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone;" Explain briefly in the light of the poem 'Solitude'.

These famous lines teach a very harsh reality of human nature. When a person is happy, wealthy, and successful, everyone eagerly wants to be his friend. But when the same person is sad, poor, and crying, all those friends run away and leave him to suffer all alone.

9. Answer any five of the following questions from the stories of your textbook: (2×5=10) 

(a) Which things did Rosamond wish to buy?

When Rosamond looked at the bright shop windows in London, she foolishly wished to buy many things. She wanted to buy pretty artificial flowers, colorful ribbons, a very useful pair of shoes, and a large, bright purple jar from the chemist's shop.

(b) When does Sonabhan realise that Ameen has grown up?

Sonabhan realized that her son Ameen had grown up when he started talking about serious matters like patriotism and war. He bravely decided to leave his safe home and join the dangerous Liberation War to free his motherland.

(c) How did Bassanio want to visit Portia and why?

Bassanio wanted to visit Portia in a very grand, rich, and luxurious manner. He wanted to show off great wealth, wear expensive clothes, and take many servants with him so that he could impress the rich Portia and easily win her heart.

(d) What was the condition of Mrs. Mallard when she heard about her husband's death? When Mrs. Mallard first heard the shocking news of her husband's death, she wept very wildly and violently in her sister's arms. But after she went to her room alone, she suddenly felt a great, secret joy of freedom filling her heart.

(e) Why didn't Rosamond examine the Jar before buying it?

Rosamond did not examine the jar closely because she was completely blinded by its bright purple appearance from outside the shop. She was a very young, innocent, and inexperienced girl, so she foolishly thought the solid glass itself was purple.

(f) Why was Bassanio short of money all the time?

Bassanio was an honest friend, but he had a very bad habit of wasting wealth. He was constantly short of money because he loved to live a very luxurious lifestyle and always spent much more money than he actually possessed.

(g) Why did Sonabhan sigh?

Sonabhan sighed heavily out of deep sorrow and terrible loneliness. Her heart was full of pain first because her brave son Ameen left her to fight in the war, and later because her beloved pet rooster, Moti, tragically died.

(h) Why did Antonio agree to borrow money from Shylock?

Antonio was a very kind and selfless friend. He agreed to borrow three thousand ducats from the cruel moneylender Shylock because he urgently wanted to help his dearest friend Bassanio travel to Belmont to marry the beautiful Portia.

Part B—Writing Test (Marks-30)

10. Read the beginning of the story. Complete the story and give a suitable title to it:

Title: Dress Does Not Make a Man Great

Sheikh Saadi was a great poet in Iran. The king of Iran used to invite him very often in his court. Once on his way to the court, he took shelter in a nobleman's house. At that time, he was in a very simple dress. The nobleman considered him an ordinary poor traveler. He did not show any respect to the great poet and gave him very simple, tasteless food to eat. Sheikh Saadi did not say anything, but he felt very insulted in his heart. The next morning, he silently left the nobleman's house and went to the king's royal court.

At the royal court, the great king treated Sheikh Saadi with huge respect and honor. After a few days, Sheikh Saadi was returning to his own village. On his way back, he decided to visit that same nobleman's house again. But this time, the situation was very different. Sheikh Saadi was wearing a very expensive, rich, and gorgeous dress given by the king.

When the nobleman saw a man in such a rich dress, he thought a very important and powerful person had arrived. He warmly welcomed Sheikh Saadi, showed him huge respect, and prepared many types of delicious, rich food for him. When they sat down to eat, Sheikh Saadi did a very strange thing. Instead of putting the delicious food in his mouth, he started putting the sweet pieces of food into the pockets of his expensive dress!

The nobleman was totally shocked and asked, "Sir, what are you doing? Why are you giving food to your dress?" Sheikh Saadi smiled calmly and replied, "A few days ago, I came to your house in a simple dress, and you gave me simple food. Today I came in a rich dress, and you gave me rich food. This means your respect and delicious food are not for me, but for my expensive dress! So, I am feeding my dress." Hearing this great truth, the nobleman felt deeply ashamed. He realized his great mistake and begged forgiveness from the wise poet.

11. Suppose, you are Atif/Atifa. You have a friend named Rana/Runa. Very often he/she feels tired and lazy. It will be helpful for his/her health to have physical exercise regularly. Now, write a dialogue between you and your friend about the importance of taking physical exercise.

A dialogue between myself (Atif) and my friend Rana about the importance of physical exercise:

Atif: Hello Rana! How are you doing today? You look very tired and sleepy again.

Rana: Hi Atif. Yes, I am not feeling very well today. For the last few weeks, I always feel extremely tired, weak, and lazy. I cannot concentrate on my studies at all.

Atif: I am very sorry to hear that, my friend. Do you take regular physical exercise in the morning or afternoon?

Rana: No, Atif, I do not. I usually sleep late in the morning. Is physical exercise really that important for our body?

Atif: Yes, Rana! It is extremely important. Physical exercise is the best medicine for a healthy body and a fresh mind. It keeps us completely active, strong, and totally free from diseases.

Rana: Really? But how does it work inside our body?

Atif: When you take regular exercise, it improves your blood circulation and builds strong muscles. It also digests your food properly. Because you do not exercise, your body is becoming weak and lazy.

Rana: I understand now. But Atif, what kind of physical exercise should I do? I do not like to go to the gym.

Atif: You do not need to go to a gym at all! You can do very simple things. You can wake up early in the morning and walk in the open field for thirty minutes. You can also swim in the pond, or play outdoor games like football and cricket with us.

Rana: That sounds very easy and fun. But will it help me study better?

Atif: Absolutely! There is a famous proverb, "A sound mind lives in a sound body." If your body is fresh and healthy, your brain will work much faster. You will never feel lazy during your study time.

Rana: You have opened my eyes today, my dear friend. Thank you so much for this great advice.

Atif: You are most welcome, Rana. From tomorrow morning, I will come to your house and we will go for a morning walk together.

Rana: That is a wonderful plan! I will surely be ready. See you tomorrow morning!