University Admission Test English - Dhaka University - D Unit 2007-2008 Session English Questions' Answers with Explanation

University Admission Test English

Dhaka University - D (Gha) Unit Admission Question

2007-2008 Session

English Questions' Answers with Explanation

Read the following passage and then answer Questions 1 – 7:

Natural calamities are not uncommon in our part of the world. 

Annual flooding is regularly complemented by annual droughts in many parts of Bangladesh. To these two chief agents of our misery you can add the violent storms that originate in the Bay of Bengal and wreak death and destruction on our coastal belt every now and then. The most recent example is hurricane Sidr that struck the southern districts on the evening of 15 November, 2007. Despite early warning and precautionary measures, the devastation caused by Sidr has been horrifying. You look to the West and realize with a start that catastrophes such as hurricanes, tornadoes and flash floods are also becoming more and more frequent there. You can’t help wondering whether what you call natural calamities are wholly natural today; for some of them are, to a very considerable degree. Certainly caused by air and water pollution, deforestation, was on big and small scale, each, of which is creation of man and all of which have combined to produce the alarming phenomenon called global warming. You ask: are not natural calamities really nature’s vengeance for the sins committed by man against nature?

Vocabulary & Comprehension Questions

01. ‘Vengeance’ means –

A) revenge  B) venerable  C) generous  D) energy

02. ‘Every now and then’ means –

A) always  B) never  C) now  D) occasionally

03. ‘Our coastal belt’ in the paragraph refers to ____ .

A) leather strip produced and worn in the seaports of Bangladesh B) belt like shape of the Chittagong coast C) islands off the Sundarbans D) the southern districts of Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal

04. ‘Not uncommon’ is an instance of ____ .

A) negatives used incorrectly B) incorrect arrangement of words C) double negative producing an affirmative D) sheer nonsense

05. ‘Global warming’ refers to –

A) a historical phenomenon  B) political disorder C) endangered environment  D) rise in the earth’s temperature

06. ‘Deforestation’ is caused chiefly by ____ .

A) wild fire  B) hurricane C) man unscrupulously destroying forest  D) long period of dry weather

07. The paragraph blames natural calamities on ____ .

A) god  B) man  C) fate  D) nature

Grammar & Vocabulary Questions

08. Birds of a Feather ____ together.

A) group  B) fly  C) flock  D) nest

09. The correct antonym of the word ‘shrivel’ is:

A) embrace  B) expand  C) explode  D) enslave

10. Which is the best translation of the sentence – সে খুবই আবেগ প্রবণ।

A) He is very passionate  B) He is very proud C) He is very conscientious  D) He is very emotion

11. He passed ____ but did not notice me.

A) out  B) on  C) by  D) at

12. Choose the correct synonym for ‘buccaneer’.

A) bachelor  B) presenter  C) pirate  D) butcher

13. ‘Hitting below the belt’ means:

A) doing something unfair in a competition B) injuring someone fatally C) striking someone in the abdomen D) beating someone in a competition

14. Choose the incorrect sentence:

A) Who is the best of the two boys? B) Who is the best among these boys? C) Who is the best among the three boys? D) Who is the best boy of the group?

15. The correct spelling is:

A) Transfigaration  B) Transfiguration C) Transfigarution  D) Transfigurution

Word Pair Questions

Identify the pair that does not fit (Questions 16–17):

16.A) ambiguous / obvious  B) brutal / human C) fantastic / believable  D) colossal / gigantic

17.A) obnoxious / likable  B) excitable / calm C) spontaneous / deliberate  D) determined / resolute

Prepositions, Idioms, Contextual Use

18. I would like a complete break down ____ these figures.

A) by  B) into  C) of  D) for

19. Life is a succession of lessons ____ must be lived to be understood.

A) then  B) those  C) which  D) these

20. The year 1913. The Wright brothers had just ____ in making an airplane that could fly.

A) delighted  B) announced C) proceeded  D) succeeded

Synonyms, Idioms, Spelling, Sentence Correction

21. The correct synonym of the word ‘astute’ is:

A) autistic  B) shrewd  C) economic  D) acute

22. ‘Bon voyage’ means –A) Have a sound sleep  B) Devil’s advocate C) A handsome fellow  D) wish you a good trip

23. Although his dress is ____ in all other ways, he seems to be a perfectly normal man.

A) eccentric  B) conventional  C) conservative  D) old-fashioned

24. Choose the word that is misspelled:

A) dirrhea  B) cholera  C) dehydration  D) typhoid

25. Which is the correct sentence?

A) I wish I was in your shoes B) I wish I were in your shoes C) I wish I got into your shoes D) I wish I get into your shoes

Answer Key with Detailed Explanations

01. A – ‘Vengeance’ means revenge.

Explanation: The word "vengeance" refers to punishment or retribution for a wrong or injury, similar to "revenge."

02. D – ‘Every now and then’ means occasionally.

Explanation: It’s a common idiom that refers to something happening from time to time.

03. D – ‘Our coastal belt’ refers to the southern districts of Bangladesh bordering the Bay of Bengal.

Explanation: The passage clearly states that the southern coastal region is affected by storms, which is the "coastal belt."

04. C – ‘Not uncommon’ is a double negative producing an affirmative.

Explanation: It means "fairly common" or "frequent."

05. D – ‘Global warming’ refers to the rise in the earth’s temperature.

Explanation: The passage links it to pollution, deforestation, and man-made activities.

06. C – Deforestation is chiefly caused by man unscrupulously destroying forests.

Explanation: This is stated explicitly in the passage.

07. B – The paragraph blames natural calamities on man.

Explanation: The author questions whether calamities are really natural or caused by man’s abuse of nature.

08. C – Birds of a feather flock together.

Explanation: It’s a proverb meaning people with similar interests stick together.

09. B – The antonym of ‘shrivel’ is expand.

Explanation: "Shrivel" means to shrink; its opposite is to grow or expand.

10. A – He is very passionate.

Explanation: “আবেগ প্রবণ” best translates to “passionate.”

11. C – He passed by but did not notice me.

Explanation: "Passed by" means went past someone without stopping.

12. C – ‘Buccaneer’ is a pirate.

Explanation: Historically, "buccaneer" refers to a sea pirate.

13. A – ‘Hitting below the belt’ means doing something unfair in a competition.

Explanation: It’s an idiom taken from boxing, meaning to behave unethically.

14. A – Who is the best of the two boys?

Explanation: With two, we say “better,” not “best.” So this is incorrect.

15. B – The correct spelling is Transfiguration.

Explanation: It’s a religious and literary word meaning transformation.

16. D – Colossal and gigantic are synonyms, so this pair does not contrast.

Explanation: The other options show opposite meanings.

17. D – Determined and resolute are synonyms, not contrasts.

Explanation: The rest show opposing qualities.

18. C – A complete breakdown of these figures.

Explanation: "Breakdown of" is the correct collocation.

19. C – Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.

Explanation: "Which" is a relative pronoun correctly linking the clause.

20. D – The Wright brothers had just succeeded.

Explanation: They were successful in building a flying machine.

21. B – The synonym of ‘astute’ is shrewd.

Explanation: Both mean mentally sharp and perceptive.

22. D – ‘Bon voyage’ means wish you a good trip.

Explanation: It’s a French farewell to someone traveling.

23. A – Eccentric.

Explanation: His dress being unusual (eccentric), yet he’s otherwise normal.

24. A – ‘Dirrhea’ is misspelled; it should be ‘diarrhea’.

Explanation: The rest are correctly spelled medical terms.

25. B – I wish I were in your shoes.

Explanation: Subjunctive mood is used for wishes contrary to fact.