Read the passage and answer the questions A and B.
The orphanage is high in the Carolina mountains. I was there in the autumn. I wanted quiet, isolation, to do some troublesome writing. I wanted mountain air to blow out the malaria from too long a time in the subtropics. I was homesick too, for the flaming of maples in October, and for corn shocks and pumpkins and black-walnut trees.... I found them all living in a cabin that belonged to the orphanage, half a mile beyond the orphanage farm. When I took the cabin, I asked for a boy or man to come and chop wood for the fireplacE-... I looked up from my typewriter one late afternoon, a little startled. A boy stood at the door and my pointer dog, my companion, was at his side and had not barked to warn mE- The boy was probably twelve years old, but undersized. He wore overalls and a torn shirt, and was barefooted. He said, "I can chop some wood today."....."You? But you're small." "Size don't matter, chopping wood," he said. "Some of the big boys don't chop good. I've been chopping wood at the orphanage a long timE-" "Very well. There's the axE- Go ahead and see what you can do." I went back to work, closing the door.... He began to chop. The blows were rhythmic and steady, and shortly I had forgotten him, the sound no more of an interruption than a consistent rain. I suppose an hour and a half passed and I heard the boy's steps on the cabin stoop... The boy said, "I have to go to supper now," he said. "I can come again tomorrow. " I said, "I'll pay you now for what you've done," thinking I should probably have to insist on an older boy.... We went together back of the cabin. An astonishing amount of solid wood had been cut.... "But you've done as much as a man," I said. "This is a splendid pilE-" I looked at him, actually, for the first timE- His hair was the color of the corn shocks and his eyes, very direct, were like the mountain sky when rain is pending - gray, with a shadowing of that miraculous bluE-... I gave him a quarter. "You may come tomorrow afternoon," I said, "and thank you very much." He looked at me, and at the coin, and seemed to want to speak, but could not, and turned away.... At daylight I was half wakened by the sound of chopping. Again it was so even in texture that I went back to sleep. When I left my bed in the cool morning, the- boy had come and gone, and a stack of kindling was neat against the cabin wall. He came after school in the afternoon and worked until time to return to the orphanagE-
- Read the passage and answer the questions A and B.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 Sitar under the tutelage of Ustad Ful Mohammad. Apart from Sitar, Kamal had a passion for 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 or football or cricket. In the evening he was often seen on stage rehearsing a play. He took part in 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 that introduced modern football in our country? There are interesting traits in Kamal’s character. He was the eldest son of a Prime Minister and later of a President. Yet, his life was very simplE- He didn’t take any advantage of his father’s name and officE- As he loved to spend time with his friends at Tungipara in his childhood, he loved to do the same during his college and university days. Watching good movies with then in Madhumita, Naz or Balaka cinema hall was also something that he really liked
- Read the passage and answer the questions A and B.JOHANNESBURG (R) Nelson Mandela guided South Africa from the shackles of apartheid to a multi-racial democracy, as an icon of peace and reconciliation who came to embody the struggle for justice around the world. Imprisoned for nearly three decades for his fight against white minority rule, Mandela never lost hisresolve to fight for his people's emancipation. He was determined to bring down apartheid while avoiding a civil war. His prestige and charisma helped him win the support of the world. "I hate race discrimination most intensely and in all its manifestations. I have fought it all during my life; I will fight it now, and will do so until the end of my days," Mandela said in his acceptance speech onbecoming South Africa's first black president in 1994,... "The time for the healing of the wounds has comE- The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us hascomE-" "We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation." In 1993, Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, an honor he shared with F.W. de Klerk, the white South African leader who had freed him from prison three years earlier and negotiated the end of apartheid. Mandela went on to play a prominent role on the world stage as an advocate of human dignity in the face of challenges ranging from political repression to AIDS. He formally left public life in June 2004 before his 86th birthday, telling his adoring countrymen : "Don't call mE- I'll call you." But he remained one of the world's most revered public figures, combining celebrity sparkle with an unwavering message of freedom, respect and human rights. "He is at the epicenter of our time, ours in South Africa, and yours, wherever you are," Nadine Gordimer, the South African writer and Nobel Laureate for Literature, once remarked. Whether defending himself at his own treason trail in 1963 or addressing world leaders years later as a graying elder statesman he radiated an image of moral rectitude expressed in measured tones often leavened by a mischievous humor. The years Mandela spent behind bars made him the world's most celebrated political prisoner and a leader of mythic stature for millions of black South Africans and other oppressed people far beyond his country's borders. Charged with capital offences in the 1963 Rivonia Trial, his statement from the dock was his political testimony. "During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African peoplE- I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. "I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities," he told the court. "It is an ideal I hope to live for and to achievE- But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to diE-" Friends adored Mandela and fondly called him "Madiba", the clan name by which he was known. People lauded his humanity, kindness and dignity.
- The word 'foster' mentioned in the passage means?
- If there are elders or visitors at your home, the proper attitude towards them is to-
- Adolescent brides may face threats related to---
- What does the word 'merge' refer to in in the 1st paragraph?
- What is the meaning of the word 'glorious'?
- Who form relationship with toys?
- Road no. 32 is a _____
- Size don't matter, chopping wood. Here the word 'chopping' is - -
- The phrase 'leads to’ in the passage refers to-
- B. Answer the following questions :What, according to you, is the significance of water?Why have the United Nations identified drinking water problem as a challenge?Narrate the conditions of the rivers in Bangladesh in your own words.What has been depicted in a report published in the Daily Sun?Do you think the Buriganga river is dying? If so, why
- Read the passage and answer the questions A and B.We set out on the evening of July 21ª. Food was scarce in the village so Abdul packed a suitcase with two loaves and some tea and tins of milk, cheese and jam. We travelled Intermediate class in a cross-country train not uncomfortably crowded, through a country of shadowy loveliness. It was a moonlit night of broken soft clouds; the land was mostly under water, with paddy and coco-palms growing from it, and a few raised cart-tracks and groups of cottages islanded among clumps of bushes, all reflected among shadows. Here and there was the red glow of a cooking-fire or the lantern of a fisherman's boat in open water. At dawn we reached Sonaimuri, a small canal-side station among wide fields, from there we had eight more miles by country boat, some of it along the canal, some of it across the flooded paddy fields. I was looking forward to that tranquil water-journey in the early morning, and tranquil it must have been, for I fell instantly asleep and knew no more till we reached the landing-ghat at Khorshed's house, in a blaze of sunlight. It turned out that his letter saying that he was bringing me was still on its way, but they rallied to the crisis and gathered round to make me welcome, though as none of them spoke any English they could only stare and laugh and offer me coconut juicE-Khorshed set me up a camp, a wooden bed, chair and table in a thatched bamboo outhousE- It was a lovely spot among bamboo and coco-palms, facing a tank where fireflies wove intricate dances at night. He put his own bed beside it for protection, and there I stayed, holding permanent court from dawn to bedtimE- Within village memory- and that went back for some two centuries, I was the first European to go there: it was too remote even for a District Commissioner to pass through. Also since I was a woman, the women could come (at different times from the men) to look at me without losing their characters. People kept coming and coming: only the rains and the fact that few of them were rich enough to have boats prevented them from coming from ten miles round. When he saw that they would not stop coming, Khorshed fixed some curtains round the bed so that I could crawl behind them when I was tired of being looked at, like a zoo animal into its sleeping hut. Even then the little hut would fill up with women and children. Children followed when I went out, and when Khorshed remonstrated a small boy pleaded, "Don't send us away! After she's gone not even a strange bird will come to the villagE-" I stood up to being the celebrity for the two days we had planned, but it was enough.
- The word ‘indigenous’ (adj.) in the passage means-
- Adolescents may be sexually - very easily.
- Read the passage and answer the questions A and B.Kuakata, locally known as Sagar Kannya (Daughter of the Sea) is a rare scenic spot located on the southernmost tip of Bangladesh. Kuakata in Latachapli union under Kalapara Police Station of Patuakhali district is about 30 km in length and 6 km in breadth. It is 70 km from Patuakhali district headquarters and 320 km from Dhaka. An excellent combination of the picturesque natural beauty, sandy beaches, blue sky and the shimmering expanse of water of the Bay of Bengal and the evergreen forest makes Kuakata a much sought after tourist destination. The name Kuakata takes its origin from the story of a 'Kua' or well dug on the sea shore by the early Rakhaine settlers for collecting drinking water. The Rakhaines had landed on Kuakata coast after being expelled from Arakan by the Mughals. Following the first well, it became a tradition to dig wells in the neighborhood of Rakhaine homesteads for fresh water supply. Kuakata is one of the unique spots which allows a visitor to watch both the sunrise and the sunset from the beach. That perhaps makes Kuakata one of the world's most attractive beaches. The long and wide beach at Kuakata has a typical natural setting. This sandy beach slopes gently into the Bay and bathing there is as pleasant as is swimming or diving. Kuakata is truly a virgin beach and a sanctuary for migratory winter birds. Fishing boats plying in the Bay of Bengal with colourful sails, surfing waves and the lines of coconut trees add to the vibrant colours of Kuakata. The indigenous culture of the Rakhaine community and hundred year old Buddhist temples indicate the age - old tradition and cultural heritage of this area. Kuakata is also a holy land for the Hindus and Buddhists. Each year thousands of devotees come here to attend the festivals Rash Purnima and Maghi Purnima. On these two days, pilgrims take holy bath and enjoy going to the traditional fairs.
- When are the images, thoughts and emotions of a dream experienced?
- The word 'predicated' in the thirteenth line means .....
- Read the passage and answer the questions A and B.Coleridge's poem, a ballad, narrates the harrowing sea-voyage of an old mariner who at one point of his journey didn't have any water to drink because of a cursE- Cursed or not, we know how important drinking water is in our lifE- We know we cannot survive without it. In fact two-thirds of our body is made up of water. Not for nothing it is said that the other name of water is lifE- Is there a crisis in our time with regard to access to clean drinking water? The United Nations in a meeting on the eve of the new millennium identified the drinking water problem as one of the challenges for the futurE- But do we need to worry about the problem as ours is a land of rivers and we have plenty of rainfall? Besides, we have a sea in our backyard too. One of the sources of water in our country are the rivers. Rivers are everywhere in our life, literature, economy and culturE- But are the rivers in good shape? Unfortunately, they are not. A few are already dead and several are going through the pangs of death. The river Buriganga is an example of a dying river. A report published in the Daily Sun describes what has happened to the river Buriganga and why. Its water is polluted and a perpetual stench fills the air around it. But that is not what it was like beforE-
- Read the passage and answer the questions A and B.As a child you must have been told to greet your elders and visitors to your home according to your culture and tradition. You must also have been taught to be polite in company and keep quiet while others, especially your elders, spokE- Possibly, you at times grudged such schooling. Possibly, at times you even protested such disciplining. Now, certainly you know that you can't always behave the way you want specially in the presence of others. There are rules of behaviour you have to follow in a company. We are social beings and have to consider the effect of our behaviour on others, even if we are at home and dealing with our family members. We have two terms to describe our social behaviour— 'etiquette' and 'manners'. 'Etiquette' is a French word and it means the rules of correct behaviour in a society. The word 'manners' means the behaviour that is considered to be polite in a particular society or culturE- Manners can be good or bad. For example, it is a bad manner to speak with food in one's mouth. No one likes a bad-mannered person. Remember that etiquette and manners vary from culture to culture and from society to society.