HSC Preparation 2020 (Model Test - 1) - English For Better Career

HSC Preparation – 2020

Model Test - 1

Part-I : Reading (60 Marks)

1. Read the following text and ans wer the questions A and B. [Unit—8; Lesson—5 (2)]

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 seashore 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 neighbourhood of Rakhaine homesteads for fresh water supply.

Kuakata is one of the unique spots which allow 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.

______________________________A. Choose the correct answer from the following alternatives. 1´5= 5

(a) Why is Kuakata a much sought after tourist destination?

(i) For an excellent combination of the picturesque natural beauty

(ii) Because of sandy beaches and blue sky

(iii) For the shimmering expanse to water of the Bay of Bengal

(iv) All of the above answers are correct

(b) What does the phrase ‘indigenous culture’ mean?

(i) Native culture (ii) Foreign culture

(iii) Both native and foreign culture (iv) Neither native and foreign culture

(c) ‘Kuakata is truly a virgin beach and a sanctuary for migratory winter birds’- What does the statement imply?

(i) It is an unused beach

(ii) It is a habitat for migratory birds

(iii) It is an abode of winter birds

(iv) All the above statements

(d) The word ‘locally’ means-

(i) regionally (ii) internally (iii) vividly (iv) truly

(e) Kuakata is a holy land for the-

(i) Hindus (ii) Muslims (iii) Buddists (iv) Both i and iii

B. Answer the following questions. 2´5=10

(a) How does the name ‘Kuakata’ come?

(b) What the reason, according to the text, that worked behind the coming of Rakhains to Kuakata?

(d) How are bathing, swimming and diving for the visitors in the beach of Kuakata? Give reasons for your answer.

(e) What does the expression ‘Kuakata is one the unique spots’ signify?

2. Read the passage and complete the table below with the given information: 1´10=10

[Unit—7; Lesson—4 (2)]

My name is Amerigo. I am 13 years old and I live on the street, alone. My mother, who is separated from my father, doesn’t want me. She told me to go away ........... Now she is married to another man. My father lives very far away. I want to go to him, but he won’t take me either. I begged him to send me some money so that I could buy a bus ticket. I am still waiting. He hasn’t answered.

The streets are now my home. Sometimes I find work. I used to collect trash and sell it to a vendor. I stopped doing that after I had a serious infection and a doctor told me to stay away from the trash dump. Once I worked for an ice cream shop owner and sold ice cream on the beach. But I got no money in return. The owner of the shop gave me something to eat, and let me sleep in his hut at night. The work was difficult and painful. The ice cream box is quite heavy when it is full. I had to walk for hours, offering my ice cream to whoever wanted to buy. There were days when I could not even sell one ice cream.

In a way, I am lucky because I am alive. My friends who work sorting rubbish in dumps often suffer from serious diseases. One of them was recently killed after he fell into a hole that opened up in the pile of trash. Many of us work for 10 to 12 hours, and get so little in return that we can’t even buy food.

Shoe-shining is very popular among the street kids. A few of my friends also work in factories and workshops. A boy I know lost one of his eyes after a piece of hot glass flew into his eye at the glass factory where he worked. The owner refused to pay for medical help and fired him.

For me, like all other children on the street, it is very hard. I am always hungry, and I don’t know where I will sleep the next night. I would like to live in my own home and sleep there in peace. The nights are very cold in the winter. You can die of cold in the street.

Who/What	Event/Activity	When/Why	Where
Amerigo (i) .....	lives alone	in the night	(ii)..........
His mother	(iii) .............	now	lives (iv) .........
(v)..........	are his home	(vi) ............
He used to	(vii) ............		sold (viii)...........
(ix).............	(x) ..............	after having a serious infection

3. Write a summary of the following text. 10

[Unit—14; Lesson—1 (1)]

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.

4. Read the following text and fill in the blanks with suitable word from the box. There are more words than needed. Make any grammatical change if necessary. 0.5´10=5

tolerance	elementary	free	peace	equal	among
direct	comply	make	merit	strengthen	over

Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be (a) ——, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. (b) —— education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be (c) ——, generally available and higher education shall be (d) —— accessible to all on the basis of (e) ——. Education shall be (f) —— to the full development of the human personality and to the (g) —— of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, (h) —— and friendship (i) —— all nations, racial or religious groups and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of (j) ——.

5. Fill in the blanks with appropriate word in each gap. 1´10=10

Corruption has now become (a) —— in almost every walk of life. No sector of life, (b) —— it public or (c) ——, is free from it. There are different types of (d) —— such as bribery, (e) —— of food, nepotism, extortions, (f) —— of public fund, land-grabbing. Almost all the government offices are under the (g) —— of corruption. If we go to a government office for some work, it cannot be (h) —— without giving bribe. We can hardly get naturally good fish, fresh fruit, vegetables or baby food as each of the food items is severely (i) ——. These traders are so greedy and immoral that they do not even spare (j) —— drugs or baby food to be free from adulteration.

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

(a) In 1914 when the 1st World War broke out, he wanted to join the army.

(b) At last, at the age of 19 he joined the army as an ordinary soldier on the side of the alliance.

(d) At the age of eleven, he showed his poetic genius.

(e) Our national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was born in 1306 B.S (1899 A.D) at Churulia in the district of Burdhwan.

(f) On his returned from the battlefield, he gave up the sword for the pen and began to write poems.

(g) He breathed his last on 29 August, 1976.

(h) In 1972 he was brought to Bangladesh from Kolkata and was declared our national poet.

(i) His famous poem “Bidrohi” stirred the whole nation.

(j) His poems inspired our freedom fighters in the Liberation War of Bangladesh.

Part-II : Writing (40 Marks)

7. Write a paragraph on “Etiquette and Manners” in about 200 words based on the answers to the following questions. 10

(a) What do you mean by etiquette and manners?

(b) Why should we maintain them?

(d) Where should we learn them from?

(e) How can etiquette and manners help us?

8. The following is the beginning of a story. Complete it in your own words. 7

Once a stream ran throw a green field. There lived an ant beside the stream. One day the ant went to the stream to drink water. While drinking water, suddenly the ant fell into the running water. .............

9. Suppose, you are Raihan/Mitu of College Road, Chittagong. Traditionally, your college observes the Independence Day with great festivity. Now, write a letter to your friend, Rohan/Lubna who lives at Asad Avenue, Dhaka describing the details about the celebration of the ‘Independence Day’ in your college campus. 5

10. The following bar chart shows the percentage of early marriage in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal in different decades. Now, write a paragraph on “Statistics of Early Marriage” depending on the chart given below. 10