Sylhet Board 2019
English Second Paper
Subject Code: 108
Time––3 hours; Full marks––100
[N. B. ––The figures in the right margin indicate full marks. Answer all the questions.]
English (compulsory) second paper part A: Grammar (60 Marks)
1. Fill in the blanks in the following text with articles (a/an/the) as necessary. Some of the blanks may not require articles. Put a cross (x) in those blanks
I have (a) — uncle who has just retired from (b) — army. He used to be (c) —FBI agent, and everybody says he has been an honest man all his life. As a child, I loved him for his stories. He once told me that he met (d) —one-eyed alien from (e) — space. (f) — alien did not need any oxygen. And it did not have (g) — nose. I now understand that it was (h) — hard story to believe. I am not sure he was telling me (h) —truth. May be he is not so (j) — honest, after all.
2. Complete the text with suitable prepositions.
Luna’s cat was missing. So she started looking around (a) — it. She opened her closet and looked (b) — . Then she went to the bedroom crawling (c) — the floor to look (d) —the bed. The cat was not there. In fact, it was nowhere inside the house. Therefore, Luna decided to go (e) — to look for it. Just as she was (f) — to open the door, the door bell rang. It was her neighbour, Mrs. Haq. “Look Luna! Your cat is (g) — the sunshade!” said Mrs. Haq pointing (h) — a tall building opposite (i) — her house. Luna smiled and thanked her friendly neighbour, saying that (j) — her help she would not be able to find out her cat.
3. Complete the sentences with suitable words/phrases from the list.
as if would rather blow one’s own trumpet as far as when it comes to
it is about time feel like is used to needn’t have had better
(a) “Can I smoke here?” “I — you didn’t. It’s a no smoking zone.”
(b) This car is absolutely fine — the engine is concerned.
(c) We rushed to the station lest we might miss the train. But the train was late and we had to wait for an hour. We — hurried.
(d) It’s well past 10 and Diba is still in bed. — she got up.
(e) Nishi is a nice girl. But — cooking, she is absolutely hopeless.
(f) Lima has always lived alone. She — living alone.
(g) Well, you don’t need to — . We know that you have some talent.
(h) Look at that building! It looks — it were going to fall down!
(i) I am very tired. I don’t — going out this evening.
(j) “It’s getting late. I have to go now.” “You — not. It’s raining very hard.”
4. Complete the following sentences with suitable clauses/phrases.
(a) “Do you know this man?” “Yes, I know him. — since he was a boy.”
(b) What a lovely view that was! If I had had a camera, –.
(c) I have never been suspicious of his honesty. I have always believed –.
(d) It was very hot outside. Nobody actually wanted –.
(e) The woman – was taken to hospital.
(f) When my sister was young, she hid chocolate in impossible places. Once I found a bar –.
(g) My grandfather has no interest in TV. He often talks about the old days –.
(h) I am not a rich man. So, I never go to the shops –.
(i) Don’t worry. We are going to be there right on time. I am driving –.
(j) She never travels alone. She is – of travelling alone.
5. Read the text and fill in the gaps with the correct form of verbs in brackets.
When I was a child I (a) — (be) afraid of the dark, and I (b) — (go) to sleep with a light on. Even then, I feared that monsters (c) — (climb) in through my bedroom window. Every sound I (d) — (hear) struck fear into me. Often, I ran away from the room and (e) — (sleep) on the floor at the foot of my parents’ bed. Now that I (f) — (be) almost twenty, I obviously do better than what I (g) — (do) as a child. However, I (h) — (be) still scared of bedtime. I hate (i) — (sleep) alone and I still keep a tiny night-light on. And before I go to bed, I double-check every door and every window to make sure that they (j) — (be) locked.
6. Transform the underlined parts of the following text as per direction.
(a) “Beautiful Isn’t she?” Tanvir whispered. (Make it assertive) (b) Tania nodded in agreement, but she was extremely nervous. (Make it complex) (c) The tigress was now quite close to them. Make it interrogative) Tania’s heart was pounding, but Tanvir seemed oblivious to any danger. (d) He got closer to the animal and pressed the shutter button with a boyish grin in the face. (Make it simple) (e) And it suddenly occurred to Tania that her husband was the strongest man she had ever met. (Use the positive degree of the adjective)
7. Change the narrative style by using indirect speeches.
“Why did you stop me? I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?” asked Riyad. “You were driving too fast,” said the traffic sergeant, giving him a glare, “Now, show me your driving license.”
8.Here is a text with five unclear pronoun references. Rewrite the text making all the pronoun references clear. Underline the areas where you make any changes.
Robin hates people who are mean to animals. Last afternoon, as he was walking home from work he saw some boys throwing stones at an old lame dog. Immediately, he rushed to help the animal “Stop it!” he shouted as he ran towards the unruly boys, “Leave him alone!” Startled by the big man’s shouts, they ran away. One of them jeered at him while running away Robin, however, was totally unmoved by the jeering. He was happy that he could save it. Robin has always felt some affection for animals. Once he even went to the police station to complain about a neighbour who threw a cat out of the window. Instead of taking any action, they laughed at him advised him not to worry about such ‘petty’ matters.
9. Read the following text and use modifiers as directed in the blank spaces
A library is a (a) — (pre-modify the noun) of knowledge. The students (b) — (use a participle) to all classes visit it in their library periods. Our college library is housed in two rooms (c) — (pre-modify the noun) almirahs are placed in one room. The other room is the (d) — (use a participle to modify the noun) room where magazines, journals and newspapers are placed. There are about five thousand books in our library which are arranged (e) — (post-modify the verb). Any type of book can be traced in no time. The books cater to the needs and interests (f) — (use a prepositional phrase). There are two separate sections in the library. One of them reference books like (g) — (use nouns) etc. The other section contains books (h) — (prepositional phrase). Every student has a library (i) — (use a noun). The reading room is always crowded (j) — (post-modify the verb) in the afternoon.
10. Use appropriate sentence connectors in the blank spaces of the following passage. 5×10-5
Education is essential in our life. (a) —we are not properly educated, we cannot live an honourable life in society. It teaches us (b) — how to earn but also how to spend. (c) — it teaches (d) — to live in amity with others in society. (e) — we must get proper education, (f) — we should bear in mind (g) —education is not only what we learn at educational institutions but also (h) — we learn outside these institutions. (i) — education is a lifelong process. It begins just after our birth (j) — ends only in death.
11. Read the text and give the synonyms/antonyms of the underline words as per instruction given below the text.
Rima is a good-looking young woman. Her large, dark eyes are beautiful. Her complexion is flawless, and she has got a lovely big smile. Her long, black hair is full and shiny. She is tall and slender, and her movement is graceful. And she always dresses stylishly. Everybody appreciates her beauty. But Rima worries that people do not notice her talents and hard work. She wants people to know that a woman can have beauty ambition.
(a) good-looking (synonym); (b) dark (synonym): (c) flawless (synonym); (d) shiny (antonym) (e) slender (antonym); (f) graceful (synonym): (g) stylishly (antonym): (h) appreciate (antonym) (i) notice (antonym): (j) ambition (synonym).
12. There are ten errors in the use of punctuation marks in the following text. Rewrite the text correcting the errors.
The traveller said to the peasant “Can you tell me the way to the nearest inn” The peasant said “Yes I can Do you want one in which you can spend the night” The traveller said, stay there I only want a meal” Follow me and I will take you to a nice one.
Key
Part-A
1. (a) an (b) the (c) an (d) a (e) the ffl The (g) a (h) a (i) the j) x
2 (a) for (b) in (c) on (d) under (e) outside (0 about (g) on (h) to (i) to W without
3. (a) would rather (b) as far as (c) needn't have (d) It is about time (e) when it comes to (f) is used to (g) blow your own trumpet (h) as if (i) feel like j) had better
4 (a) "Do you know this man?" "Yes, I know him. He has been known to me since he was a boy."
(b) What a lovely view that wasl If I had had a camera, I would have captured/photographed it.
(c) I have never been suspicious of his honesty. I have always believed he is a thoroughly honest man.
(d) It was very hot outside. Nobody actually wanted to play in such hot condition.
(e) The woman who was hit by a bus was taken to hospital.
When my sister was young, she hid chocolate in impossible places. Once I found a bar inside a flower vase,
(g) My grandfather has no interest in TV. He often talks about the old days when there was no TV.
(h) I am not a rich man. So I never go to the shops where costly products are sold.
(i) Don't worry. We are going to be there right on time. I am driving as fast as I can. 0) She never travels alone. She is very afraid of travelling alone.
5. (a) was (b) would go / used to go (c) would climb (d) would hear / heard (e) slept am (g) did (h) am (i) sleeping 0) are
6. (a) "She is beautiful".
(b) Though Tania nodded in agreement, she was extremely nervous.
(c) Wasn't the tigress quite close to them now?
(d) Getting closer to the animal, he pressed the shutter button with a boyish grin in the face.
(e) No other man she had ever met was as strong as her husband.
7. Riyad asked the traffic sergeant why he M had stopped him (R). He (R) added that he (R) had not done anything wrong. Giving him a glare, the traffic sergeant told him (R) that he (R) had been driving too fast. Then he M told Riyad to show him (71 his (R) driving license.
8. Robin hates people who are mean to animals. Last afternoon, as he was walking home from work, he saw some boys throwing stones at an old lame dog. Immediately, he rushed to help the animal. "Stop it"I He shouted as he ran towards the unruly boys, "Leave the dog alonel"
Startled by the big man's shouts, the boys ran away. One of them jeered at Robin while running away. Robin, however, was totally unmoved by the jeering. He was happy that he could save the dog. Robin has always felt some affection for animals. Once he even went to the police station to complain about a neighbour who threw a cat out of the window. Instead of taking any action, the police laughed at him and advised him not to worry about such 'petty' matters.
9. (a) store house (b) attending/going (c) Some (d) reading (e) systematically (f) of the students and teachers (g) dictionaries, encyclopedias, biographies, atlas (h) of various interests (i) card 0) heavily
10. (a) If (b) not only (c) Again/Moreover (d) how (e) Therefore (f) Besides (g) that (h) what (1) In fact 0) and
11. (a) attractive/beautiful (b) black (c) perfect/ faultless (d) murky/dark (e) fat (0 elegant (g) simply (h) criticize / humiliate (i) overlook / neglect 0) desire/drive
U The traveller said to the peasant, "Can you tell me the way to the nearest inn?" The peasant said, "'Yes, I can. Do you want one in which you can spend the night?" The traveller said, "I don't wish to stay there. I only want a meal." "Follow me and I will take you to a nice one."
Comments