Rajshahi Board 2024

ENGLISH 1^st PAPER

[According to the Syllabus of 2024]

[N.B. The figures in the right margin indicate full marks. Answer all the questions.]

Time: 3 hours

Full marks: 100

Part I: Reading Test

Marks: 60

1.Read the following passage and answer the questions A and B:

Children's right to education is widely recognized today as a fundamental human right. But that, right also implies that the school they go to will have a pleasant and learning friendly environment where everyone will have an enjoyable time. Teachers will be kind, caring and supportive and children will feel relaxed. No harsh words will be spoken to them and special care will be taken of children with learning disabilities.

That, unfortunately is not the general picture in our school. The system of education in our part of the world does not allow children much freedom, and classrooms look more like cages where they are pent up for hours. Rabindranath Tagore found it unacceptable; so did William Blake (1757-1827) an English poet and painter, whose favorite subjects included children. In his poem "The School Boy" Blake writes about a young boy who is unhappy with his school where dour-faced teachers give joyless lessons. He would rather like to be outdoors and enjoy the summer day. He pleads with his parents to rescue him from the drudgery of school.

A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives: 0.5x10=5

(a) The right to education is considered to be---

(i) negligible (ii) minor (iii) major (iv) fundamental

 

(b) What kind of environment does a child like?

(i) Strict (ii) Boring (iii) Joyful (iv) Tiresome

 

(c) What does the word 'drudgery' refer to?

(i) Pleasant task (ii) Hard and boring work (iii) Painful experience (iv) Bad feeling

 

(d) The word 'implies' indicates-

(i) to think something to be true

(ii) to judge something to be just

(iii) to admit something

(iv) to appreciate something

 

(e) The antonym of the word 'harsh' is---

(i) cruel (ii) unpleasant (iii) kind (iv) rough

 

(f) In our schools, teachers should be---

(i) comprehensive (ii) judgmental (iii) authoritative (iv) helpful.

 

(g) When was William Blake born?

(i) In 1757

(ii) In 1767

(iii) In 1787

(iv) In 1797

 

 

(h) The expression 'dour-faced' means---

(i) unfriendly and severe (ii) sad and gloomy (iii) panicky (iv) very anxious

 

(i) What unacceptable thing did Rabindranath find?

(i) Students' anxiety about examinations

(ii) Students' caged up in classroom for hours

(ii) Difficult lessons for children

(iv) Learners' indifference to education

 

(j) Who should get special attention?

(i) Poor children

(ii) Students with learning disabilities

(iii) Unruly students

(iv) Children with special intellect

 

B. Answer the following questions: 3×5=15

(a) What does children's right to education imply?

(b) Mention three qualities a teacher should have.

(c) What does "learning-friendly environment" indicate?

(d) What is the general picture in our school?

(e) Describe the boy Blake portrays in his poem.

 

2. Read the following text and make a flow chart showing what we can do with the help of education (No.1 has been done for you). 1x5=5

Education gives us knowledge and a set of abilities to function meaningfully in life, such as the ability to decide things rationally and make the right choices. As we learn how to read, write and do the basic operations of arithmetic, we gain a degree of self-confidence. We learn to think for ourselves and articulate our thoughts; we pick up skills to communicate with others and manage our affairs well. Education helps us think independently and make our own opinions. As we know more about the world, we appreciate the good things it offers us but also become critical of the deviations from the values it imparts and the rise of hatred or conflict that follows.

The first thing education does is to give us an awareness about Ourselves which leads to the development of our personality. As we begin school, we feel the need to belong to the class and make friends. We then expand our sense of belonging to include the school at large, our community and finally our country. Education thus prepares every child to become an active member of the community and work for its welfare.

1. Pick up skills to communicate with others communicate with others → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6

 

3. Summarize the following text: 10

We spend money for different reasons. We buy food, clothes or everyday essentials, pay for different services, entertain people, travel to places, help others in need or invest in business and thus spend money every day. In fact, spending is a part of our life. Spending may make us happy or unhappy depending on how and why we spend. When we spend money on things that we need and within our limit, it is good. When it becomes a compulsive behavior, it makes life stressful. Unnecessary spending or spending beyond one's means has some bad effects. For one thing, it may lead to financial ruin or debt, and for another, it may create unhappiness within families. People who overspend are never satisfied with what they have. They always rush for brands, fashion items, designer clothes etc. Over a period of time, it becomes an addiction which may eventually create psychological problems. Nowadays consumer items displayed in are advertisements in ways that they create a feeling of immediate need for them. We are constantly tempted to buy, use or consume things even when we do not have a genuine need. We all need to be careful here. Salespersons often encourage customers to buy things by flattering them. "This is a perfect match for you', they would say, or 'You look so stunning in that dress'. Never forget, they say the same thing to most of their customers. It is better not to be persuaded by such words. They use these words to please the customers as the more a customer buys, the higher the profit is.

 

4. Read the following text and fill in the blanks with suitable words from the box. There are more words than needed. Make any grammatical change if necessary: 0.5x10=5

capable	syllabus	frustrate	requirement	both	understand
be	enlightenment	build	certainly	achieve	concentrate

Education aims at (a) ____ two things: knowledge and skill. The lessons in a (b) ____ prepare a learner for gaining knowledge of certain subjects. When a learner gets a clear (c) ____ of a subject or topic, it indicates his/her knowledge. Next appears skill that means the (d) ____ of doing something with the use of knowledge. Knowledge provides us with (e) ____ and skill presents the ability of doing well. (f) ____ the two things are important. But here lies a more important (g) ____: education should make a good man. Without (h) ____ a good man, no one should be considered fully and fairly educated. Without it all other achievements are (i) ____. Therefore, one should at first (j) ____ on attaining positive human aspects.

 

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

If you want to (a) ____ English properly and fairly, you have to achieve writing skill. To attain this skill, you need (b) ____ measures. At first you should (c) ____ your vocabulary since everywhere words are required. Words will help you (d) ____ ideas appropriately. Next you should know how to arrange (e) ____ in a sentence. Here grammar will help you the (f) ___ way. For that, basic (g) ____ items must be known to you. Then you have to (h) ____ your general knowledge to generate ideas and make sentences accordingly. Be creative and try to (i) ____ is sentences of your own. Finally, regular (j) ____ will help you succeed in achieving this skill.

 

6. Rearrange the following sentences to make a coherent order: 1×10=10

(i) Knowledge of these machines is essential to keep pace with the future world.

(ii) The sooner we can make and activate this plan, the better it will be for us.

(iii) This is known to be AI (Artificial Intelligence) Revolution.

(iv) Therefore, learning technology and achieving technological skill should be thought of seriously.

(v) The machines will mainly include computer, mobile phone and robot.

(vi) But we can no longer wait; exact and realistic plan should be made now.

(vii) The fourth revolution is knocking at the door.

(viii) Those who are skillful in it will survive successfully.

(ix) We have not yet been prepared for this sort of education.

(x) This revolution will turn the world into a machine-based one.

 

Part II—Writing Test

Marks—40

7. The graph below shows students from different academic areas who got themselves admitted into a public university last year. The left-aligned numbers show the percentages of students. You should analyse the information mentioning the ratio of their achievements in at least 150 words.

15

8. The following is the beginning of a story. Complete it in your own words: 15

Shrabandhara, a green village is situated on the bank of the river Chitra. People are very nice, as the village is. Most of them are farmers. One year, due to heavy rainfall Chitra overflowed her banks…

9. Suppose, you are Alal. Arif, your younger brother is afraid of using computer since he does not know how to run it. Write a letter to your younger brother giving some suggestions for learning and running computer. 10