এইচএসসি ইংরেজি ১ম পত্র প্রশ্ন (৩টি পূর্ণাঙ্গ প্রশ্নপত্র)

Read the passage. Then answer the question no. 1 and 2:

A school is often judged by the marks its students obtain in public examinations. Yet many thoughtful teachers believe that marks tell only a small part of the story. Real education, they argue, begins when a learner starts asking questions and looking for answers on his or her own. A child who memorises the names of twenty rivers may forget them soon after the examination, but a child who has walked beside one river, watched its current and talked to the boatmen will remember what she has learnt for many years.

In recent years, some schools in Bangladesh have tried to bring this kind of learning into the classroom. Students grow vegetables in a small garden behind the school building and keep a record of how fast each plant grows. Others interview elderly people in their village and write short histories of their locality. In science lessons, instead of copying a definition of evaporation from the board, they leave a bowl of water in the sun and measure how much of it disappears by the afternoon. Such activities turn students from passive listeners into active explorers.

This does not mean that books have lost their value. Books preserve the knowledge of generations, and no one can become truly educated without reading widely. The problem arises only when reading is reduced to cramming, and the only aim of study is to reproduce the same sentences on an answer script. Education of that kind, like a bird kept in a golden cage, may look impressive from outside while the spirit inside slowly grows weak.

A good teacher, therefore, is not merely a supplier of notes. He or she is a guide who encourages curiosity, praises honest effort and allows students to make mistakes and learn from them. When learning becomes a joyful search rather than a heavy burden, students not only perform better but also grow into confident and creative citizens.

Choose the correct answer from the alternatives: 1×7=7

(a) According to many thoughtful teachers, marks tell—

• (i) the whole story
• (ii) only a small part of the story
• (iii) nothing about a student
• (iv) the future of a school

(b) The word 'memorises' in the passage means—

• (i) learns by heart
• (ii) writes down
• (iii) forgets quickly
• (iv) explains clearly

(c) In the science lesson, the students measure—

• (i) the growth of plants
• (ii) the depth of a river
• (iii) how much water disappears
• (iv) the heat of the sun

(d) The antonym of 'passive' is—

• (i) silent
• (ii) active
• (iii) patient
• (iv) weak

(e) The phrase 'a bird kept in a golden cage' refers to education that—

• (i) looks good but weakens the spirit
• (ii) is given in rich schools
• (iii) teaches students about birds
• (iv) is controlled by strict teachers

(f) The word 'cramming' is closest in meaning to—

• (i) careful reading
• (ii) mechanical memorising
• (iii) group discussion
• (iv) free writing

(g) According to the passage, a good teacher—

• (i) supplies notes only
• (ii) never allows mistakes
• (iii) encourages curiosity
• (iv) avoids books

Answer the following questions: 2×5=10

• (a) Why do many teachers think that marks tell only a small part of the story?
• (b) How do some schools in Bangladesh bring practical learning into the classroom?
• (c) What is the difference between the two children mentioned in the first paragraph?
• (d) When does reading become a problem, according to the writer?
• (e) Do you agree that a good teacher is "not merely a supplier of notes"? Why?

Read the following text and fill in each gap with a suitable word based on the information of the text. 1×5=5

Although about seventy percent of the earth's surface is covered with water, only a very small part of it is fresh water fit for drinking. Most of the water is in the seas and oceans, and it is too salty for human use. In Bangladesh, many people depend on underground water, but the water table is falling every year because too much water is being lifted for irrigation and city supply. In the coastal areas, salinity has made pond and tube-well water unsafe. Experts say that we can save water by harvesting rainwater, repairing leaking pipes and using water carefully at home.

Most of the water on the earth is found in the seas and oceans, and it is too (a) ___ for human use. Only a small part of it is (b) ___ water that we can drink. The water table in Bangladesh is (c) ___ because of the excessive lifting of groundwater. In coastal areas, salinity has made the water (d) ___ to drink. We can save water by (e) ___ rainwater and using water carefully.

Read the passage carefully and answer the question no. 4 and 5:

Frederick Douglass, one of the greatest champions of human rights in the nineteenth century, was born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland, in 1818. As a child he was separated from his mother and never knew his exact date of birth. When he was about eight years old, he was sent to Baltimore, where the wife of his master began to teach him the alphabet. Although the lessons were soon stopped, the boy secretly continued to learn from white children in the street and from the newspapers he could find. Reading opened his eyes to the injustice of slavery. In 1838, at the age of twenty, he escaped to the North and became a free man. Soon he began to speak at anti-slavery meetings, and his powerful speeches moved large audiences. In 1845 he published his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, which was widely read. Two years later he started a newspaper named The North Star in Rochester, New York. Throughout his life he also supported equal rights for women. He died in Washington, D.C., in 1895, leaving behind a lasting example of courage and self-education.

Complete the table below with the information from the above passage: 1×5=5

Write a summary of the above passage in your own words. 10

Match the parts of sentences given in column A, B and C to write five complete sentences: 1×5=5

Put the following parts of the story in correct order to make the whole story. Only the corresponding numbers of the sentences need to be written: 1×8=8

• (a) He went to the address on the card and returned the wallet to its owner, an old doctor.
• (b) One winter morning he found a leather wallet lying under a bench.
• (c) Today Rana is a college student and still believes that honesty is the best policy.
• (d) Rana was a poor boy who sold newspapers at a busy bus stand in Dhaka.
• (e) For a moment he thought of the warm clothes he could buy for his little sister.
• (f) The doctor was so moved that he offered to pay for Rana's schooling.
• (g) Inside it there were a large sum of money and a visiting card.
• (h) But he remembered his mother's words that dishonest money never brings peace.

Part B: Writing

Write a paragraph in about 200 words on 'Bullying in Educational Institutions' answering the following questions: 10

• (a) What is bullying?
• (b) What forms can bullying take, both in person and online?
• (c) Why do some students bully others?
• (d) How does bullying affect the victims?
• (e) What can students, teachers and parents do to stop it?

Read the beginning of a story. Add at least ten new sentences to complete the story. 10

Mitu had spent three months practising for the inter-college debate competition. On the morning of the final round, as she was getting on the bus, she noticed an old woman lying unconscious by the roadside. People were hurrying past, and nobody seemed to stop . . .

Look at the following pie chart. It shows how the students of a college spend their time on the internet. Now describe the chart in about 150 words. You should highlight and summarise the information given in the chart. 10

[Pie chart — How the students of a college spend their time on the internet]

Suppose, you are Nabil/Nabila. Your friend's name is Tanvir/Tania. Now, write an e-mail to your friend advising him/her to follow netiquette while using social media. 10

Suppose, you are Arif/Arifa. Your friend's name is Sajid/Sadia. Now, write a dialogue between you and your friend about how to overcome stress during adolescence. 10

Read the passage. Then answer the question no. 1 and 2:

Bangladesh is a land of rivers, forests, wetlands and hills, and for centuries it has been home to a remarkable variety of wildlife. The Royal Bengal tiger prowls through the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans, dolphins rise to the surface of the great rivers, and flocks of migratory birds arrive in the haors every winter. Sadly, many of these creatures are now in danger. Scientists call a species endangered when its number has fallen so low that it may disappear from the earth in the near future. When not a single member of a species survives, it is said to be extinct, and it can never be brought back.

Several animals that were once common in Bangladesh have already vanished from the country. The one-horned rhinoceros, the swamp deer and the wild water buffalo, for example, no longer roam our forests. Others, such as the Asian elephant, the gharial and the Ganges river dolphin, are struggling to survive. The main reason is the destruction of their homes. Forests are cleared for farmland and settlements, wetlands are filled up, and rivers are polluted by factory waste and plastic. Illegal hunting and the trade in animal skins, bones and teeth make the situation even worse.

The loss of a species is not a small matter. Every living thing plays a role in the web of life. When tigers disappear, for instance, the number of deer and wild pigs may increase and damage the forest. When vultures die out, dead animals lie rotting in the open and spread disease.

Fortunately, it is not too late to act. The government has declared a number of protected areas, and laws have been made to stop hunting. Local people living near the forests are being encouraged to protect wildlife rather than harm it. Students can also play their part by learning about nature, spreading awareness and refusing to buy products made from wild animals. If we act together, we can save our natural heritage for the generations to come.

Choose the correct answer from the alternatives: 1×7=7

(a) The Royal Bengal tiger lives in—

• (i) the haors
• (ii) the Sundarbans
• (iii) the river banks
• (iv) the city parks

(b) The word 'prowls' means—

• (i) moves quietly in search of prey
• (ii) sleeps peacefully
• (iii) swims fast
• (iv) roars loudly

(c) A species is called extinct when—

• (i) its number is falling
• (ii) it migrates every winter
• (iii) not a single member survives
• (iv) it lives in a protected area

(d) Which animal has already vanished from Bangladesh?

• (i) the Asian elephant
• (ii) the gharial
• (iii) the swamp deer
• (iv) the Ganges river dolphin

(e) The antonym of 'destruction' is—

• (i) ruin
• (ii) creation
• (iii) removal
• (iv) pollution

(f) According to the passage, when vultures die out—

• (i) forests grow faster
• (ii) the number of deer increases
• (iii) dead animals spread disease
• (iv) rivers become polluted

(g) The word 'heritage' is closest in meaning to—

• (i) something valuable passed down from the past
• (ii) a modern invention
• (iii) a law against hunting
• (iv) a kind of forest

Answer the following questions: 2×5=10

• (a) Why can Bangladesh be called a home of remarkable wildlife?
• (b) What is the difference between an endangered species and an extinct species?
• (c) What are the main causes behind the decline of wildlife in Bangladesh?
• (d) How does the loss of one species affect the web of life? Give an example from the passage.
• (e) What can students do to protect wildlife?

Read the following text and fill in each gap with a suitable word based on the information of the text. 1×5=5

Folk music is the music of the common people, passed from one generation to another by word of mouth. Bangladesh has a rich tradition of such songs. Bhatiyali songs are sung by boatmen as they float down the wide rivers; their long, slow tunes reflect the loneliness of river life. Bhawaiya songs belong to the northern districts, especially Rangpur, and often speak of love and separation. Baul songs, made famous by Lalon Shah, express a search for the inner self and the Creator. These songs are usually accompanied by simple instruments such as the ektara and the dotara.

Folk music is passed down from generation to generation by (a) ___ of mouth. Bhatiyali is the song of the (b) ___. Bhawaiya songs are mostly popular in the (c) ___ part of the country. Lalon Shah made (d) ___ songs famous. Folk singers use simple instruments like the (e) ___ and the dotara.

Read the passage carefully and answer the question no. 4 and 5:

Sonargaon, about twenty-seven kilometres south-east of Dhaka, was once one of the most important centres of trade and culture in Bengal. In the fourteenth century it served as the capital of the independent sultans of Bengal, and in the late sixteenth century it became a stronghold of Isa Khan, the leader of the Baro Bhuiyans, who resisted Mughal rule. Travellers from distant lands praised the fine cotton cloth, especially the muslin, that the weavers of this region produced. Near the old town lies Panam Nagar, a street lined with two-storeyed brick houses built mainly by wealthy merchants in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Many of these buildings are now in ruins, but their arches and decorated walls still speak of past prosperity. In 1975, the Bangladesh Folk Art and Crafts Foundation was established at Sonargaon through the efforts of the famous painter Zainul Abedin. Its museum preserves nakshi kantha, pottery, wood carving, brass work and other traditional crafts. Every year a folk fair is held there, where artisans from different parts of the country display and sell their products.

Complete the table below with the information from the above passage: 1×5=5

Write a summary of the above passage in your own words. 10

Match the parts of sentences given in column A, B and C to write five complete sentences: 1×5=5

Put the following parts of the story in correct order to make the whole story. Only the corresponding numbers of the sentences need to be written: 1×8=8

• (a) He crossed the Channel successfully and became the first Asian to do so.
• (b) Brojen Das was born in 1927 in Bikrampur, now in Munshiganj district.
• (c) His achievement made the people of his country proud.
• (d) He soon became a champion swimmer in national competitions.
• (e) This great swimmer died in 1998, but he still inspires young athletes.
• (f) As a boy he loved swimming in the rivers near his home.
• (g) After that success he crossed the Channel several more times.
• (h) In 1958 he took part in an international race across the English Channel.

Part B: Writing

Write a paragraph in about 200 words on 'Human Rights' answering the following questions: 10

• (a) What are human rights?
• (b) What are some basic human rights?
• (c) Which international document declared these rights for all people?
• (d) How are human rights violated in our society?
• (e) What should we do to protect human rights?

Read the beginning of a story. Add at least ten new sentences to complete the story. 10

The girls of a small village school had never worn proper football boots. Every afternoon they practised barefoot on a muddy field while some villagers laughed at them. One day, their teacher arrived with a letter announcing a national football tournament for schools . . .

Look at the following bar graph. It shows the literacy rate (age 7 and above) of a district in Bangladesh in five different years. Now describe the graph in about 150 words. You should highlight and summarise the information given in the graph. 10

[Bar graph — Literacy rate of a district, 2000 to 2020]

Suppose, you are Rafid/Rafia. Your friend's name is Imran/Ishrat. Now, write a letter to your friend advising him/her not to share any information online without checking whether it is true. 10

Suppose, you are Tamim/Tahmina. Your friend's name is Rakib/Rima. Now, write a dialogue between you and your friend about the benefits of physical exercise. 10

Read the passage. Then answer the question no. 1 and 2:

The family is the first school of every human being. Long before a child enters a classroom, he or she learns to speak, to share and to respect others at home. Parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters are the first teachers, and the lessons they teach often last a lifetime. In a traditional Bangladeshi joint family, three generations lived under the same roof. Grandparents told stories in the evening, uncles and aunts helped with the children, and joys and sorrows were shared by all.

Today the picture is changing fast. Many young people leave their villages to study or work in cities or abroad, and small nuclear families are becoming common. Busy parents come home tired, and children spend long hours with screens instead of people. Members of the same family may sit in the same room, yet each one is lost in a separate mobile phone. As a result, the warmth that once held families together is slowly fading in many homes.

Warmth in a relationship does not depend on expensive gifts or grand celebrations. It grows from small, everyday acts: listening patiently when someone is upset, sharing a meal together, remembering a birthday, or simply asking, "How was your day?" Elderly members of the family, in particular, need such attention. They may not ask for much, but a few minutes of conversation can make them feel valued rather than forgotten.

Strong family bonds also help young people face the storms of adolescence. A teenager who feels loved and understood at home is less likely to fall into bad company or to hide problems from his or her parents. It is therefore the duty of every member, young or old, to keep the family a place of trust, understanding and care. A family bound by warmth is a small world of peace in a restless age.

Choose the correct answer from the alternatives: 1×7=7

(a) According to the passage, the first school of every human being is—

• (i) the classroom
• (ii) the family
• (iii) the society
• (iv) the playground

(b) In a traditional joint family—

• (i) only parents and children lived together
• (ii) three generations lived under the same roof
• (iii) children lived with their teachers
• (iv) grandparents lived alone

(c) The word 'nuclear' in 'nuclear families' refers to a family of—

• (i) people working with atomic energy
• (ii) parents and their children only
• (iii) three or more generations
• (iv) rich city dwellers

(d) The phrase 'lost in' in the passage means—

• (i) missing from
• (ii) deeply absorbed in
• (iii) defeated by
• (iv) confused about

(e) Warmth in a relationship grows from—

• (i) expensive gifts
• (ii) grand celebrations
• (iii) small everyday acts
• (iv) living in cities

(f) The antonym of 'patiently' is—

• (i) calmly
• (ii) quietly
• (iii) impatiently
• (iv) kindly

(g) A teenager who feels loved at home is less likely to—

• (i) study hard
• (ii) share problems with parents
• (iii) fall into bad company
• (iv) respect elders

Answer the following questions: 2×5=10

• (a) Why is the family called the first school of every human being?
• (b) How was life in a traditional joint family?
• (c) Why is the warmth in many families fading today?
• (d) What small acts can keep warmth alive in a family?
• (e) How can strong family bonds help adolescents?

Read the following text and fill in each gap with a suitable word based on the information of the text. 1×5=5

Khona is a legendary woman of ancient Bengal, famous for her wisdom. Her sayings, known as Khonar Bachan, are short rhymes about farming, weather and daily life. For centuries, farmers who could not read or write learnt these rhymes by heart and used them to decide when to sow seeds, when to expect rain and how to take care of their crops. Many of her sayings are based on careful observation of nature. Even today, people in rural Bangladesh quote Khona's words, which shows how deeply folk wisdom is rooted in our culture.

Khona was a (a) ___ woman of ancient Bengal. Her rhymes are called Khonar Bachan. Farmers learnt them by (b) ___ because many of them could not read. The rhymes helped farmers know the right time to (c) ___ seeds. Most of her sayings came from close (d) ___ of nature. Her words are still (e) ___ by people in rural areas.

Read the passage carefully and answer the question no. 4 and 5:

Begum Rokeya, a pioneer of women's education in Bengal, was born on 9 December 1880 in the village of Pairaband in Rangpur. At that time Muslim girls were kept in strict seclusion and were not sent to school. Her elder brother Ibrahim Saber secretly taught her English at night, while her elder sister Karimunnesa encouraged her love of Bangla. In 1898 she was married to Syed Sakhawat Hossain, a broad-minded magistrate of Bhagalpur, who inspired her to write. In 1905 her famous English work Sultana's Dream appeared, describing a land where women run the country with the help of science. After her husband's death, she founded a girls' school in Bhagalpur in 1909 with only five students. Two years later she moved the school to Kolkata, where it grew into the Sakhawat Memorial Girls' School. In 1916 she founded Anjuman-e-Khawatin-e-Islam, an association for Muslim women. Through her writings, such as Motichur and Abarodhbasini, she protested against the injustice done to women. She died on 9 December 1932, her birthday. Bangladesh observes 9 December as Rokeya Day in her honour.

Complete the table below with the information from the above passage: 1×5=5

Write a summary of the above passage in your own words. 10

Match the parts of sentences given in column A, B and C to write five complete sentences: 1×5=5

Put the following parts of the story in correct order to make the whole story. Only the corresponding numbers of the sentences need to be written: 1×8=8

• (a) While his neighbours harvested their crops quickly, he waited for the grain to ripen fully.
• (b) He lost almost all his harvest and had to borrow rice from his neighbours.
• (c) Once there lived a young farmer named Hashem in a village beside a river.
• (d) The river overflowed, and Hashem's field went under water.
• (e) Hashem laughed at them and said that he did not believe in old sayings.
• (f) From that day on, he learnt to respect the experience of his elders.
• (g) One spring, the old people of the village warned that heavy rain would come early that year.
• (h) Then, one night, dark clouds gathered and it rained heavily for three days.

Part B: Writing

Write a paragraph in about 200 words on 'Consumerism' answering the following questions: 10

• (a) What is consumerism?
• (b) Why do people often buy more than they need?
• (c) What role do advertisements and online shopping play in it?
• (d) What are the harmful effects of consumerism on people and the environment?
• (e) How can we become responsible consumers?

Read the beginning of a story. Add at least ten new sentences to complete the story. 10

Rafi's grandfather had lived alone in the village since his grandmother's death. Busy with his studies in Dhaka, Rafi had not visited him for almost a year. One evening, he received a phone call from a neighbour in the village . . .

Look at the following pie chart. It shows the career choices of the HSC students of a college. Now describe the chart in about 150 words. You should highlight and summarise the information given in the chart. 10

[Pie chart — Career choices of the HSC students of a college]

Suppose, you are Siam/Samia. Your friend's name is Fahim/Fariha. Now, write a letter to your friend describing how your college celebrated Pohela Boishakh this year. 10

Suppose, you are Nafis/Nafisa. Your friend's name is Zubair/Zarin. Now, write a dialogue between you and your friend about the importance of reading books outside the syllabus. 10