HSC English 1st Paper
Time: 3 Hours Full Marks: 100
Part-A: Marks-60
Read the passage below and answer the following questions 1 and 2.
In Bangladesh folk music has great variety, with songs being composed on the culture, festivals, views of life, natural beauty, rivers and rural and riverine life. These songs are also about social inequality and poverty, about the material world and the supernatural. Mystical songs have been composed using the metaphors of rivers and boats. Since the country is basically riverine, the Bhatiyali forms an important genre of folk music. Folk music is formed and developed according to the environment.
Differences in the natural environment are reflected in the people of the different regions. The dialects too vary across the different regions. Bangladeshi folk music therefore varies from region to region. Thus there are the northern Bhawaiya, the castern Bhatiyali and the southwestern Baul songs.
The culture and lifestyle of the different tribes have also influenced folk music. Tribes like the Santal, Garo, Hajong, Chakma, Manipuri, Tripuri, Marma etc. have interacted with ethnic Bengali culture and lifestyle over the years. The interaction has been clearly reflected in the richness of folk music. Folk songs may be sung individually or in chorus. Folk songs sung individually include Baul, Bhatiyali, Murshidi and Marfati, while songs sung in chorus include Kabigan, Leto, Alkab and Gambhira. Some songs are regional in character, but others are common to both Bangladesh and West Bengal. Similarly, some songs belong distinctively to one religious community. Hindu or Muslim: Others cross religious boundaries. Some songs belong exclusively to men, others to women while some are sung by both men and women. Thus only women compose and sing Bratagan and Meyeli Git, but both men and women participate in the roof-beating songs that are sung while beating down and firming rooftops.
- A. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives. 1´5=5
(a) The word ‘ethnic’ refers to—
(i) tribe (ii) religious (iii) Muslim (iv) pagan
(b) The phrase roof-beating refers to—
(i) songs while cutting crops (ii) songs while riding boat
(iii) songs while recovering root (iv) songs while cooking food
(c) Bhawaiya is the folk music of—-part of Bangladesh.
(i) eastern (ii) southwestern (iii) northeastern (iv) northern
(d) The word ‘distinctive’ means—-
(i) characteristic (ii) embody (iii) company (iv) harmony
(e) Which of the following has the closest meaning of the word ‘chorus’?
(i) chart of a country (ii) culture of a country
(iii) a band of singers (iv) a singer in a concert
- Answer the following questions. 2´5=10
(a) What is folk music?
(b) What are these songs about?
(c) How does Bangladeshi folk music vary from region to region?
(d) Which folk songs do women only compose?
(e) What is the main theme of the passage?
- Read the following text and make a flow chart showing the qualities of an ideal teacher. (one is done for you) 10
A most important truth, which we are apt to forget, is that a teacher can never truly teach unless he is still learning himself. A lamp can never light another unless it continues to burn its own flame. The teacher who has come to the end of his subject, who has no living traffic with his knowledge, but merely repeats his lessons to his students, can only load their minds; he can not quicken them.
Truth not only must inform but inspire. If the inspiration dies out, and the information only accumulates, then truth loses its infinity. The greater part of our learning in the schools has been waste because, for most of our teachers, their subjects are like dead specimens of once living things with which they have a learned acquaintance, but no communication of life and love. The educational institution, therefore, which I have in mind, has primarily for its object the constant pursuit of truth, from which the imparting of truth naturally follows. It must not be a dead cage in which living minds are fed with food artificially prepared. It should be an open house, in which students and teachers are at one. They must live their complete life together, dominated by a common aspiration for truth and a need of sharing all the delights of culture. In former days the great master craftsmen had students in their workshops where they co-operated in shaping things to perfection. That was the place where knowledge could become living that knowledge which not only has its substance and law, but its atmosphere subtly informed by a creative personality. For intellectual knowledge also has its aspect of creative art, in which the man who explores truth expresses something which is human in him his enthusiasm, his courage, his sacrifice, his honesty, and his skill. In merely academic teaching we find subjects, but not the man who pursues the subjects; therefore the vital part of education remains incomplete.
- Write a summary of the following text. 10
When a girl gets married, she usually drops out of school and begins full-time work in her in-laws’ household. In the in-laws’ house, she is marginalized. She becomes vulnerable to all forms of abuse, including dowry-related violence. In Bangladesh, it is still common for a bride’s family to pay dowry despite the practice being illegal. Dowry demands can also continue after the wedding. For an adolescent bride, even if her ‘in laws are supportive, there are greater health risks in terms of pregnancy and child birth. The majority of adolescent brides and their families are uninformed or insufficiently informed about reproductive health and contraception. The maternal mortality rate for adolescents is double the national rate. When adolescent girls are pulled out of school, either for marriage or work, they often lose their mobility, their friends and social status. The lack of mobility among adolescent girls also curtails their economic and non-formal educational opportunities. Moreover, they lack information about health issues. According to a study, only about three in five adolescents have even heard of HIV. It is also reported that more than 50 percent of adolescent girls are undernourished and suffer from anemia. Adolescent fertility is also high in Bangladesh. The contribution of the adolescent fertility rate to the total fertility rate increased from 20.3% in 1993 to 24.4% in 2007. Moreover neonatal mortality is another concern for younger mothers. While the situation for adolescent boys is some what better, many are vulnerable and lack the power to make decisions about their own lives. Many boys who are unable to go to school, or are unemployed, remain unaware of social or health issues. They are at considerable risk of being drawn into criminal activities. They are also more likely to get exposed to drugs and alcohol.
- 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
| spends | leaving | immigration | valuable |
| country | causes | so | extend |
| search | certainly | particular | deprived |
Most of us do not know what the words ‘brain drain’ mean. The (a)—of highly trained or qualified people from a (b)—country is called brain drain. Brain drain (c)—countries to lose (d)—professionals. Every year a good number of talented people are (e)—our country in (f)—of better living. This has (g)—a great impact on our economy. The country is (h)—of the service of these talented people though it (i)—-a huge sum of money to educate them. There are other loses too. (j)—necessary steps should be taken to stop this tendency.
- Fill in the blanks with appropriate word in each gap. 1×10=10
Shamsur Rahman was a Bangladeshi poet. As a poet he was deeply (a)—in his own tradition. He built his literary (b)—against the (c)—of the 30’s poets. He developed the (d)—and added new (e)—to it. From the late sixties, he began to influence the (f)—scene. He brought new (g)—in Bangla poetry. He expressed his (h)—about people’s (i)—rights. His poems also expose moral (j)—of people.
- Rearrange the following sentences to make coherent order. 1×10=10
(a) Once he fell in love with a beautiful daughter of a rich Businessman.
(b) But she is afraid to reveal her feelings to her father because Antonis has given lots of traffic tickets to a bus belonging to her father’s company.
(c) He is very sincere to his duty.
(d) The film was made by Eilippos Fylaktos, a Greek film maker.
(e) Her name was Kiki.
(f) It was made in 1963.
(g) In this film, Antonis is a devoted traffic police.
(h) Though this event makes Antonis’ life complicated, the movie ends with a happy outcome for everyone involved in the society.
(i) Antonis Pikrocholos is the central character of the film ‘My Brother the Traffic Policeman’.
(j) He enforces traffic laws very strictly.
Part-B
- Write a paragraph by answering the following questions on “Globalization”. 10
(a) What is globalization?
(b) What is the positive effect of globalization?
(c) How does it affect the developing countries?
(d) How can globalization be used for the betterment of humanity?
- Read the following outlines and develop them into a complete story. Give a suitable title to it. 7
Once upon a time, there was a king called Midas. He was very rich and loved his gold more than anything else. He had a large kingdom, and a lovely little daughter, But he was not happy because he ————–
- Write a letter to your friend about the importance of physical exercise. 5
- The chart/graphs shows the gradual rise in the internet users in Bangladesh. Now, write a paragraph analyzing/describing the graph and give a suitable title to it. 10
- Write down the theme of the following poem (Not more than 50 words) 08
Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship,
Upon a painted ocean.
Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrinks;
Water, water, everywhere.
Nor any drop to drink.