HSC Model Test 2020 (07)
Subject: English 1st Paper
Full Marks: 60 Time: 70 Minutes 1. Read the following text and answer the questions A and B.
The term ‘diaspora’ is used to refer to people who have left their homelands and settled in other parts of the world, either because they were forced to do so or because they wanted to leave on their own. The word is increasingly used for such people as a collective group and/or a community. The world has seen many Diasporas but scholars have been studying the phenomenon with great interest only in recent decades. Among the great Diasporas of history is that of the Jewish people, who were forced to leave their lands in ancient times. The movement of Aryans from Central Europe to the Indian subcontinent thousands of years ago is also a noteworthy diaspora, although the causes of this diaspora are unclear. In twentieth century history, the Palestinian diaspora has attracted a lot of attention and been a cause of concern for world leaders because of the plight of Palestinians. There have been massive Diasporas in Africa, too, over the centuries, either because of war or because of the ravages of nature. But the chief reason why the phenomenon of diaspora is attracting so much attention now is globalization.
A. Choose the correct option for each. 1×5= 5 (a) The term ‘diaspora’ in the passage means ——. (i) People who settle in other countries leaving their own country. (ii) People who live in other countries for the time being. (iii) People who settle in other countries along with their own homelands. (iv) People who work in other countries. (b) What could be the closest meaning of ‘concern’? (i) Anxiety (ii) Deference (iii) Serenity (iv) Indifference (c) From Europe, —— are the most significant diaspora of history. (i) The Jewish (ii) The Palestinians (iii) The Aryans (iv) The Africans (d) At present, diaspora is attracting so much attention only because of ——. (i) the availability of Internet (ii) the plight of Palestinians (iii) the ravages of nature (iv) the globalization (e) The word ‘noteworthy’ means ——. (i) ordinary (ii) boring (iii) unexceptional (iv) notable
B. Answer the following questions. 2×5=10 (a) What do you understand by the term, ‘diaspora’? Explain it in your own words. (b) When and why did the Palestinian diaspora attract a lot of attention of the world leaders? (c) Mention two reasons for the massive diasporas in Africa over the centuries. (d) Can you guess why the scholars have been studying diaspora with great interest in recent decades? (e) Write down the names of some great diasporas in the history of the world. 2. Read the following text and make a flow chart showing the rise and bravery of Hercules as a great hero. (No. 1 has been done for you). 2×5=10
Hercules was the son of Jupiter and Alcmena. Eurystheus, the King of Mycenae and his cousin, made him undergo some difficult tasks, which are known in Greek myths as the ’12 labours of Hercules’. The first involved a fight with a lion. The valley of Nemea was being disturbed by a terrible lion and so Eurystheus ordered Hercules to slay the beast and bring him his skin. At first, Hercules tried to fight the lion with his club and arrows but this took him nowhere. Then Hercules attempted a different tactic: he decided he would use his hands. He thus managed to slay the animal on his own, relying entirely on his immense strength. Victorious, he returned to Mycenae carrying the dead lion on his shoulders, a sight that terrified the King. His next task was to slay a monster called Hydra that was ravaging the country of Argos. The Hydra had nine heads, of which the middle one was said to be immortal. Our hero struck off its heads with his club, but whenever he knocked off a head, two new ones erupted in its place. Eventually with the help of his devoted servant Iolaus, Hercules succeeded in burning all the heads of the Hydra except the ninth or immortal one, which he decided to bury under a huge rock. In other words, Hercules triumphed again, as he would every time he was given an impossible task by Eurystheus! And this is how; he began to acquire the reputation of a hero possessing immense strength throughout the world.
| 1. born to Jupiter and Alcmena | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
3. Write a summary of the following text. 10 According to some myths and legends, Gazi Pir was a Muslim saint who is said to have spread Islam in the parts of Bengal close to the Sunderbans. He was credited with many miracles. For example, he could supposedly calm dangerous animals and make them docile. He is usually depicted in paats or scroll paintings riding a fierce-looking Bengal tiger, a snake in his hand, but in no apparent danger. According to some stories, he also fought crocodiles who threatened the people of a region full of canals and creeks, indeed, a kind of watery jungle bordering the Bay of Bengal. Because of his alert and vigilant presence, all predatory animals were said to have been kept within bounds. It was also believed that he enabled villagers to live close to forests and jungles and cultivate their lands. Consequently, people of these regions would pray to him for protection. The story of Gazi Pir has been preserved in folk literature as well as art and has been performed in indigenous theatre. In fact, some Gazir paat scrolls are part of the collection of the British Museum.
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
| warm | rise | habitats | extinct | imperative | particularly | check |
| cut | anticipation | increase | recklessly | severe | catastrophe | alarming |
The destruction of forest and other (a) —— is causing the (b)—— of various plants and animals every day. In the last 25 years alone the word has lost one-third of its natural wealth. Forests are being (c) —— down. Moreover, they are being burnt (d) —— resulting in an (e) —— in carbon di-oxide and ultimately the water level is (f) —— as a consequence of global (g) ——. It is (h) —— that the new century will face an overwhelming environmental (i) ——. It is therefore to (j)—— the reckless pollution of the environment.
5. Fill in the blanks with appropriate word in each gap. 1×10=10 Dreams have (a) —- philosophers for thousands of years, but only recently have dreams (b) —- subjected to empirical research and (c) —- study. Chances are that you’ve often (d) —- yourself puzzling over the content of a (e) —-, or perhaps you’ve wondered why you (f) —- at all. First, let’s start by answering a (g) —- question: What is a dream? A dream can include any of the images, (h) —- and emotions that are experienced during (i) —-. Dreams can be extraordinarily vivid or very vague; filled with joyful emotions or frightening images; focused and understandable or (j) —- and confusing.
6. Rearrange the following sentences to make a coherent order. 10
(a) It became a shelter for the sufferers. (b) She was awarded the Nobel Prize for peace in 1979. (c) Mother Teresa was a dedicated soul and her earlier name was Agnes. (d) She came to India in 1929 for serving the people and started her life in Kolkata as a teacher. (e) Then she became an Indian citizen. (f) She established Nirmal Hridoy in Kolkata. (g) She was born in 1910 at a small village in Skopje and she was of Albanian decent. (h) She decided to become a nun when she was eighteen. (i) Her activities spread all over the world. (j) She began to serve the downtrodden.
Answer Sheet
1. A. a) (i) People who settle in other countries leaving their own country. b) i) anxiety c) iii) The Aryans d) iv) the globalization e) iv) notable
B) Do yourself
2. A flow chart showing the rise and bravery of Hercules as a great hero is given bellow:
| 1. born to Jupiter and Alcmena | 2. underwent some difficult tasks | 3. fought against a lion | 4. slayed the animal, relying entirely on his immense strength | 5. returned to Mycenae carrying the dead lion on his shoulders | 6. slayed a monster called Hydra |
3. Do yourself
4. a) habitats b) extinction c) cut d) recklessly e) increase f) rising g) warming h) anticipated i) catastrophe j) check
5. a) fascinated b) been c) scientific d) found e) dream f) dream g) basic h) thoughts i) sleep j) unclear
6.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| c | g | h | d | e | f | a | j | i | b |