HSC Model Test – 2020 (08)
English 2nd Paper
Full Marks: 60 Time: 70 Minutes
Part A: Grammar (Marks 60)
1. Fill in the blanks in the following text with articles as necessary. Some of the blanks may not require an article. Put a cross (×) in those blanks. .5×10=5
Before the beginning of (a) —– use of human language, (b) —– communication took place between humans through signs and gestures. As humans began to use their (c) —– vocal chords, these silent gestures were no longer used as (d) —– primary means of (e) —– communication. But these did not completely disappear. They involved as (f) —– form of art which came to be known as (g) —–. In (h) —– Bangladeshi village, (i) —– little boy came to know about mime as he watched (j) —– performance in his village.
2. Complete the text with suitable prepositions: .5×10=5
A good student is never indifferent (a) —– his studies. He always adheres (b) —– his studies. He does not learn things (c) —– rote. He does not hunt (d) —– traditional books. Moreover, he has great thirst (e) —– knowledge. For this he does not confine himself (f) —– the traditional studies. He is always aware (g) —– the current affairs (h) —– the world. He abides (i) —– his teachers’ advice and jots (j) —– their lecture.
3. Complete the sentences with suitable phrases/words given in the box .5×10=5
| have to | would rather | had better | let alone | as though |
| as soon as | so that | what does — look like | would you mind | as long as |
a) I’ll draw a map for you —– you can easily find it.
b) She always behaves —– she were the boss of a corporate office.
c) The poor will continue to suffer —– they will remain illiterate.
d) Daughter: Mom, —– a chess board —–?
e) I’m not working tomorrow. So, I don’t —– get up very early in the morning.
f) All the students kept quiet —– the teacher entered into the classroom.
g) It is raining heavily. —– closing the window, please?
h) You will have to drive more than 500 km today. You —– start now without making any delay.
i) The educated people are not conscious in our country —– the common masses. j) You —– go home now than wait for him anymore.
4. Complete the sentences using suitable clauses/phrases: .5×10=5
a) She behaved in such a manner as if ———–.
b) There goes a proverb, ———, cannot be blotted.
c) Had Karim been my brother, ———.
d) Parents should spend much time with their kids. The sooner they understand the fact, ———. e) We went to our native village with our parents with a view to ———.
f) Hardly had we started to eat ———. It was an unexpected knock.
g) As man cannot live alone, ———.
h) My mother is an entrepreneur. She believes that ———.
i) He is walking very carefully lest ———.
j) I do not know why you go there. Most probably, ———.
5. Read the text and fill in the gaps with the correct form of verbs as per subject and context: .5×10=5 Cramming (a) ____ (be) a crime. It (b) ____ (smash) the creativity of a student. The area of learning by heart has (c) ____ (shrink). Our students have (d) ____ (grown) habituated to a gadget life, i.e. coping and pasting, not (e) ____ (learn) by themselves and from life and nature. They do not try to analyze anything and (f) ____ (quote) from memory. Our very education system has yet (g) ____ (be) able to bring all the students into the bower of creative learning. New ideas (h) ____ (borrow) from a certain corner of the old are tested on them consequently. Our creative minds in some respects are wasted. So our very education system needs to (i) ____ (update) with options for students (j) ____ (visualize) the dawn of a new beginning.
6. Read the text and change the sentences as directed: 05 (a) I answered thanking him. (Compound) (b) What cannot be cured must be endured. (Active) (c) You must work hard to succeed. (Compound) (d) She had read a book of mine and she had written to me about it. (Simple) (e) The building was made with fine white marbles. (Active)
7. Change the narrative style by using indirect speeches. 05
“Whose picture is it?” I asked. “A little girl’s of course,” said grandmother, “Can’t you tell?” “Yes, but did you know the girl?” “Yes, I knew her,” said granny. “But she was a very wicked girl and I should not tell you about her.”
8. Identify the unclear pronoun references in the passage to make them clear: 05 A beggar is a person that begs from door to door. Three are some beggars who beg on the streets. He is called street beggars. It is not a profession. It is a social problem. They are the ignoble persons in the society. Though they earn money by begging, they do not contribute to it.
9. Read the following text and use modifiers as directed in the blanks speeches: .5×10=5
Most of the people in (a) — (Use possessive to pre-modify the noun) country do not know the importance of English, (b) — (Post-modify the noun with an appositive). In fact, it is an (c) — (Use an adjective to pre-modify the noun) language and we are living in a global village. So, if you know English (d) — (Post-modify the verb with an adverb), you can communicate with (e) — (Use article to pre-modify the noun phrase) rest of the world. It is surely an important element of your (f) — (Use a noun adjective to pre-modify the noun) skill. Without the knowledge of English, you cannot complete (g) — (Use possessive to pre-modify the noun) higher studies because most of the books are written in English. Poor knowledge of English will also hamper your (h) — (Use a noun adjective to pre-modify the noun) development. In short, if you do not have a good command over English, you will suffer (i) — (Post-modify the verb with prepositional phrase/adverbial) of your life. So, don’t waste your time and try to learn English (j) — (Post-modify the verb with an adverb) from today.
10. Use appropriate sentence connectors in the blank speeches of the following passage: .5×10=5
Trees are a vital part of our environment. (a) —–, they bear a great impact on the climate. (b) —– we are not careful about them. (c) —–, we destroy trees at random. (d) —–, one day the country will bear the consequence of greenhouse effect. (e) —– ours is an agricultural country, our economy depends on it. (f) —–, our agriculture is dependent on rain. (g) —–, trees play a vital role on our climate. (h) —–, trees keep the soil strong. (i) —– trees save us from flood (j) —– many other natural calamities.
11. Read the passage and write the antonym or synonym of the words as directed below: .5×10=5 Reshma is an attractive young woman. Her dark eyes are beautiful. Her complexion is flawless and she has a lovely smile. Her long black hair is full and shiny. She is tall and slender and her movement is graceful. She always dresses stylishly. Everybody appreciates her beauty. But she worries if a woman can have beauty, ambition and a bit of intelligence too.
(a) attractive (synonym) (b) dark (synonym) (c) complexion (synonym) (d) flawless (synonym) (e) shiny (antonym) (f) slender (antonym) (g) movement (synonym) (h) stylishly (synonym) (i) beauty (antonym) (j) intelligence (synonym)
12. There are ten errors in the use of punctuation marks in the following text. Re-write the text correcting the errors. .5×10=5
Son : what are you doing mother?
Mother : Cooking for you my child.
Son : Whats that
Mother : its fried rice with chicken your favorite food.
Son : How nice it is? Were having a delicious dinner tonight.
Answer Sheet
1. a) the b) × c) × d) the e) × f) a g) × h) ×/the i) a j) the
2. a) to b) to c) by d) after/from e) for f) to g) of h) of/around i) by j) down
3. a)so that b) as though c) as long as d) what does —– look life e) have to f) as soon as g) would you mind h) had better i) let alone j) would rather
4. a) She behaved in such a manner as if she had known everything.
b) There goes a proverb, what is lotted, cannot be blotted.
c) Had Karim been my brother, I would have got much support from him.
d) The sooner they understand the fact, the better it will be for their future. e) We went to our native village with our parents with a view to spending our summer vacation.
f) Hardly had we started to eat when the calling bell rang.
g) As man cannot live alone, he lives in society.
h) My mother is an entrepreneur. She believes that everyone should be entrepreneur. i) He is walking very carefully lest he should fall down.
j) I do not know why you go there. Most probably, you go there for taking their help.
5. a) is b) smashes c) been shrunk d) grown e) learning f) quote g) not been h) borrowed i) be updated j) to visualize/ visualizing
6. (a) I answered and thanked him. (b) We must endure what we cannot cure. (c) You must work hard and you will succeed. (d) Having read a book of mine, she had written to me about it. (e) The labours made the building with fine white marbles.
7. I asked grandmother whose picture it was. Grandmother replied that it was of course the picture of a little girl and asked me if I could not tell. I replied in affirmative but I asked her if she had known the girl. Granny replied in affirmative and added that she had known her. But she added that she had been a wicked girl and she should not tell me about her.
8. A beggar is a person who begs from door to door. Three are some beggars who beg on the streets. They are called street beggars. Begging is not a profession. It is a social problem. Beggars are the ignoble persons in the society. Though they earn money by begging, they do not contribute to the society.
9. a) our b) an international language c) international d) well e) the f) language g) your h) skill i) in the long run j) fluently
10. a) In fact b) but c) rather d) as a result e) as f) so g) however h) then i) besides j) and
11. (a) Gorgeous (b) dim (c) appearance (d) perfect (e) gloomy (f) fat (g) drive (h) fashionably (i) ugliness (j) cleverness
12. Son : What are you doing, mother?
Mother : Cooking for you, my child.
Son : What’s that?
Mother : It’s fried rice with chicken, your favorite food.
Son : How nice it is! We’re having a delicious dinner, tonight.