HSC--2015

Part A : Seen Comprehension (40 Marks)

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions 1—4 : [Unit—10; Lesson—1(C+D)]

Television has become the most common and widespread source of entertainment of the present world. A wide range of programmes of varied interest is telecast on numerous channels. Almost every middle class and even working class families have a television set today. Television programmes are not only entertaining; they can be highly educative too. For example, television is used for distance learning. Courses run by the Open University are shown on the BTV. Several channels like the Discovery Channel and the National Geographic Channel telecast highly informative programmes. Watching TV, however, has become an addiction for many. Satellite telecasting has added new dimensions to television but it has sometimes been branded as a cultural assault on developing nations. The East is being exposed more and more to Western music, entertainment and modes of life. As a result, young people's tastes are gradually being influenced by them. A major influence on American children's lives is the television shows they watch. TV viewing statistics are staggering: 96% of US homes have at least one television set, and children aged three to five watch an average of fifty hours of TV every week. By the time these kids graduate from high school, they will have spent more than 22,000 hours in front of the box but only 11,000 hours in school. Most research on the effects of TV on children centres round whether watching so much violence on TV makes them more aggressive. Many studies show that it does. Indeed, TV watching influences children's learning style too.

1. Choose the right word to complete each sentence. 15=5

(a) Excessive watching of TV is detrimental/helpful/useful.

(b) Many people have got obsessed/dependent/devoted to watching TV.

(c) The East is being concealed/detected/revealed to the West.

(d) Television telecasts programmes of uniform/common/diversified matter.

(e) Television has become the most widespread source of refreshment/ amusement/

cheerfulness.

2. True /False? If false, give the correct information. 15=5

(a) Studies show that American children learn better through TV watching.

(b) Western music and entertainment helps to develop the taste of the younger people in the developing countries.

(c) TV plays an important role in imparting education.

(d) Satellite telecasting has brought the world closer.

(e) The students in America spend more time in their studies than in viewing TV.

3. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the words in brackets. Add any prepositions if

necessary. 15=5

(a) Young people’s tastes are gradually coming under the (influenced) —— TV.

(b) Satellite telecasting has brought about a (gradually) —— influence on our younger

people.

(c) Before (graduate) —— many American children will have spent more than 22,000 hours

in front of TV.

(d) (Watch) —— TV has become a source of common pastime.

(e) Almost every middle class and even every working class families are in (possess) —— a TV set.

4. Make a list of five points about the influence of TV. 15=5

Read the passage below and answer the questions 5—8 : [Unit—13; Lesson—3(B)]

In Bangladesh the retirement age for government employees is 57 years and for university teachers 65 years. In the United Nations the retirement age is 65 years. But this does not mean that after this age people suddenly become useless and unfit to work. These people are an asset to society with knowledge that only experience can bring and need to feel useful and want in society. In the developed countries, social security is provided by the government in the form of post-retirement and old age benefits, so that these people can get free medical facilities and can also be economically independent. In Bangladesh, government employees are granted a pension and there are a few facilities at the government hospitals for the old but these are hardly enough. Besides, the majority of our female population do not belong to the working class. They are housewives and are not eligible for any pension or gratuity. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, about 6% of the population of Bangladesh are aged people which came to about 13.3 million people in 2000. This includes male and female elderly people both from the villages and towns. These people have served their nation and their families through the years. In their old

age, it is their right to expect service from us in return. Their physical health has started deteriorating and they need as much care and consideration as possible. The government still

English First Paper : Questions 5

does not have any system to meet the health and economic needs of this large population. We ourselves however must ensure that the elderly among us are respected and cared for. After all, can we forget that we ourselves are going to grow old one day?

5. Write short answers to these questions. 15=5

(a) When does a government employee retire in Bangladesh?

(b) What is the retirement age limit in the United Nations?

(c) Why are the retired people considered an asset?

(d) Who do not belong to the working class?

(e) What can’t we forget?

6. Fill in the gaps with suitable words. 15=5

In the developed countries the government (a) —— social security, free medical facilities and other benefits to the retired old people. But in our country the facilities (b) —— to the retired persons are not (c) ——. They only enjoy a (d) —— and a little medical (e) ——.

7. Summarise the passage in five sentences. 15=5

8. Based on your reading of the passage, make short notes in each of the boxes in the flow chart showing the benefits of a retired person both in Bangladesh and developed countries enjoys. 15=5

1. In developed countries social securities provided by the government

 2  3  4  5  6

Part B : Vocabulary Test (20 Marks)

9. Fill in the gaps with a suitable word from the box. (Make any grammatical changes if necessary). There are more words in the box than you need. 110=10

source manpower explore provide concern employment independence recreation necessary different across dense solution unemployment

Bangladesh is a (a) —— populated country, but a large number of her people are (b) ——. It is not possible for her to ensure (c) —— to the teeming millions. Self-employment is a possible (d) —— to this problem. It means that people themselves should (e) —— avenues for self-employment. Facilities for training in (f) —— trades and vocations are available (g) —— the country. The youths, in particular, can train themselves in any of these trades and turn into a useful (h) ——. The govt. also (i) —— easy loans and counselling with a view to helping them start an (j) —— earning activity.

10. Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word in each gap. 110=10

Bangladesh is a country (a) —— an area of 1,47,570 square kilometres. It is (b) —— with more than 120 million people. About one thousand people (c) —— per square kilometre. So it is a (d) —— populated country. The growth rate is very (e) —— which must be (f) —— immediately. If this rate (g) —— on unchecked, Bangladesh will (h) —— a great problem. So everyone should (i) —— forward to (j) —— public consciousness.

Part C : Guided Writing (40 Mark)

11. Match the phrases in the following substitution table to make sensible sentences.

Write out the sentences in full. 26=12

(a) Environment pollution	must be taken	in various	by smoke of factories and vehicles
(b) In our cities air	has become	to control	is polluted by garbage
(c) Even the ground we	is constantly	one of the greatest problems	alarming pollution
(d) Water	walk on	in the face of	in our country
(e) But	we is also polluted	being polluted	in this modern age
(f) Measures	should not remain idle	both in urban and rural areas	such an alarming problem
A	B	C	D

12. The sentences in the following text are jumbled. Rewrite the sentences in the proper

order and in a continuous paragraph to make a story. 114=14

(i) This time he put on gorgeous dress.

(ii) The courtier understood his fault and begged the poet’s pardon.

(iii) On his way back home, Saadi again took shelter in the same courtier's house.

(iv) He set out for the emperor's palace in ordinary dress.

(v) Saadi replied, "My dress deserves this food."

(vi) He was simple in his ways of life.

(vii) On the way, he took shelter in a courtier's house.

(viii) Sheikh Saadi was a great Persian poet.

 (ix) They asked, "Why are you putting the food in your dress?"

(x) Once he was invited to the emperor's palace.

(xi) The courtier's men were surprised to see this.

(xii) The courtier and his men did not show much honour and hospitality to him.

(xiii) Now Saadi began to put his food in the pocket of his dress.

(xiv) The courtier received him cordially and entertained him with rich and delicious food.

13. Write a paragraph of about 200 words based on the following questions. Your answers

to the questions should give as much detail as possible. 14

(a) What is Internet? (b) What does it require to get an Internet connection? (c) How many types of Internet are there? (d) How can one get Internet connection? (e) What is the usefulness of Internet.