Set C Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Jessore

Half Yearly Examination - 2018

Class- Nine
Subject: English (Compulsory) 1st Paper Subject Code: 107
Time: 3 hours Full Marks: 100
[N.B: Answer all the questions. The figures in the right margin indicate full marks]
Part-A : Reading Test (50 Marks)
Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions No. 1 & 2.
21 February has been observed as Shaheed Dibosh every year throughout the country in remembrance of the
martyrs of language movement of 1952. The occasion begins at the early hours of the day with mourning
songs that recall the supreme sacrifices of our language martyrs. People wear black badges and go to the
Shaheed Minar in barefooted processions, singing mourning songs. They place wreaths at the Minar. Many
of them visit the graves of the martyrs at Azimpur graveyard and pray for them. They also attend various
programs organized in remembrance of the language martyrs.
The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) on 17 November in 1999
proclaimed February 21 as the International Mother Language Day in recognition of the sacrifices of the
martyrs for the rightful place of Bangla. The day is now annually observed worldwide to promote awareness
of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.
1. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives. 1×7=7
a. The word „proclaim‟ means-
i. reveal ii. design iii. restore iv. announce
b. February 21 is known as-
i. Victory Day ii. Mother Language Day
iii. Shaheed Dibosh iv. Independence Day
c. What does the word „multilingualism‟ mean?
i. practice of having two nations ii. having two languages
iii. practice of having several traditions iv. practice of having several languages
d. 21 February is observed all around the world____.
i. weekly ii. monthly iii. daily iv. annually
e. On this day, we remember the martyrs of____.
i. Sepoy Mutiny, 1857 ii. Language Movement, 1952
iii. Mass Movement, 1969 iv. Liberation War, 1971
f. The word „diversity‟ refers to___
i. similarity ii. same iii. abundant iv. variety
g. Language Movement was held in____.
i. Bangladesh ii. Pakistan iii. West Pakistan iv. Undivided Pakistan
2. Answer the following questions. 2×5=10
a. Why is 21 February called International Mother Language Day?
b. What do people of Bangladesh do on this day?
c. “The day is now annually observed worldwide to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural
diversity and multilingualism.” What do you mean by this sentence?
d. Do you support the idea that people wear black badges and go to the Shaheed Minar in barefooted
processions , singing mourning songs? Why/Why not? Explain in 2/3 sentences.
e. Why is 21 February observed throughout the world?
3. Read the following text and fill in each gap with a suitable word based on the information of the text. 1×5=5
Ms Anjali Barua, a retired college teacher, is a widow who lives in her own flat in Dhaka. At this stage of
her life, she wants to do something for the people of her village in Sherpur district. Her only daughter lives
in Khulna with her husband and children. Right now she is in her village home. She is writing about her
future plan in a diary. “I don‟t exactly know how I should go about my plan. But one thing I know for sure, I
will need a lot of money for the work. If I had 5 million taka, I would start an adult education centre. Then if
I found an expert on adult education, I would prepare learning materials for the people.” If you ask him
what the materials will look like, he will be able to explain in details. I know if the people attended the
classes at the centre, they would learn how to read, write and count.
I will definitely (a)_______time to this project. But to (b)_______the project successfully I will have to
(c)_______in the village almost permanently. Here is a problem. Who will (d)_______of my flat in Dhaka? If I
had a good reliable man, I would make him caretaker of my flat. But where (e)_______I find such a man?
Read the passage and answer the questions No. 4 and 5.
William Wordsworth was born in 1770 at Cockermouth. He was sent to St John‟s College, Cambridge in
1787. He was attracted by the hopes born of the French Revolution, lived for some while in France returning
in 1792. Subsequently he settled down with his sister Dorothy and Coleridge at Alfoxden. He published
Lyrical ballads in 1798. He married in 1802. He was appointed in a sinecure office in 1813. In 1814 he
published his largest poem “The Excursion”. For the last fifty years of his life, he lived first at Dove
Cottage, Grasmere and finally at Rydal Mount. Many of his sonnets were written during the years of 1820-
1835. He died in 1850.
4. Complete the table below with information from the above passage: 1×5=5
Biography of William Wordsworth
Lifespan From 1770 to (i)--------------------------------
Who/What Event/Activity Place/Whom Year/Time
William Wordsworth was sent (ii) ----------------- in 1787
(iii) --------------- was published by Words Worth in 1814
He (iv) ----------------- in a sinecure office (v) -----------------
5. Write a summary of the above passage in your own words. 10
6. Match the parts of sentences given in column ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ to write five complete sentences. 1×5=5
Column A Column B Column C
a) Women i) have never i) in our modern society.
b) Women labourers ii) are married off ii) their due wage.
c) Yet gender discrimination iii) constitute iii) at their tender age.
d) Fifty percent of the girls iv) exists iv) attended school.
e) Many girls in our country v) do not get v) half of the workforce.
7. Put the following parts of the story in correct order to make the whole story. Only the
corresponding numbers of sentences need to be written: 1×8=8
a) He felt fast asleep there but a great noise woke him up.
b) It was crying for pain in his leg.
c) Androcles was very much afraid and he felt sure that the beast would kill him.
d) A lion had entered the cave roaring loudly.
e) He went to the lion.
f) Then he removed a thorn from the lion‟s paw.
g) Soon he realized that the lion was not angry.
h) Once Androcles fled away from his master‟s house and hid himself in a forest.
Part-B : Writing Test (50 Marks)
8. Answer the following questions to write a paragraph on ‘Environment Pollution’. You should
write it in about 150 words. 10
a. What is environment pollution? b. How is environment polluted?
c. What are the effects of environment pollution?
d. What measures should we take to prevent environment pollution?
9. Read the beginning of the story. Write at least ten new sentences to complete the story in the way
you would like. 10
Anika, an 18 year old garments worker lives with her family in a slum. She dreams of having a life full of joy and
happiness. One day while going to her work place, she found a bag of money in front of her office gate.------
10. The Chart below shows the facts about some countries including Bangladesh. Now, describe the
chart in 150 words. You should highlight and summarize the information given in the chart. 10
Bangladesh Sri Lanka India China
Land Area 1,44,000 sq km (approx) 65,600 sq km 3,287,590 sq km 9,600,000 sq km
Population 150 m 20 m 1.15 b 1.33 b
Density of population 1000 332 382 143
Birth rate (per 1000) 20.1 17.42 22.22 12.29
Death rate (per 1000) 6.1 5.92 7.48 7.03
Growth rate 1.40% 0.7% 1.41% 0.5%
11. Suppose, you are Alok/Aloka . You have a pen-friend named Alexander/Lucy. Now write a letter
telling him/her about the natural beauty of your country. 10
12. Think you have met a florist in a flower shop. You want to buy some flowers. Now write a
dialogue between you and the florist. 10